5 Spots to Taste Indian Food in Budapest

After weeks of snow, a hearty, spicy dish starts to sound pretty tempting. If you’ve had enough of local food and want to explore Budapest’s international cuisine, we’ve got some tips for you. Here are five Indian food spots that are popular with the Indian community itself — all have been around for years in Budapest, and they’ve earned our loyalty.

Pándzsáb Tandoori

Address: 1133 Budapest, Pannónia utca 3.

Don’t expect any fancy decoration — this place is really about the food. Pannónia utca has been home to Pándzsáb Tandoori for more than 10 years now, and it keeps up its usual high quality. With just 10 tables, all on a cozy, home-like gallery, it has a warm atmosphere. The food is excellent: you’ll find vegetable samosas, pakora with mint sauce, chicken tikka masala, korma, and other typical specialties of Indian cuisine in Europe on the menu. Best of all, they also deliver!

Haveli

Address: 1063 Budapest, Szinyei Merse Pál utca 1.

While strolling down Andrássy Road, it’s unfortunately still hard to find a decent restaurant — which is why we were so glad to find this breezy, comfortable Indian restaurant here. It’s perfect for families or groups of friends. Haveli has also been around for about 3 years now, and quickly became a favorite spot for Indian food lovers. Our favorites here are the lentil soup and the vegetarian kofta, but the Madras curry chicken is amazing too!

Shalimar

Address: 1073 Budapest, Dob utca 53

The Jewish Quarter is known for all types of international cuisine, from Mexican to New Orleans food, and Indian food is represented here by one of the most elegant restaurants around: Shalimar. It’s been named the city’s best curry restaurant on several occasions. It uses plenty of fresh ingredients and offers more vegetable dishes than the other restaurants on this list. We loved the okra salad, and the tikka plate is beautiful and tempting too.

Maharaja City

Address: 1074 Budapest, Csengery utca 24

Maharaja City isn’t just an Indian restaurant, but a Nepali one too. It’s run by the Jham family, who have been in the restaurant business for a long time — so it’s no surprise that they run one of the best Indian restaurants in Budapest. Prices are very reasonable here, and portions are generous. You’ll also find specialties from Nepal on the menu: pulao, a rice dish with vegetables or meat, and momo, a vegetable- or chicken-filled noodle dish.

Bangla Büfé

Address: 1073 Budapest, Akácfa utca 40

The owners recently renovated and reopened everybody’s favorite Bangla Büfé! It was about time to expand the seating, since getting a table at Bangla Büfé used to be quite a challenge. Two chefs worked in the tiny kitchen, kept their own rather “independent” hours, and would sometimes disappear altogether. Still, despite the occasionally long wait, you could always count on great Indian food at a reasonable price at Bangla Büfé. We also got a taste of that laid-back Indian charm, on the funny side. We can’t wait to see the new Bangla!