Magyar cuisine is rich, meaty and cheap. At the upper end of the scale, Gundel (XIV. �llatkerti út 2, 468 4040, www.gundel.hu) is a culinary legend restored to glory by famed restaurateur George Lang. Café Kör (V. Sas utca 17, 311 0053) offers light, bistro-style Hungarian cookery. For classic Hungarian, try Károlyi Étterem Kavéhaz (V. Károly Mihály utca 9, 328 0240). The Gresham Hotel’s Pava (V. Roosevelt tér 5-6, 268 5100) offers gourmet Italian cuisine in an elegant setting. Coffee-house culture is big in Budapest; good choices are Müvész (VI. Andrássy út 29, 352 1337) and Centrál Kavéház (V. Károly Mihály utca 9, 235 0599) for gooey cakes and cappuccino amid 19th-century grandeur.

Bars abound around Liszt Ferenc tér and along Ráday utca, where Jaffa (IX. Ráday utca 39, 219 5285) is a standout. Nearby, the bohemian Csiga (VIII. Vásár utca 2, 210 0885) offers dining and drinking in a lively, arty milieu. Katapult (VII. Dohány utca 1, 266 7226) is a fun bar that stays open late.