Time Out Market Budapest will be home to 11 culinary concepts – today M’EAT by Rácz Jenő, LIRA by Essência Restaurant, Hai Nam Pho and Absolut were confirmed to join the curated mix
Budapest’s vibrant culinary scene just got even more exciting as Time Out Market Budapest reveals its opening date: the doors are set to open to the public on Saturday, 20 September at 11.30am at the historic Corvin Palace at Blaha Lujza Square; it will be open daily from 11.30am to 11.30pm.
Time Out Market is a food and cultural market that brings the best of the city – and beyond – together under one roof: a curated mix of the best chefs and restaurateurs, drinks and cultural experiences. Time Out Market Budapest – the first to open in Central & Eastern Europe – will feature eleven culinary concepts from both award-winning and rising talents, three bars, five event spaces and around 540 seats. Offering a variety of cuisines and flavours, it is going to be a celebration of local talent – a new destination where guests will get a real taste of the city while coming together with family and friends to enjoy their meals around communal tables, surrounded by top chefs and their teams in action.
The opening campaign for the Market has featured historic and contemporary cultural figures from Budapest – and now, in the final phase of the campaign leading up to the opening, the Market’s chefs and restaurateurs are showcased as they will help shape the future of the city's Palace Quarter. They are the faces of Time Out Market Budapest: the top talents behind the eleven kitchens and creative voices bringing the taste of the city to life.
Today, the final additions to the curated lineup have been revealed, captured in a special group photograph. The shoot took place at the impressive Apollo Gallery in Corvin Palace, where all Time Out Market Budapest chefs and restaurateurs came together in front of the camera.
Here are the final additions to the curated lineup complementing Time Out Market Budapest’s stellar culinary roster, serving a diverse range of cuisines:
M’EAT by Rácz Jenő serves premium Hungarian antipasti with a bold Mediterranean twist at Time Out Market Budapest
Renowned Hungarian chef Jenő Rácz, known for his innovative approach and Michelin-star background, brings his latest concept, M’EAT, to Time Out Market Budapest. Inspired by the easy-going atmosphere of Spanish tapas bars and Portuguese petiscos, M’EAT pairs premium Hungarian cold cuts and cheeses with Mediterranean flavours. “There are moments in life when you feel: ‘I’ve arrived, this is truly a good place,’” says Rácz about this new concept. “That’s exactly what I had in mind when I envisioned M’EAT. We aim to attract people who enjoy a laid-back vibe, good conversations and that love spending time with friends and family.” Guests can watch as ham, salami, and other artisanal products from small-scale Hungarian producers are sliced to order, before indulging in elevated creations such as Country Style Paté or Cooked Foie Gras with Homemade Jam and Brioche.
LIRA by Essência Restaurant brings casual fine-dining to Time Out Market Budapest
LIRA by Essência Restaurant brings honest, flavour-driven cooking to Time Out Market Budapest. From the team behind Budapest’s Michelin-starred Essência, the concept is shaped by Chef Tiago Sabarigo from Évora, Portugal, and Sous Chef Miguel Diniz from Lisbon. Their approach is relaxed but precise, blending premium ingredients with creative combinations. The menu, exclusive to Time Out Market Budapest, ranges from Beef Tartar with Oyster Emulsion, Homemade Tagliatelle with Mussels and Smoked Seaweed Butter, and for a sweet finish, the delicious Almond Cake with Gorgonzola Ice Cream steals the show. Each dish reflects the balance of elegance and ease that defines both Essência and LIRA — a more casual way to experience the artistry of a Michelin-starred kitchen.
Hai Nam Pho joins Time Out Market Budapest with bold, nostalgic Vietnamese flavours
The family-run Hai Nam Pho’s story began in Budapest’s 8th district in the early 2000s, and now, its Northern Vietnamese flavours return to the neighbourhood as part of Time Out Market Budapest. Founded by brothers Hai and Nam Vo Son, second-generation Vietnamese Hungarians, the restaurant draws on nearly 30 years of family recipes — from handmade noodles to a broth refined over decades. The menu blends tradition and adaptation, shaped by childhood breakfasts, everyday family meals, and dishes whose names were first translated into Hungarian to make them accessible. Using locally sourced ingredients, Hai Nam Pho brings the essence and aromatics of Vietnamese favourites — infused with inventive twists — into a setting alongside some of the city’s top restaurants, offering a taste deeply rooted in its heritage.
Born to Mix: Absolut Bar debuts at Time Out Market Budapest
Absolut Vodka, one of the world’s most recognisable spirits, is bringing its own dedicated bar to Time Out Market Budapest. The Absolut Bar channels its Born to Mix philosophy — a celebration of mixing people, ideas, cultures and, naturally, cocktails. There will be expertly balanced Espresso Martinis, refreshing Cosmopolitans, perfectly spiced Bloody Marys or, guests can leave it to the mixologist and choose a signature drink from the curated menu that showcases Absolut’s bold character. Long associated with art, nightlife and creative collaboration, Absolut now brings its global energy to Budapest, offering Market visitors a place where quality drinks and a lively atmosphere meet.
It’s not just about food – there will be an exciting bar programme and cultural activations too
Not only will Time Out Market Budapest showcase top local culinary talents and make them accessible in a casual, uniquely designed space – it will also boast local wines, beers, cocktails, mocktails and soft drinks at three bars, as well as art and cultural experiences.
Keeping with its mission to bring the best of the city together under one roof, the curated bar programme will include wine tastings showcasing local vineyards, creative cocktail workshops where guests can learn from professional bartenders, and a spotlight on the city’s craft beer culture with seasonal selections.
Budapest’s cultural scene is as vibrant as its food scene, and Time Out Market Budapest offers an exciting cultural programme with concerts, performances, and activities that spotlight local talent throughout the week. Every Monday, guests can enjoy live piano evenings organised by the Hungarian Bar Pianists Association and Roland Piano. Jazz concerts take place on Tuesdays and Saturdays, organised by the Paloznaki Jazzpiknik, while Wednesdays and Fridays feature more intimate performances curated by Banana Records. On Thursdays, DJ sets from the Budai House Clique set the perfect mood. Sundays are dedicated to families with a fun-filled programme for kids. Each month, a major concert will headline the schedule, adding an extra highlight to the diverse lineup.
Viktor Balogh, Owner of Time Out Market Budapest said: “Time Out Market Budapest will bring a new culinary and cultural experience to the city and we can’t wait to open our doors on 20 September – it will be a big celebration of the fantastic talents our city has to offer. The food scene in Budapest and across Hungary has really evolved in the last few years and we have created this amazing place to present the rich, diverse culinary and cultural vibrancy and the very best Hungarian creators. We wanted to make sure that we feature the city’s well-known chefs and award-winning restaurateurs and also give much-loved local gems and up-and-coming talents an opportunity to showcase their expertise. We are thrilled to bring this project to life, not only with our own vision but in collaboration with some of Budapest’s and Hungary’s most renowned culinary figures, creating something entirely new that Budapest has never seen before. We will be offering guests an experience that is unique yet accessible and affordable as we open our doors at Corvin Palace, creating a meaningful addition to this city and our neighbourhood, and helping it reclaim the prominent place within city life it once held decades ago.”
To select the talent for the curated mix showcased at Time Out Market Budapest, the team has trawled the city in search of the top chefs and restaurateurs, and then invited the very best to join the lineup. This curated selection offers an incredible range of local cuisines and in addition to the vendors revealed today, the following were announced previously:
- The Italian cuisine of Anyukám Mondta will bring decades of passion and family tradition to Time Out Market Budapest
- Pingrumba brings the captivating flavours of the Middle East to the Market
- 101 Bistro reimagines the complex flavours of Taiwan through unique bites
- Szaletly’s mission at Time Out Market is to bring contemporary Hungarian cuisine closer to the city’s food lovers
- Chef István Pesti will serve traditional Hungarian flavours with CANTEEN – a new exclusive concept for Time Out Market Budapest
- Casa Christa brings a taste of Lake Balaton to Time Out Market Budapest
- Bigfish is where sea breeze meets city buzz
- Tuning Burger brings a world-class burger experience, gourmet style to the Market
- Dreher Tanksör taps into tradition with unpasteurised tank beer
- One Counter, 22 Wine Regions, and Endless Experiences at the Wines of Hungary Bar
Address: 1085 Budapest, Blaha Lujza Square 1.
Opening times: Time Out Market Budapest will officially open its doors on Saturday, 20 September 2025, at 11:30am, welcoming visitors thereafter daily from 11:30am to 11:30pm.
To stay up to date: please visit the Time Out Market Budapest website connect with us on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook: @timeoutmarketbudapest
Notes to editors
For further information, please contact: pr@timeout.com
About Time Out Market Budapest
Time Out Market Budapest is located at Corvin Palace at Blaha Lujza Square, a historic department store which first opened in 1926 and has recently been renovated back to its original neoclassical state. Across around 27,000 sq ft on the first floor, Time Out Market Budapest will feature 11 kitchens, three bars, one event space and around 540 seats.
Time Out Market is the world’s first editorially curated food and cultural market, bringing the best of the city together under one roof: the city’s best chefs, restaurateurs, drinks and cultural experiences. From award-winning chefs to much-loved local gems, from live music to installations from local artists – Time Out Market captures and celebrates the best of the city. The first Time Out Market opened in 2014 in Lisbon, quickly turning into one of the most popular destinations in the city. The success of Lisbon brought further expansion and there are currently Markets in eleven cities including New York, Montreal, Dubai, Cape Town and Osaka, with several new sites in development, in addition to a pipeline of further locations in advanced discussions – all offering a curated mix of the city’s best culinary and cultural experiences.
Time Out Market is part of Time Out Group PLC (AIM: TMO), a global brand that inspires and enables people to experience the best of the city through Time Out Media and Time Out Market. Time Out launched in London in 1968 to help people discover the exciting new urban cultures that had started up all over the city – today it is the only global brand dedicated to city life. Local experts curate and create content about the best things to do, see and eat across over 350 cities in over 50 countries, and across a unique multi-platform model spanning both digital and physical channels.
For more information, please visit the Time Out Market Budapest website. In addition, connect with us on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook: @timeoutmarketbudapest
About Apollo Gallery
Apollo Gallery is a unique contemporary art gallery and event space located in the heart of Budapest, within the Corvin Palace. Spanning over 400 m² across two levels, the gallery offers visitors the chance to experience the work of outstanding Hungarian and international contemporary artists. Its distinctive character is defined by the historic building, frequently rotating exhibitions, high-quality built-in event technology, and award-winning catering.
The photoshoot of Time Out Market Budapest vendors took place at the Apollo Gallery, where representatives from all eleven restaurants were captured in an exciting concept: each vendor was photographed in a portrait on a chair that reflected their individual style, provided by Basic Collection, the official furniture supplier for Time Out Market Budapest, a company with over two decades of experience serving both the domestic and international markets as a furniture and home accessories supplier.
For more information, please visit the following websites: Apollo Gallery, Basic Collection