Bombay Budapest

The story

Bombay Budapest: Contemporary Indian Dining Near St Stephen’s Basilica

The kitchen and its founders

Bombay Budapest brings contemporary Indian cuisine to Budapest, anchored by a kitchen built around personal family recipes. Founder Manish Jain guides the team toward lighter sauces and seasonal shifts after opening the venue in 2021. The chefs arrived with regional dishes passed down through households rather than standard cookbooks. A tandoor runs continuously while dosa batter ferments overnight.

Standout plates and lunch traditions

The menu spans dozens of regional traditions, showcasing how Indian cooking adapts from fermented rice and lentil crepes to himalayan dumplings folded by hand. Guests often start with dal shorba simmered with spiced chickpea pearls and fresh coriander. The Delhi style butter chicken arrives in a silky tomato base finished with green cardamom and toasted cashews. Midday visitors can order a full thali platter that balances six distinct Ayurvedic taste profiles across nine small bowls.

The space and the drinks

Dusky blues, burnished golds, and deep reds define the three levels that stretch from the street down to a private basement room. Crepuscular lighting softens the ground floor dining area where the open bar serves more than thirty gins and spice-infused cocktails. The Gault&Millau jury recognized this approach with a score of twelve, noting how the venue pairs five-course degustations with Moët & Chandon or curated wine flights. Evening guests at the counter access the full menu without a reservation.