The story
Costes Restaurant holds a well-earned place among Budapest's most respected dining addresses. Located on Ráday Street in the heart of the city, it has long been regarded as a standard-bearer for serious European cuisine in Hungary — a reputation now reinforced by its Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for 2025.
The Wine Spectator Award of Excellence is not handed out lightly. It signals a wine list with genuine depth, thoughtful selection, and the kind of pairing potential that elevates a meal rather than simply accompanying it. For a restaurant focused on European cuisine, this distinction speaks to a kitchen and cellar working in genuine harmony — each reinforcing the other.
Costes is a dinner destination, the sort of place you book in advance and arrive to with appetite and attention. The Ráday Street address places it within one of Budapest's more animated neighbourhoods, yet the experience inside is one of considered calm — suited to a long evening rather than a quick meal.
For visitors to Budapest seeking European cuisine at a level that draws international recognition, or for locals marking an occasion that deserves more than the ordinary, Costes remains a clear and confident choice.
Recognition
Details
History
High quality cooking
Costes is not just a fine dining restaurant – it is a symbol, a standard-bearer, and the founding member of a group that redefined Hungarian gastronomy. When it opened in 2008, owner Károly Gerendai made a bold move by inviting Portuguese and Argentinian chefs. Today, Costes stands as one of the city’s longest-running fine dining institutions – and one that has undergone a striking transformation in recent years. At the heart of this renewal is Jenő Rácz, one of the country’s most celebrated chefs. As co-owner, chef patron, he has ushered in a new era at Costes. Day-to-day operations are led by head chef János Erdei, a quiet talent with an impressive résumé – one to watch in the years ahead. The formal, white-gloved service of the early days has given way to an atmosphere that is still refined, but now less uptight and far friendlier. The dining room has been reborn: sombre tones replaced by natural hues, starched cloths by placemats, stiff chairs by plush seating. Guests choose between a 7+2-course tasting menu or a shorter 4+2 version available three times a week. Premium ingredients take centre stage – scallops, pigeon, mangalitsa pork, French black truffles – grounded in classical French technique. Yet the tone steers clear of pretension: foie gras comes with beetroot sharpened by Japanese umeboshi plum; cheesecake is twisted with the warm spice of Senegal pepper. It’s a globetrotting journey of seemingly dissonant pairings, but it works. One course riffs on a Waldorf salad with a dashi dressing; another – a crisp chickpea panipuri – evokes India juxtaposed with Welsh rarebit. Despite the riot of colours, flavours, textures and techniques, every dish sings in harmony – bold elements blending into one another with grace. Service is almost theatrical: each course is introduced in detail, immersing guests in the story behind every plate. Alongside a premium wine and champagne list, guests can also opt for cocktails created to pair with the dishes. Costes remains a pillar of Hungary’s fine dining scene – a pioneering, era-defining restaurant. It’s a joy to see 4 Ráday Street once more brimming with life.
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