If you can imagine enjoying good food and delicious ice cream without dipping your toes in the lake, and you don’t mind taking a short car ride, Marcali is the place you should go. Mester Restaurant and Confectionery serves tasty icy treats, juicy burgers, and mouthwatering steaks.
When you’re vacationing in places like Fenyves, Fonyód, or Máriafürdő, you might feel like there’s not much more to them than the long parallel streets and the lake at the end of the little cul-de-sacs. But if you take a proper look around, you’ll see that there are plenty of things tipping the scales in favor of this part of the Balaton region: a narrow-gauge railway, lookout points, hills, vast fields, cool beaches, history, spirituality, and a refreshing attitude.
If you drive a bit more, a little bit deeper into the Külső-Somogy region, you’ll arrive in Marcali, the regional metropolis with a top-notch spa fulfilling all your wellness-related needs and Mester Confectionery, Restaurant, and Café opposite the town hall. Operated by owners András and Balázs, the versatile venue draws local residents and those living in the surrounding area, and doesn’t fail to attract German tourists vacationing nearby either.
The tasteful interior is one of Mester’s main appeals: the refurbishment and expansion of the indoor area has turned out to be a success, with the various spaces now being separated in a clever way. The guest area is modern with a smart layout, and an element of history has been introduced with a detailed map of the Kingdom of Hungary, which map enthusiasts like us will definitely find fascinating. The blackboard up on the wall adds a laid-back touch, and the sliding ladder always comes in handy when the daily selection needs to be updated.
The cuisine and the confectionery reflect the same eclectic vibe: the compulsory items are all there, like ice cream, cakes, and staple dishes, but experimentation is not a foreign concept either (don’t expect to find goulash on the menu though). There are 24 kinds of ice cream; every single one is thick and creamy, and it’s clear that the ingredients are high quality, which explains why there was a long queue in front of the counter when we dropped by.
The food section of the menu has been updated recently, with such hip street foods introduced as burgers (1,290-1,690 forints), wraps (990 forints), qurritos (890 forints), bagels (990 forints), and pizzas in three sizes (the 32-centimeter versions are priced between 990 and 1,440 forints). Open throughout the entire year, the eatery also has a daily lunch menu (990 forints), but their steak is the real star of the show.
We tried it, and we were not disappointed: the meat was medium cooked, tender, delicious, and juicy. Served with potato wedges and a forest fruits sauce, the dish was filling, but not too heavy. We tested the burger as well, and while the combination of flavors was a bit surprising at first, we thoroughly enjoyed it to the last bite. A thick, toothsome patty, barbecue sauce, fried onion rings, veggies, complete satisfaction.
András told us that the first business they launched was a confectionery, which opened in 2007 two blocks from the current location (after earning the necessary qualifications, his brother became a master of confectionery; that’s where the Mester name came from). A year later they moved to the premises they occupy today, and the restaurant was added in 2011. The establishment went through a major transformation last year, that’s when they brought in a professional interior designer to help them create the above mentioned youthful milieu.
The philosophy is simple: “good quality at a good price”. Most of the ingredients come from abroad, but the vegetables are locally sourced. They grow about 40 different herbs in their own garden, make salami, and keep mangalicas as well.
It looks like all their efforts are paying off: guests come from Keszthely and Fonyód, and two journalist from Bild have recently visited from as far as Germany. Catering and private events are also part of the portfolio. The Advent celebration, the Italian days, and the fröccs days were a big hit, with the latter being visited by no fewer than a thousand fans of the bubbly Hungarian invention. Now that they’re in a good place in terms of popularity, the owners can finally take a breather. There are no new plans for the immediate future; the aim is to maintain the high standards Mester has established over the years.
