Domestic holidays are more popular than ever this year, and there are plenty of places around Lake Balaton that are worth investigating if you’re after a special gastronomic experience. The impact of the last few months still resonates in our everyday lives, so it’s no coincidence that we take every opportunity to pay contactless and we can do so in more and more restaurants. Here are some super choices you just can’t beat!

Credit-card payments are faster, more convenient and very secure. As we always keep our mobile with us while on holiday, paying by a mobile wallet can also be a very useful option.


It is encouraging to watch life kick into gear in the gastronomy sector, and we can already refamiliarise ourselves with the most popular places at Lake Balaton. Below, we list a number of places that have also inspired famed Hungarian gastroblogger Fördős Zé (see video), and open the first chapter of our great new series.

Szó Ami Szó – Balatonkenese

Proudly acknowledged as producing the best croissants in Hungary also bake desserts, pastries and sourdough bread from high-quality ingredients at the gateway to Balaton. The award-winning baked goods, bread and ice cream created by the Szó brothers, Dániel and Gellért, are a big favourite among locals, holidaymakers and travellers alike. The croissants are what dreams are made of, soft and flaky at the same time, flour from France and 84% butter added to the dough. The Szó’s have also carried out major changes, opening a restaurant, which has been given the above name, previously G&D. 

Terasz – Balatonalmádi

With Terasz, another great new-wave buffet has been added to the map of the north coast: at Wesselényi Beach, there is plenty to choose from for vegans, health-conscious diners and coffee-lovers. Chef Bálint Kocsis has also augmented the range of innovative beach buffets with the aim of giving his guests quick, home-made but high-quality food. On the menu are a refreshing gazpacho with cumin, fresh watercress and camembert cheese, grilled goats’ cheese with roast pears and yoghurt dressing, and grilled chicken breast crowned with marigold tomato jam and organic watercress and bean salad. 

Szezám Bisztró – Balatonfüred

The Szezám is a lovely sushi restaurant where you can find traditional, raw sushi, plenty of hugely popular Western cream-cheese variations, while vegans can count on the right dishes as well. In addition to sushi rolls, they also offer authentic spirits, while several types of sake, Japanese beer, whiskey and tea complete the Balaton-Japanese gastronomic experience

Szálka Bisztró – Aszófő

In the centre of Aszófő, you find one of the most popular fish restaurants on the northern coast, the Szálka Bisztró. The menu – jointly compiled by chef Gergő Cziszer and Csongor Horváth, executive chef of the Neked Főztem restaurants – includes 80 percent fish dishes, ranging from the more traditional variety to lighter salad dishes. The wine list includes items that match the fish perfectly, which you can purchase after a thorough sampling, as Szálka also operates as a wine shop.