Best new terrace spots around Lake Balaton

The crew at CAFAT pulled pork & bbq first discovered torn meat and smoky dishes in the States and then brought these dishes to Balatonakali beach. As well as pulled pork, they offer chicken sandwiches prepared in a smoker, corndogs (sausage in breadcrumbs), churros, Boston fried beans and Mexican grilled corn, while the wine selection honours local wineries. All in all, ideal if you crave a change from the holy trinity of hot dogs, hake and lángos.

At the top of Balatonfüred – above the Reformed Church and the Red Church – the view at the Figula Borkert speaks for itself, as do the sensational Figula wines. in addition to the excellent Olaszrizlings, the elegant, cool-toned Kékfrankos and Cabernet Sauvignon, the Bella Róza rosé is also worth tasting. Fine accompaniments include dips, cheeses and antipasti by Zsolt Martonosi, owner of Villa Delikát in ’Füred.

This barbecue terrace was opened by three chefs and friends, Csaba Kállai, Imre Szöllősi and Lajos Putz, in Balatonfüred, as they felt that the town lacked a place where street food was prepared in a smoker. Each of their sandwiches has a small twist: the beef version is first home-smoked before sour cherries are added, the pulled pork comes with soured mulberry, while the Asian-flavoured one is cooked with kimchi marinated over three to four weeks. Of course, they also offer salads with the smoked toppings, the smoked-bean ragout served with ribs enticing plenty of repeat custom.

The story of Mérce Szigliget is a familiar one – the owners of the Kikötő restaurant lured Balázs Sótér, Hungarian bartender at a popular Tenerife drinkery, to Balaton, and the result is a cocktail spot with a Mediterranean atmosphere but without the maritime clichés. The speciality here is gin, whose range covers almost the whole world, from Belgium to India, and Ireland to Japan. It’s also used as the base for Sótér’s house special, the gin-based Berries & Bubbles, not available elsewhere, and definitely worth trying. Spanish tapas may accompany.

The owners of Primero, Kati and Zoli, fell in love with Balaton after a holiday here. They bought a house on Rendesi-hegy, on the vineyards above Balatonrendes, and designed a breakfast and wine terrace with an amazing panorama, which they run with their sons, Bence and Gergő.  It’s not so much a traditional restaurant, more an Italian family-owned business, where you can start the day with hearty breakfasts, egg dishes, sandwiches, delicious greens and regular smoothies. From noon, street-food dishes are also available with and without meat, prepared with locally sourced, fresh ingredients. The terrace is also a great choice if you just want to sip a decent wine while watching the sunset. You can taste Katalin’s self-made Olaszrizling, rosé or barrel-matured Hárslevelű and pick up quality products from the delicatessen such as coffee, granola and ingredients for a tasty cold plate.

In the garden of the former Legendás Ház in Tihany you will find four venues: you can start the day specialty coffees, sandwiches or cakes at the Kaffeine Espresso Bar, or a delicious pastry from the DERCE bakery in Veszprém. For a hearty lunch or dinner, it’s worth queuing at Che Che Burger, where burgers are made from pure meat, with fish and gluten-free alternatives. At Anjuna Ice Pops, you can order the revered fruit and creamy ice cream made from vegetable milk and exclusively from natural ingredients, while for a spritzer to beat the heat, head to Mörk Pincészet for the refreshing light whites of the Balatonfüred-Csopaki wine region.