Stand Étterem — Restaurant in Budapest

An amazing experience that never disappoints!

Stand embodies fine dining as I love it, full of creativity, outstanding food and fantastic service in a beautiful environment. This paired with an accessible price (everything is relative of course) and an atmosphere that is formal but at the same time friendly and relaxed.

The place: the restaurant is in the city centre, close to the Jewish quarter and its nightlife where to continue the evening. The style is modern and tends to minimalism. It has a wonderful open kitchen separated from the dining room with a glass. I love to watch plates coming alive. The environment is of course formal, but keeping a relaxed atmosphere and a warm welcoming feeling.

The service: service is outstanding. A mix of faultless professionalism with a friendly and attentive approach.

The food: I come to Stand regularly. I like to try the new menu when it comes out. And every time I’m amazed by it. There is the quality of course, and the use of local ingredients when possible as well as attention to the roots of local cuisine interpreted magisterially by the chef. But there is as well the creativity and the attention to details beyond what you would expect from a 1 Michelin star restaurant. Without going through each plate that would request 3 pages of description, the goulash is unpaired with flavours that burst in your mouth and meat that melts. And the venison was out of this world. But in general each dish arriving in front of you has the capacity to trigger emotions. Wine pairing is great and well balanced complimenting the food greatly (I suggest everyone to take it).

The price: while not cheap by absolute standards, considering we are talking about fine dining and Michelin Star awarded restaurant, the price is more than honest. Trying such a culinary experience in cities like Paris or Rome would cost you close to the double. 6 courses menu comes around 90 euro and wine pairing another 50. All together you will spend around 160 euro per person, but for a memorable experience worth every euro.

Overall the restaurant is not just a restaurant. It’s a proper culinary temple where to experience something new and discover flavours and combinations that will last in your mind and...

Currently Budapest’s most awarded Restaurant Stand is a lesson in finesse, from founding-Chef Tamás Széll's 2016 Bocuse d’Or gold to Sous Chef Bence Dalnoki's silver in 2022 and bronze in 2023 one will rarely find Food plated so beautifully while flavors are robust yet balanced.

Modern but rooted in tradition, a central kitchen wrapped in glass the starting point for a tasting menu that spans sixteen items from Canapes to Petit Fours, guests are presented with choices from a formal yet friendly staff that proves well-informed and multi-lingual.

Vibrant in atmosphere, Cocktails and a lengthy list of Wines offered, opening bites are delicate works of art ranging from a gold Sunchoke Chip to bite-size Lángos surrounding layered Parsnip Soup.

Proudly Hungarian but technique-focused, the Bread Basket showing off five styles alongside housemade Butter and Liptauer, one need only look at “Cucumber filled with White Asparagus” to understand the kitchen’s talent as each curl comes carefully filled in a spring-scented pool beneath a dainty Tart.

A slow-build served to accommodate the table’s pace, Peas and sparkling Pine Nuts again seeing Asparagus utilized with expertise, Chef Dalnoki's Foie Gras is a study in taste and texture while his Bocuse-clinching Sterlet Fillet reminisces of something served at Geranium or Jordnær.

Next reinventing tradition with Széll's version of Gulyás, a ubiquitous dish here focused on each Ingredient, Venison concludes savories with smoke and sweetness before a palate cleansing plate of Strawberry Ice with Mint atop White Chocolate.

Certainly worthy of it's 2* from Michelin, a third justifiable based on the strength of this seasonal tasting, Dessert offers a choice from which Somlói achieves unprecedented refinement before concluding with five more...

A perfect experience - just perfect - wow...

Stand 21 have a Michelin star and they are obviously working hard to do earn the next one.

We were made very welcome by the staff who try their best to make guests feel special. The restaurant is comfortable and elegant but not in any way pretentious. There is plenty of space between tables and the music is discreet so you can talk without hearing people on the next tables.

The service was absolutely impeccable through the entire meal.

The sommelier made expert recommendations.

The eight courses were accompanied by presents from the kitchen which were exquisitely presented. They looked like works of art - filigree with gold dust and pearls - then the flavours - layered and moving around the palate like a refined wine with long finishes. The waiter kindly explained the composition of each dish and everything was an adventure in flavour. We loved also the contemporary interpretation of traditional Hungarian food like the làngos, goulash soup or somloi gàluska dessert which were the best versions imaginable of those dishes and were perfect. The beechwood smoked tomato broth was a revelation. If I were to make any suggestion it would be maybe to introduce an element like sour cream (crème fraiche/greek yoghurt) to balance the sweetness of some of the desserts (but please do not change the somloi galuska!) Also maybe hold back a fraction on the salt in the gulyas soup?

It was a very memorable evening for us and we are so happy we discovered this place. ...... I'm adding a remark 18 months later... yes, they did get their second star! ...