Essência Restaurant - Tiago & Éva

Made a reservation today spontaneous and was extremely positivity surprised. Probably one of my nicest star restaurant experiences. Amazing food, of course, but also really nice atmosphere, down to earth service and extraordinary international wine pairing. Thanks for the evening!

Exceptional experience. Service and food wise absolutely outstanding. 7-course menu 17th May is one of the best I ever had. Wine recommendation was perfect.

Highly highly recommend! We ordered all the dishes on the a la carte menu, and every dish was sooooo good. In particular - 1. The corn salad was a pleasant, refreshing surprise; 2. The octopus is so soft and tender that it’s very impressive; 3. Same for the lamb, it’s the most tender lamb I’ve ever have; 4. The deer with summer squash was the highlight. Very tender meat with a very refreshing, slight sour squash sauce. It’s a flavor that I’m not familiar with but also fall in love with immediately. The dessert and the closing bites are soooo good too. Very impressive that everything is so perfect!! The service is very nice too - very elegant, very tentative, but doesn’t bring pressure.

Great service, relaxed atmosphere, outstanding food, drinks and wines. We enjoyed a filling three hour dinner at Essência on our first night in Budapest and already decided we will be back for this experience. The dishes were divers and yet well fitted together and the wine pairing went beyond the traditional recommendations. A fizzy rosé, a 20 year old white and a honey-peach dessert amongst others went extremely well with the food. köszönöm szépen

We went with the tasting menu and were blown away! Every dish was incredibly flavorful and beautifully presented. The service was outstanding—super attentive and friendly without being overbearing. On top of that, the restaurant itself is gorgeous. Overall, an amazing experience from start to finish. Highly recommend!

Last time, my friends and I dined at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Budapest, run by a Portuguese owner and his Hungarian wife. The staff even shared their love story with us—so romantic! ❤️ The restaurant features an open kitchen, allowing guests to watch the chefs in action. The wine list is also impressive, offering a great selection of Hungarian wines to pair with your meal. The appetizers were beautifully presented—scallops paired with hazelnuts created a unique and delightful flavor combination. One of the soups was a pumpkin-based soup with sage and cheese, delivering a rich yet balanced sweetness that was light and appetizing. The cod was incredibly tender, complemented by a special sauce that truly enhanced the seafood's natural flavors. The accompanying vegetables provided a well-balanced texture. The quail was exceptionally tender and served with a Hungarian meat-filled pastry, making the dish both flavorful and filling. For mains, we had steak and venison—the braised meat was incredibly tender, paired with a specially crafted sauce and oil-absorbing vegetables, making for an excellent combination. One of the desserts had a silky pudding-like texture with a strong milky flavor, which was incredibly satisfying. To finish off, we were served raspberry lollipops, offering a refreshing and delightful ending to the meal. 💰 Price per person: £120📍 Essência Restaurant - Tiago & Éva

The staff were very attentive and friendly, which made us feel welcome from the start. While the ambiance of the restaurant felt a bit cold to us, the food was undeniably delicious. We visited for dinner and chose the 7-course tasting menu. The Saddle of Deer was definitely the standout dish – absolutely exceptional. However, considering the overall experience, we felt that the price was quite high and didn’t fully match the value. So in terms of price-performance, it fell a bit short for us.

My best fine dining experience in Budapest so far. The tasting menu was an unique blend of Hungarian and Portuguese cuisine but with a chic twist to it. The waiters and chefs really went above and beyond to accommodate my companion's special dietary requirements including individually modified dishes.