Famous restaurants and their dishes at the Debrecziner Gourmet Festival

Hungary’s biggest gastronomy festival is the Gourmet Festival, held annually at the Millenáris in Budapest. Throughout the three-day event, gastronomy lovers can sample the dishes of more than 100 exhibitors. Similarly, Debrecen is now hosting the Debrecziner Gourmet Festival for the 8th time, where not only local but also restaurants from across the country present their culinary creations.

In this selection, we introduce those restaurants that participated in both of these major gastronomic festivals in 2024 and are also present at this weekend’s ongoing Debrecziner Gourmet Festival.

Bobajka (Tokaj)

Bobajka is the restaurant of Andrássy Kúria & Spa, celebrating the traditions, wine culture, and local producers of the Tokaj region. Recommended by the Michelin Guide, Bobajka presents regional flavors in a modern, progressive way. The restaurant works closely with local producers and wineries to deliver traditional tastes and ingredients at the highest standard. In addition to offering a gastronomic experience, the hotel contributes to the local economy by maintaining strong ties with the community. The wine selection consists exclusively of Tokaji wines, showcasing the region’s rich winemaking heritage and diversity. Bobajka is more than just a restaurant—it is a place where Tokaji wines and cuisine come together to deliver a unique flavor experience and cultural immersion.

Menu:

Duck liver mignon with brioche – 4,200 HUF
Mangalica croquette – 2,900 HUF
Sour cherry and poppy seed dessert – 2,000 HUF

Horgonyzó (Tiszalök)

Horgonyzó Kisvendéglő is a charming family restaurant hidden among the 50-year-old trees of the Tiszalök Üdülőtelep, led by head chef Attila Takács. Guests are treated to fresh fish dishes and traditional Hungarian meals baked in a wood-fired oven, prepared with heart and soul. They use only the best local and seasonal ingredients, a philosophy they learned from creative chef Péter Pataky, and they cook with the same warmth and sincerity as grandma did.

This authenticity and commitment to quality were recognized by the Dining Guide, which has consistently listed Horgonyzó among Hungary’s top 100 restaurants and even among the top 11 family restaurants. In 2022 and 2023, the Michelin Guide awarded it a plate, indicating a restaurant that serves honest, lovingly prepared food and is warmly recommended.

Menu:

Catfish cracklings “Horgonyzó Style” with marinated onions and herb tartar – 2,790 HUF
Stuffed cabbage with Hortobágy-style carp, lovage sour cream, and carp cracklings – 3,490 HUF
Floating island with Reszegi Grandma’s chimney cake, mascarpone cottage cheese, and forest fruits – 2,490 HUF

Iszkor (Mályinka)

Iszkor is a small countryside bistro by a stream, nestled beside the untamed forests of the Bükk region. It has been evolving for almost two years, striving to bring fresh energy to the “wild east” by working with the region’s finest producers. With a cozy, family-like atmosphere and a nearly daily changing menu, it welcomes guests next to the national park, featuring a crackling fireplace in winter and a large terrace with a babbling stream in summer. The building once served as the village pub but was entirely rebuilt by hand, brick by brick, into the restaurant it is today, offering local wines, homemade syrups, and fresh produce from neighboring farmers who have become friends.

Menu:

Wild boar croquette with saffron aioli – 2,490 HUF
Bükk goat cheese with elderflower, cherry, and buckwheat – 2,990 HUF
Pan-fried pork ear from Gesztely with green beans – 3,490 HUF

Panificio il Basilico (Debrecen)

Panificio il Basilico has been baking with sourdough and love for two years now in Debrecen.

Run by one of Hungary’s most renowned bakers, Szabolcs Szabadfi—better known as Szabi, the baker—the Debrecen location recently celebrated its second anniversary. In addition to sourdough artisanal baked goods and signature flower doughnuts, the shop also operates as a small delicatessen, offering only additive-free, locally sourced products such as sausages, jams, sauces, syrups, honey, pasta, teas, dairy, and cheeses. Since December, it also officially functions as a breakfast spot, serving warm dishes made with local ingredients. Children can participate in themed baking experiences each month, often tied to holidays. With the festival and summer season approaching, the range of products will expand with fresh seasonal ingredients, many of which come from the bakery’s own garden. The shop recently received a Sustainability Award from Future of Debrecen. Vígh János, Szabi’s “right hand” in Debrecen, is responsible for operations and innovations and is preparing many new surprises. This summer, they’re coming with sourdough flatbreads, an open terrace, and appearances at as many festivals as possible.

Menu:

Transylvania: fiery mici with sourdough flatbread – 3,200 HUF
Vojvodina: Serbian goulash in bread – 2,800 HUF
Upper Hungary: dill brioche with sour cream – 2,000 HUF
Carpathian Ruthenia: sourdough raspberry and white poppy bobajka cloud – 1,800 HUF

Páva (Székelyudvarhely, Romania)

The philosophy of Páva restaurant in Székelyudvarhely is to reinterpret Transylvanian culinary traditions using local, seasonal ingredients and their own creative perspective. Closely linked to Taste of Transylvania, Páva aims to preserve these traditions while also providing a platform where home cooks and chefs can work together to present these dishes to a wider audience.

Menu: