As the gastro map of the area is not at all poor due to the spa, we can’t ignore anything, so we’ve collected our favorite places when it comes to snacks.
We would start with the Roberto Sport Bar next to the train station, which is also a pizzeria. It’s practically impossible to list the pizzas on the menu, the spinach-ricotta called Popeye is my personal favorite, but whichever we choose, we can’t make a mistake. The dough is just thin and crisp enough and the service is very nice. I ran in shortly before the kitchen closed and it was no problem at all to throw me a majestic meal. The prices are absolutely budget-friendly, we can eat well for HUF 1800-2200, which is more than favorable, especially compared to the experience in Budapest. Perhaps it can be concluded from the name that it is also possible to follow sports broadcasts on match days, as well as to make sports bets and play billiards, so presumably here everyone can really find what they can afford to eat.
If we were drawn to the more classic Hungarian cuisine, I would boldly encourage everyone to try the Sasfészek, which can be located in Bükfürdő, right next to the spa. Here we can get a daily menu every night until seven o’clock, which is a soup and an optional main course from the three options – all for a total of 1100-1200 forints. I grabbed a fridato soup and chose a stack of fries next to it, and I liked both. If you are up for some sweets, pamper your taste buds with a little dessert, and give a try to the Somló dumplings recommended by the very kind staff, for which even the sponge cake is baked locally.
You shouldn’t despair if you’re not looking for a classic, seated, restaurant-like place, as Ottimo’s, a sheer streetfood buffet, is just minutes away from the nominal tranquility of the accommodation. Anyone who is familiar with this kitchen will pretty much know what you can get, and there is really everything. Kebabs, quesadilla and tacos are also on the menu, as well as several varieties of meat, tuna and vegan. The basic price of a serving is 1600-1700 forints, but we can ask for an extra dish, which can be experimented with, as very mouth-watering combinations can come together.
For example, I asked for feta cheese in the tuna quesadilla, which evoked a true Mediterranean atmosphere and created a perfect harmony of taste with the spicy dipper that came with it. We can sit here, but there is little space next to a counter, so it may be more appropriate to take away our order.
According to Google, the best rating was given to Kes Pub, which is only ten minutes away from leaving the house (not a spelling, so it’s not a Knife Pub, nor a Cash Pub) where a vintage design hits us in the face. It is a very cozy place, decorated with brickwork, lamps hanging from the ceiling, old radios and relics. Here, too, everyone is very warm and there is a kitchen immediately after opening, which can be good news for early diners. The garlic cream soup – with cheese toast – almost sounds so delicious, and since it’s filling, if we choose some salad to garnish our main course afterwards, we’ll still eat well. I did so and asked for vegetables next to the grilled camembert, which I ended up struggling with anyway. One hundred words end in one (i.e., three in this case): the portions are large.
I didn’t say much about the drinks separately, even though we can drink local wines and draft beer everywhere except Ottimo’s (you can only get canned juices at Ottimo’s). Due to the proximity of the latter to Sopron, Soproni is usually ice-cold for 6-700 forints, and I would say to foreigners that no more local beer will be tasted here, although I would add that, to my surprise, Borsodi was on tap. All in all, we can say that these places are worth visiting if you don’t want to have dinner in the kitchen of La Maison du Calme – whichever option you choose, we’ll be happy.
Written by Gáspár Polgár
