Recently awarded a coveted Michelin Bib Gaudard – the not so famous lesser cousin of the prized Michelin star – Arcade Bistro now ranks in the top 5 restaurants in Budapest at least according to the Michelin Guide….

The concept “Italian tradition in a continually reinterpreted international cuisine” is the main theme of this restaurant’s gastronomic philosophy, which for the last 14 years has been updated and transformed with the help of their chef Giorgio Cavicchiolo….

A restaurant whose decor hints at Asia but whose food is influenced by a much wider sphere. Our group of five managed to tick off 6 countries: Spanish, Italian, Thai, Chinese, Japanese and a damn good Hungarian. All Goa’s dishes are authentically prepared, beautifully presented and the menu has an excellent smattering of vegetarian offerings enough to keep even the strictest of abstainers happy (we had three in our group this time round and all were pleased with their food)….

Pampas’ steaks come in two sizes: 200g & 320g and for my money I’d plump for the almost 2inch thick 320g serving any day. Cooked to perfection is no exaggeration. It might seem off target to recommend a steak house to people undergoing dental treatment but the quality of the meat (sourced almost entirely in Argentina as the name suggests) means it melts in the mouth without too much encouragement being required….

Another gem situated not too far from the Danube on the Buda side of the city just the other side of the tunnel which leads from the chain bridge. Always bustling with a smart local clientèle from morning to night……

This traditional Hungarian restaurant is unusual in our round up in that it is relatively out of the way for most people staying on the Pest side of the city but in reality it is well worth the short taxi ride across to the Buda side opposite the northern tip of Margaret island. We experienced some of the best service at this old-world restaurant and the atmosphere was just amazing: a 4 piece gypsy band moving from table to table complete with double bass player whose girth easily exceeded that of the instrument….

Recently refurbished they are the biggest baths in Budapest – if you sit on the right hand of the plane coming into Budapest’s Ferihegy airport on a clear day you can easily spot the dumb-bell shaped outline of the outside pools. There is the sports pool in the middle which is the only pool where a swimming hat is mandatory. Then there is the large semi-circular hot pool whose temperature is raised even higher in winter….