Budapest’s ARAZ Restaurant is bringing back its customizable Sunday lunch in 2026, inviting diners to build their own two- or three-course menus right in the city center. The concept is simple and indulgent: pick one soup from three, one main from five, and one dessert from three, then sit back as the kitchen led by Chef de Cuisine Áron Barka turns an ordinary weekend into a miniature feast. The venue is at 1074 Budapest, 7th District – Erzsébetváros, Dohány Street 42–44, inside the Continental Hotel Budapest**** Superior. Service runs on weekends between 12:00 and 14:30, and the menu is refreshed weekly.
The lunch deal includes more than just food. Every guest gets a mineral water or soft drink, a glass of wine or beer, and a coffee to round off the meal. Prices come in two tiers: a two-course menu costs USD 19.20 per person, and three courses cost USD 23.40 per person. A 12% service charge is added to the final bill. Groups larger than 10 are asked to inquire via email, and guests arriving by car can validate their parking ticket at reception by presenting their restaurant bill before leaving.
What’s Cooking This Weekend
The current lunch lineup skews hearty, seasonal, and a bit playful—very ARAZ. Soups set the tone with a trio of distinct flavors:
– Jókai bean soup (Jókai bableves; a classic smoky bean soup; lactose-free option available)
– Apple–horseradish cream soup with sunflower-seed puffs (vegetarian)
– Syrian-style green bean and chicken ragout soup
Mains stretch from old-school Hungarian to comfort food with a twist:
– Dubarry chicken breast with sesame rice and carrot salad
– Mac and cheese with roasted English bacon and pickled onion
– Confit duck leg with Swabian cabbage noodles and pan jus
– Vegetarian lasagna with tomato sauce (vegetarian)
– Roquefort-roasted turkey with house-made croquettes and bacon green beans
Desserts bring it home with Central European nostalgia and café classics:
– Poppy seed bread pudding swirl (Mákos guba csiga)
– Mandarin–cottage cheese pie
– Cardinal slice (Kardinális szelet)
Every Sunday From March to December
ARAZ is keeping Sunday lunch going across the calendar, with dates set for nearly every week from March 1 through December 20, all in Budapest. Mark these Sundays: 03.01; 03.08; 03.15; 03.22; 03.29; 04.05; 04.12; 04.19; 04.26; 05.03; 05.10; 05.17; 05.24; 05.31; 06.07; 06.14; 06.21; 06.28; 07.05; 07.12; 07.19; 07.26; 08.02; 08.09; 08.16; 08.23; 08.30; 09.06; 09.13; 09.20; 09.27; 10.04; 10.11; 10.18; 10.25; 11.01; 11.08; 11.15; 11.22; 11.29; 12.06; 12.13; 12.20. Organizers reserve the right to change dates and programs.
Chef Barka’s Weekly Playground
ARAZ leans into a philosophy that blends the old with the new, pulling in traditional Hungarian flavors and reframing them with modern kitchen techniques. The Sunday lunch sits alongside a broader weekly rotation of menus, a Sunday brunch offer, seasonal specials, and one-of-a-kind wine dinners. It’s all staged in Budapest’s bohemian quarter, where culinary nostalgia meets contemporary flair without losing sight of classic roots.
Inside the Continental Hotel Budapest
ARAZ lives within the Continental Hotel Budapest**** Superior, a four-star design property in the historic inner city that channels Art Nouveau and modern interior design into a single, distinctive look. The hotel has 272 rooms, including 13 suites, with broadband internet connectivity plus tailored and business services. For events and work trips, there are five well-equipped conference rooms and an underground garage. For downtime, the Wellness and Fitness areas, massage services, the ARAZ Restaurant, the Gallery Café & Corporate Lounge, inner courtyards, and a panoramic rooftop garden keep both business guests and tourists happily occupied.
A Café with History
Another pillar of the hotel’s food and drink world is the faithfully restored Gallery Café (Galéria Kávézó), easiest to reach from the main entrance. It taps into the golden age of Pest’s cafés (Pesti Kávéházak); at the turn of the 20th century, Budapest’s café culture defined the city’s civic gastronomy. The old Continental Hotel welcomed artists and writers, including Attila József, and many members of the Hungária Café’s regular circle were frequent visitors to the Hungária Bath’s services. Today, the Gallery Café nods to that heritage while serving a contemporary crowd.
Plan Your Lunch
Whether you’re grabbing a quick midday break or planning a leisurely weekend ritual, ARAZ’s pick-and-choose Sunday lunch puts control squarely in diners’ hands. Book two courses or go for all three, add your included drinks and coffee, and let the kitchen handle the rest. With weekly menu updates and a steady Sunday schedule through the year, there’s always a reason to drop by Dohány Street and see what Áron Barka and his team are cooking next.
