Located in the centre of Budapest, FELIX Kitchen & Bar is more than a restaurant; it is a contemporary art space where tradition meets modernity. The philosophy of FELIX Kitchen & Bar is based on harmony and freedom, perfectly reflecting the spirit of the restaurant's namesake, Félix.
The FELIX Kitchen & Bar menu is a testament to uncompromising commitment to quality, offering classic favourites and unique ingredients. The menu includes traditional Hungarian classics, but also familiar dishes for a wide range of international guests. Ingredients are sourced from suppliers of the highest quality, from local small-scale producers to seafood suppliers. The unique dishes are rounded off by a bar with around 200 different spirits and over 450 different wines. FELIX's wine director, Tamás Czinki, is the first Hungarian Master Sommelier to make history with his selection of wines, champagnes and champagnes. Their award-winning wine list has also won two glasses of honour from the American WINE Spectator.
United in strength
Teamwork is at the heart of FELIX's gastronomic mission. Executive chef Daniel Katona, who heads the kitchen, trained in France, returned to Sofitel and spent six years in Spain, three of them with six Michelin-starred chef Jordi Cruz, before returning home for the 2020 closures. After that he worked in consultancy, private events and soon after joined the FELIX team. As he says, the successes he is enjoying now could not have been achieved without teamwork, so he singles out his two deputies Csaba Rácz and Carlo Frusciante. “When I'm not here, Carlo is my eyes and Csabi my hands”.
Carlo arrived in Budapest from Cairo and, in addition to his administrative duties, he is desserts is responsible for some of the homemade pasta and also does his share of training the newcomers. She comes from a family of restaurateurs, her parents and grandparents bakers and he himself is a believer in simplicity and tradition.
Csaba joined the team 3 years ago, starting in the meat department, but thanks to his talent he was soon promoted to a deputy position, so now he is also responsible for the smooth running of the kitchen. He likes to play with different colours and textures, and in addition to the always juicy steaks, he is also responsible for most of the chef's dishes.
International quality from the best ingredients
The restaurant, which opened 5 years ago, has been on the road for a long time, but nowadays the food is prepared according to a well-established concept, but still places a special emphasis on guest feedback. The á la carte undergoes 3 major changes a year, and their menu is also renewed every month. “We have around 100-150 dishes a year on our menus, and our aim is to cater for the needs of the large number of foreign guests in almost all areas.
In addition to Hungarian and French basics, Daniel's cuisine also incorporates Mediterranean flavours, so he can also serve Acquerello risotto, burrata or French-style beef tartare. Thanks to regular monitoring, the various dishes are sold in relative balance, but of course there are favourites in every section. The most popular starter is the spicy salmon, served with crispy rice and ponzu sauce. The Hungarian soul will of course happily eat anything that is fried, while among the desserts, the golden galuska is a signature dish.
“Treat the raw materials with respect”
Daniel believes in simplicity and respect for ingredients in the kitchen. “We work with a total of 20-25 suppliers, because there are so many special ingredients and we want the best from all of them. It makes a big difference where the caviar, oysters or foie gras comes from, because good food can only be made from good ingredients and only good ingredients can show their best side.” Our company also supplies them with A5-grade Japanese wagyu, New Zealand lamb, guinea fowl and duck, among others, all from Josper's grill. For the Christmas season, they have a stewed beef cheek that they also have high hopes for. “What I'd definitely highlight about working with Matus is the competitive individual prices and Saturday delivery. For a high quality place like FELIX Kitchen & Bar, these are very important benefits. I also like the easy to use webshop and the possibility to request a substitute.”
Felix Kitchen is the place to enjoy everything in one place
In addition to the breathtakingly beautiful surroundings and interior, they believe that what sets them apart from the competition is that they offer a service that serves their guests from morning to night, to the highest possible standard. During the spring-summer season, the terrace is open to up to 300 people at lunchtime. In terms of proportions, the ratio of 60-40% in favour of foreigners has been observed almost from the start. Daniel is optimistic about the domestic sector as a whole, although there is always room for improvement.
“Hungarian hospitality is getting better and more and more high-quality places are opening. This is attracting more and more guests, but unfortunately Hungarians are still very rigid. They don't like to experiment, they are less open to unfamiliar spices or ingredients compared to foreigners. However, the concept of sharing is becoming more widespread, which we are very happy about. We have also tried to make the menu more so that you can share the food.” They also pride themselves on being able to cater for everything from brunch to a serious business lunch, to a casual lunch, so that regulars always have a reason to return. The building also functions as a contemporary exhibition and community space. Formerly the exhibition space of the Ybl Buda Creative House, the boiler room, which has been renamed AQVA, is currently hosting its sixth art exhibition.
Address: 1013 Budapest, Ybl Miklós tér 9.
