The recently renewed Castle Garden Bazaar is a magnificent building complex by the river Danube, on Buda side. This spring the Bazaar has been enriched with a meeting point for winelovers: Felix Kitchen&Bar, a place with a fine selection of Hungarian and foreign wines.

Wines poured by the best sommelier

Castle Garden Bazaar (Várkert Bazár in Hungarian) was designed by the renowned architect Miklós Ybl between 1875 and 1883, and the building, which gives home to the new bar, originally functioned as a water house. The stunning house is now converted into a combination of gastronomic and cultural space with temporary exhibitions. The restaurant is named after Felix, the only son of the famous Hungarian architect. Felix opened in April, and by now it has become the favourite place of many connoisseurs, and not by accident. The wine list is outstanding with a good selection of wines of the world, and with a careful selection of Hungarian wines. What is more, the wines are recommended by Máté Horváth, the sommelier champion of Hungary.

Summer Brunch – lazy weekends with Felix

Felix Kitchen&Bar is worth trying all year round, but especially now, in the summer, because Felix has launched its weekend brunch service, which is available every Saturday and Sunday from 9.30 until 4 pm. Chef Árpád Kovács (worked previously in Michelin star Babel) offers creative breakfast & lunch dishes for every palate and for every diet. Gluten free and lactose free waffles, superfood dishes with fruits and vegetables, classics like egg benedict or English breakfast, delicacies like duck waffles with baked and marinated red pepper are all ont he menu.

As for the wines, Felix is the ideal place to discover unknown treasures, because a good range of wines are available by the glass, and many more can be ordered by the glass thanks to Coravin. We picked three wines from the menu worth trying, but there are plenty more!

Haraszthy Sauvignon Blanc, 2016

The crispy, juicy white wine is a good start – it prepares our palate for the upcoming pleasures. The wine comes from Etyek–Buda wine region, and has been selected the third best Sauvignon Blanc by VinCE Magazine. „This delectable Sauvigon Blanc tempts the drinker with hints of gooseberry and kiwi framed exquisitely with citrus undertones. Upon drinking, subtle acidity is balanced beautifully with hints of mint and spices. A long and luxurious aftertaste brings fruit flavours to the fore.” (The fact sheet is from vintage 2017)

Kreinbacher Prestige Brut

A day beginning with a sparkling wine is a good day, and Felix has an enormous sparkling selection with champagne-s, Spanish and Italian and certainly Hungarian méthode traditionelle sparkling wines. Kreinbacher Prestige Brut from Somló is a perfect aperitif, but pasta lovers can pair it with spaghetti with shrimps.

Eszterbauer Nagyapám Kadarka, 2017

If you want a red wine for your duck waffles, try a Kadarka, a ligther bodied, yet complex and spicy wine, for example from János Eszterbauer, who is a great craftman of the variety. „The result of our clonal selection and the fruits of our old vineyards give the elegant and complex flavour. Intense kadarka!”