Lajver Gasztroműhely – the in-site restaurant

The restaurant is open on Thursday (17.00–20.00), Friday (17.00–21.00) and Saturday (17.00–20.00). A 3-course menu costs 9900 HUF (approx. 24 EUR), and guests can choose the dishes from the list here:

Starters

– ‘Gemenc’ platter, homemade pickles, fresh bread – 3590 HUF
– Cheese platter of cow and goat cheeses made by local cheese-makers, homemade jam and fresh bread – 3590 Ft
– Beef tartare, smoked butter, fresh mixed salad with apple vinegar, toast 4590 HUF (in case chosen for the 3-course menu, a supplement of 1790 HUF is to be paid)
– Smoked pork knuckle terrine, beetroot “cigar” with horseradish, fresh mixed salad, bread basket – 3290 HUF
– Homemade spreads: cracklings spread, spicy cottage cheese spread, eggplant cream, sourdough bread – 2690 HUF

Soups

– Venison (deer) soup with tarragon and forest mushrooms, sour cream, sourdough bread – 2490 HUF
– Creamy pumpkin soup with ginger, coconut and cranberries – 2290 HUF

Main courses

– Pork cheek stew, homemade noodles, buckwheat crisps with chili, cabbage salad with pumpkin oil – 5490 HUF
– Rosé duck breast, noodles with walnut, baked apple purée, plums cooked in red wine – 5790 HUF (in case chosen for the 3-course menu, a supplement of 1490 HUF is to be paid)
– Venison (deer) tenderloin, black pudding croquet, ‘Pommes Anna’ (Anna potato) with thyme, king trumpet mushroom – 10 990 Ft (in case chosen for the 3-course menu, a supplement of 3990 HUF is to be paid)

– Lamb roast, risotto with green peas and saffron, wild broccoli – 6690 HUF (in case chosen for the 3-course menu, a supplement of 1590 HUF is to be paid)
– Pike perch in breadcrumbs, buttery potato purée, Roman salad, remoulade sauce – 5490 HUF

Vegetarian main course

Risotto with forest mushrooms, king trumpet mushroom, wild broccoli – 4990 HUF

Desserts

‘Golden noodles’ (sweet baked dough), peach preserve, custard – 2590 HUF
‘Black Forest’ cream, chocolate textures and sour cherry cooked with rum – 2590 HUF
‘Flódni’ (a traditional Jewish dessert made of walnut, poppyseed and apple), gluten free, lactose free, raw, vegan – 1990 HUF

For further information and booking contact Lajver team here.

2. Gere A Winery – Hotel Crocus

When you enter Crocus, you can immediately feel the elegance in the air. The whole interior is so subtle, so refined, you feel like touching the walls, the upholstery of the furniture. The restaurant – called Mandula – offer seasonal dishes and degustation dinners, the terrace is ideal for a large breakfast. The spa section of the hotel is splendid with vinotherapy using Andrea Gere’s cosmetic line called Grapelove. “The extra virgin grape seed oil, granules and extracts are made from organic estate grown grapes by applying the winery’s in-house developed technology; these products have long been used at the Spa for vinotherapeutic treatments. Following three years of meticulous development in Switzerland Andrea Gere’s cosmetics line GRAPELOVE was introduced in November 2019 marking a new direction for beauty treatments.”

– The best place for spa lovers.

– Where? Villány, in the centre of the town.

– Extras: free standing bath tubs.

– Wines: lovely aerated rosé and white wine, outstanding aged red wines with icons like Solus and Kopar.

– Don’t miss Fekete Járdovány, a true rarity!

More about Gere Crocus Resort & Spa

3. Lajver Wine Estate – peaceful or buzzy

The estate building of Lajver Wine House fits into the surrounding hills and grape terraces, seamlessly, the valley is spectacular, the tasting hall is an astonishing, spacious place and even the cellar visit offers modern beauty. The chef of the wine bistro is creative and passionate, the staff is friendly, the wines are impressive – and it is worth asking the young winemaker about the latest experiments. The rooms are furnished with the use of the most natural materials: glass, stone, wood, concrete, subtle textiles. There are only a few rooms, so it is ideal for couples or small groups. Lajver frequently holds vivid parties, check it before booking: you might find yourself in a buzzy festival.

– The best place for lovers of modern architecture.

– Where? Near Szekszárd (accessible only by car), surrounded by beautiful terraces of vines.

– Extras: amazing view of the rooms.

– Wines: a wide range of wines from the easy-drinking whites or rosés to the serious red wines, like Signum, the premium Bikavér of the estate.

– Don’t miss the “blanc de noir” wine of the estate, Incognito!

More about Lajver Wine House and Wine Hotel

4. Hilltop Wine Estate – want to sleep in a barrel?

An ideal solution for those, who do not want to drive far from the capital, but look for a hotel with every amenities. The hotel has rooms with view of the river Danube, some other suites in an adjacent guest house for families, and the latest and coolest are definitely the two “barrel rooms”, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Both are suitable for a couple (available in twin or double bed format). Staying in a barrel is guaranteed to be quiet, since there is no electricity in the barrel (a solar lamp is provided).

– The best place for lovers of modern architecture.

– Where? Not far for Budapest (accessible only by car), only an hour’s drive.

– Extras: barrel rooms, open air pool.

– Wines: all the wine labels show the aroma profile of the wines, thus we can learn while drinking…

– Don’t miss Kamocsay Ákos line of the winery, premium wines of the chief winemaker of Hilltop.

More about Hilltop Wine Estate (at the moment in Hungarian, but google translate can help…)

5. Bock Cellar – Hotel Ermitage

Finally I recommend another hotel of Villány, where – obviously – I have stayed a couple of times. The rooms are cosy and recently they have been renewed, there is a lovely wellness department, the cellar is magnificent it is literally under the hotel, but the best is the kitchen. If you need some treat that reminds you of your childhood (like the famous Disney movie’s restaurant critic needed it in Ratatouille), Bock Óbor Restaurant is your place. Heart warming, soul healing dishes with a large selection of venison, since József Bock is an active – and skillful – hunter himself.

– The best place for epicureans.

– Where? In Villány, close to the centre of the town.

– Extras: hotel, cellar, restaurant, wellness, large garden – all in one place.

– Wines: a wide selection of wines with superb barrel aged red wines and icons like Magnifico.

– Don’t miss 70+ blend, the latest success story of the cellar.

More about Bock Ermitage and Óbor Restaurant

Funny features

In an interview Zoltán Varró explained that the drawing was just a draft, but finally they decided to use it on different textiles: curtains, pillows, tapestries. Another astonishing feature is the library: here not books, but wines stand on the shelves. Zoltán likes up-to-date, “instagrammable” elements, thus an outdoor fireplace was installed on the terrace.

New summer degustation menu and bubblies in the spa

Mandula restaurant of Gere Attila Estate also has a new, summer degustation menu. The Swabish–Hungarian fine dining, three hour dinner includes dishes like pike perch with dill and squash, duckbreast with cashew, cherry, and croquette or elderberry verjus sorbet.

In the heat of the summer the aerated sparkling wine of the estate, Frici will surely be the favourite of the guests – and now this refreshing bubbly is available in the wellness section of Gere Crocus hotel as well.

The estate has always been worth visiting, now we have some more reasons to pay a visit.

More about Gere Attila Winery

Summer degustation menu