ARAZ Gastronomy
At ARAZ Restaurant, we welcome guests throughout the year with a varied and flavorful weekly menu, seasonal culinary specialties, exclusive wine dinners, and many other exciting experiences. Nestled in the heart of the vibrant downtown, our inner terrace offers a true oasis—sheltered from the noise, it’s the perfect setting for those seeking exceptional culinary moments. We invite you on a gastronomic journey where modern culinary techniques meet traditional Hungarian flavors, resulting in something truly unique and memorable.
The ARAZ Team
Since the restaurant’s opening in 2010, Chef de Cuisine Áron Barka has been a key member of our team. A recipient of the bronze medal from the international gastronomic society Chaine des Rôtisseurs, Áron is dedicated not only to satisfying the culinary desires of our guests, but also to supporting the next generation of chefs. He has organized numerous student competitions and culinary demonstrations, and his name frequently appears among the jury members of both national and international gastronomic contests.
The History of Our Building
To begin the story of our building, we must travel back nearly two centuries. Among Budapest’s three most prominent baths, the Hungária Bath had already gained popularity among locals as early as 1820. The original owner of the property, András Gamperl, discovered mineral-rich cold water while digging a well. In 1827, he opened the Gamperl Iron Bath. By the 1840s, the rebuilt facility—destroyed years earlier by the Great Flood of Pest—was already known as the Hungária Bath. In 1897, the property was acquired by the Ringer family, who transformed it into a modern bathing complex. In 1910, based on the designs of Emil Ágoston, a new multi-storey, modern bathhouse built in the Viennese Art Nouveau style was opened, featuring several technical innovations that made it very fashionable among the capital's bathing public. From the 1920s, the building came under the ownership of Ingatlanbank. It was during this period that the legendary Continental Hotel opened in the wing facing Nyár Street. Later, the public bath section on the Klauzál Street side was demolished, and in its place a six-storey residential building in Art Deco style was constructed in 1929.
In 1970, the Continental Hotel closed its doors, marking the beginning of the building’s decline. By the 1980s, its condition had become life-threateningly unsafe, and so began the often chaotic journey toward its restoration. Eventually, the building received what it truly deserved: respect, renewed brilliance, and a new owner. One of the most outstanding examples of Hungarian Art Nouveau, the former Hungária Bath—now home to Continental Hotel Budapest and the ARAZ Restaurant—blends perfectly into the streetscape of the historic Jewish Quarter, harmoniously fitting into its surroundings.
If you’re interested in learning more about the building’s history, click here!
