Ten years ago, a Hungarian gastro evolution took place, which made going to restaurants fashionable among the younger generations in no time. In this environment, the new restaurant concept of the five-star Kempinski Hotel Corvinus in Budapest was rather revolutionary; it was the first time in Hungary that a hotel restaurant had broken with the usual idea of what a hotel restaurant should be like. The hotel management dreamt of an open, informal bistro on the ground floor of the hotel, and invited the Zsidai Group, a local family business that celebrated its 40th anniversary last year, to become a partner and to contribute to the development of the concept, brand image and offerings of the restaurant.
ÉS’ success has been unbroken since its opening. It has become a popular downtown restaurant spot for business people, groups of friends, families, and tourists coming to Budapest. Its Sunday Family Table is one of the most favored in the city. The restaurant’s menu is based on Viennese-Hungarian cuisine, featuring the famous “Tafelspitz” (boiled veal or beef) as its signature dish. ÉS Bisztró is also renowned for its steaks, made exclusively from free-range Austrian cattle in a special Southbend oven. The main menu is refreshed twice yearly, and “blackboard” offers are added every three weeks. The restaurant has one of the most extensive terraces in the city center, open from spring to fall and again in the Advent period.
ÉS Bisztró strives to use only seasonal, local ingredients and works with Hungarian suppliers who are environmentally conscious, reducing the amount of waste they generate through transportation and packaging.
The waiting staff are an enthusiastic and cohesive team, led by restaurant manager Norbert Kőrösi, an ex-BMX world champion, since the opening. As a sportsman, he believes in long-term hard work. Head chef Géza Kónya has guided the kitchen team for the last five years. Love, dedication and respect for his profession can be felt in every dish he prepares.
This article was first published in the Budapest Business Journal print issue of April 21, 2023.
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