There are a handful of excellent restaurants, cafés, and hotels in Eger; be sure to book ahead if you're visiting during the peak (summer-fall) season.
1552 Boutique Hotel (location; [email protected]; +36 30 740 3701; from €120)
Located inside a beautifully refurbished Baroque building in downtown, the recently opened 1552 is the nicest hotel in Eger (four-star superior). Each of the rooms has a different design inspired by Eger’s history, such as “Bikavér,” where the wallpaper depicts a raging bull and the headboards are cut in the shape of wine bottles. There’s of course also a “Turkish” room and a “Castle” suite. Breakfast is generous, service friendly, parking available.
Imola Udvarház (location; [email protected]; +36 36 516 180; from €100)
This three-star boutique hotel is just steps from the Eger Castle. The rooms are tidy, air-conditioned, and come with a view; hotel guests can park their cars in the underground garage. Eger’s one fancy restaurant, Macok, is on the ground floor of the building.
Rohlicsek Lángos (location; closed Sunday and Monday)
Seeing the ever-present lines outside this lángos vendor, I did have some expectations. But nothing like that fried disc of dough topped with sour cream and grated cheese I was handed. So feather-light that it's just about to melt in your mouth, with no trace of oil. Rohlicsek Lángos is located on the upper level of Eger's market hall, and no visitor to the city should miss it.
HBH Sörház & Étterem (location; +36 36 515 516)
Opened in 1988, HBH is a rightfully beloved establishment in Eger. The menu is inspired by the hearty cuisine of Bavaria – soup-forward, meat-forward, beer-forward – so the place is especially enjoyable in the cool months. Hungarian classics are also aplenty. Right on Eger’s main square.
Macok Bistro (location; +36 36 516 180)
Macok is the upscale restaurant on the ground floor of Imola Udvarház. They serve beautifully plated Hungarian and regional dishes, such as the trout filet sourced from the nearby Szilvásvárad and paired with tender mushroom variations. With mains in the €15-20 range, Macok isn’t cheap, but it’s very good.
1552 Étterem (location; +36 30 869 6219)
1552 is a very fine restaurant in case you get hungry while roaming the ruins of the Eger Castle. Updated Hungarian classics comprise the bill of fare; especially good is the fogas (pike-perch) paprikash and the túrógombóc (cottage cheese dumplings). Go for lunch rather than dinner for a livelier ambiance.
Pöttyös Kávézó (location; closed on Sunday)
Across from Eger’s lively market hall lies this cozy cafe. While noshing on a cottage cheese (túró) and dill spiked lepény, a cabbage strudel, or a plum-filled pastry, you can observe a cross-section of local residents – from the neighborhood thugs to the university professors. Highly recommended (be sure to go before noon).
Stühmer Mintabolt Cukrászda (location; +36 70 945 3702)
In 2006, a local family from Maklár purchased the right for the Stühmer name and revived this venerable pastry chain that was nationalized during the Communist period. They have several locations in their home base of Eger, this one, on Kossuth Lajos utca is the most recent one and with the widest assortment of pastries, cakes and chocolates. Located right behind the Eszterházy Károly university's main building.
Depresso coffee shop (location; +36 30 886 6742)
Restaurants and cafés located on a city’s main square must be taken with a grain of salt, but Depresso is no tourist trap. You’re here for the views, the new-wave coffee, and the delicious mákos guba, a traditional Hungarian poppy-seeds dessert swimming in a rich vanilla sauce.
Kávésdoboz Coffee Bar & Deli (location)
A charming new-wave coffee shop doubling as a specialty store for cheeses, charcuterie, coffee beans, and Eger wines. I’d come here in the mornings for the addictively delicious morning pastries (chocolate rolls! pistachio buns! túró-filled croissants!).
Kis Sziget Kávézó és Bár (location; +36 36 311 403)
This snug coffee shop hides a bit outside the city center flanked by Communist-era high rises. Coffee, teas, sandwiches, wines, cozy nooks, good vibes.