Contemporary bistro, Hungarian flavors: Füge in Biatorbágy reopens

The reopening of Füge is a conscious rethink. According to the family, after closing last year, it was important to take time to think about what kind of restaurant they really wanted to run. The experiences of the past few months ultimately led them towards a concept that is closer to their own ideas and better responds to current guest needs. “Our primary goal was to turn the defeated feeling that we had when we closed last year into something positive. We felt that if the previous concept failed to appeal to the audience in the long term, then we had to try again with a new approach,” says store manager Bence Szalai.

Despite the Michelin recommendation, the previous model proved economically unsustainable. According to the family, most guests only visited for special occasions, while they wanted to create a place that would be a natural place to come to on weekdays. “Our goal is that it doesn’t have to be a birthday or anniversary for someone to come to us. We want families to come for a Sunday lunch, just like groups of friends or even those who just want to have a glass of wine or a cocktail in the garden.”

Liveable bistro instead of fine dining

The biggest change can be seen in the philosophy of the kitchen. The new Füge consciously moves away from the previous direction, which was leaning towards French bistro and fine dining, while still insisting on quality ingredients and sophisticated execution. “We want a much more relaxed, livable bistro. We do not compromise on quality, but we want the guest to feel comfortable from the first moment. We have put together a menu that is built on understandable, familiar dishes, but still manages to surprise them.” One of the defining elements of the new concept is the Hungarian bistro cuisine, which Dávid Molnár continues to shape with his own approach. “I call this a contemporary bistro, we do not prepare rethought Hungarian dishes, but rather I approach them in my own style. It is important that the guest recognizes the flavors, but at the same time there is always a little twist in them.”

The opening menu therefore includes dishes such as palóc goulash, fried chicken thighs or poppy seed noodles, alongside which the chef's own technological solutions and flavour combinations also appear. The menu consciously builds on childhood memories and well-known dishes of Hungarian cuisine, while Dávid's own style also makes a strong appearance. However, the aim is not to radically reinterpret classic recipes. "I really like it when someone says after a dish that the last time they ate something like this was at their grandmother's as a child or at a pig slaughter. These are the memories that are worth bringing back."

Dávid has run several bistros, and his name may be familiar to many people primarily from the BBQ world, and at Füge he incorporates all this experience into the kitchen in a more restrained, refined form. “Fire and smoke will still be a part of my dishes, but we are not making a barbecue restaurant. I rather strive for these flavors to blend naturally into Hungarian dishes. A roasted pepper, a cold pumpkin stew or even a dessert can be given a smoky character that makes it more exciting, yet does not dominate the entire dish.”

Finding home professionally and personally

For the first time in many years, Dávid has committed to a permanent restaurant. In recent years, he has primarily participated in creative projects, appearing in television shows, while also forming his own plans. However, meeting Füge quickly convinced him that it was worth it to head a kitchen again. “I think every chef is looking for his place, I have also gone through this path, working abroad, in different restaurants, and then consciously stepped back for a while. At Füge, however, after the first conversations, I felt that I had found my home professionally and personally.” The kitchen and the concept also played a role in the decision, but he considers the approach represented by the owners to be equally important. “It was a very positive experience that instead of hearing how to operate as cheaply as possible, the request was to find more good Hungarian producers. As a chef, this is a huge trust and brings with it a completely different way of thinking.” A significant portion of the raw materials come from Hungarian farms, including Etyek, Mátra, or local suppliers.

It's not just the menu that has changed.

The renovation goes far beyond the kitchen, with the reopening a completely new team arrives, none of the previous employees remain in the restaurant, and Bence, representing the family, is now actively involved in the daily operations as a business manager. The goal was to create a guest space that is much more open and direct than before. The garden is given greater emphasis, the outside area is becoming dog-friendly, a play corner awaits children, while guests can also drop in for a drink or an afternoon chat.

The plans also include the creation of a delicatessen shelf, where the ingredients used in Füge, fermented products and other artisanal products will be available for purchase. They want the restaurant to function as a gastronomic meeting point for the area. “We want Füge to be a community place. Anyone who just comes in for a coffee, a cocktail or a glass of wine should feel just as at home as someone who comes for a longer dinner.”

A Michelin recommendation is important, but it is not the primary goal

The former Füge received a Michelin recommendation in its first year of operation, so the question arises whether they have set similar goals for themselves after the reopening. According to Dávid, every professional recognition is a joyful feedback, but he is motivated by a completely different thing. “If we receive a recommendation or an award, of course we will be happy about it, but that is not why I get up every morning. It is much more important that the guests leave satisfied and say: it is worth coming back here.”

The family thinks similarly. The most important feedback in the first period is expected from the guests, not the guides. Even after the reopening was announced, many former regulars showed up, and among the first reservations, many familiar names appeared. “It was a great feeling to see that many people immediately reserved their tables. We immediately recognized our previous guests in the system, which shows that they were really waiting for us.”

Füge is therefore returning at the same address and with the same name as where it bid farewell to its guests last summer, but the content has been renewed in almost every element. The family and the new team are confident that this time they will succeed in building a bistro that represents high quality at the same time, yet can be a natural part of everyday life. A place where guests simply feel like coming.