The story
Essência sits at Sas utca 17 in Budapest, where Tiago and Éva Sabarigo run a modern cuisine restaurant that mixes Portuguese and Hungarian cooking. The Michelin Guide awarded it one star in 2026.
Tiago Sabarigo trained in Évora, Portugal, and worked at the Ritz Four Seasons in Lisbon, Petrus by Gordon Ramsay and Costes Downtown before settling in Budapest. He has lived in Hungary since 2015. Gault&Millau gave the restaurant 16 points for 2026. Éva Sabarigo leads the front of house, bringing hotel hospitality experience to the room.
Lunch offers a choice between a tasting menu and à la carte dishes, while dinner runs five or seven courses. Octopus with leek and ink has become the chef's signature, tender with a clean bite. A quail paprika stew follows, a playful take on Hungarian chicken paprikás with a sauce that stays with you. Dessert is bolo de bolacha, the Portuguese cousin of tiramisù, served shaped like a starfish.
Exposed brick, arched ceilings and blue-and-white azulejo tiles give the dining room its character, with an open kitchen at the centre. Tables in the middle sit close to the action, while the booths offer a quieter meal. The wine list draws on Hungarian, Portuguese and international bottles, and the non-alcoholic pairings are chosen with the same care.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
Location
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