Best of Budapest & Hungary

Following a comprehensive renovation valued at more than HUF 1.5 billion, a new era has begun in the story of Nobu Budapest. To celebrate the reopening of the transformed restaurant, Nobu Matsuhisa — founder of the globally renowned Nobu brand — personally traveled to Budapest for the occasion.

    For the past 16 years, Nobu Budapest, located inside Kempinski Hotel Corvinus Budapest, has been one of the defining destinations of Hungary’s fine dining scene. This latest development, however, extends far beyond a traditional refurbishment. The vision behind the project was to bring to Budapest the world-class Nobu experience that today stands among the most influential benchmarks in international luxury gastronomy.

     The renewed space places greater emphasis on the sushi bar, introduces an entirely new bar concept, and features a fully modernized technological infrastructure, while the atmosphere of the restaurant has been completely reimagined. Following the reopening, Nobu Budapest will operate with extended opening hours, while DJs will perform every Friday and Saturday evening, allowing the energy of the night to continue long after dinner service ends.

    “Nobu Has Always Been About Energy”

    As part of the reopening celebrations, Nobu Matsuhisa visited Budapest in person, taking part in the events and meeting with Hungarian partners, guests, and the local team.

    “For me, Nobu has always been about energy. I want people to feel good the moment they walk into the restaurant. To feel the welcome, the atmosphere, and the experience that Nobu represents around the world.”

    According to the world-renowned chef, the same philosophy continues to inspire him every single day, even after more than three decades.

    “My greatest joy is still seeing people smiling, talking, and enjoying themselves in the restaurant. That is the philosophy of Nobu: making guests happy.”

    Nobu Matsuhisa also emphasized that Budapest’s culinary culture has always been a source of inspiration for him.

    “When I travel, I am constantly learning. Budapest is very interesting to me from that perspective. I’ve learned a great deal here — about paprika, for example, and also about the use of foie gras.”

    “We Didn’t Want to Compromise”

    Representing the ownership group behind the development, László Bárány Sr., founder and owner of Master Good, highlighted that the project was built on the same uncompromising commitment to quality that his family has represented for generations.

    “Our family has been involved in poultry farming and food production for 119 years, and today the fourth generation is actively working within the family business. Master Good exports to 43 countries, and we wanted to bring that same dedication to quality into the world of hospitality.”

    According to Bárány, every detail of the renovation was approached with the complete guest experience in mind.

    “There were moments when I thought perhaps we should take a more restrained approach to certain details, but Gábor Schreiner always said: don’t compromise, because the experience can only become truly complete this way. Looking back now, I believe he was absolutely right.”

    He added that the ambition was to create a restaurant in Budapest that would stand out on an international level as well.

    “It Felt Like Walking Into an Entirely New World”

    Executive Chef Gábor Schreiner — who has led the kitchen of Nobu Budapest since its opening — described his first experience entering the completed space as deeply emotional.

    “I’ve been here every single day for sixteen years, and when I first walked into the finished restaurant, it felt like entering an entirely new world, even though I had witnessed every stage of the process.”

   According to the chef, the most important aspect of the renewal was not only the new design or upgraded technology, but the fact that the team remained together throughout the transformation.

     “The technology has evolved tremendously, many things have changed, but what truly matters remained the same: the team. We continue working with the same people who have been building Nobu Budapest together for many years.”

     The renewed concept also places a much stronger emphasis on the bar and the atmosphere of the evenings.

    “We want the energy of the night to continue in the bar long after the restaurant doors close.”

    The First Nobu in the World Not Designed in New York

    The new interior concept was created by Dániel Ákos Bara, founder of B.A.D. studio. The project marks a milestone within the global Nobu network, as every previous Nobu restaurant around the world had been designed by the New York-based Rockwell Group. Budapest became the very first location envisioned by another design studio.

    “For us, it was an extraordinary honor and opportunity to become the first studio outside of Rockwell Group to design a Nobu anywhere in the world,” said Dániel Ákos Bara.

    According to the designer, the goal was never to radically reinvent the brand, but rather to evolve it thoughtfully.

    “We weren’t thinking in terms of revolution, but evolution. The intention was to preserve the classic Nobu identity while introducing a new atmosphere and new energy into the space.”

    The concept is built around the duality of Japanese and Peruvian influences. The bar was designed to feel more vibrant and energetic, drawing inspiration from South American nightlife, while the restaurant itself offers a calmer, more refined atmosphere centered around the dining experience.

    “It was important that guests could only partially glimpse the restaurant from the bar. We wanted to create curiosity.”

    Nearly every element within the space was custom designed and produced specifically for the project. Illuminated stone surfaces, soft lighting, and refined materiality inspired by Japanese luxury aesthetics define the new environment.

    “To me, Japanese luxury is not about decoration, it is about exceptional materials. The material itself should be beautiful.”

    The reopening event welcomed leading figures from Hungary’s gastronomic, business, and cultural communities. With this transformation, Nobu Budapest not only opens a new chapter in its own story, but further strengthens Budapest’s position on the international luxury gastronomy map.