Take a hike within the hilly 110,000 acres of western Hungary’s Őrség National Park and, amidst the glassy lakes and endless trees, you’ll spot clusters of terracotta and thatched roofs that give way to the area’s tiny, traditional villages. Every now and then, you might stumble across an old watchtower or some fortifications – remnants of the Iron Curtain, which once sliced through the region.
The National Park is also the location of the tri-border of Hungary, Slovenia and Austria. And close to the spot where the three countries meet, you’ll find Pajta – the only rurally located restaurant in Hungary to have been awarded a MICHELIN Star.
‘Something Meaningful’
Pajta’s story began back in 2012, when Flóra Kvaszniczáné Marjai and Ferenc Kvasznicza – the restaurant’s owners – moved from Budapest to Őriszentpéter, guided by a desire to “return to something more grounded and honest”.Ferenc’s parents had recently renovated an old barn – or Pajta – in the leafy town, intending to use it as a venue for traditional Hungarian folk dance. However, the couple saw the potential to reimagine it as “a place where gastronomy, nature and culture could meet”.
They aimed to create “something meaningful” – in other words, an experience that deliverered lasting value to both guests and the local community, interwoven with a strong sense of place. Over the years, this vision has evolved into a well-oiled ecosystem, consisting of Head Chef István Akács; local farmers, ceramicists and cheesemakers; and a smattering of harmonious forest cabins.
Rural Living
Pajta may be the only rural restaurant in Hungary to have been awarded a MICHELIN Star, but its strengths lie in its pastoral location.“This rural setting shapes every aspect of the guest experience – from the ingredients we use to the atmosphere we create – offering a sense of connection, authenticity and calm, which is increasingly rare nowadays,” Flora explained.
“The region’s unspoilt landscapes, deep-rooted traditions and slower pace of life perfectly align with our values.”
Honest, Unpretentious Food from the Forest
The building that houses Pajta expertly showcases the restaurant’s bucolic surroundings. Its glass frontage wraps around the building, while foliage blankets one external wall, cultivating a cheerful indoor-outdoor vibe.Meanwhile, the interior is rustic but refined, its airy decor punctured with sturdy wooden columns. The restaurant’s wooden tables are simply laid with white cloth napkins, large wine glasses and wildflowers displayed in small glass vases. The panoramic windows frame idyllic views of lush greenery. Here, Ferenc says, “our guests feel comfortable and truly at home”.
But it’s not only the restaurant’s design that spotlights its natural environment. In the kitchen, István plates up “honest, unpretentious” dishes that complement locally available ingredients, while fermenting and pickling add a punch to his flavourful creations.
István explains: “We cook what we genuinely enjoy: bold, expressive flavours that honour the integrity of the ingredients. Our menus are defined by clarity and ingredient-driven simplicity.”
While many of the ingredients used in Pajta’s kitchen champion produce from Őrség in historical Hungarian dishes, István also infuses his menus with inspiration from further afield, be that the vibrant cuisine of Latin America or the culinary traditions of Hungarian communities in Transylvania.
On weekends, guests arrive for lunch between 12pm and 2pm (on Thursdays it’s 4pm), and are offered the choice of either a three or four course menu. These kick off with starters such as ceviche and cucumber, before moving onto hearty mains like trout with kohlrabi and buckwheat or duck breast with carrot and dumplings. For dessert, picture peach with cottage cheese or pear with miso and walnuts.
At dinner, guests are invited to choose between a six-course tasting menu or the nine-course version, with both menus also available for the lunch sitting. While Pajta’s menus change seasonally, expect courses along the lines of black apple salad; venison with celery, green peas and black garlic jus; and mushroom tortellini served with pecorino and mushroom tea. Indeed, the latter is István’s favourite item on the menu.
“Foraging mushrooms is a personal passion of mine, something very close to my heart,” he says. “I consider mushrooms to be an outstanding ingredient and in this dish, they are paired with a locally produced cheese foam and served with a tea made using mushroom garum. For me, this is the dish that resonates most deeply with who I am and how I cook.”
For an extra fee, diners can elevate their lunch or tasting menu by adding a cheese selection or standard wine pairing, or pay a little more for a triple-border wine pairing that celebrates the nearby intersection of Hungary, Slovenia and Austria.
Indeed, the wine list celebrates the very best of Hungary’s wine regions, with magnums of Kreinbacher from Somló – where grapes are grown on the slopes of an extinct volcano – and bottles of white from Badascony, on the north shores of Lake Balaton. The sweet wines section, of course, is dominated by wines from the historic Tokaj region.
From Hungary’s neighbours, expect sparkling and white wine from the rolling hills of Stajerska Slovenia, bottles from Austria’s Kamptal region and reds from historic Leithaberg, also in Austria.
Working with Community Producers
The Őrség community has been central to Pajta since the restaurant’s inception. From the very beginning, Flóra and Ferenc focused on developing a local supply network that could support regional producers and families. 13 years on, their local ecosystem is thriving.Among their long list of local producers are farmers, cheesemakers, shepherds and beekeepers, as well as textile creators and ceramicists. Working with community producers is a complex and layered process, but one that’s highly rewarding.
“There’s something deeply fulfilling about seeing a dish bring joy to guests, to know that so many hands and much care went into every element,” István says. “When it comes to cheese, for example, the aging process can take months, which means we need to collaborate with absolute precision to ensure consistent, high-quality results.”
Elsewhere, the team at Pajta work with several organic vegetable farms, including an organic farm in Ivánc, the Sári family garden in Bajánsenye and the raspberry fields of Józsi Málnás. These collaborations require significant planning, with discussions starting as early in the year as January around which crops Pajta will need for the coming 12 months and how they can be grown in the best way.
Relax, Unwind and Connect with Nature
Diners are invited to stay at Kástu – Pajta’s accommodation offering, which opened in 2023 and lies a 25-minute walk from the restaurant (they can also arrange transportation). The seven, two-storey forest lodges were designed – by Ybl Award-winning architect Gábor U Nagy – to blend into their serene natural surroundings.The softly lit cabins are crafted from wood and glass for a cosy but minimalist feel, and the panoramic view through the floor-to-ceiling windows – a pretty meadow during the day and the starry sky after dark – is absolutely the star of the show.
A stay at Kástu allows you to work up an appetite before your meal by hopping on a bicycle to explore Őrség’s unspoilt cross-border landscapes, which transform beautifully with the seasons. And the morning after, what better way is there to start your day than in the forest sauna? (Opening autumn 2025.)
While there’s no obligation for Pajta diners to stay at Kástu, it’s the perfect option for those looking to indulge in the restaurant’s wine pairings and relax in a serene, natural setting. It means you get the full Pajta experience. “Staying at Kástu allows our guests to immerse themselves wholly in the natural beauty and quiet of the region – and make the Pajta journey more complete,” Ferenc says.
Hero Image: Inside Pajta in Őriszentpéter - the only rurally located One-MICHELIN-Starred restaurant in Hungary (© Pajta)
