The incognito that time
The oldest restaurant
in the heart of the downtown
Liszt Ferenc Square who was always and idea in Budapest, it provided color and vividness with it’s iconic places. The peak and highlight was a long time ago for the literature, books and music. But now the entertainment and amusement took its place.
In the first part of the 90s (1994), the first cool place was the incognito which works nowadays too, the life of the guest catering started with us. At that time the owners recognized that Budapest needs trend cafes, restaurants with opened terraces, it has a positive effect for the culture of the city, and for the tourism. On that way many fashionable places were opened, and for the beginning of 2000, it became the most colorful and busiest party area. In every year when the nice weather stepped into, all of the restaurants opened their huge terraces which reflects for the squere the real Mediterranean atmosphere.
*You can see the terrace of incognito before opening, as the waitor organizes the chairs and tables. This bar restaurant was the first cafe at Liszt Ferenc, which still works until today.
Those years around 2000
At first in 2000, the incognito was renewed, for the original plan it was working as a cocktail bar, party place, and organized events. At the beginning the walls were dark, and the tables had candles. After the refurbishment the place got the trendy minimalistic style, with colorful walls, and it got a decoration with Vinly jazz discs.
The place drew the youth in their 20’s who liked the acid jazz and funky music. Hundreds of parties, laughters, residens dj-s, vodka redull, spirits, and you awoke only Sunday afternoon. Were you there?
“Liszt Ferenc Square is still the coolest for me. It is bad to see that it is not the same as it was. Incognito is one of the big old name, which it is still works.. In fact this is the only one what kept the same name and didn’t change. It cannot make a mistake for me. But I need to add it never made a mistake :)”
Worn glory
and new era
Since the opening the square and the city changed a lot. The previous party place Maginot line, that started at Liszt Ferenc Square and finished at Ráday street, placed to another area. Many restaurants owners were changed and it has lost its old atmosphere, by the time generation grew up, so the regular customers disappeared too.
Interior and terrace of the incognito before the renovation
This old worn cultic place, created a new restaurant in 2013, the owner is the new Turkish Ferhat Güray, carried in his heart the Hungarian kitchen and guest catering. Our owner lives in Hungary for years, and a little bit he assumes himself as Hungarian. With high knowledge he started the renovation, so in this way the insight got a clean wonderful look. We have transformed our terrace for the winter cold too, to meet up the requirements of the modern era, to give a message for the guest that there is a new thing at the old place.
The work process did not stopped, continuously we built, figure out new things to make the place friendlier and to give a high level quality area, and it is not a secret to get back its old glimmering.
INCOGNITO NOWADAYS
Guest catering with a warm heart,
in a cosy friendly atmosphere.
In the last decade, as the guest catering sector we have struggled with lots of things too, but the love of the guest, and their satisfaction helped us to overcome. One thing did not change: Our mission, to bring back the old era of Liszt Ferenc square, to make attractive the hungarian kitchen with the attitude of friendliness to give an odd experience for the hungarians and foreign people.
The incognito family
Over the years, while some of our members have changed, we have always managed to build a strong team, and today we’ve become a close-knit community. Perhaps that’s our secret.
management
Ferhat Güray
Owner of Incognito
In 2013, the new Turkish owner, Ferhat Güray, took over the management of the restaurant. He has always had a passion for Hungarian cuisine and quality hospitality. Having lived in Hungary for decades, he even considers himself somewhat Hungarian. A key figure in the restaurant’s life, he continually encourages the team, and we are proud of how he contributes daily to the success of the restaurant.
“Thirty years ago, I sat here on the Incognito terrace as a guest when it was still a cocktail bar. To this day, nostalgic couples who first met here still visit us. One of our open goals is to once again fill the legendary Liszt Ferenc Square with Hungarian guests.”
Gergely Szklenár
Restaurant Manager
Our manager, Gergő, is an experienced and reliable figure who holds the team together, coordinates the restaurant’s daily operations, and oversees the work of colleagues on the floor. His exceptional knowledge of gastronomy is something he strives to pass on to others.
Though his responsibilities are extensive, he always finds time to bring a smile to his colleagues’ faces. Being a true hospitality professional, Gergő often joins in on the floor, winning over guests with his polite and friendly attitude.
Tamás Kovács
Assistant Manager
Joining us as a newcomer with incredible energy, Tomi is a true globetrotter with years of experience abroad. He ensures everything is in place, and under his watch, there’s no option for mistake. Whatever he undertakes, he strives for excellence, expecting the same commitment from others.
He’s the one who elevates the guest experience here, creating a special atmosphere that makes our guests leave with a brighter day, a smile, and a full stomach.
Anna Begyes
Marketing and Brand Manager
Anna is responsible for brand building, visual design, marketing communication, and strategic planning for the restaurant. She makes sure everything is as we envisioned—or even beyond our wildest dreams.
She believes that gastronomy is a language of love, a means of communication that brings together and strengthens the bonds between different generations, cultures, families, friends, acquaintances, and even strangers. Her ideas keep the team energized, and it’s almost unbelievable how much energy and creativity this young woman possesses.
Kitchen is the heart of the restaurant…
Péter Stubnya
Executive Chef
A true team player, Péter maintains a great relationship with everyone. With his friendly attitude, sharp sense of humor, and ever-positive spirit, he lifts the entire team’s mood. Known for his calm demeanor and precision, he approaches his work with natural ease and focused determination.
He is the driving force behind our kitchen, the creator of our dishes, tirelessly searching for the essence of new flavors and reimagining traditional dishes.
As a father of two, he certainly has his hands full, but he continuously strives to strike the right balance between his profession and personal life.
Sándor Szabó
Chef
Sándor is the loudest and most extroverted personality in our kitchen — but make no mistake, he keeps his hands moving, doing everything with joy and energy. Being around him is simply uplifting.
He believes that the love of cooking is what gives food its final flavor. Every day, he brings fresh, seasonal, and traditional dishes to our guests’ tables, aiming to turn their time with us into a memory rich with flavors and aromas.
Given the many rules and constraints in the kitchen, he balances things out in his free time with cycling and shooting sports.
Károly Pesti
Kitchen Assistant
Thanks to Karesz’s humility and diligence, he has taken a big step forward on the kitchen career ladder. Previously responsible for background tasks, he is now working with us as a cook. He is quick and thorough, and we can trust him with more and more responsibilities — he handles more complex tasks with ease.
He feels that he has found his place with us and is happy to be part of a team where it’s always a pleasure to work together, and where people often understand each other even without words.
Krisztián Takács
Chef
“Methuselah, only incognito. His homeland is the land of pans embraced by flames. A cradle for him, a grave for others. The well-crafted flavours he creates — and the poorly placed words of others — have given rise to so many joyful cannibalistic delights… of course, only incognito…”
“To cook or not to cook — that is no question. For how much nobler the cook is when he begins with nothing but a simple knife. Sweating and groaning under the burdens of the day, refusing himself rest… until the traveller arrives and rekindles his spirit…”
A true specialist in meat dishes, he worked in several steakhouses before joining our team, so it’s no surprise that a perfectly cooked steak is one of his trademarks.
Péter Schneider
Chef
Peti is a truly cheerful and open-minded person. He gained valuable professional experience in Germany and France, especially in the world of international cuisine. In the kitchen, he feels most at home on the cooking line, and he particularly enjoys modern, creative solutions — although at home, classic gizzard stew remains his favourite.
In his free time, he enjoys hiking, and whenever he can, he also likes to attend football matches. He is reliable, energetic, and always strives to give his very best at work.
Balázs Berkics
Chef
Balázs, the “tattooed chef,” is a man of true passion — he is interested in everything related to gastronomy and sports. In the kitchen, he is especially fond of pasta dishes: he happily prepares everything from scratch, from kneading the dough to making the fillings, often based on his own recipes.
If he’s not creating something in the kitchen, he’s probably training, hiking, or getting ready for a garden party at home. Balázs is not only a hands-on professional but also deeply committed to education: he is the author of the book ,,Tanulók a vendéglátásban’’ (Students in Hospitality), about which he has given talks in several schools.
those who shake us up…
Enikő Sas
Barmaid
In the first cocktail bar on Liszt Ferenc Square, the drink selection has to be just as defining as the food. Enikő has been a pillar of our team for ten years and has become an indispensable link in Incognito, while also being our most cheerful member, embodying true girl power, always bringing a bit of positive energy.
She even experiments with cocktails at home in her own kitchen, and many of her creations goes onto our drink menu, delighting guests with her stunning and aesthetically crafted drink compositions. She believes bartending is truly a vocation that cannot be pursued half-heartedly.
Zoltán Németh
Bartender
Zoli has climbed every step in the hospitality industry, gaining insight into numerous areas before finally landing behind the bar, where his work has seamlessly become his hobby. He has been mastering the art of drink-making with us for some time, bringing a completely unique perspective to his mixes.
He believes the bar offers many opportunities for self-expression—this is their playground, where they can fully unleash their creativity. It is from these experiments that our signature cocktails are born, allowing our bartenders every day to showcase Budapest’s coolest drinks in ways you’ve never tasted before…
the happiest service track…
Ferenc Nagy Szurmai
Waiter
Feri is one of the kindest and most helpful among us; anyone can count on him at any time, and he’s always the first to lend a hand, even to help lift a stroller over the threshold. You can laugh a lot with him, and this positive, always cheerful mentality flows into his work—he couldn’t do it any other way.
If we asked him what motivates him, he’d say it’s the guests – the people who give positive feedback and constructive criticism, whose opinions truly matter because they help us become the best.
Márk Tótszegi
Waiter
Mr. Casually Perfect. Márk is a master of communication; not only becouse he speak English fluently, but he also has an instinctive sense to know what people really want. For him, it’s not just about serving a good meal; he values sharing educational insights, allowing guests to discover not just food and drinks, but the stories behind them.
Communication with him is easy and smooth, and besides his expertise, he does everything with effortless elegance. There’s no pressure to conform, which makes us a little envious.
Zsolt Horváth
Waiter
Zsolt joined our team recently, but diving into the deep end from day one wasn’t a problem for him. He’s a high-energy person who thrives in dynamic environments. At his previous workplace, he wanted to explore new roles — always drawn to the world of bartending, he took on that role and is now putting that experience to great use in guest service.
He lives for travel and discovering Eastern cultures — particularly Japan — where he’s already spent extended time on several occasions.
Dávid Zak
Waiter
Dávid is an experienced waiter who loves people and the world of hospitality. For him, good vibes and attentive service are essential. Thanks to his friendly, smiling personality, guests adore him, and he does everything he can to meet all their needs while adding a little extra to their time spent here — something that brightens their day and turns an ordinary meal into an occasion. The positive feedback he receives from guests gives him additional energy. If you end up at Dávid’s table, you’ll definitely be in good hands!
Balázs Kovács-Simon
Waiter
Balázs is still in high school and will be graduating this year. Although he has no previous experience in hospitality, he completes every task entrusted to him conscientiously, quickly, and to the best of his ability.
In his free time, music is what energises him most: he feels truly at home at concerts and festivals when he’s not at school or work. Despite his young age, he is reliable, punctual, and always strives to bring out the best in himself.
Péter Endrődy
Host
Peti plays a vital role — he’s responsible for making that all-important first impression on our guests. His open and friendly nature makes him a joy to be around. He finds his job exciting, loves connecting and communicating with people — a skill he also puts to good use as an influencer.
He sees his main mission with us as bringing urban lifestyle and gastronomy closer to both international visitors and locals who step into our world.
Nikolett Nikolov
Hostess
Niki is a truly multicultural personality whose life path connects several countries and cultures. Her father is Bulgarian, her mother is Hungarian, and she spent her childhood in Bulgaria before the family moved to Spain, where she continued her studies before eventually coming to Hungary. Thanks to this, Niki speaks four languages — Hungarian, Bulgarian, Spanish, and English — which is a huge advantage in hospitality.
She is open, friendly, and easily finds common ground with anyone, whether a guest or a colleague. Niki plays a very important role with us, as she is responsible for guests’ first impressions. Her open and welcoming personality makes it genuinely refreshing to be around her.
This year, we’re celebrating our 30th anniversary, reminiscing with joy about the amazing years behind us. Along the way, we’ve made countless friends, partners, and colleagues, and we’re grateful to everyone who has, for however long, added their own story to ours.
We’re very proud that more and more people have experienced what it’s like to be our guest. Every day, we continue to work wholeheartedly to make Incognito a lively, vibrant place. We know others, elsewhere, might do it differently. Perhaps. But this is how we do it.
Ferenc Liszt himself shows the way, if you are walking there. Who would sit next to him for a lunch or dinner.
Statue of Ferenc Liszt
*The statue of László Martin was established in 1986 when the square was refurbished which stands exactly in front of our restaurant.
YOU CAN FIND US HERE
Visit us and live
the Incognito experience!
H-1061 Budapest, Liszt Ferenc Square 3.
Opening hours:
Monday-Sunday: 12.00-24.00
Kitchen opening:
Monday-Sunday: 12.00-23.00
H-1061 Budapest, Liszt Ferenc tér 3.