G&D Kézműves Cukrászda és Pékség (Szó ami Szó)

G&D Kézműves Cukrászda és Pékség (G&D Artisan Patisserie and Bakery) is on Óvoda utca in the centre of Balatonkenese, with the Szó ami Szó sign above the entrance. It is open all year, and in the mornings there is often a queue at the counter: locals come for bread and croissants, holidaymakers for breakfast, and those arriving from Budapest stop here first when they reach the gateway to Lake Balaton.

The Szó brothers

The place is run by two brothers: confectioner Gellért Szó and baker Dániel Szó. Both learned the trade in their own way rather than through traditional training, and perhaps that is exactly why what they make is so distinctive. Gellért studied ice cream making in Milan, and in 2015 he won both first and second place at the Hungary’s Cake competition with recipes he sent in just days after baking his first cake. Dániel’s croissant was named the best at the Kenyérlelke Festival in 2017. They also have shops in Salgótarján, Gyöngyös and Eger, and the family’s holiday home in the area brought them to Kenese.

Bread, croissants, cream slices

At the counter the bakery and the patisserie meet: sourdough loaves and baguettes, buttery croissants, cream-filled pastries dusted with icing sugar, crisp pretzels, and beside them raspberry cream slices, cakes and pastries. Many come specifically for the homemade pies. In summer 2020 the patisserie was expanded with a restaurant, and since then they have served breakfast and hot dishes too. Their golden rule is to cook only with the finest ingredients, even if the shellfish has to come from the Croatian coast.

The place

A family-friendly, bright patisserie and bistro where traditional confectionery values meet a modern approach. Coffee and pastry in the morning, a light lunch at noon, a slice of cake in the afternoon, and the bread is worth taking home too. It is counted among the best patisseries around Lake Balaton.

Open all year

G&D is not a seasonal place: it welcomes guests all year round. Exact hours and the daily offer are posted on their Facebook page, and the freshly baked pastries go fastest in the morning.

What do guests say?

According to guests, few croissants compare with the Szó brothers’ own; they praise the bread, the cream slices and the pies, and the consistent quality all year. Competition results and Balaton patisserie top lists mark the professional recognition.

Who we recommend it for

Anyone in Kenese who wants a good breakfast, fresh bread or a slice of cake. Holidaymakers in Kenese who would buy their bread for the week here, and anyone who loves a buttery, crisp croissant. It is not the place for an elegant dinner.

How much does it cost?

Mid-range: a coffee and a pastry come to a few thousand forints, and a breakfast or a slice of cake with coffee costs a little more.