Ferenc Pince sits on Tihany’s Cserhegy, at Cserhegyi utca 9., among the vineyards above the village, with Lake Balaton spread out in front of the terrace. It is a csárda, a winery and a guesthouse in one, run by the same family for thirty-seven years. It is seasonal: open Friday to Sunday from Easter to mid-October.
A cellar from the late 17th century
According to the family, the Tihany wine cellar has passed from generation to generation since the late 17th century. The wines are made only from grapes of the historic Balatonfüred-Csopak wine region, mainly its typical white varieties, complemented by rosé and red wines from the Tihany peninsula. Guests praise the Irsai Olivér from the barrel and the house wines sold only on site.
In 2001 a small wine museum opened next to the cellar, showing old tools and relics of viticulture and winemaking. Tastings come with stories about the region’s wine culture.
The kitchen
The cooking is Hungarian and Balaton-style. The family says fish soup and Balaton fish must always be on the menu, alongside dishes of Hungarian Grey cattle and Mangalica pork. Guests single out the stuffed cabbage, the fish soup and the zander.
The winery’s website calls Ferenc Pince Hungary’s first carbon-neutral restaurant; the family sees sustainability as part of keeping tradition.
Panorama and guesthouse
The terrace is the main draw: the view opens over the vines to the lake. The Ferenc Guesthouse next to the cellar has rooms facing the garden and the lake. Tihany Abbey is about 1.7 km away, the harbour 1.2 km.
Who it is for
Wine lovers who want to pair a tasting with a hearty Hungarian meal, groups of friends and families looking for a weekend lunch with a view, and anyone who prefers a quiet table among the vines to the busy abbey area. Closed on weekdays and in winter; groups can book other dates in advance.
Prices
Upper mid-range: some guests find it pricey for a csárda, but the view and the own wines are part of the experience.
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The person behind the place
A cellar handed down through generations
Ferenc Pince is a family business that has welcomed guests in Tihany for thirty-seven years. According to the family, the wine cellar has passed down the generations since the late 17th century, and the winery and the restaurant build on that heritage. A wine museum with old viticulture tools opened next to the cellar in 2001, and today there is a guesthouse as well.
Worth a taste
Fish soup on the terrace
The family says it can never be missing from the menu: Balaton fish soup with a glass of their own wine and a view of the lake.
Local tip
Ask for the barrel Irsai
Guests praise the Irsai Olivér from the barrel and the house wines sold only on site. Ask for a terrace table towards sunset, and if you stay for a tasting, you can sleep in the guesthouse.
The BalatonEats meal plan
How to put your meal together
- 01Fish soup
The house staple and a guest favourite.
- 02Stuffed cabbage
Reviews single it out among the Hungarian classics.
- 03Zander
Balaton fish, as a Tihany csárda should serve it.
What guests say
What stays with guests?
Guests praise the panorama, the own wines and the classic Hungarian dishes. Some find the prices high and the meat dishes fatty.
Google 4.6 (about 700 reviews) and Tripadvisor 4.0 (79 reviews) per Wanderlog, plus Etterem.hu reviews, as of November 2026.+
What brings people back
- Lake Balaton panorama above the vines
- Own wines from the Balatonfüred-Csopak region
- Wine cellar inherited since the late 17th century, wine museum
- Fish soup, Balaton fish, Mangalica, Grey cattle
- Guesthouse next to the cellar
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Good to know before you go
- Seasonal and open only at weekends.
- Prices: some guests find it steep for a csárda.
- Some guests find the meat dishes fatty.
Photo credits
Ferenc Pince Csárda
