Laurel has not simply moved to Balaton
The chef’s background matters when understanding Mede by Adam Mede, but expecting the same dinner format as a Budapest fine-dining restaurant would be misleading. After Laurel, Mede Ádám continued working at Balaton, then opened his own place in Badacsony in May 2025. Here a shorter menu, an informal space and fire-cooked dishes take priority over a long, fixed tasting menu.
Bodag is the key to the story
The charcoal-baked flatbread is not just an accompaniment. Drawing on a Roma recipe he had encountered earlier, Ádám developed his own version through extensive experimentation; bodag connects several dishes, from saucy food to grilled combinations. On a first visit, order so that this element reaches your table too.
Hungarian foundations, unusual combinations
In a September 2026 chef interview, pork trotter stew, pig’s ear and steaks were among the most popular orders. August’s selection included pig’s ear with anchovy mayonnaise and kimchi, and roasted carrots with tahini yoghurt and buckwheat. This clearly shows the kitchen’s thinking: familiar ingredients may be joined by acidic, fermented or internationally inspired elements.
Offal need not be a compulsory test of courage. If these are not your flavours, start with that day’s grilled and vegetable options. Anyone seeking a specific dish from an old article should check ahead, however: the blackboard specials change.
The setting is part of the meal
A cauldron, traditional stove, grill and smoker all play a role in the cooking. Embers, steam and plates suited to a shared table are prominent in the photographs; this is not a sterile dining world shut away from the kitchen. An earlier feature listed roughly 12 indoor seats and 30–40 on the terrace. The exact chair count matters less than the balance: indoor capacity is much more limited in bad weather.
What does the season mean now?
After the summer 2026 operation, the autumn–winter schedule was still taking shape at the time of the September interview. We therefore do not list summer hours as year-round opening. The team’s story has changed too: Mede Attila, the brother involved at opening, left the business at the end of 2025. Older features describing both brothers hosting daily are now historical background, not a current staffing description.
Worth a taste
Bodag flatbread alongside a saucy dish
Grilled flatbread is one of the kitchen's signatures. Bread and sauce together reveal this direction; do not choose only a standalone grilled meat on a first visit.
Local tip
Do not over-order the first round
Ask which plates are recommended for sharing and how large the portions are. Two or three contrasting characters — saucy, crisp and vegetable-based — can be more interesting than several similarly heavy meat dishes at once.
The BalatonEats meal plan
How to put your meal together
- 01A smaller, distinctive plate
Choose a crisp or more acidic opening from that day's menu. Pig's ear is a good choice only if the ingredient genuinely interests you, not simply because it is famous.
- 02A saucy main course with bodag
Make this the centre of the meal. If you do not want offal, say so at the outset and choose from the kitchen's current alternatives.
- 03A vegetable counterpoint
Fire-roasted vegetables can bring variety to a meat-focused order. For a standalone vegetarian meal, confirm all accompaniments and sauces.
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Good to know before you go
- The live-fire kitchen may bring smoke and aromas.
- Indoor seating is limited compared with the terrace.
- Summer hours and a former blackboard dish are not year-round promises.
