Restaurant in Balatonfüred, Hungary
Two-chef modern cooking, strong Balaton value.
Two consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmand awards (2024–2025) make Sparhelt the most credible kitchen in Balatonfüred at the €€ price tier. Chefs Zeeshan Shah and Yoshi Yamada run a modern menu that punches above its price. Book two to three weeks out in summer; easy to secure the rest of the year.
At the €€ price point, Sparhelt is the strongest argument for eating in Balatonfüred rather than driving to Budapest for serious cooking. Two consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmand awards (2024 and 2025) confirm what 912 Google reviewers average at 4.6 stars: this kitchen, led by Zeeshan Shah and Yoshi Yamada, is delivering at a level well above what the price suggests. If you are planning a special occasion dinner on Lake Balaton and want quality without the €€€€ outlay of somewhere like Babel, book Sparhelt first.
Sparhelt sits on Balatonfüred's central Szent István tér, the main square facing the lake. The dual-chef setup — Shah and Yamada — points toward a kitchen with more international range than most regional Hungarian restaurants at this tier. Modern cuisine in a Bib Gourmand context means the cooking is technically considered and ingredient-led, but priced to be accessible rather than ceremonial. That combination is exactly what makes it a smart call for a celebration dinner where the bill should not overshadow the occasion.
For special occasions, the framing here matters: Sparhelt is not a white-tablecloth production, but the Michelin recognition means the kitchen takes the food seriously. If your group wants a dinner that feels genuinely accomplished without a dress code that rules out arriving from a day on the water, this is the right fit. Compare that to Rumour by Rácz Jenő at €€€€, where the ceremony is more elaborate but so is the spend. Sparhelt gives you the quality signal without the formality tax.
For groups considering a private or semi-private experience: no dedicated private dining data is confirmed in Sparhelt's record, so contact the restaurant directly to ask about table configurations and buyout options. At a Bib Gourmand property on a busy lakeside square, demand for the dining room peaks in summer, so any group booking for a birthday or anniversary should plan well ahead for the June-to-August window. Booking is generally rated easy, but that changes quickly in peak Balaton season. Address for arrivals: Balatonfüred, Szent István tér 7.
For broader planning, see our full Balatonfüred restaurants guide. If you are building a longer trip around the region's food scene, comparable Bib Gourmand-level cooking exists at Platán Gourmet in Tata and Pajta in Őriszentpéter, both worth knowing if you are touring western Hungary. In Budapest, Stand operates at a higher price tier but gives you a useful quality benchmark for what the Michelin-tracked modern Hungarian category looks like at full spend.
Within Balatonfüred itself, the closest alternative at a similar price is Zelna Borbisztró (€€ · Traditional Cuisine), which leans into local wine-bar territory rather than modern technique. For a completely different register, NOON (€€€ · Modern Cuisine) sits a tier up in price and ambition. Sparhelt is the play if you want the quality assurance of Michelin recognition at a price that leaves room for wine.
For everything else around your visit, our Balatonfüred hotels guide, bars guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide cover the rest of the trip. Hungary's broader Bib Gourmand circuit also includes 42 Restaurant in Esztergom, 67 Sigma in Székesfehérvár, A Konyhám Stúdió 365 in Fonyód, Alkimista Kulináris Műhely in Szeged, Andrassy Restaurant in Tarcal, and Anyukám Mondta in Encs, all useful if you are building a longer itinerary around recognised cooking outside the capital.
Booking difficulty is rated easy outside summer peak. For July and August on Balaton, book at least two to three weeks ahead, especially for weekend dinners or groups of four or more. The restaurant is on the main square (Szent István tér 7), walkable from the lakefront promenade. No phone or website is confirmed in our data , search the name directly or check local reservation platforms. For group or private dining enquiries, contact the venue directly to confirm capacity and configuration options. Dress expectations are relaxed for a €€ Bib Gourmand; smart casual is appropriate and consistent with the price tier.
No bar seating information is confirmed for Sparhelt. Contact the restaurant directly to ask about counter or informal seating options. For a lakeside bar setting instead, see our Balatonfüred bars guide.
Smart casual is the right call. Sparhelt holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand and sits in the €€ tier, so the room will be taken seriously but there is no indication of a formal dress code. Arriving from a day on the lake in clean, neat clothing is fine.
No confirmed group or private dining data exists in our record. At a Bib Gourmand restaurant on a busy lakeside square, group tables during summer should be arranged well in advance. Contact the venue directly at Balatonfüred, Szent István tér 7 to confirm capacity and availability.
Yes, clearly. Two consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmand awards at an €€ price point is the benchmark for value in serious cooking. You are getting recognised technique at a price tier that undercuts almost every comparable Michelin-tracked restaurant in the region. For context, Stand25 Bisztró also operates at €€ but in a traditional rather than modern register , Sparhelt is the better call if contemporary cooking is what you are after.
NOON (€€€) is the step up in ambition and spend if budget is not the constraint. Zelna Borbisztró (€€) is the lateral move if you prefer a wine-bar format over modern technique. Outside Balatonfüred, A Konyhám Stúdió 365 in Fonyód is worth the short drive for another Bib Gourmand-level experience on the lake.
Yes, with the right expectations. Sparhelt is a strong special occasion choice if you want Michelin-quality cooking in a relaxed rather than formal setting. The €€ tier means the bill will not define the evening. For a more ceremonial experience, step up to Babel (€€€€) or Rumour by Rácz Jenő (€€€€) , but expect to pay significantly more for the added production.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sparhelt | €€ · Modern Cuisine | €€ | Michelin Bib Gourmand (2025); Michelin Bib Gourmand (2024) | Easy | — |
| Babel | €€€€ · Modern Cuisine | €€€€ | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Borkonyha Winekitchen | €€€ · Modern Cuisine | €€€ | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Rumour by Rácz Jenő | €€€€ · Creative | €€€€ | Unknown | — | |
| Stand25 Bisztró | €€ · Traditional Cuisine | €€ | Unknown | — | |
| Bilanx | €€€ · Contemporary | €€ | Unknown | — |
Comparing your options in Balatonfüred for this tier.
Bar seating is not documented in available venue data for Sparhelt. Given the €€ price point and Bib Gourmand recognition, this is a sit-down dining operation centred on the cooking — check the venue's official channels via Szent István tér 7 to confirm seating options before assuming walk-in bar access.
No formal dress code is stated for Sparhelt. At the €€ price point with Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition, neat casual fits the room — think clean, considered clothing rather than resort wear or a suit. Overly dressed is rarely a problem; underdressed poolside attire probably is.
Group capacity specifics are not confirmed in the venue record. For parties of four or more, book well ahead — outside July and August, booking difficulty is rated easy, but Balatonfüred's summer season compresses availability quickly on weekends.
At €€, yes — Sparhelt is one of the clearest cases for eating in Balatonfüred rather than making the drive to Budapest for comparable cooking quality. Two consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmands (2024 and 2025) confirm the kitchen is consistent, and the dual-chef setup with Shah and Yamada gives the menu a range you do not typically find at this price in a lakeside tourist town.
Direct Balatonfüred alternatives at the same level are thin — Sparhelt's back-to-back Bib Gourmand is the strongest formal credential on the lake. If you want more options or a wider choice of cuisines, Budapest restaurants like Borkonyha Winekitchen or Stand25 Bisztró offer comparable or higher recognition, but that means committing to a city trip rather than a lakeside dinner.
Yes, with the right expectations. At €€ with Michelin recognition, it delivers a serious meal without the formal-dining pressure of a tasting-menu-only room. It works well for a birthday or anniversary dinner where you want the cooking to land but do not want a three-hour ceremony — book two to three weeks ahead in summer to secure the date you need.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
