About Us
We started as Taste Hungary (a food and wine tour company) in 2008, before opening The Tasting Table Cellar in Budapest’s Palace District in 2014, Tasting Table US wine imports and online shop in 2019, and The Tasting Table Wine Shop in 2020 (located across from the cellar).
What We Do
Taste Hungary (Experiences) — Taste Hungary is the leading culinary and wine tour company in Hungary. We offer daily food and drink walks, wine tastings in our cellar, wine tours, and private and custom tours for groups. Armchair travelers can learn about Hungarian foodways and wine culture by perusing our blog, written by a team of talented local writers in Budapest.
Tasting Table Budapest (Wine Cellar) — Our team of sommeliers lead daily wine tastings (3pm and 6pm) in our tasting cellar, located in Budapest’s palace District (Bródy Sándor utca 9). Introducing wine lovers to the (often unknown) treasures of Hungary is our passion. Our chef hosts dinners and cooking classes in the open kitchen.
Tasting Table Budapest (Wine Shop) — Our wine shop (Bródy Sándor utca 22) features our curated selection of hundreds of fine Hungarian wines and spirits. We feature pours (and flights) of different wines every week—new arrivals and staff favorites—so you can discover new wines while browsing. Our entire Tasting Table selection is available for shipping in the EU and UK, and we have a monthly Hungarian Wine Club.
In the US — We are proud to bring our business full-circle by connecting American wine lovers with these unique Hungarian wines. We directly import Hungarian wine to the US, and offer it through our quarterly Hungarian Wine Club and in our online shop. We are also a wholesaler/distributor in Washington, DC.
Founded By Carolyn & Gábor Bánfalvi
Travel has been a part of our lives together from the time we met working on a cruise ship in the Caribbean more than two decades ago. We share a passion (and an appetite) for the food and wine of Central Europe, as well as the people, places, and stories that make this region so fascinating. We founded Taste Hungary—our Budapest-based food and wine tour company—in 2008 with the intention of sharing our passion for Hungarian food and wine with like-minded travelers who want to experience the region’s authentic flavors and experiences. It has grown so much since then, and we look forward to seeing where it takes us next!
Carolyn is the author of the culinary guidebooks Food Wine Budapest (Little Bookroom) and the Food and Wine Lover’s Guide to Hungary: With Budapest Restaurants and Trips to the Wine Country (Park Kiadó). Her writing has also appeared in publications such Saveur, National Geographic, Explore Parts Unknown, Afar, CNN.com, Frommer’s, Gourmet, Gastronomica, Olive, and The Globe & Mail. Carolyn studied journalism at NYU, holds a culinary school degree, and is working towards her WSET Diploma.
Gábor holds a Master’s Degree in Spanish linguistics and literature fromELTE, and was a translator and teacher in his previous career. He holds a Level 3 WSET certification, is working on researching the Jewish history of Tokaj. Gábor is committed to increasing the profile of wine tourism in Hungary and has spoken about entrepreneurism, wine tourism, and Hungarian food and wine to various audiences.
