The WineStone concept was first introduced by AccorHotels in Poland in 2013. The first Hungarian restaurant opened in June in the Mercure City Center in Budapest, as a part of the long-term renovation of the hotel. 

With the Budapest opening, there are now 14 WineStone restaurants in the CEE region: ten in Poland, two in Romania, and one each in the Czech Republic and Hungary. AccorHotels says it is planning to open further WineStone eateries in Budapest, according to a press release.

The Budapest restaurant’s core concept consists of two ideas: offering a selection of high-quality domestic and international wines, and presenting local specialties with an emphasis on presentation.

Signature dishes are served on a black stone slab, from which the restaurant takes part of its name. Hungarian features are an important component of the menu, with ingredients such as home-matured artisan Mangalica ham.

The selection of wines is picked by a jury of professionals every year by blind tasting. The experts narrow the initial selection to 60-70 wines, after which the final selection is made with the help of partners.

The restaurant offers 34 wines from ten countries, with 70% of the wines from Hungary, due to its strong wine culture.

Additionally, each WineStone restaurant includes a shop where locals and the hotel’s guests can buy their favorite wines or local food products, added the press release.

Source: Accor Hotels