Sourdough bread, macarons, fermentation and pizza workshops, brunch with morning yoga, live music wine dinners, hikes, bike tours, cakes and perfumes – all this around Lake Balaton in early spring. From March 6-15, 2026, the TASTE BALATON festival returns for 10 days of buzz, culture, and food on the lakeshore.

Check out www.tastebalaton.hu for details.

The organizers have teamed up again with top year-round spots in the region. At over 20 main venues, they're offering not just special events but exclusive "TASTE BALATON menus" designed just for this – a quick way to sample the essence of each restaurant.

Beyond the main spots, extra locations like wineries, bakeries, and cultural sites have more programs lined up; browse the website to build your own itinerary.

Here are a few standout events where you can get hands-on, peek behind the scenes, or meet interesting people.

A core message of TASTE BALATON is getting involved and building real connections. Over the 10 days, you can chat with Lake Balaton chefs and see the area – and its hospitality pros – from a fresh angle. It's a true meeting point between guests and hosts, while sharpening your food knowledge.

That's why there are even more workshops this year than before, from March 6-15. Highlights include sourdough bread and pizza making, plus dives into macarons, chocolate, fresh pasta, and gin-tonics. Sweet tooths have multiple cake workshops, and gluten-free or vegan dessert fans are covered too.

A unique chance: during the festival, sign up to play chef for a day at spots like A Konyhám Stúdió 365 and Villa Kabala's kitchen.

Active types will love brunch with sunrise yoga at several restaurants, bike tours, and talks from adventurers like Gábor Rakonczay at Villa Chez Les Amis,  and Tomi Barabás on his Asia trips (at Borbarátok).

Psychology fans can explore the mind with Dr. Kristóf Moldován and Dr. Younes Beghdadi, or join psychiatrist Dr. György Bánki and Sarolta Dobray for an intimate evening.

Women's Day events are a tradition, including the Gaszto & Nők & Balaton chat at Kalóz Strandbisztro.

A few more highlights:

Cook with the Chef! Flavors and Inspiration with Gábor Szikra 

Step into the kitchen where flavors come with stories. This interactive day lets you join the creation: cook, taste, and get inspired with top ingredients and a dash of creativity at the Michelin-recommended A Konyhám Stúdió 365. You'll make a four-course menu from fresh, seasonal produce.
Venue: A Konyhám Stúdió 365
Date: March 12, 10:00–15:00
 

Women's Day Warm-Up by Reed

At Reed Boutique Hotel's elegant spaces, it's all about the ladies for a day: food, fashion, and inspiration in refined style. Expect a culinary show, exclusive fashion show by Renáta Bonczó, refreshing drinks, tasty bites, and casual chats with special tapas.
Venue: Reed Bistro
Date: March 7, 16:30
 

László Lakatos and the Dinner of Humor

László Lakatos heads to Badacsony's Hableány to add laughs to dinner. From 18:00, enjoy a four-course meal paired with Laposa wines; at 20:00, he takes the stage.
Venue: Hableány, Badacsony
Date: March 6, 18:00

Vegan Gastro Experience on Lake Balaton

Plant-based cooking can be nourishing, exciting, and effortless. Taste of Sun founder Dóri Czakó shares how to do vegan right, followed by a wild plant forage with Villa Kabala's chef András Szabó in Szigliget. Wrap up with their special vegan menu.
Venue: Villa Kabala
Date: March 7, 10:30

Pasta Workshop with Ricsi Csillag

We're not just making pasta – think classics like fatty cream pastry and plum dumplings, plus two menu hits: spinach wide noodles with butter sauce and pita with chimichurri and Angus beef. Pasta machine, grill fired up, celebrating spring's arrival.
Venue: Lokal at the Lake restaurant
Date: March 9, 10:00

Steak-Grilling Workshop with Ádám Mede

Discover the magic of fire, smoke, and meat in this hands-on session: master open-fire grilling, premium cuts, and perfect crusts. Ends with a flawless steak dinner and curated wine flight.
Venue: Mede by Adam Mede
Date: March 7, 15:00
 

Wine & Bonbon Tasting with Chocolate Making

A hedonist's afternoon: My Choccy workshop reveals bonbon secrets, paired with special wines (or house syrups for non-drinkers).
Venue: Petrányi Pince és Borterasz
Date: March 13, 16:00

Flavors and Scents
Zólyomi Zsolt, owner of Le Parfum and "the nose of the country," joins for a pastry tasting where scents and flavors of the ingredients shine through five cakes.
Venue: Villa Gréta patisserie, Zamárdi
Date: March 6, 16:00
 

More events (selection):
 

• Judit Schell dinner evening, Villa Chez les Amis

• Porchetta workshop with Uncle Jenő at PÖRC Bisztró

• Allergy-friendly baking workshop at Mónisüti patisserie, Gyenesdiás

• Wine-paired Neapolitan pizza workshop, Pizza Sztori, Balatonmáriafürdő

• Sparkling wine making workshop, Bujdosó winery

• Dinner at the table with Erika Zoltán, A Konyhám Stúdió 365

• La Vie Balatonfüred chocolate workshop, SPARHELT Bistro

• Southeast Asia adventures with Tamás Barabás, Borbarátok

• Nourish your inner glow – yoga, beauty, and brunch at Casa Christa

• Lokalisták at the Lake – producers' market & grill on the terrace, Lokal at the Lake

• Fermented veggies in the kitchen, Lokal at the Lake

• Lake Balaton craft workshop for kids and adults, John’s Out Bar & Kitchen

• Sweet and savory meet at Lake Balaton

• Sourdough bread workshop, Folly Arboretum

Tickets: 
https://www.tixa.hu/taste-balaton

More: 
Taste Balaton