In most Spanish towns there used to be a shop on the corner called an ultramarinos. It sold tins, dried beans, cured sausages, wine by the bottle and often a glass of something at the counter. Ultramarinos Martínez takes that idea to Budapest. It sits at Bartók Béla út 16, in the 1111 postcode on the Buda side of the city, and it works as a bar, a delicatessen and a tapas kitchen under one roof.
Who founded it
The place was founded by Christian Martínez, a Spanish restaurateur. Its record in our directory says the concept came from a longing to bring the soul of Spain to Hungary, and that it takes its inspiration from two things at once: the traditional neighbourhood shop and the Spanish tavern.
That is the main thing that sets it apart. You can sit down for tapas and a glass of wine, and you can also walk out with Spanish products from the shop side. The record describes carefully selected wines, artisanal products and small plates.
What the word "ultramarinos" means
The name is worth a minute. In Spanish, "ultramar" means overseas, and "ultramarinos" were originally the goods that arrived from across the sea: coffee, cocoa, sugar, spices. Over time the word stuck to the shops that sold them, and then to the ordinary corner grocery in general. Many Spanish towns still have an old sign reading "Ultramarinos" above a door, even where the shop has changed.
Calling a Budapest tapas bar by that name tells you what to expect: shelves of product as well as a kitchen.
Inside the room
The restaurant describes its look as close to an Andalusian tavern. Wine barrels are used as tables, the décor is classic, and there is soft music in the background. When our listing was last updated, it held a 4.9 Google rating from 903 reviews. Ratings move, so treat that as a snapshot.
How to use it
A few practical ideas, based on what the place is set up to do:
- The format suits a glass of Spanish wine and a few small plates to share, which is what the record describes.
- Look at the shop shelves before you leave. The deli side is part of the concept, so it is the place to pick up Spanish products to take home.
- Check the restaurant's own website, umartinez.hu, for current opening hours before you go. We do not list hours for it here.
Spanish food elsewhere in Budapest
If you want to make an evening of it, the same street has a second Spanish option. La Nube is at Bartók Béla út 41, in the 1114 postcode, a little further out along Bartók Béla út. Its décor includes the Osborne bull, its menu draws on traditional recipes from across Spain, and it has been recognised by Gault & Millau.
Across the river in Pest there are two more:
- Pintxo, at Henszlmann Imre utca 1 (1053), cooks Spanish food with a strong Basque influence, and its décor borrows from Basque and Catalan design.
- Pata Negra Asador, at Paulay Ede utca 39 (1061), is a Spanish grill house near the Opera House that opened in 2017. It cooks Spanish meat and fish in a charcoal oven, including Iberian pork and Basque chuletón, alongside tapas.
The short version
Ultramarinos Martínez is a small Spanish bar and shop in Buda, founded by a Spanish restaurateur and built around wine, products and small plates. If you like the idea of a tapas bar where you can also shop for Spanish products, it is the one to try first. For more Spanish restaurants in the city, see our Budapest listings, and if you are shopping for cured ham, read our guide to jamón ibérico first.
