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Most guidebooks to Budapest relegate the Hungarian capital's culinary attractions to a chapter buried behind weighty sections on history, detailed hotel options and practical information. Food Wine Budapest: A Terroir Guide, by Carolyn Banfalvi, concentrates on gastronomic pleasures. It is, quite simply, the best guide available today to the culinary renaissance of the city and region in the post-communist era. Banfalvi profiles some of the best restaurants and wine bars in Budapest, but also includes cafés, pastry shops, specialty food shops and markets, as well as the traditions behind their offerings. Helpfully, she includes extensive translations for the names of wines, foods and cooking methods as well. This is the first book in a new series called Terroir Guides, which promises to explore cities or regions, focusing on the way local influences are reflected in food and wine. The Budapest guide sets a high standard for those that follow.

Food Wine Budapest: A Terroir Guide, by Carolyn Banfalvi (The little Bookroom), $27.95.