The story of Pan'ni continues in Kővirág: The Budapest brunch spot has moved to Köveskál
The story actually began when the owners of Kővirág approached Gergő Fekete with the idea of a possible collaboration. The team behind Budapest's Artizán and Pan'ni ultimately decided that Pan'ni's brunch concept, not the bakery, would best fit the atmosphere of the Káli Basin.
The summer pop-up is not a one-to-one copy of the Buda location, the menu is composed of Pan'ni's most popular and summery dishes from the past two years, while local ingredients are also given a greater role. In the evenings, the emphasis is on aperitivo culture and shareable small plates, complemented by items from local winemakers.
Budapest dishes and team on Lake Balaton
The brunch offer is available for most of the summer season – they are closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays – and guests can enjoy the same sourdough breads that made the Artizán name famous. The baked goods continue to come to Köveskál from the Budapest workshop, so the usual quality does not change in the Balaton Uplands. In addition to the “external” drop-in guests, the guests of the Kővirág hotel can also start the day with breads, bagels and croissants from the Artizán workshop, which are part of the breakfast offer. Although the project is not about the bakery's expansion to Lake Balaton, important elements of the world of Pan'ni and Artizán are thus naturally integrated into the everyday life of Köveskál.
The pop-up also brought about a significant change in the team's life, as while Gergő stayed in Budapest to focus on the operation of Artizán's units, Pan'ni and Mamie, Pan'ni's manager Cintia Streit moved to Köveskál with her partner for the summer and is managing the new unit locally. Several members of the Budapest team also joined them for the season. "One of the recurring challenges of the Balaton hospitality industry is the issue of labor. We were in the fortunate position of being able to rely on our own team. Several of our colleagues also moved down for the season, so they were able to bring the atmosphere and operation of Pan'ni with them to Köveskál," says Gergő.
The season started positively
The first few weeks of experience are encouraging, and according to Gergő, the summer period creates a unique balance between operations in Budapest and Lake Balaton: while the capital slows down somewhat due to holidays and travel, the Balaton Uplands come alive. “In the summer, many of our guests head to Lake Balaton, so the two locations actually complement each other well. The feedback so far has been very positive, and we see that Lake Balaton is looking forward to a strong season.”
The Pan'ni × Kővirág collaboration started in early June and awaits guests in Köveskál throughout the summer season.
