The Gay Hussar

The Gay Hussar is a celebrated Hungarian restaurant located at 2 Greek Street, Soho, central London, England.

Foundation

Victor Sassie was the founder of The Gay Hussar restaurant in 1953. Sassie was sent to Budapest in Hungary by the British Hotel and Restaurant Association when he was seventeen. He served his apprenticeship at the Gundel restaurant in Budapest. On his return to London in 1940, he established first the Budapest restaurant and then The Gay Hussar, which was to become popular with left wing politicians. Diners included T.S. Eliot, Mortimer Wheeler, Aneurin Bevan, Barbara Castle, Ian Mikardo and Michael Foot.

The restaurant was named in honour of the elite Hussars of the Hungarian army. The name is also associated with the name of a popular Hungarian operetta, The Gay Hussars, by Emmerich Kálmán.

In October 2013 it was made known that the Gay Hussar was to be put up for sale due to hard economic times. A petition was set up on change.org appealing to any prospective new owners to keep the restaurant open.