People First

The restaurant, located in the heart of Pécs city centre, on the beautiful Theatre Square, is officially called Páholy by Blöff Bisztró, as it was created and is operated by the team of the former Blöff Bisztró, a restaurant that was deservedly well-known in Pécs. The name also serves as a brand identity, carrying forward the professional background, culinary philosophy and hospitality experience of Blöff Bisztró at this new location. The name Páholy (“Theatre Box”) also has a special meaning: the operators believe that every guest deserves the best “box seat” – in other words, attention, kindness, and a well-deserved lunch or dinner. The name also refers to the Pécs National Theatre and its Chamber Theatre, located right next to the restaurant.

We were very curious to see how accessible this truly remarkable restaurant would be, given its outstanding atmosphere, service and quality. It is a popular destination for both local residents and visitors, whether for a celebratory lunch or for an excellent daily menu on an ordinary weekday.

The main entrance should not discourage anyone, even though it has five steps leading up to it.
The terrace on Király Street is completely accessible at street level. The terrace overlooking Theatre Square, next to the pleasant fountain, is also accessible via a ramp. Although the ramp is not particularly wide, it can be used safely.
For wheelchair users, the accessible entrance is on the Theatre Square side of the building. The threshold is 1.5–2 cm high, which both members of our assessment team using manual wheelchairs crossed without difficulty.

The indoor area has a smooth stone floor, making it comfortable to move around in a wheelchair. The tables are accessible for wheelchair users. Although the counter is too high to be conveniently used from a wheelchair, payment can also be made at the tables.

Unfortunately, as is so often the case, the toilets are the weakest point. At Páholy, the men's toilet is not accessible for wheelchair users. The women's toilet is spacious enough, and both members of our assessment team were able to use it with their manual wheelchairs. However, there is currently no accessibility sign on the door, nor are the necessary accessible features available, such as grab rails next to the toilet or an emergency call system. The operators are open to improvements, and we hope that, with our assistance, these changes will be made in the near future.

A Braille menu is not available for visually impaired guests.

Website:
The website has a simple structure and uses large images, which may be helpful for people with low vision. The limited amount of text is not cognitively overwhelming. However, it does not provide accessibility information for guests with disabilities. For visually impaired users, the menu, drinks list and weekly menu cannot be read with a screen reader, and the images do not include alternative text.

Getting there:
Using local public transport, Theatre Square can be reached from the Árkád shopping centre within 15 minutes on foot, via an accessible route. Tactile guiding lines on Irgalmasok Street also provide assistance for visually impaired people.
The square in front of the theatre has unfortunately been paved with cobblestones in a rather impractical way, which makes assistance necessary here as well. There are no tactile guiding lines on the square or on Király Street.

By car, an accessible parking space is located at the corner of Fürdő Street and Tímár Street, approximately 250–300 metres from the restaurant. Four designated accessible parking spaces can be found at the corner of Széchenyi Square and Mária Street, from where Theatre Square can be reached accessibly within a walk of approximately 150–200 metres. Two designated accessible parking spaces are located in front of the Pécs Regional Court of Appeal on Széchenyi Square, as well as in the nearby Mária Street, approximately 150–200 metres from the restaurant. On Széchenyi Square, accessible parking spaces are also available next to Nagy Lajos Secondary School (Janus Pannonius Street), approximately 200–250 metres from the restaurant.