What and Where to Eat in Budapest
I am not sure if this is a secret or a well-known fact: the food in Hungary is delicious!
I read several food related articles before my first visit to the country and found them spot on. We found freshness, uniqueness and flavor. To sweeten the deal, we felt the prices were modest for the amount and type of food we were getting.
This post aims to familiarize the reader with the food you will find on the streets of Budapest. Please, keep in mind the following:
- By no means this is a comprehensive article about Hungarian food
- Some of the dishes or drinks presented may not be “typical” Hungarian at all
- This is a long article
- There are tons of food pictures in here. You may feel (very) hungry while or after reading this!
So, let cut the chase and start talking about some food. Shall we?
Table of Contents
Breakfast
In Budapest, breakfast is a no brainer. For what I learned, Hungarian enjoys large breakfasts consisting of a variety of breads, cheeses, ham, salami, mortadella, liver pate and head cheese. You will have no problem finding eggs cooked to order and served with sausage, mustard and veggies.
On the lighter side, you can opt for coffee and a pastry. Or, you can go with muesli, jam and fruit (oh so good).
In addition, there are a lot of coffee shops offering a variety of sandwiches, cakes and others sweets. Hey, sometimes you need to rest your feel and connect to the Wi-Fi network.
Main Courses
Before discussing the dishes, it is important to understand paprika is Hungary’s national spice. It is obtained by grinding the air-dried fruit of the Capsicum annuum (long red chili, several varieties are used). Therefore, a lot of dishes in the country are seasoned with or based on this spice.
Goulash is a soup or stew of meat and vegetables, seasoned with paprika and other spices. Several countries in Central and Eastern Europe prepare goulash too. But, the dish is attributed to the Kingdom of Hungary which thrived during medieval times.
Goulash is one of those things you can eat over and over again (my husband is obsessed with it). I suggest trying it in its many forms.
Try it as a soup (starter or main)…
Or, try it as a stew with dumplings.
My husband tried the venison version too.
There are many more variations of this stew. If you want to learn more, I suggest you start by reading the Wikipedia article about the dish.
Another popular dish is Chicken Paprikash. The chicken is served with a sauce made of sweet paprika and cream). This one can be called an obsession too.
The stuffed cabbage (ground meat, rice and spices are used for the filling) is good too.
I love duck, so, I was happy to discover it is featured on many dishes in Budapest. One night, I had a pan- roasted duck breast served with sweet potato puree and broccoli. It was hard not to eat something like this every single day.
Hungarians are very proud of their sausages, salamis and cold cuts. Towns in the country are well known by the quality of their sausages. They even have a sausage made of horse meat.
You can sample the sausages in stands located all over the city. What is better, go straight to the Great Market Hall to get a sampler of 10 to 12 varieties (it includes bacon and fried pork rinds). And, do not forget to buy salami in the duty free areas of the airport.
While in Hungary, there are opportunities to try Mangalica pig products. Mangalica is a Hungarian breed of domestic pig and they are characterized by having long, curly hair. Their meat has been described as the Kobe beef or pork.
Street Food
The great thing about Budapest is that you do not have to eat at a restaurant to eat well. The city is filled with stands and carts selling delicious food.
While walking around, we saw places selling everything from sausages to a complete meal composed of a protein, a starch and a side. Plus, the prices in these places are (usually) lower than in a restaurant. As a rule, the farther you go from the river, the cheaper the food gets.
If you want to stay in the Hungarian realm, you have to try Langos, a deep-fried flatbread. It is traditionally topped with sour cream and cheese or rubbed with garlic or garlic butter.
Of course, I opted for a less traditional Langos and ended up with a monster topped with 8 (or more) ingredients). The combination of flavors is endless (literarily).
By the way, Langos have sweet versions too. Do you understand better why I like Hungarian food so much?
And then, there is Kolbice. Not sure who come up with this idea but I love that guy or gal. They consist of a whole wheat bread cone filled with small sausages, sauerkraut and cheese sausage. My husband ordered one with six sausages (two duck, two pork, two beef). I wasn’t sold on the concept when I saw it for the first time but I was hooked the minute I tried it. It was so good!
International Food
I added this section because I want to make a point about Budapest being a city with a diverse culinary extent. You can find food from all over the world on its many corners.
Popular places to eat include Andrassy Avenue, Vaci Street, the area surrounding St. Stephens Basilica and the area facing the Danube.
There are great restaurants and establishments on those places but I found the eateries on the Jewish Quarter more interesting. For example, on Kazinczy Street you will find Mexican, Thai and Japanese restaurants. I felt like I can move to the area!
In addition, the area is famous for ruin pubs like Szimpla Kert.
The street has its own food garden too. It gets very lively at night.
Raday and Kirali streets offer the same experience (lots of restaurants, great food and ambience).
I cannot talk about the food in the city without mentioning the kabob establishments. They are disseminated throughout the city and offer cheap, tasty and filling food.
Sweets
This is an area that needs its own section. You can survive in Budapest eating sweets all day. Sounds wrong but it is true. The variety of dessert reminiscing dishes is mind blowing.
The city has a strong café culture. Powerhouses such as Café Gerbeaud and Café New York have been opened for more than a century. As a result, the selection of cakes, pastries and marzipan is extensive. I think you will need a year to try all the scrumptious offering on these cafes.
We visited Ruszwurm (in operation since 1827) and ordered the Dobos Torta (sponge cake layered with chocolate and glazed with caramel and nuts) and the Cream Cake. I know I am not going to be popular for what I am going to say next but the cakes from this place were just fine. Nothing spectacular (but I am biased since my husband is a baker).
In a traditional restaurant, we had the Gundel palacsinta, a crepe filled with ground walnuts, raisin, candied orange peel, cinnamon, and rum filling, served flambéed in dark chocolate sauce made with egg yolks, heavy cream, and cocoa.
Kürtőskalács (stove cake or chimney cake) was one of the specialties I wanted to try the most. I saw some videos on how to they are prepared before visiting the country. A piece of dough, roller over a cylinder, is cooked over an open fire and is considered Hungary’s oldest pastry. Once it is cooked, it is dusted with sugar, nuts or cocoa powder. My favorite way to eat is with caramelized sugar.
Strudel and poppy seed rolls are all over the city too.
The rose shaped gelatos from Gelarto Rosa attract big crowds. The flavors are good and very reminiscent of the actual fruit, spice or nut (which talks about their freshness). Having said that, I would not make a long line to get one (since we are discussing the amount of sweets that can be found in Budapest).
That is not all. I do not have space in here to describe the chestnut based desserts, tarts, sponge cafes, cookies, candies, jams, jellies, sweet dumplings and the delicacies inherited from the Austro-Hungarian empire. You get the idea. People with a sweet tooth will feel on cloud nine.
What is you favorite Hungarian dish? What you would like to try?
Pin it for later?
Tanja says
I’m hungry now and I’ve just had lunch:) I love Hungarian desserts:) #mondayescapes
Ruth says
I totally understand! Sometimes you feel like eating even when you are full.
kelleyn rothaermel says
It all looks yummy!
Ruth says
Thank you! It was all really good!
Mini Travellers says
You can tell you really did love the Hungarian food. It isn;t somewhere I have ever been but we aiming to do much more of Europe over the next few years so you never know. Thanks for linking up to #MondayEscapes
Ruth says
I was elated about all the good food discovered in Hungary. I can go back just for the food. Hope you make it to the country one day.
image-in-ing: weekly photo linky says
Thanks for joining the party at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2016/10/guess-where-i-went.html
Ruth says
Your welcome!
Rhonda Albom says
The food looks great. I like all the dishes but I almost never cook them at home. You made me hungry so I am going to have dinner now 🙂
Ruth says
We brought some ingredients in Budapest but we haven’t prepared any meals with it. Would love to try some dishes in my kitchen.
Nell (the Pigeon Pair and Me) says
Yum! This post is making me Hungary…. (sorry, bad joke I know). I had no idea there was so much incredible street food on offer in Budapest. I’d really like to try hte Mangalica pork – it sounds amazing.
Ruth says
Ok, not the first time I hear that joke ;0) The Mangalica pig is very good (and it is something from the country).
Carmy says
Those langos! It looks delicious! I’d love to try it. #CityTripping
Ruth says
I wasn’t that enthusiastic about the Langos but, at the end, I liked them a lot.
Lolo says
Geesh you just made me hungry and I’m still full from dinner! I’ll definitely agree with you thought that chicken paprikash can be an obsession! mmm #CityTripping
Ruth says
That chicken was so good! I finished it in a couple of minutes.
Ahila says
I’d sure like to try out langos, the sweet version. Enjoyed your foodie post.
Ruth says
Thanks Ahila. I didn’t have the chance to try the sweet langos. They were huge! One was enough for me and my husband.
Lady Fi says
So much food – so little time! 😉
Ruth says
You are totally right. There was much more stuff I wanted to try.
Johanna Bradley says
Goodness, I was full about a third of the way down the page, Ruth, and I haven’t even had my breakfast yet! 🙂
Ruth says
Well, maybe you should skip breakfast ;0)
Rajesh says
Wonderful compilation list of places where one can eat delicious food.
Ruth says
Thanks Rajesh! Great you liked the post.
Ashley @ The Wandering Weekenders says
It sounds like Budapest is a foodies paradise! When we were in Prague I seriously couldn’t get enough goulash! I loved it so much, and have heard that I should try it with some Hungarian paprika. I know now why you should because it’s Hungary’s national spice!
Ruth says
Budapest is a city any foodie will like. There is a lot of variety and the prices are decent. I had a lot of problems choosing from the menus. There were so many options!
Bumble Bee Mum says
Reading about food in Hungary reminds me of what my boys kept saying during the Olympics whenever Hungary was on TV. They would be like, “Are the people from Hungary hungry?” and then they would laugh at their own joke. But okay, after reading this, I conclude people from Hungary are probably never hungry. How do you go hungry when surrounded by all these great food? All those Langos are making my stomach growl! And I think my sausage-loving boys would probably like the Kolbice? Though I’m sure they would pick out the Sauerkraut. #CityTripping
Ruth says
Your kids are so funny! I would love to meet them. I think you have express it very well. It is impossible to go hungry in Hungary. Like I have previously mentioned, this does not even scratches the surface.
Van @ Snow in Tromso says
I guess I’d have to live off cake and pastry when visiting Hungary (not the biggest meat fan) but I definitely wouldn’t mind. Those cookies look delicious and I’m sure my boyfriend would love all the meat dishes!
Ruth says
I think living off pastries and cake would not be a problem in Hungary. If you have a sweet tooth, this is the place to be. You have to see the selections in the cafes. And, it smells so wonderful when you enter.
Al says
Everything looks so delicious – you’ve made me hungry!
Ruth says
I guess I accomplished my mission then!
Nancie says
Hi, Ruth. I loved the food in Budapest. Thanks for bringing back some great memories. I also ate at the market, which had some delicious offerings. Thanks for co-hosting this week. #TPThursday
Ruth says
The market is wonderful. I will dedicate a post to it.
Kathy Marris says
I would love to visit Budapest, which I believe is divided into two cities – Buda and Pest. The food does look delicious. Thankfully I read this post after I had eaten!
Ruth says
You are right Kathy! Buda is the hilly, old part and Pest the flat, new town. Most of the food I tried was on the Pest side.
Elizabeth (Wander Mum) says
I’m glad you have overturned my opinion of Hungarian food. I went with a friend around 15 years ago and was not enamoured with the cuisine but it was a bit limited to goulash. This gives a completely different perspective. I certainly wish is known about Mangalica! Thanks for linking to #citytripping
Ruth says
Some people try the spicier version of goulash and do not like it that much. There are several versions of goulash and I believe because of that there is a version for each palate. But, as you can see, there is more than goulash in the city.
Cynthia says
I would say you did Budapest right – dang! How long were you there? So much good food! We went to Karavan too – it was super cool! Really impressed by the food scene there. I wish I had gone to that meat stand you went to at the market hall – looks so good.
Ruth says
I was a total of 4 days there (3 consecutive and a fourth day after Vienna, Prague and Krakow). Would have loved to stay more.
Cathy (MummyTravels) says
Oh wow – I’m glad I ate before reading, although I suspect I could still work my way through some goulash. The Langos sound really tempting too, and I never say no to somewhere with great cafe culture. I had such a short trip to Budapest far too many years ago, so it’s been high on my wishlist to return for a while. #citytripping
Ruth says
You should return. The cafe culture is awesome! And, you will not have problems finding good food from simple to sophisticated.
Trekking with Becky says
WOW! I’ll definitely come back to this post when I have my ticket to Budapest booked some day! Thanks for all the fantastic info!
Ruth says
Great Becky! You should visit one day! The food is delish!
Jill says
Street food really is the best isn’t it? I’m with you on the dessert – I’ve have to try that chimney or stove cake. Looks delicious! And well, gelato – I never can say no to that! Thanks for taking us on this food tour!
Ruth says
What can I say about the chimney cake? I saw video about it before visiting Budapest. I had to get one out of the coals (and I did).
Paula McInerney says
OMG, it looks so heavy. I could do the goulash. We have the Kürtőskalács here in Wollongong, Australia where we live and they are nice.
Ruth says
Oh, that is awesome! I would love to be able to find chimney cake in here.
Photo(Geo)grapher says
Hungarian food is very good but most dishes (eg. goulash) are very spicy. Hungary is a country of hot peppers and very good wines 🙂
Ruth says
Well,my husband likes spicy, so, that is not a problem for him. I didn’t find the dishes I tried that spicy. I guess I am cured with Mexican food.
Erin says
I love this post! I am dying to go to Budapest and now I know what to eat. Definitely saving for later! I love a city that has street food options, that is very popular in Portland, Oregon where I am from and in Copenhagen where I live! Thanks for sharing and have a great weekend, Erin #CityTripping
Ruth says
Wonderful Erin! I haven’t been to Portland or Copenhagen but would love to visit.
CT says
That looks amazing! Love the vibrant street food scene!
Ruth says
Thanks! I loved walking around the Jewish quarter discovering different restaurants.
Eileen g says
I think some people write off dishes like goulash and stuffed cabbage as old fashioned and not particularly appealing but to me when they are good they are warming and amazing comfort food. I’d eat them all!
Ruth says
Since I have never tried them before, I found them very good. The think is that these dishes have a long history and are part of the national identity. You have to try them if you want to better understand the people and traditions.
Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti says
Oh my! I am so hungry right now after looking at all your wonderful food photos form Budapest! I like goulash and we are happy to have a restaurant nearby that is Hungarian and makes it well. They don’t offer all teh variety of foods that you enjoyed however, so I’d love to try more Hungarian cuisine someday, especially the mazing looking desserts!
Ruth says
Lucky you! I do not think we have Hungarian restaurants around here. I found a Polish restaurant in Santa Monica. I am dying to try it.
Anda says
You reminded me of the delicious Hungarian dishes, Ruth. Did you try eating at the Great Market Hall (Nagyvásárcsarnok)? They have very good traditional food there and very reasonable prices.
Ruth says
Yes, I had several things there. It was very good.
Anisa says
I didn’t think I was going to like the Goulash but I loved it. I am also obsessed. And it’s really hard to find outside of Hungary! Thanks so much for sharing on #TheWeeklyPostcard
Ruth says
Like you said, I am not sure I am going to find Hungarian food outside Hungary. We did find a German markets with many products from Central and Eastern Europe.
Lyn aka The Travelling Lindfields says
You are right, that was a very long post. After wading through all that I think I need something to eat. Any suggestions?
Ruth says
Something hot and hearty. Just so you think about goulash ;0)
David says
Mouthwatering post Ruth! I only spent a couple of days in Hungary but I did notice the food was delicious and I’d love to try more of it. The Kolbice looked particularly awesome! The chimney cake is quite common through Central Europe and so delicious. Definitely need to return to Hungary, so pinned for later. #TheWeeklyPostcard
Ruth says
David, I also think you need to return to Hungary. There is so much to eat. I would like to see how you compare the food of the country to other countries in Eastern Europe.
Jessica @ Independent Travel Cats says
I haven’t been to Hungary but the food looks really good. I haven’t had stuffed cabbage rolls in a long time, and that strudel looks really yummy to me right now after having just finished lunch 😉
Ruth says
I think you would love Budapest. It is a fun and pulsating city. There is a lot to see, do and eat (especially that last one).
Anna says
I would never expect them to have so many cool foods in Budapest! planning to go there soon, so took some notes from your post! I can´t miss Kürtőskalács. Thanks for sharing #TheWeeklyPostcard
Ruth says
Yes, you can’t miss the chimney cake. That one is a must.
Kat @anaussieinsf says
Who knew that Hungary was so delicious? Not me! Just out of curiousity, how do you go with language gaps while travelling? I remember having to point at a lot of things and smiling A LOT when I was in Barcelona because I’m hopeless with languages.
Ruth says
I didn’t have any problems communicating in Budapest. Most people (at least in the service / tourist industry) speak English. What is more, schools teach three languages. Therefore, there is a high probability English would be one of those languages.
Paul and Carole says
Your right our mouths are watering! We love a Goulash and the stuffed cabbage sound amazing. Great post and photos. #TheWeeklyPostcard
Ruth says
Thanks guys! I am happy knowing you enjoyed the post.
Kreete says
You were right about warning us that we might get hungry. I just had breakfast and I feel I could still eat some goulash and some of that chimney cake haha! It might be because we have goulash in Estonia too and it reminds me of home here in Australia and I had Kürtőskalács in Prague as well where they are very popular on the streets. Thanks for sharing!
Ruth says
It is good to know there is goulash in Estonia. Are you referring to Hungarian goulash? Or, does Estonia has its own version of the dish?
Rachel Heller says
Wow, all of that looks amazing: I just had dinner and it’s made me hungry again. I’d go to Budapest just for the food.
Ruth says
That sounds like a good idea! I will go back just for the food.
Debz says
The food looks yummy, I like the jar of pickles so colorful and the green ice cream shaped liked a rose.
Ruth says
I had to include the photo of the pickles. It is one of my favorites.
Danielle says
Ugh, now I’m starving!! 🙂 We are headed to Budapest in January and as someone who only eats birds and fish as their meat source I was a little afraid I would struggle to eat. Fortunately it sounds like there will be plenty of options based on this post particularly the chicken paprikash dish you described. Yumm!! #flyawayfriday
Ruth says
I am sure you are going to find plenty to eat in the city. Like I mentioned, there are tons of options. Happy travels!
Rachel ¦¦ A Nesting Nomad says
That food all looks delicious! I loved visiting Budapest but did struggle to find gluten free food. They do love pastry, dough and sausage based items which look delicious but are no good for me 🙁 To be honest, the city was so pretty that it more than made up for it. I’d love to go back!
Ruth says
It is true, they have a lot of what you mention. The thing is that the more diverse food is a little bit farther from the center (so it may not be practical to eat midday). The thing is that menus specify what food is gluten free (I saw this in many restaurants).
Emily @ Out and About says
I loved the food in Budapest, too! Unfortunately I was last there for only three days, so I didn’t get to try as much of it as I would have liked. Funny about the Kürtőskalács – in Prague, they have the same thing but they call it Trdelník! It was one of my favorite treats, too. =) Did you try or hear of a restaurant in Budapest called Karpatia? We went there one night and it was great!
Ruth says
Yep, I tried the Prague version too but I liked the Budapest one better. I haven’t heat about the restaurant you mentioned. Would have to make a note for my next visit.
Lauren says
I loved Goulash, Kebabs and Kürtőskalács when I visited Budapest! Unfortunately I was only there for 2 days, so I didn’t get to explore the culinary scene as much as I would’ve liked. This looks like a great comprehensive guide though and I’ll definitely be putting it to use if I return!
Ruth says
I was there a total of 4 days and I wanted to eat even more. There are so many good places to eat!
Sally@Toddlers on Tour says
I never realised Hungry offered so much variety in its food. When I think of Hungarian food I think Ghoulash – but there is such much more.
Ruth says
Sally, yes, there way more than goulash. You do not even have to eat traditional Hungarian food if you do not want to.
Vidya Purohit says
Oh my my! I am crazy to taste all these food once :). I am fan of Budapest now. Till now I have heard about its beautiful place to visit, but never been thought about its food. Amazing Ruth. Thanks for sharing.
Ruth says
I am glad you discovered the food scene of Budapest thru this post. Trust me when I say there is a lot of good food in the city.
Jim ~ ReflectionsEnroute says
The ruin pubs are my favorite! So dramatic, and good food and drink too! #wkendtravelinspiration
Chloe says
I’ll need to refer to this when we head to Budapest in February!! I’m so excited to try all these yummy dishes!!
Kana says
Oh my gosh now I’m super hungry! I love duck too and it looks delicious! Thanks for joining Fly Away Friday, see you again this week! xo
Mandy says
When I read the title of your post, I was certain I wouldn’t like anything you mentioned, but instead I found myself quite surprised at the number of Hungarian foods that actually looked good. I’d love to try goulash for example. And that breakfast looks really good! 🙂 Thanks for sharing. 🙂
budget jan says
So much food and it all looks interesting. Fancy you having a baker for a husband – you are spoilt!
sprawdź says
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