I must admit, when I think about delicious cuisine in Europe, Hungarian food doesn’t automatically spring to mind. However, there is some incredible food in Budapest to enjoy, and I loved trying out all the traditional Hungarian dishes I could find. If you are wondering what to eat in Budapest, get your taste buds going with this Budapest food guide and discover the tastiest treats in the city!
Know Before You Go to Budapest
⭐ TOP 4 BUDAPEST FOODIE ACTIVITIES TO BOOK IN ADVANCE:
1. Hungarian Chimney Cake Workshop – learn how to make this popular dessert
2. Guided Foodie Walking Tour with Food and Drinks – explore the city’s top food spots
3. Hungarian Cooking Class – Foodapest – shop at the market then cook Hungarian dishes
4. Traditional Spicy Hungarian Dinner – in a local’s home, made with seasonal ingredients
Typical Ingredients in Hungarian Food
Traditional Hungarian food in Budapest is generally relatively simple and often has some of the same ingredients. Paprika provides a lot of flavour and a little spice to soups, stews and sauces, and a dollop of sour cream tempers any heat.
You may also find a spicy paprika sauce made from blended paprika peppers, which has a real kick to it, so use it with caution. Pork is the most common meat used for most dishes, and chicken, beef, duck, and mushrooms are also very popular.
Seafood isn’t common in this landlocked country, but freshwater fish like carp is often served in fish soup. Cabbage is a typical vegetable side dish, as are pickled vegetables and gherkins. Small noodles and dumplings usually provide the carbohydrates in most meals, although potatoes are often added to soups, which are always served with bread.
For dessert, fruits such as apples, plums and cherries (when in season) add sweetness to cakes, strudels and pancakes. Nuts and poppy seeds are also common.
What to Eat in Budapest
Goulash
This meat stew flavoured with paprika is found all over Central Europe, but in Hungary, gulyas is served as a soup. Chunks of beef meat are slow-cooked in broth with a mixture of root vegetables like potatoes and carrots to make a wholesome and delicious soup generously seasoned with paprika.
Goulash is probably the most famous Hungarian dish and something you simply must eat in Budapest! It is still delicious and somehow refreshing in the heat; I had a bowl of goulash soup on a 30°C day, and it was still fabulous.
Pörkölt – Meat Stew
What you might expect to be goulash is actually called pörkölt. Pörkölt is any kind of boneless stewed meat, slow-cooked and in a rich, thick sauce flavoured with paprika and onions. I tried a beef stew, which was served with knodel dumplings.
Lángos – The Best Street Food in Budapest
Lángos are a delicious deep-fried flatbread made of dough similar to doughnuts. Traditionally topped with sour cream and cheese, these days you can find a wide variety of toppings and even lángos burgers.
They are yummy and perfect drinking food as they will line your stomach, but be warned – you can have too much of a good thing, and the heavy dough will fill you up quickly.
Töltött Káposzta – Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
I didn’t think I liked cabbage. Childhood memories of cabbage boiled to within an inch of its life and practically force-fed to us as school dinners didn’t leave me feeling very enthusiastic about these traditional stuffed cabbage rolls.
However, I am pleased to report that they’re delicious! The cabbage was well cooked but still flavourful, with a hint of pickle flavour. The cabbage leaf was filled with a minced pork mixture served on a bed of cooked shredded cabbage with sausage and a dollop of sour cream on top.
Chicken Paprikash
Hungarians certainly love their paprika! As you may have guessed by the name, this dish is stewed chicken coated in a thick creamy sauce flavoured with paprika. You can also find fish, mushroom and other types of paprikash which are just as delicious!
Kolbász – Sausages
Hungarians love sausages, but not just the cooked sausages – they also make excellent salami-like cured sausages. On our food tour, we tried a selection of salamis, not just made with pork but with a variety of meats, including Mangalica (a Hungarian woolly pig breed), goose, horse, and pork.
Some sausages are very spicy, and others are flavoured with the ubiquitous paprika and other spices, but they aren’t hot; they are just flavourful.
What to Eat in Budapest – Roast Duck
I adore duck, so I was thrilled to find that duck was popping up on lots of restaurant menus. At Menza, I had a duck breast, which was a little overcooked, unfortunately, but still very tasty. The best duck I had in Budapest was at Lehel Market, from one of the small restaurants on the top floor but I don’t remember which one!
Goose and Duck Paté
Keeping with the water bird theme, Hungarians also use duck and goose liver to make pate and foie gras. I didn’t try any foie gras in Budapest, but if you can get past the questionable production methods, you can buy tins of foie gras at the Central Market.
I did try some delicious duck pate, though, served with onion marmalade. On my food tour, our guide suggested trying the pate with onion marmalade and sweet Tokaj wine, so I was halfway there!
Hungarian Desserts to Eat in Budapest
Kürtskalács – Chimney Cake
Probably the most recognisable Hungarian food after goulash, these sweet treats are found all over Budapest. Are they touristy? Yes. Overpriced? Probably. But they are always delicious!! You can even take a class to learn how to make them – check out this chimney cake workshop!
These tasty treats originated in Transylvania (which used to be part of Hungary, although it is now Romania) and the dough used to be wrapped around the chimney to cook – hence the name.
These days, the long strip of dough is wrapped around a wooden pole and cooked over a fire or grill. They are usually rolled in sugar, cinnamon, or a mixture, and in tourist areas are often sold filled with ice cream and Nutella for an extra calorific hit!
Dobos Torta
I loved this cake. Created by Mr Dobos, this cake is made up of layers of sponge cake and chocolate cream, topped with a crunchy caramel layer. The sponge is light yet dense, the chocolate perfectly smooth and the caramel a challenge to crack, all combining to make a delicious and irresistible cake.
Traditional Food in Budapest – Flódni
This traditional Hungarian cake isn’t as sweet as Dobos Torta and consists of layers of stewed apple, poppy seed and nuts. It wasn’t my favourite food in Budapest, but if you like fruit flavours in your cake, you’ll love it!
Palacsinta
These yummy Hungarian thin, rolled pancakes are similar to French crepes and are usually filled with fruit marmalade or cottage cheese.
Túró Rudi
This chocolate bar is as much a part of Hungarian cuisine as gulyas or paprikash. It’s something that all Hungarians have known since childhood. You can buy them in any supermarket and most snack stalls around the metro stations, and you should give it a try and see if you can work out what the white filling is made from.
*spoiler* it’s cottage cheese!
Gyümölcleves
I couldn’t find this on my last visit to Budapest, but I was told that this chilled fruit soup should be on my list of things to eat in Budapest. When cherries are used, the soup is called meggyleves. The best time to try it is late spring and early summer when the fruit is in season, so perhaps I was too late for this when I went in August.
Food Experiences in Budapest
If you want more than just a list of what to eat, these foodie experiences and activities in Budapest give you a deeper understanding and are a great way to meet local people as well as other travellers!
Food Tours in Budapest
Taking a food tour is a great way to learn about Budapest food culture, and your guide will explain the history of the dish and show you some of the best places to eat in Budapest. These are some of the top-rated tours on GetYourGuide, or you can browse all the options here.
Cooking Classes in Budapest
I love learning how to cook the local food when I’m travelling. You get to learn new techniques and ingredients, and of course to then eat everything you make! These Budapest cooking classes give you the chance to learn how to make Hungarian dishes like paprikash and even the classic dessert Chimney Cake!
Eatwith Dinners & Cooking Classes
I’m a big fan of Eatwith, and I’ve enjoyed experiences in Barcelona, Rome and Budapest through this food platform. I went for dinner at Balazs’ home and he and his family were so welcoming, even inviting a couple of his friends along as I was a solo traveller. This was a few years ago now – before I even had this blog so I don’t have any photos of it but I am so happy to see that he is still hosting travellers at his home!
If you want a truly authentic experience in Budapest, don’t miss this! Balazs has three different meal experiences on Eatwith, so take a look at the dinners below, or browse other options in Budapest to see what takes your fancy!
Vegetarian Food in Budapest
You may have noticed that most of the main dishes here contain meat or fish. That is typical in Hungary, although, in Budapest, you usually find at least one vegetarian dish on the menu, which tends to be mushroom-based. However, thanks to the Turkish and Jewish influences here, you can find plenty of falafel and Middle Eastern-style food in Budapest, too.
Where to Eat Vegetarian Food in Budapest
Traditional Vegetarian Food
Some of the traditional Hungarian dishes are suitable for vegetarians, so that you can eat mushroom stew and mushroom paprikash to your heart’s content. The calorie-laden lángos is also vegetarian, as is the Chimney Cake and most of the desserts, so that you can get a taste of traditional food in Budapest in restaurants all over the city.
However, if you are a strict vegetarian or vegan, you will find it more difficult to eat food without animal fats, cheese, or butter.
Dobrumba
This has lots of vegetarian dishes like shakshuka, spinach and feta fattoush, roast cauliflower and tahini salad, and a selection of smaller mezze dishes perfect for sharing.
Hummusbar
As you might expect, this place serves up delicious veggie-friendly dishes like hummus, falafels, soups, and salads without breaking the bank. A must for vegetarians in Budapest!
Street Food Karaván
This street food market is conveniently set up right next door to Szimpla and is open from 11:30 am to 11 pm during the week and till 1 am Thursday – Saturday. There are stalls to satisfy every foodie’s desires here, including lots of veggie and vegan-friendly options too. Las Vegans do amazing vegan burgers, and I think almost all of the stalls have something vegetarian.
Szimpla Kert Sunday Farmer’s Market Brunch
If you are spending the weekend in Budapest, you should definitely head to Szimpla on Sunday for their farmer’s market and brunch. Downstairs, local farmers sell their produce, including fresh vegetables and cheeses (as well as cured meats), and upstairs, there is a massive buffet with many vegetarian options.
Make sure that you check what is labelled as vegetarian. I had a slice of vegetable quiche, which turned out to have smoked salmon in it, which wasn’t a problem for me as a meat-eater, but it was a surprise!
What to Drink in Budapest
While you are eating all of this delicious Hungarian food in Budapest, you will need something to wash it down with! Hungarian drinks are almost as tasty as the food, and there is something to suit every taste.
Hungarian Wine
Hungarian wine is delicious! There are twenty-two different wine regions in Hungary, and one (Tokaj) is even UNESCO-listed.
Tokaj wine is unique because the grapes used to make it have been affected by a kind of noble rot, which gives the fruit a very high sugar concentration. The grapes are picked by hand, and the labour-intensive process makes some bottles of Tokaj wine among the most expensive in the world!
To learn more about Hungarian wine, I took a Budapest wine tour with Urban Adventures, and our guide took us to various wine bars in Budapest to try some of the different varieties. Unfortunately, that tour isn’t running anymore but there are some good ones available on GetYourGuide like these:
Beer
I’m not a beer drinker myself, so I can’t advise you too much here, although beer is, of course, very popular here. As in other countries, the craft beer business is booming. Check out Hops Beer Bar, Beer Brothers, or Neked Csak Dezsö for some decent beers, or you could also take a beer tour.
Palinka
Hungary’s fruit brandy – this stuff is strong! Palinka comes in many different flavours, but to my palate, it all just tastes like very strong booze. Usually coming in at 50% ABV, plum, cherry, and apple palinka tend to be the most popular.
Unicum
This herb liqueur has been made in Budapest since 1790 by the Zwack Family. It has quite a distinctive taste, and to be honest, I have no desire to taste it again! The medicinal flavour is compounded with the first aid cross design on the label, which gives a hint of its flavour. If that sounds like your cup of tea, you can sample unicum in most bars and restaurants or head over to the Zwack Unicum Museum to learn more about the spirit’s origins and recipe.
I hope this Budapest food guide has helped you to figure out what to eat in Budapest! Hungarian food is a rich and delicious cuisine to discover, so happy eating!
If you’d like more Budapest travel tips, check out these guides to the city:
How to Visit Budapest on a Budget
Free Things to do in Budapest Hungary
Things to do in Budapest at Night
Budapest Street Art & Cultural Walk