A Guide to Eating and Drinking in Budapest
- Budapest Information
- Eating & drinking in Budapest
- Night life in Budapest
- Getting around in Budapest
- Things to do in Budapest
- Where to stay in Budapest
- Budapest street map
When it comes to the world's finest cuisines, 'Hungarian' probably doesn't spring to mind quite as readily as French, Italian or Chinese. However, in recent years Budapest has undergone something of a culinary renaissance, with a rash of new restaurants opening.
International cuisine has infiltrated Budapest, and hungry travelers are now able to enjoy all manner of exotic foods in the city’s many trendy restaurants. Gastronomic progress aside, Budapest's cuisine is, for the most part, still deliciously traditional.
Magyar cuisine is generally cheap with a heavy reliance on the Hungarian staples of paprika, sour cream, onions, eggs, butter and wine, not to mention plenty of meat. It’s also served in large portions – a definite advantage for student travelers and backpackers.
Vegetarians may, however, struggle in Budapest, as meat features heavily in almost all savory dishes. The number of vegetarian restaurants is far fewer than in many places, but desperate veggies will find fried mushrooms or ‘Pannonia’ (a local cheese dish) on most menus.
Like Budapest’s nightlife, the restaurants and cafés cluster around the main square of Liszt Ferenc ter and the streets surrounding Rady utca. Because of the city’s attractive prices, many people find themselves eating in rather smarter establishments than elsewhere on their travels.
While many of the city's traditional 19th century coffeehouses have closed, Budapest can still boast a highly-developed (and deeply civilized) café culture. Those that remain - the ‘cukraszda,’ as they’re known - are the place to get a cake and a steaming cup of coffee.
Hungarians are big coffee drinkers and drink strong, black espressos regularly throughout the day (although milky coffee is obviously available on request). Lately, teahouses have grown in popularity, especially amongst the young.
Ultimately, eating out in Budapest is a wonderfully informal experience that dovetails neatly with the city’s bar and club action. In many parts of the city, restaurant, bar and club are so close to one another that it’s practically impossible not to get sucked from to the other…