Gastronomy is a key part of the tourist experience; with every bite you can learn part of the history, geography, and heritage of the country you’re visiting. When it comes to the city of Budapest, a capital with hundreds of restaurants, there are plenty of opportunities to try different types of dishes. The gastronomic reputation of Hungary, and therefore also of Budapest, has always been based on its strong, spicy dishes, stewed for hours…but a stroll around the city is enough to discover that nouvelle cuisine has also made its mark in the capital.
If you’re interested in the world of gastronomy, we recommend you spend a morning browsing the stalls at Budapest’s Central Market Hall, where you can discover products from all over the country. It’s a delight to walk around its two floors where you’ll find dozens of stalls lined up with brand new produce on display for visitors. You can’t miss the boxes full of yellow, orange, red, green peppers, or others where the sausages give off aromas as you pass by. There are also several small restaurants on the upper floor where they serve traditional food, sometimes even with live music to round off the experience. Here are some of the typical dishes you can find in these and other bars in Budapest.
Goulash
Goulash is perhaps the quintessential Hungarian dish, or at least the one that has spread the furthest beyond Hungary’s borders. You can also find it in some form or another in other central European countries such as the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Goulash in Budapest is a beef stew with humble origins that’s mainly simmered with meat, peppers, onions, and paprika. You’ll find it in both modest bars and exclusive restaurants. One detail to look out for is whether they offer goulash soup, more of a broth, or simply goulash to avoid confusion. It can be eaten on its own or served with potatoes or salad. As it’s a hearty dish, it’s best to order it at lunchtime.
Csirkepaprikás
Csirkepaprikás is a chicken stew with paprika (csirkepaprikás means chicken with paprika), which is very traditional and still made in Hungarian households. It’s very simple to prepare, using chicken thighs, garlic cloves, various types of peppers, red onions, tomatoes, and paprika. Sour cream and a spoonful of flour should be added to the sauce.
Palacsinta
Although Hungarians may like things spicy, they also have good desserts. On your trip you can enjoy a dessert called palacsinta, which is a thick crepe with a filling. In other words, you’ll find dozens of sweet and savoury options in local restaurants. Although you might be initially tempted to order it filled with nuts and covered in chocolate, we also recommend giving the savoury ones a try. As it’s a dish that can be adapted to suit your tastes and doesn’t require many ingredients, it’s often made in Hungarian homes. It’s one of the typical dishes that you’ve got to try in Budapest.
Rakott krumpli
Simple, delicious, and affordable both in restaurants and at home, if you like to cook… Rakott krumpli is a dish prepared in the oven by layering potato slices with eggs, sausage, cheese, butter, and sour cream. It’s delicious with melted, crispy cheese. This is a dish especially popular with children.
Kolbász
One of the staples of Budapest cuisine is kolbász, a type of Hungarian sausage that’s reminiscent of Spanish sausages. There are various types, so you can choose the one that best suits your tastes. You’ll find spicy, smoked, pork, beef, and lamb, among others, to eat cold as a sausage or as part of a stew. If you visit Budapest’s Central Market Hall, you’ll be amazed by all the options. You’re bound to end up with one of these “sausages” as a gastronomic souvenir to bring back home or as a gift for friends.
Langos
This is perhaps one of Budapest’s simplest and most filling dishes when you’re hungry after a day’s walking. Another plus is that you can eat it anywhere, whether in a bar or on a park bench. What is lángos exactly? Well, it’s a kind of dough fried in oil that you can eat plain or covered with melted cheese (the most common way to do so), or with pieces of bacon, garlic, or onion on top, among other things. It’s very cheap and will help you out in a pinch.
Where to stay in Budapest
Travel is best enjoyed with accommodation that lives up to the standard of the destination. In this case, the capital of Hungary deserves a hotel like the Barceló Budapest, centrally located to allow you to move around freely and with excellent facilities, where there are plenty of good rooms, a restaurant, and a gym. It’s ideal even when travelling on business.
We’ve fallen in love with a number of things about this hotel in the Terézváros district. Its different types of rooms (Superior, Deluxe, Deluxe Premium, With Views, or a Junior Suite), the décor with touches of colour, the emphasis on space, and the range of possibilities for different types of travellers. Nor should we forget the gastronomic options such as the Spanish cuisine on offer at the establishment, where you can treat yourself to some Iberian dishes.
