Overview
Besides soaking in ancient thermal spas and taking in breathtaking architecture — from the 19th century Chain Bridge to the grandiose Parliament building — a visit to the Hungarian capital wouldn't be complete without a good deal of eating and drinking. The Great Market Hall is a good way to tick off a few local delights from your list while visiting one of the most popular tourist sights in the city. From puffy Hungarian fried bread topped with sour cream, cheese and fried onions to a generous serving of sausage and potato, the spacious food hall provides hearty belly-filling sustenance for a day of exploring. Elsewhere around the city, you're spoiled for choice with ruin pubs aplenty, classy cocktail bars and authentic 'mom and pop' canteens. Here's where to get stuck in.
KADAR ETKEZDE
Budapest's Jewish Quarter is best known for the New York Cafe. Tourist flock to the grandiose building, regularly considered 'the most beautiful cafe in the world' to view the stunning Italian Renaissance-style interior and to sample enhanced versions of goulash, chicken paprikash and eszterházy cake. To avoid the photo-hungry tourists, a lesser known spot in the area to head for a bite to eat is Kádár Étkezde. More checked tablecloths and family photographs than opulent pillars and dangling chandeliers, a visit to this charming canteen is like dining in someone's living room. Families and retirees can be found socialising over baskets of fresh bread and old school Hungarian cuisine. Off the menu we recommend you select (or let the server choose for you) the pork stew with potato dumplings or the boiled beef with sorrel gravy. Also on the menu: roasted goose leg, fried pork chop, pickled cabbage and pork risotto. This is traditional homestyle cooking at its finest.
GOODSPIRIT BAR
A collaboration between local distribution company WhiskyNet Ltd and acclaimed mixologist Norbert Schök, GoodSpirit Bar is all about stiff drinks and the art of cocktails. Here, you can taste more than 500 spirits, including 300 whiskies, nearly 50 types of gin and who knows how many European-style rums. Spirits are listed according to geography, technology, finishing time and raw material, while the cocktails are playfully named after famous artists — Rhum JMC, Justin Gingerlake, Nutty By Nature for example. Alternatively, leave your drinking destiny in the hands of the esteemed bartenders while you nibble away on complementary bar snacks. Also worth noting is the secret Star Trek-style bathroom door.
KOLEVES KERT
Szimpla Kert was the first to start the ruin bar trend in Budapest and the most popular option on the tourist trail. In the skeleton of an old warehouse, the bar features a bonafide rabbit warren of rooms, including a craft beer laboratory and bathtubs where visitors can puff away on shisha. Head there early to avoid the queues and to find space for one of the bi-weekly self-awareness discos. For something without the elbow-to-elbow imbibers and raucous stag parties, walk around the corner to Koleves Kert which has a strict no heavily intoxicated large groups policy. Found in the building of the old kosher meat factory, the relaxed garden bar is ideal for whiling away the afternoon — the courtyard is bordered by greenery and features some precarious hammock seating. Meat and plant-based menus are available during the week, while an oven in the garden cranks out bread and lamb. Dogs are also welcome — the sign of a true local hangout.
THE STREET FOOD KARAVAN
The Street Food Karavan should be your go-to en route or before heading home from one of the many ruin bars along the city's busiest party street. The short laneway is packed with food vendors serving everything from fried chicken to langos burgers, Thai-style soup and Napoletana pizza. It's open from midday until late. Grab yourself an ice-cold lager from the on-site bar and make a meal of it.
FLOW SPECIALTY COFFEE BAR
A short stroll from the House of Terror, Flow Specialty Coffee Bar calls itself a "quality oriented coffee shop." The cafe takes the art of coffee making very seriously; it only uses top-quality beans from roasters who don't dull down the fruity characteristics. From cold brew to Aeropress and the unlikely combination of espresso and tonic water — you'll find every kind of caffeine injection here. And with an all-vegan menu from the kitchen, this is one spot to experience woke Hungarian dining. For those who would like to take their coffee knowledge to the next level, the cafe also hosts international diploma courses in coffee tasting and filter coffee making.
TOLTO
Hole-in-the-wall hotdog shop TöLTő — which translates as both 'charger' and 'sausage stuffer' in Hungarian — specialises in gourmet sausages and natural leavened bread. The chef behind the modern concept comes from a fine dining background so you can expect delights beyond your average frankfurter in a bun. Popular options from the concise menu include paprika pork sausage with chilli, dijon mustard, baby pepperoni and kumquat, or the wild boar with shiitake mushroom, wakame salad and spirulina spongue. With spheres of meticulously piped sauces and hyper-fresh ingredients, you'll be faced with the conundrum of whether to photograph or devour your order first. Either way, enjoy your dog kerbside with one of the many local craft beers on offer.
RETRO LANGOS BUFE
Hungarian fried bread should be on your must-eat list when visiting the nation. One of the most popular inner city haunts to enjoy the beloved langos is Retro Langos Bufe, a tiny food stall caught between construction at an old subway station. It's not unusual to find a queue forming at this unassuming hut in the wee hours of the morning, but it's worth the wait and kind on your wallet too. On your first visit try the classic combination of sour cream and cheese. Then, the chorizo, red onion and cheese, or the winning combination of Nutella and banana.
WHERE TO STAY
After a day of eating and drinking you'll need somewhere to unwind. D8 Hotel is a three-star lifestyle hotel in a prime location. Found in the heart of Budapest's downtown district, it provides quick access to the famous Vaci shopping street and major attractions along the Danube river — the Buda Castle, Chain Bridge, St. Stephen's Basilica and Fisherman's Bastion to name a few. The modern foyer serves as a multi-purpose area with designated working pods for business travellers, a fully stocked lounge bar, and an openair courtyard which also doubles as the breakfast area. The rooms come equipped will all the modern amenities so you can recharge for your next day of exploring (or eating).