Budapest Food: 24 Traditional Foods You Must Try in Budapest

The charming city of Budapest is famous for its grand boulevards, elegant architecture, copious thermal baths, and wonderful natural setting straddling the River Danube. But what about the food in Budapest? If you’re wondering what to eat in Budapest, read on to discover 24 must-eat Budapest food favorites that you simply cannot miss when visiting the Hungarian capital.

Please note that this article contains affiliate links. Learn more about it on our Disclosure page. We use ads to support our small business – we hope you don’t mind them too much.

What is Traditional Budapest Food?

Like any other global city, Budapest has also taken to fast food in a big way, and you’ll have little trouble finding a McDonald’s, KFC, Pizza Hut, Subway, Burger King, or a döner kebab if you desire. However, when visiting Budapest you should definitely make it a priority to try some authentic Hungarian food. 

Traditional Hungarian cuisine reflects the rich and varied flavors of many international influences. Indeed, the fusion of Turkish, Austrian, Balkan, Italian, and even French influences has made Hungarian cuisine one of the most interesting in Central Europe.

The staples of Hungarian cuisine are meat (especially pork), paprika, soups, bread, and lard. Unsurprisingly, traditional local fare is heavy and calorific.

Budapest Food: Street Food & Snacks

1. Lángos

Lángos (pronounced lang-oh-sh) is a famous Hungarian street food, which is basically a yeasted flatbread made of a fluffy yeast dough that is deep-fried until golden. YUM!

The classic lángos is seasoned with salt and coated with garlic paste. There are hardly any limits when it comes to toppings and other possible toppings include sour cream and cheese (our personal favorite), mushrooms, cabbage, eggplant, peppers, onions, sausage, salami, eggs, ham, and even bacon. 

You can really eat lángos with almost anything on it and some places even go as far as combining it with sweet flavors! Golden and crunchy on the outside, fluffy and pillowy inside, lángos is unsurprisingly Jacky’s and mine all-time favorite Budapest food.   

Gloriously indulgent and loaded with calories, you won’t come across any mention of lángos in a healthy eating brochure. However, some foods are just too irresistible not kicking a diet for and lángos is one of them.

2. Palacsinta (Hungarian Pancakes)

One of the real highlights of the Budapest food scene, palacsinta are paper-thin pancakes served rolled or folded into triangles making them very unlike traditional American pancakes. These delicate crêpes can be made with various fillings, both sweet and savory.

Given their incredible versatility, palacsinta can be served as an appetizer, a main course, and a dessert. 

Two of my favorite varieties of palacsinta to eat in Budapest are Gundel Palacsinta (pancakes filled with walnuts, raisins, and rum, served in a dark chocolate sauce) and Hortobágyi Palacsinta (pancakes with a meat filling, served in a delicious paprika sour cream sauce). 

3. Kolbász

One of the best foods to eat in Budapest, Kolbász is any type of meat sausage from Hungary and a staple of Hungarian cuisine. The filling used in Kolbász can vary from coarsely ground pork, beef, lamb, or a blend of the three.

The ground meat in Kolbász is combined with various spices including hot and mild ground paprika, pepper, caraway, nutmeg, marjoram, cayenne pepper, garlic, and salt. 

The ground sausage mixture is then stuffed into placed into pig intestines that act as a protective casing. It may be smoked, fresh, or cured and comes in mild, medium, or spicy varieties.

Kolbász can be eaten on its own or added to other Hungarian dishes. Whether smoked, boiled, or grilled, Kolbász is a staple in many households for its savory and juicy flavor. 

Each region in Hungary has its own take on Kolbász. Some of the best varieties of Kolbász to try in Budapest are Gyulai kolbász, Debreceni kolbasz, and Csabai kolbász. Very addictive indeed!

Kolbász is one of the best authentic Hungarian souvenirs to buy in Budapest. I always buy a load whenever I visit the city.

Budapest Food: Soups

1. Gulyás

No list of foods to eat in Budapest would be complete without mentioning Gulyás (goulash), probably Hungary’s most famous culinary export and considered by many to be the national dish of Hungary.

Gulyás is a hearty soup of tender meat and vegetables heavily seasoned with paprika and other spices. Although there are versions of gulyás that use veal, pork, lamb, and even chicken thighs, this dish is really all about the beef.

The meat is then simmered in a rich paprika-infused broth, usually alongside onions, bell peppers, root vegetables, and various spices. 

Traditionally, Gulyás is served with a tiny Hungarian pasta called Csipetke, which are small, fingernail-sized, pinched noodles. It also goes well with crusty bread which does a great job of soaking up all the delicious broth that is left behind in the bowl.

Possessing an incredible depth of flavor, this rich soup is comfort food at its best! You will be dreaming about it long after you’ve left Budapest.

2. Meggyleves (Sour Cherry Soup)

A quintessential part of the Budapest food scene, Meggyleves (sour cherry soup) is a famous Hungarian soup made with fresh sour cherries, sour cream, sugar, and corn starch that’s simmered and chilled.

Meggyleves is traditionally served cold in the summer when cherries are plentiful. Though it is sometimes consumed as a dessert, meggyleves is sweet and tart, making it a great starter dish.

3. Halászlé (Fisherman’s Soup)

Hungarian food isn’t really known for its fish dishes but Fisherman’s Soup soup or halászlé (a bit of a tongue twister to pronounce 😉)— is certainly worth trying. 

Halászlé is a bright-red hot soup made with mixed river fish trimmings and fins cooked in a broth with generous amounts of paprika (sweet and hot varieties). 

As Hungary is a landlocked country, fresh fish, most often carp, catfish, perch, or pike from the Danube and Tisza rivers is used in the dish. The soup is always served with fresh, white bread. 

Like many other Hungarian foods, halászlé is incredibly rich in flavor, astoundingly delicious, and is also surprisingly filling.

4. Jókai bableves (Jókai Bean Soup)

If you’re looking for a Budapest food option that is especially savory and filling, this soup might be perfect for you. 

Jókai bableves is a hearty soup made with beans, smoked sausages, smoked meat (commonly spare ribs), onions, tomatoes, carrots, and celery. It is typically flavored with vinegar and served with a dollop of sour cream on top.

This bean soup was named in honor of the 19th-century Hungarian writer Mór Jókai, who was reputedly a big fan of the dish.

I enjoy bean soups and Jókai Bean Soup sits there right up with the very best. You will also enjoy its warm, earthy, and smoky flavors.

Budapest Food: Main Dishes

1. Paprikás csirke (Chicken Paprikash)

Chicken Paprikash is a popular Hungarian main dish on many restaurant menus in Budapest. It is a stew-like dish that consists of chicken pieces simmered in a delightfully rich sauce loaded with paprika and sour cream.

Chicken Paprikash is commonly served with nokedli, fluffy Hungarian egg noodle dumplings that are similar to the Geman spätzle. However, it is also served with rice.

Chicken Paprikash is one of my favorite Hungarian dishes and to me, it’s sort of like the Hungarian version of beef stroganoff…only spicier and with chicken. You’ll absolutely love this dish, especially if you’re fond of paprika.

2. Libamáj (Foie Gras)

Goose plays a large part in Hungarian cuisine and the nation is the world’s second-biggest producer of foie gras (libamáj) – fattened goose liver (after France). 

There are few foods more divisive than foie gras. It also isn’t to everyone’s taste but anyone who fancy’s eating foie gras will get their money’s worth in Budapest. 

The buttery, rich and delicate meaty flavor of foie gras along with its silky smooth texture is what makes it so delicious. A wide array of foie gras products are found in Budapest such as pâtés and confits. 

One of the most popular foie gras dishes in Hungary is Libamáj Zsírjában which is goose liver fried in its own fat. Simply delectable!

3. Töltött káposzta (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)

True to their name, stuffed cabbage rolls are little bundles of cabbage leaves that have been stuffed and cooked with a mixture of ground meat (beef or pork), rice, onions, paprika, and other spices, and braised in a savory tomato sauce. Sometimes, the dish is served with sour cream on top.

Beloved by Hungarians throughout the country, stuffed cabbage rolls are rightly regarded as one of Hungary’s national dishes. 

The epitome of comfort food at its best, stuffed cabbage rolls might just be my favorite Hungarian food! The dish is gentle on your stomach and the interplay of sweet and savory flavors makes for a perfect combination.

4. Lecsó

One of the cornerstones of authentic Hungarian cuisine, Lecsó  (pronounced leh-choh) is a stew made of Hungarian wax peppers, fully ripe tomatoes, and lots of sweet onions, lard, salt, and paprika. 

A heartier version of lecsó involves the addition of kolbász to the dish. The dish is sort of like the Hungarian version of ratatouille.

This delicious and very comforting stew is served as a vegetarian main dish with rice, polenta, or crusty bread or a hearty side accompanying meat or fish. Lecsó recipes can vary in heat depending on the peppers used. 

5. Pörkölt (Meat Stew)

Pörkölt is a popular Hungarian stew made by braising boneless meat and simmering it with onions in a tomato-based sauce with lots of garlic and paprika powder. It is often confused with goulash with the basic difference between Pörkölt and Goulash being the texture of the sauce. 

Any kind of meat can be used when making pörkölt with beef being the most common but duck, pork, chicken, tripe, and lamb can also be used. 

Pörkölt is usually served with potatoes, nokedli, or bread. It is a flavorful stew and when cooked right, is redolent with the smoky fragrance of paprika and bell peppers. 

If you spot this dish on the menu, order it. It’s loaded with flavor and is absolutely delicious!

6. Főzelék

Főzelék is a type of hearty Hungarian vegetable dish that is somewhere between a soup and a stew in consistency, similar to pottage. It comes in a spate of versions including peas, lentils, potatoes, spinach, beans, or savoy cabbage.

Regardless of the type of főzelék, the vegetables are thickened with a roux made from lard and flour and sometimes served with sour cream.

If you haven’t had főzelék before, you definitely ought to try it because whether you’re vegetarian or not, you’ll really enjoy this.

Budapest Food: Desserts & Sweets

1. Dobos Torta 

No tour of the Budapest food scene would be complete without sampling the elegant Dobos Torta, the most famous Hungarian cake. 

Dobos Torta is made up of several thin layers of vanilla sponge cake, each slathered with rich chocolate buttercream and topped with a slab of crunchy caramel. 

The Dobos Torta was created in the 1880s by the Hungarian patissier József Dobos at the height of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Its distinctive presentation evokes the elegance of Vienna and the traditions of Hungary.

I have always been fascinated by this cake ever since took my first bite on my first trip to Budapest. The delicateness of the sponge cake and the silky smoothness of the chocolate buttercream complement the hard caramel topping perfectly. 

2. Somlói Galuska (Hungarian Trifle)

If you’re on the lookout for something decadent and sweet, Somlói Galuska is exactly what you need. Despite being a relatively recent invention, dating back to the 1950s, the somlói galuska is a beloved dessert across Hungary.

Somlói Galuska consists of multiple layers of different types of rum-soaked sponge cake (usually plain, chocolate, and walnut), custard, raisins, and chopped walnuts that are garnished with whipped cream and chocolate sauce!

Somlói Galuska is one of my favorite Hungarian desserts and I love the interplay of the sponge cake, silky cream, and chocolate sauce on your palette. It is appropriately known as a dieter’s nightmare but hey, we only live once right?

3. Esterházy Torta

Esterházy Torta is one of the most popular Hungarian cakes. It is made up of soft layers of almond, hazelnut, or walnut meringue-based sponge cake interspersed with custardy vanilla buttercream and is covered with white fondant glaze and chocolate.

Invented by Budapest confectioners in the late 19th century, the cake itself purportedly gets its name from Prince Paul III Anton Esterházy de Galántha, a member of the aristocratic Esterházy family of Hungary. 

I find the Esterházy Torta absolutely ravishing and like how it’s not cloyingly sweet or overly rich. I also love how the cake’s distinctive black chevron pattern on the icing is reminiscent of cobwebs. 

If you haven’t tried the original Esterházy Torta, please do so right away! It truly is an unforgettable experience!

4. Krémes

With a name that means “creamy” in Hungarian, krémes (Cray-mesh) is one of the most famous Hungarian desserts and a staple at numerous pastry shops throughout Budapest. 

The classic Hungarian Krémes consists of a hefty amount of vanilla custard, layered between crisp, flaky slices of puff pastry, finished off with a generous sprinkling of powdered sugar 

Krémes is traditionally served cut into large, rectangular slices. Rich, creamy, and utterly delectable, it is pure pleasure on all fronts.  

5. Flódni

A staple of Hungarian Jewish cuisine, Flódni is a thick, sweet layered cake. The cake has five layers of dough and four distinct fillings from top to bottom – plum jam, toasted walnuts, chopped apples, and ground poppy seeds. 

With their tart, nutty, and sweet flavors, each of the fillings of the flódni doesn’t overwhelm one another. Instead, they blend together to create a distinctly mouthwatering yummy cake.

6. Túró Rudi

Túró Rudi is arguably the most unique Hungarian treat you can get in Budapest. It is a small log-shaped candy bar made of lightly sweetened cheese curd, similar to quark, which is thinly coated with crunchy dark chocolate. 

The original Túró Rudi flavor is the “natur” flavor, though there are others like strawberry, coconut, salted caramel, apricot, or raspberry. Various companies produce the bar, but the most famous comes in a white, red-dotted wrapper, made by Pöttyös (literally “polka dotted”).

While certainly not the most delicious Hungarian dessert, Túró Rudi holds a dear place in the heart of Hungarians and many go crazy for this stuff! 

The little candy bar has been wildly popular in Hungary since the 1960s and is apparently the thing that most Hungarians living abroad miss the most.

You will not find this on any menu, but if you venture into any convenience store, supermarket, or gas station, they will be plentiful in the refrigerated dairy section. Do give it a try!

7. Kürtőskalács (Chimney Cake)

Kürtőskalács is a chimney-shaped pastry made from sweet yeast dough, which is cut into strips, brushed with melted butter, and wrapped around a cone-shaped baking roll. It is then rolled in granulated sugar and spit-roasted on a rotisserie until golden brown. 

The result is a hollow, cylindrical-shaped pastry that has a satisfying crunch on the outside but a soft doughy interior. 

While the origins of Kürtőskalács are from Transylvania, it is now celebrated as the oldest pastry in Hungary and has become an integral part of Hungarian street food culture.

Kürtőskalács can be topped with additional ingredients such as ground walnuts, shredded coconut, cocoa, cinnamon, Nutella, Oreo cookies, and Kinder chocolate.  It is also often filled with whipped cream or ice cream.

• Click here to book a Kürtőskalács Baking Workshop in Budapest

Budapest Food: Drinks

1. Wine 

Although it is not a big country Hungary actually has 22 wine regions which together produce nearly 100 local wine varieties.

Hungary’s climate typically favors whites, especially crisp and floral varieties, but its reds offer more complexity and variation, including light and spicy vintages that are often chilled before drinking.

The most popular Hungarian red wines are Kékfrankos,  Kadarka, Egri Bikavér,  Merlot, Cabernet, and Pinot Noir whereas Sauvignon Blanc, Egri Csillag, Muskotály, and Olaszrizling are the popular white wines.

However, the most celebrated wine in Hungary is the renowned Tokaji Aszú, a distinctive sweet dessert wine from the slopes of Tokaj—the oldest classified wine region in the world.

I don’t really care for wines at all but I can affirm that the Tokaji Aszú is excellent and definitely worth trying. Deep gold in color, almost like a single-malt whiskey, its complex character and luscious flavors of cinnamon, apricots, and honey will make your oral cavity very happy.

Naturally, Tokaji Aszú wine makes for one of the best Hungarian souvenirs to purchase in Budapest.

2. Pálinka 

Pálinka is a traditional Hungarian fruit brandy that is much favored by the locals. 

Distilled from 100% fruit (usually plum, cherry, apricot, pear, apple, and peach), with strictly no sugar or artificial flavorings added, pálinka is aged to a minimum of 37.5% alcohol content. Its.

Pálinka’s astounding smoothness is what makes this liqueur unique. It is often considered an excellent aperitif with Hungarian meat dishes. 

Pálinka is to Hungary what saké is to Japan. Hungarian folk wisdom even claims it has medicinal value. 

Best drunk at room temperature in a tulip-shaped shot glass, this Hungarian firewater WILL burn your throat. Beware!

3. Craft Beer  

If you enjoy imbibing craft beer as much as I do, you’ll definitely want to try some craft beer in Budapest. The craft beer scene in Budapest is thriving and there are plenty of drinking dens all over town to quench your thirst.

Along with the standard lagers and pilsners, there are a number of Budapest microbreweries making great IPAs, porters, and stouts. 

The local breweries dominating the Budapest craft beer scene are Mad Scientist, Fehér Nyúl, MONYO, HORIZONT, Reketye, HopTop, and First. 

4. Unicum  

Unicum is a Hungarian national liqueur similar to Germany’s Jagermeister, France’s Chartreuse or Latvia’s Riga Black Balsam. Unicum is produced with a blend of more than 40 carefully selected herbs and spices aged in oak casks.

Unicum was originally conceived as a remedy to aid indigestion by the court physician for Joseph II, the Habsburg ruler in the late 18th century but over time has warped into a drink for any time of day.

The iconic bulbous, green bottles of Unicum that are stamped with a golden cross on a red label enjoy a ubiquitous presence throughout Hungary. It’s often said that there’s hardly a home without it.

Unicum is still produced according to the original recipe (a closely guarded secret) owned by the Zwack family. This viscous, amber-tinted liqueur has a distinctive bittersweet taste that you will either love or hate. 

I can’t say that I’m a big fan of Unicum. To me, it has notes of licorice, menthol, sweet plums, pepper, and a hint of cough syrup.

Like the fruit brandy pálinka, Unicum can be drunk either as an apéritif before a meal or afterward as a digestif with coffee. It is served chilled or at room temperature.

Budapest Food Tours

If you really want to dine like a local in Budapest, you can sign up for an insightful food or wine-tasting tour. Four ones I can recommend are –  

• Budapest Food Tour – 10 Tastings with Locals 

• Hungarian Wine Tasting Experience

• Hungarian Cuisine Tasting Experience 

• Budapest Food and Wine Tastings Walking Tour

All these tours are led by knowledgeable locals, with whom you’ll be able to you’ll have a great time eating and drinking your way through the Hungarian capital.

Where To Eat in Budapest?

Here are just a few restaurant, bar, and café suggestions in Budapest for sampling/buying the food and drinks we have mentioned above:

1. Rosenstein Vendéglő 

2. Hungarikum Bisztró

3. Paprika Vendéglő

4. Retek Bisztró

5. Kacsa Étterem

6. Retro Lángos (best langos in Budapest)

7. Langos Papi’

8. New York Café

9. Centrál Grand Cafe & Bar

10. Ruszwurm Confectionery 

11. Café Gerbeaud

12. Central Market Hall

13. Jónás Craft Beer House

14. Élesztő Craft Beer Bar

15. Beerselection Craft Beer Store & Bar

Further Reading For Your Budapest Visit

That summarizes our definitive guide to Budapest Food. We reckon you’ll also find the following resources useful for planning your trip to Budapest!

Now, what do you think? What are some of your favorite traditional foods in Budapest? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!