Shopping – All our local tips

O.K., I admit it. I adore carpets. I go to carpet shops like other people go to museums to enjoy art. In fact, carpets are art, and Aga’s has magnificent items on offer. This shop is truly a joy to visit, I usually have trouble leaving. There are 300 square meters of carpets, kilims and tribal rugs (including antique carpets) from the Orient to enjoy. With a selection from Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, India and the Caucasus, it doesn’t get any better than this!

Aga’s is associated with a Tadzik family, who have been making and selling carpets for more than 300 years, and is the company’s European base. Because the Tadzik family has strong connections with Asian nomadic communities, Aga’s buys straight from the weavers, whose families benefit directly from their “fair trade” policy.

At Aga’s there really is something for everyone- from the finest pure silk Persian carpets that cost thousands, and which I dream about, to gorgeous cushion covers and tapestries at very reasonable prices, that I can’t resist.

The staff at Aga’s are wonderful- they are not only very knowledgeable about their carpets, they are also extremely kind and can offer customers good advice.

See here for more photos of Aga’s carpet shop.

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Aga’s Carpet Shop | Shopping
Hajós utca 1 | Central Pest | +3613413229
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 18:00, Sat – Sun 10:00 – 14:00

Arioso is a coffee-, furniture- and flowershop very close to Deák Ferenc Square. It’s a small, friendly place where you can sit down in the middle of the day for a tea and a hot sandwich, or maybe a salad, and have some peace away from the rush of the street. Besides the street front area, Arioso also has an even mellower garden in the back, open whenever the weather is nice.

They also have furniture and other home decoration elements like candelabras for sale, and if you walk a few meters down the street, you’ll find the Arioso flower shop (which is where the photo was taken) with a wide selection of really elegant potted and vase plants, bouquets and the like.

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Arioso | Coffee & tea, Shopping, Snacks | Tea HUF 350
VII. Király utca 9 | Central Pest | +3612663555
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 19:00, Sat 10:00 – 16:00

The pedestrian street in district IX, Raday utca, has been a great place to hang out for years- it’s full of cafes, bars, restaurants and galleries. Artizan is a small family owned shop that sells FUN and vibrant works of art at honest prices. And when I say ‘works of art’, I mean really creative AND useful things. There are prints both framed and unframed (more on that later), notebooks of all sizes, bags, earrings, postcards, fridge magnets, rings, foldable reusable tote bags. This is another Budapest shop that is perfect for gifts, though I have a hard time giving most of my purchases away in the end…

Marcus Goldston (the owner) paints Budapest life in such real and human ways onto “giclee prints” (this is high quality stuff: images are made from high resolution digital scans and then they are printed with archival quality inks onto various media like canvas and photo-base paper and are said to last at least 100 years). Mr. Goldston definitely has a sense of humor, and there are incredibly real Budapest street life scenes- the pubs, the butcher, the people and how they live in this city.

See here for more photo

s of the Budapest shop and here to learn more about everything to do with Artizan. You’ll find there’s also a web shop if you become a fan of the Goldston style…

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Artizan | Art & culture, Shopping
Raday utca 20 | Central Pest | +3612665672
Winter Mon – Sat 11:00 – 18:00 | Summer (from Apri) Mon – Sat 10:00 – 20:00

Bestsellers is an international bookshop in downtown Pest, not far from St. Stephen’s Basilica that I’ve been going to for years. It was the first English language bookshop in Budapest.

It’s not too small but not too big either. It has a good selection of English and French books all the way from fiction to business, history and art, travel or children’s books and of course books on Hungary. Some German and Spanish books can be found as well.

Those staying in Budapest longer can also place book orders through Bestsellers. They might be able to order out of print books as well. They don’t do home delivery, you’ll have to go to the shop to pick it up. Besides books they also offer a selection of international magazines and newspapers as well as some greeting cards in English.

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Bestsellers | Shopping
Október 6. utca 11. | Central Pest | +3613121295
Mon – Fri 09:00 – 18:30, Sat 10:00 – 17:00, Sun 10:00 – 16:00

If you regularly eat or use organic products but forgot to bring them to Budapest- or you just need something healthy after all the meat and potatoes, never fear, the Bio ABC comes to the rescue! Hidden under ugly green scaffolding for ages now (with no apparent progress on the work), this shop has an impressive stock of anything organic you might need- and a few things you didn’t know you needed- like algae?!

Seriously, from cereals to whole wheat and yeast free pastries, from nuts and seeds to tofu and miso, from cold cuts and milk made from soy to vitamins, from organic fruits and vegetables to lactose and gluten free products, it is all here. The Bio ABC also stocks a nice selection of organic cosmetics, essential oils and a vast variety of teas. This is the only place in the city that I have found coconut water, which I love, and which is excellent for rehydration after flying on planes. Some of the staff speak English, but all make an effort to help you find what you’re looking for.

The Bio ABC also has a great fresh juice bar next door that is open from Monday to Friday, 10:00 – 17:00 where you can get any kind of fresh juice, or a combination of juices.

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Bio ABC | Shopping, Snacks
Múzeum körút 19 | Central Pest | +3613173043
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 19:00, Sat: 10:00 – 14:00

I would say that these days it is something special to find a shop that sells quality merchandise that is hand made- in Hungary. Bognár Kesztyu (Gloves) is that something special. With a small shop in central Pest near Astoria, Bognár has a beautiful selection of hand-sewn women’s and men’s gloves at honest prices that come straight from the factory in Pécs in southern Hungary.

Many of the gloves are made from super soft napa leather and are a joy to wear- I can testify to that! Bognár also uses sheep skin, stag and goat skin for special models. The quality leather products are imported from many parts of the world and then sewn in Hungary.

In addition to traditional leather gloves, Bognár makes specialty leather gloves for driving and horseback riding- both popular sports in Hungary…In most styles there is also a choice of lined (with silk, wool or acrylic) or unlined gloves, and there is a great choice of colors- no need to go for the same old black and brown- how about a pair of bright red or lime green gloves?

The staff at Bognár are very helpful, they definitely know their gloves and are happy to give advice!

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Bognár Gloves | Shopping
Károly körút 4 | Central Pest | +3614830820
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 18:00, Sat: 10:00 – 14:00

Don’t let the bright green shutters outside scare you away- Borfalu Borteka is a great find for any wine lover.

Staffed by young wine lovers who are always ready to give advice, you will probably leave with more than one bottle. When they have something special or new, there is always a chance to taste before you buy.

The selection of wines is impressive. Every wine producing region in Hungary is represented, and the prices are honest. I live in this district VI neighborhood, and this shop feels really local and friendly.

The décor here is funky- there is wine displayed in an old suitcase, there is wine displayed on beautiful logs, and the Borfalu Borteka also sells some cool flattened out wine bottles that can be hung on the wall.

In addition to the wines and the palinkas (the traditional Hungarian white spirit distilled from a wide variety of fruits), there is a lovely selection of natural foodstuffs from various parts of the country: honey, dried organic herbs, dried mushrooms. They’ve recently added chocolate shavings to make hot chocolate with. Yum.

This place is perfect for gifts- they sell nice bags for wine and some great sepia tinted old photos of Hungary in the good old days…

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Borfalu Borteka | Shopping | Free
Szondi utca 64-66 | Central Pest | +36302702918
Mon – Fri 12:00 – 20:00, Sat 10:00 – 20:00

If you will find this spot on the map maybe you will think that it is better to skip this or I have given you a wrong address. To be honest this is not a place where regular tourists go. This is really a place hidden for foreigners but in my opinion this is a place worth visiting.

If you go there on Saturday around twelve, you will find a crowded marketplace. Chinese, Russian, Romanian Gabor Gypsies and other inhabitants of the city want the same: to sell what they have. Clothes, perfume or even kitchen accessories do not worry! You can find everything there just on half price as usual.

If you speak English I am sure that bargaining is almost impossible and they will tell you double prices so it is useful to go there with a Hungarian friend. If you speak Chinese, Arabic or Romanes then use it for sure!

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Chinese market | Shopping
Kőbányai út | Outer Pest
08:00 – 16:00 daily

One of the biggest and best in Central Europe, a trip to Ecseri Piac is essential for the person who needs one of a kind souveniers, or for anyone in search of the unusual, even bizarre. I like to go on Saturday morning as all of the sellers are out then with their wares. This market definitely has something for everyone- from wooden furniture, vintage clothing, antiques of all types, porcelain and other collectibles.

There is a good selection of communist era memorabilia, and I should not forget to add that there is a TON of junk too! There are stands selling typical street food (lángos- the fried bread rubbed with garlic) that can be nicely washed down with a cold beer.

Since many of the vendors have been here forever, there is a sense of community, and most vendors are eager to engage with potential shoppers- in any language they can! The key, as all flea markets, is to haggle- they definitely hike prices for tourists, but these days I have gotten great deals, paying what I want to pay for stuff.

See here for more photos of Ecseri Piac.

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Ecseri Flea Market | Art & culture, Shopping
Nagykőrösi út 156 | Outer Pest | +3612829563
Mon – Fri 06:00 – 16:00, Sat 06:00 – 15:00, Sun 06:00 – 13:00

Antique shops and galleries of all size and content with treasures of various styles and age (and price tag) – paintings, furniture, jewellery, textiles, ceramics and glass, folk art… all that is the world of Falk Miksa street and its surroundings.

There are more than 50 shops and galleries in the street itself or in the neighbouring streets that will take you to another world, regardless whether you are a serious collector, just window shopping or looking for that little something to take home.

Twice a year there is an open air event taking place in the street, a Falk Art Forum – an antique and contemporary art festival. Galleries and the street itself open their doors to concerts and different programs.

Elite design on No. 14 and Antik Zsolnay on No. 28 offer some art nouveau Zsolnay ceramics and some designed by János Török and other Hungarian designers for Zsolnay in the 1960s and 70s. In Montparnasse on No. 17 you can check some great art deco furniture, in Wladis Gallery on No. 13 contemporary silver jewellery, in Anna Antikvitás on No. 18 the antique embroidery, in Virág Judit Galéria on No. 30 the Hungarian paintings of the 19th and 20th century… Just have a walk and see where it leads you.

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Falk Miksa street | Art & culture, Shopping
Falk Miksa u. | Central Pest
Generally Mon – Fri 10:00 – 18:00, Sat 10:00 – 13:00 (14:00)

Walking down Arany János utca toward the Danube, something bright and cheerful catches my eye. In a central Pest neighborhood with mostly offices, drab shops and a few restaurants, the Gogoo kids shop draws me in.

After a tour around this sparkling, bright and fun clothing and accessory shop, my first thought is: why is this just for kids??! Not fair. Gogoo has a very cool, modern selection of quality kid’s clothing, from infant wear, up to twelve years old.

Whether you have kids, or need a gift for a kid, this place is a real find. With an excellent selection from Katvig, a Danish organic cotton children’s clothing company, there is no shortage of super fun kid stuff- I couldn’t resist a pair of bright pink and white boldly striped boxers for my son, and the selection for the girls is adorable- lots of bright and bold clothes that keeps kids looking like kids rather than mini adults as too many kids’ fashions seem to aspire to these days…

There is a great collection from ‘no added sugar’, the creatively designed, with fun in mind, quality kid’s clothing brand from the U.K. with the bunny and cross bones logo. Gogoo stocks an excellent selection of creative toys for all ages- the kind of things that kids play with for years.

The staff is very friendly and helpful, a special pleasure on the Budapest shopping scene. This stuff is not cheap (it’s worth checking out the sales if you stop in at the right time), but it also won’t fall apart. And it keeps the kids looking fantastic and having fun- as they should!

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Gogoo Kids | Shopping | Free
Arany János utca 7 | Central Pest | +36704226975
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 19:00, Sat 11:00 – 16:00

Hold means Moon, so it is already worth visiting. But not a lot of people are aware of the fact that there is a market quite hidden from the tourists’ eyes here.

You can find the delicious goods of the countryside (milk, cheese not the superficial ones in the stores) and fresh vegetables and fruits. It is also possible to have a dinner here if you like traditional Hungarian cuisine with a lot of fat.

Do not forget to open your eyes to the beauty of the building it has the exactly same style as the “Nyugati palyaudvar” (Western Railway Station) just in green. Some of the tourists are even posing the question if it is a railway station as well, but the size of it can guide you to the right answer.

The milk and cheese seller at the back on the left (if you enter from Hold utca) is really nice. They always have fresh yoghurt in different flavours.

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Hold utca | Art & culture, Shopping
Hold utca 13 | Central Pest
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 18:00, Sat 10:00 – 13:00

There is a very special little gallery in the Pest’s 5th district, in a quiet Vitkovics street, by the name of atelier Holló. You will find it in the beautiful neoclassical house from app. 1800 with a “Zopf” style front, typical only for central Europe. Not many of those are left in Budapest and this may as well be the last one.

Studio has a lovely shop selling hand painted and hand carved wooden furniture and other crafts. Everywhere you look you will see colourful flowers and birds covering the chairs, hope chests, jewellery boxes, candle-holders, mirrors and other decoration. The lively motives have their roots in the rich Hungarian folk art and yet they are unlike any other.

László Holló is the owner and craftsman behind the studio that builds on the rich family tradition dating back to 1929. Feel free to ask him anything, he is fun to talk to. He can also customise any of the products for you. The place is my favourite for buying presents or just stopping by to see what’s there and enjoy the atmosphere.

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Holló Műhely | Art & culture, Shopping
Vitkovics Mihály u. 12. | Central Pest | +3612669410
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 13:00 & 13:30 – 18:00, Sat 10:00 – 13:00 & 13:30 – 14:00

This is one of my very favorite spots in Budapest, and I recommend everyone visit- at least once. This place is about a lot more than just food! Opened in 1897 and renovated in the early 1990s, the architecture is amazing. Zsolnay tiles cover the roof, and there is an airy feeling within because of the huge glass windows reaching to the roof.

Since I am not a fan of crowds, I like to visit in the mornings during the week. But if you want a glimpse of bustling Budapest market life, definitely go on Saturday when you will see Budapestians doing their shopping. The ground floor is all fresh food. Downstairs in the basement I am always surprised by the smell, which combines fish and pickled vegetables….because that’s what they sell down there. And the upper floor has resturants and food kiosks as well as crafts of all kinds.

There is a ton of stuff here for tourists looking for souvenirs, from the classic Hungarian foods and drinks: paprika, salami, tinned goose liver, wines and spirits (pálinka), to white cotton peasant shirts and wooden crafts on the upper floor.

This is a great place to have snack once you’ve exhausted yourself shopping- there’s a selection of all the traditional cheap and cheerful Hungarian foods, and drinks, of course. Enjoy!

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Központi Vásárcsarnok | Shopping, Snacks
Fővám tér | Central Pest
Mon 06:00 – 17:00, Tue – Fri 06:00 – 18:00, Sat 06.00 – 15:00

This small shop which is inside the Klauzal ter market is the best chance to get some “semi-antique” staff for a moderate price in the area.

With semi-antique” I mean nothing older than 1940. Obviously if you are lucky you can find some older stuff here but you have to know that almost all of the things are submitted here by local pensioners who are struggling with financial problems or homeless people who found this stuff in the trash bins. But everything is safe, nice and clean you do not have to be afraid.

It is a good spot for people interested in porcelain tea pots and cups from the 50s or to get some old school socialist memorabilia for some hundred forints.

You have to know that the staff is not really familiar with English but they will try to help you if you point on any of the objects in the shop.

Saturday early afternoon can be a good time for a visit.

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Market antique store | Art & culture, Shopping
Klauzal ter market | Central Pest
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 16:00, Sat 10:00 – 13:00

You might not visit Budapest for food shopping, but an organic, local market will definitely add to your good mood and discovery of local flavour.

The market is a cute, small one of some 30 wooden, covered stalls. Food comes directly from local Hungarian farmers. It is located next to MOM Park and MOM Shopping centre is just around the corner. Biokultura, Hungarian Farming Association, runs the market and guarantees the quality of products.

The place is always full with people, so make sure you come early enough if you plan to actually buy something. You will be welcomed with a multitude of vegetables and fruit, fresh herbs, variety of bread and pastry, meat and sausages, cottage and goat cheese, organic cakes and biscuits, honey, all kinds of pickled vegetables, fruit juice, wine, flowers, not to mention jams, warm bio “rétes” (strudels) and fruit pies made on the spot.

It is definitely nice to look around the market, talk to the farmers, hear their stories and get infected with their love of what they do. You might even pick a recipe or two. Many families come with children so you’re bound to see some interesting scenes and take funny and colourful photos.

The market is my main supply of chard (mangold) which is quite difficult to find in Hungary. I was over the moon when I saw the multitude of it (I am Croatian – chard makes me happy ).

Have fun!

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MOM Ökopiac | Shopping
Csörsz u.18 | Outer Buda
Sat 06:30 – 12:00 / 13:00

This store is half way on being a tourist attraction but just to pop in for a while can be fun.

The prices are quite high: do not expect to find the treasures of the past fifty years here for some hundred forints. Instead of that you can get an idea about what you can find on the flea markets held usually during the weekends.

Mr. Maj himself can be quite interesting also. He usually sits in his armchair the whole day long, sometimes occupied by phone calls so long that if you want to pay, he just writes down the price on a piece of paper. If you like it, just borrow his pen and put a tick next to the price or cross it and write a new one under it. But do not forget: he is not really flexible. Ten percent less does not exist at all.

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Mr. Maj | Art & culture, Shopping
Klauzál utca 1 | Central Pest
Opening times changing all the time

Believe me, this is the greatest spot to purchase books for kids in English. The most helpful and kid friendly stuff in the city is here for sure. They are also organizers of programs connected to music and story telling.

Pagony is also a good place to find some toys and they have a good amount CD’s as well from the field of poems to world music.

The shop has a quite central location. If you go there from Jászai Mari tér, you will also have the opportunity to look around in the heart of the so called “Ujlipotvaros”.

After you got some toys and/or books for the kids or for yourself, you can go to the nearby Szent Istvan Park (check Saint Stephen’s park article) for a walk. It is also a good opportunity to try out your new toys in case you got some of the balls, or wooden stuff sold by Pagony.

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Pozsonyi Pagony | Shopping
Pozsonyi út 26. | Outer Pest | +36703174978
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 19:00, Sat 10:00 – 18:00

In the middle of the city, next to Nagykörút and currently hidden by the construction area of the never-to-be-finished Metro4, the blue columns of a market hall reach for the sky. It seems to be the smaller brother (or sister – do markets have genders?) of the big market hall at Fővám square but no one tries to sell you original Hungarian kitsch here. The hall burned down in 1988, was renovated in 1991 and still looks fresh.

Architecturally the building fits into the surrounding “landscape”, don’t let yourself be fooled by the bad reputation of Józsefváros, taking a healthy precaution will help you to safely discover the sometimes heavily fading but still present beauty of the district. On the other side of the Körút you can have a guided tour in the “Palace Quarter” organized by Beyond Budapest Sightseeing.

Compared to the “big brother” or the Újpest market (see this article) there are less shops, less stands and I can only guess the reasons why it is unused; might as well be the construction works, the ‘crisis’ or the rent prices. It would be a pity to let it slowly die in absence of sellers and customers. Drop by for some shopping and enjoy a coffee afterwards at the Csiga (check the cafe Csiga article) right on the corner.

I’ve found that there are more stands selling meat than grocery or any other product. Draw the conclusion and you’ll understand the health problems of Hungarian society. Meat with meat and some more meat. Veggies? Sure, give me some potatoes!

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Rákóczi square market | Shopping, Snacks | 1 kg of apples HUF 299.00
Rákóczi tér 7-9 | Outer Pest
Mon 06:00 – 16:00, Tue – Fri 06:00 – 18:00, Sat 06:00 – 13:00

The truth is I like chocolate and even more I like marzipan. If you fit the category or you are simply looking for a nice place to rest and have a cup of coffee or to shop for traditional Hungarian desserts the chance is you will like the Szamos Marcipán confectionery.

You can find several Szamos confectioneries and stores in the city but my favourite is the Royal Café on the Great Boulevard (Nagy körút), the one next to the Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal (a beautiful hotel by itself whose spa is very well worth enjoying as well).

Royal Café Szamos is a traditional Hungarian pastry and coffeehouse with cakes, confectioneries, coffee and hot chocolate, breakfast and snacks. The atmosphere tries to bring some of the old monarchy feeling (Sacher hot chocolate and coffee might contribute to that) and their website will tell you more about their story. You can also buy their marzipan sweets and chocolate gifts either in the cafe or in another store just a few steps further away, on the other side of the hotel entrance.

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Royal Café Szamos | Coffee & tea, Shopping, Snacks | Cake HUF 350.00
Erzsébet krt. 43-49 | Central Pest | +3614137968
10:00 – 20:00 daily

Heaven for music lovers (and shoppers, of course) is a music shop on Szervita square, Rózsavölgyi and Partner. Established in 1850, it offers new and antique – more than 18000 music sheets, many first editions, music related books, librettos, music education materials for children and of course a huge amount of music recordings (CDs, DVDs, LPs) featuring Hungarian and international composers and performers, spanning all across classical, opera, musical, film, jazz, gospel, klezmer, folk, rock, pop music…

Many vinyl collections from the 70s as well. When the present shop on Szervita square was opened in 1912 it was the largest music shop in central Europe.

I always find it exciting to dig into the piles of music sheets to find some old editions or something challenging me to run home to open the piano again and play. Not to mention those great recordings that are just too difficult to resist. All kinds of treasures are hidden there.

You can also search and shop some of their online offers, unfortunately their website is at the moment only available in Hungarian but it may still give you a glimpse of what’s there.

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Rózsavölgyi | Music, Shopping
Szervita tér 5 | Central Pest | +3613183500
Mon – Fri 09:30 – 19:00, Sat 10:00 – 17:00

Handmade quality chocolate, all forms and tastes that a real connoisseur can dream of. Pralines and table chocolates are just the top of the iceberg. Personally I am a big fan of (dark) chocolates, I don’t even want to hide my enthusiasm.

The shop is really small where the design and the lights create a calm atmosphere that accentuates the bitter-clean smell of chocolate and cocoa beans. I’m still in the phase of tasting various pralines, certainly I can recommend all of the flavours but I wouldn’t miss the lemon-oil caramel bonbon at no cost. The sweets are wrapped in stylish wrappers or put in design-boxes.

Chocolate can also be used as raw material to create artworks: chocolate sculptures, boxes or “rusty tools” show the skills of the craftsmen and -women. Eating these beautiful pieces of art would be blasphemy! Well, hard times sometimes bring the heretic out of the chocolate believer.

The street where the shop is located is currently undergoing a major transformation, it is about to turn into a pedestrian street by 2010. Until then be prepared for a huge ditch in the middle of the street leaving only a narrow stripe of the sidewalk on each side. You’ve got to watch out not to walk past the shop, look for the chocolate brown shop front.

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Rózsavölgyi Chocolate | Shopping, Snacks | Box of bonbons HUF 3250
Királyi Pál utca 6 | Central Pest | +36305044294
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 11:30 & 12:00 – 18:30, Sat 10:00 – 11:30 & 12:00 – 15:00

Siptár is a cute little shop near Deák square. A brand Siptár is a clothing line by Hungarian designer Réka Siptár. In the shop you will find dresses, t-shirts, trousers and skirts for women and children. They are brightly colourful, with swirly floral or geometric motives, hand dyed and drawn on batiked, natural materials. They are also practical and comfortable to wear besides, of course, being pretty.

You will also see a multitude of corresponding hats, shawls, handbags, hair accessories as well as something for your home, such as pillow cases and bedspreads. All from velvet, cotton or linen. Have fun!

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Siptár | Shopping
Károly krt. 10 | Central Pest | +3612660841
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 19:00, Sat 10:00 – 14:00

Tasenka is a shop featuring many young Hungarian designers. The shop owner Zsuzsi Perlaki is a bag designer herself and makes bags from almost anything and combination of everything – rubber, canvas, wool, fur, plastic, patterned textiles… You can also order a custom designed bag personalised for your needs and wishes. Besides their own bags they sell international brands as well.

In the shop you will also find a great mixture of accessories such as jewelery, hand knitted caps and shawls plus some clothes as well. Some second hand bags available. Definitely fun to go through it all.

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Tasenka | Shopping
Dob u. 2. | Central Pest | +3613448444
Mon – Wed & Fri 11:00 – 18:00, Thu 12:00 – 19:00, Sat 10:00 – 14:00

Treehugger Dan’s Bookstore & Café is owned – very appropriately – by “Treehugger” Dan Swartz, an avid local environmental activist. As such, the selection of second-hand books includes quite a few titles on enviromentalism, politics, sociology and the like. Dan also uses the venue for various public lectures and events, such as “Free Independent Financial Advice” and “Greenpeace Friday”.

The place’s name includes “& Café” for a reason. It offers a selection of tasty Fair Trade teas and coffees, which you can drink in the back of the store at two tiny tables – don’t plan on bringing more than 3 friends!

Treehugger Dan also has two other venues in Budapest: a larger one in Lázár Street (just behind the Opera house), which also acts as a tourist information centre as well as a regular venue for Budapest’s premier English-language poetry reading series, The Bardroom; and a third place at Süto Street 2.

Besides selling used books, Dan also buys them, but only at the Csengery Street location.

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Treehugger Dan’s | Coffee & tea, Shopping | Books HUF 900
VI. Csengery utca 48 | Central Pest | +3613220774
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 19:00, Sat 10:00 – 17:00

Két mackó (Two Teddy Bears) is a cute, small artisan toy shop, pleasantly hidden at Károlyi Gardens. It offers plenty of creative and interesting toys of all kinds of forms and colours, made of wood, textile, paper and clay. You will also find board and outdoor games, puppets, illustrations, decor and much more… and all that will either make you feel young at heart and try things out yourself or solve your gift shopping problems.

There are also many “building games” where you can mould your building material in a very simple way and create whatever you want. Those are, I believe, difficult to resist to, no matter what your age is. I also find the cardboard theatre interesting, accompanied by all kinds of puppets, big or small.

As you can see I have plenty of gift solutions for my niece that I can most happily end up playing with, whether she likes it or not Designs are by Hungarian designers and independent artists and all the toys seem environmentally friendly. No electronics and no plastics there either.

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Two Teddy Bears | Art & culture, Shopping
Magyar utca 18 | Central Pest | +3612660928
Tue – Fri 10:00 – 18:00, Sat 10:00 – 14:00

True, Újpest is a bit out of the centre, actually it looks like a small town in the countryside with dusty wattles on the side of the road. But this is just the thing about it which gives its charm and the true market feeling. You can be sure you won’t find any tourists around here, it’s a purely local market.

I live quite close so it is pretty obvious for me to do the shopping here every now and then. For those coming from downtown, the blue metro line takes you to as close as a block away.

There are three main buildings: the big market hall, the connecting side wing and the separate dome. The market hall is full of tables with vegetables, fruits and eggs piled up on them while on the side various shops sell meat, pastries, dairy products and pickled vegetables. Let me point out two typical feature of a market: the old ladies and gentlemen apparently selling homegrown products and the presence of supermarket-like shops which doesn’t really make sense to me. The side wing has shops but no stands, the dome is almost empty with one important shop selling fish.

After a long and exhausting shopping there is nothing better than a good old fried sausage or meat along with some pickled vegetables, accompanied by a “fröccs” or spritzer. And al this is available at the back of the main building.

No space is left unused, the surrounding area is loaded with stands that sell plants, flowers, dishes, clothes and anything you can imagine. They’ve got exactly what you’re looking for, now go and see for yourself!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Újpest market | Shopping, Snacks | Pack of asparagus HUF 250.00
Szent István tér | Outer Pest
Mon – Fri 06:00 – 17:00, Sat 06:00 – 14:00