Snacks – All our local tips

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

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

Burek, what the heck is that? If you want to eat cheap and fast, it is the real alternative to gyros or döner. Nothing typical Hungarian, the dish is of Central Asian origin, the Turks brought it with them to Anatolia to eventually spread it all over the Ottoman Empire.

This particular burek you’re about to taste comes from Serbia: thin layers of dough with various fillings in between, baked in a large circular pan. The original version is filled with salty cheese but you can try other salty and sweet types as well: apple, sour cherry, spinach with sheep cheese, ground meat or ham with mushrooms and cheese. Crispy, a bit oily dough on the outside balanced by the warm and soft filling – simply marvellous. Yogurt takes the whole dish to a different level, try it! Not fruit yogurt for salty burek though.

Other than burek they offer various pastries including rétes and kakaós csiga (”chocolate snail”), emblematic but rarely mentioned stars in the goulash dominated universe of Hungarian cuisine. Rétes would be our answer to burek, only in a different shape and regionally typical filling: apple, sour cherry, cottage cheese, pumpkins&poppy seed or cabbage.

If you want to take a bigger portion you’d better ring them before dropping in order to get your burek guaranteed. Weekdays 09:00 to 13:00 there’s also delivery to downtown addresses. Between 19:00 and 19:30 there is a 50% discount on every food in the shop, just the right time for a quick dinner.

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Burekkirály | Snacks | Small burek HUF 290.00
Hegedűs Gyula utca 20 | Outer Pest | +3612399667
Mon – Fri 08:00 – 19:00, Sat 08:00 – 13:00

This tiny cafeteria is situated in the13th district just streets away from the busy tram stop “Jászai Mari tér”. Here next to the ladies of the area who are playing bridge and still having a majestic old behaviour you can meet for a coffee with anybody.

It is not a museum type of place, do not worry! You can find really tasteful cakes and rare special types of quality coffee from all over the world. The Hawaii Kona and their hot chocolate deserved a place among the best choices for refreshment on a chilly winter morning. The hot chocolate is made of Belgian chocolate so you folks from Brussels, this is the only place where you can find the one similar you are used to in your hometown!

Prices are not so high, but do not expect them to be the lowest in town. But the taste of the first cup of hot chocolate will ensure you: you made the right decision to come here!

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Café Balzac | Coffee & tea, Snacks
Balzac utca 44/b | Outer Pest
Mon – Fri 08:00 – 18:00, Sat 09:00 – 13:00

People come and go, some meet friends, others check the news, some wait for the theatre show in the nearby Vígszínház to start. That’s Café Európa (Európa Kávéház), a good place to stop and recharge yourself after strolling the neighbouring Falk Miksa street (see this article) in the antiques treasure hunt.

It’s a bustling place where you’ll see young and old alike, people picking up the coffee just before work, actors or local politicians during their breaks (Parliament is not far away) or kids being glued to the counter with cake display.

Café Európa is a spacious coffeehouse on two floors with the atmosphere of a traditional Budapest café. They offer a good selection of various Hungarian desserts (try their Európa chestnut cake), you can try some cheese or potato “pogácsa” (something like scones) and if you are there for a light breakfast or lunch they have sandwiches, salads and omelettes.

They have a pastry shop next to the café where you can buy all their goodies to take away and it will cost you about 30% less. No credit cards, though. For more check a short movie (in Hungarian) and see how they make their “sajt torta” (cheese cake).

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Café Európa | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Cake HUF 390.00
Szent István körút 7-9. | Central Pest | +3613122362
Nov – Apr 09:00 – 22:00 daily, May – Oct 09:00 – 23:00 daily

I know, it’s kind of weird to blog about a blog, but sometimes it is silly not to. This is true of www.chew.hu. Chew.hu is devoted to Hungarian food and wine- and it’s in English! This is one of the things that makes it different from other Hungarian-only sites. Chew.hu is definitely not one of those usual boring review blogs about the tired restaurants one finds on the web. Chew.hu really has bite!

Where do I start to tell you what I love about it…For one thing- Chew.hu is dead serious about food and caters to ‘foodies’, among others- but it can also be irreverent- check out some of the comments to the articles. Chew is done with a sense of humor- the articles are focused on food, but not at the expense of fun. Chew.hu is also always up to date- so I can get the latest news about restaurants, as well as about all kinds of food and drink festivals that happen in Budapest regularly.

Chew.hu covers all of Hungary, but there is plenty of Budapest-focused information- and not just about restaurants. There is a great recipe section with an explanation about each dish, featuring some very Hungarian things like tripe stew…that I have never dared to make, but might try now.

If you’re like me and you’re thinking about the FOOD on your next trip, and you want the truth, get your tips from Chew.hu before landing in Budapest.

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Chew.hu | Art & culture, Bars, Relaxing, Snacks, Festivals & events
Clark Adam Ter | Central Pest
24 hours daily

You’d better be prepared for long queues because this confectionery attracts people from all across the city. No wonder, the family Daubner has been serving the needs of the clientèle for several decades since they moved to Budapest at the end of the 1950s with excellent pastries, cakes, parfaits and ice cream.

You shouldn’t miss the ice cream in sweet waffle (no extra charge) but don’t forget to pay first, keep the receipt and hand it over when asking for your favourite taste. For those with a “salty tooth” there’s an impressive choice of “pogácsa”, traditional Hungarian pastry. Most guests come here to choose and pick up their favourite stuff after paying since the whole store is set up to serve as a takeaway.

You’ll find some benches outside but beware, the street features pretty heavy traffic during the day. There is also some room inside to eat what you have asked for. Just like museums, Daubner is closed on Mondays.

Located a bit far from down town you might want to combine this visit with a walk around the nicer parts of Óbuda or a hike to Hármashatár-hegy.

See more photos here.

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Daubner Confectionery | Snacks | Cakes from HUF 130.00
Szépvölgyi út 50 | Outer Buda | +3613352253
Tue – Sun 09:00 – 19:00

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

Momotaro restaurant is a perfect place for a good, quick and cheap meal while discovering the center of the 5th district, although you’ll have to look carefully to actually spot it.

The reason everyone goes there (many locals and tourists alike) is the traditional Japanese noodle dish Ramen. The interior of the place is rather small and simply decorated but comfortable and most of the time fully packed, since the food is really good and of great price. Besides Ramen the food is mostly Chinese.

The service is friendly and fast and you’ll be greeted with free green tea and readiness to answer any silly question you might have. Ramen is great and steamed dumplings are as close to my memories of China as they can get in Budapest. They also have plenty of vegetable dishes. The place is located on the corner of Nádor and Széchenyi streets, near the Hungarian State TV Headquarters.

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Momotaro Ramen | Snacks, Restaurants (Chinese/Japanese) | Ramen HUF 1500
Széchenyi u. 16 | Central Pest | +3612693802
11:00 – 22:00 daily

As the name suggests perfectly, Noir is a chocolate bar. While Hungary is not a chocolate world power like, say, Belgium, Noir certainly does its part in meeting the needs of local chocophiles. It’s got all sorts of chocolates, including hot drinking chocolate, hot drinking chocolate with various spices from chili to cardamom, hot chocolate with or without alchohol, or hot chocolate with or without spices and/or alcohol on ice.

What more need I say? If you have the craving for sweet, sweet (or dark and
bitter) chocolate, this is the place to go. Do reserve a table if you’re planning to visit in the evening, it gets crowded around that time.

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Noir ChocoBar | Bars, Snacks | Hot chocolate from HUF 700
VI. Hegedu utca 6 | Central Pest | +36202228555
Sun – Mon 15:00 – 22:00,Tue – Sat 15:00 – 00:00

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

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

This is where you can find everybody who lives in the area. At 12:00 the families are having lunch, at 02:00 in the morning people are gathering there to eat because this helps a lot when you are tipsy, as we know, and who are always there: the Turkish family who runs the restaurant.

Exchange students from Middle Eastern countries also often choose  this place because here they can find the tastes of home with a bit of continental twist in it.

The prices are rapidly changing as this is one of the most popular semi fast-food type restaurants in the area. Try the sweets for sure because they are really good, but be aware that it is really-really sweet, and if you ask for Turkish tea then you will get a small cup of strong tea with two pieces of sugar which is also a good choice especially if you are afraid of falling asleep.

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Szeraj | Snacks | Döner HUF 1600
Szent István körút 13 | Central Pest
09:00 – 04:00 daily

Budapest is chock-full of gyros and falafel stands, many of which operate all night to service the roving bands of stout pub crawlers. Yet, I’m going to recommend Szinbád Büfé, which is an atypical example for closing late afternoon. “But Kalman, you dark horse, you,” – some of you, dear readers, might exclaim – “you got us all excited about the idea of nighttime cuisine! Why recommend a daytime-only place, then?”

Well, I recommend Szinbád because, simply put, the food is just so much better than elsewhere. You see, the food in many of these gyros places just tastes samey. Not bad, just rather indistinguishable from the food in all the other gyros places. That’s because (at least so I hear) all these places buy their stuff from the same central distributor, from the meat on the spit to the spices and sauces.

And that’s where Szinbád is different. The Syrian owner and his sons make all the food themselves on the spot, from original raw ingredients (except the baklava, but even that’s from some special source). As a result, their stuff has its own distinguishable – and very good – taste. So much so, in fact, that there people coming here from the very far end of the city, passing half a dozen other takeaways of a similar profile on the way.

Personal tip: try the grape leaves filled with rice and ground meat. Just be aware that it’s rather messy for finger food, so you might want to take it away and eat in in the vicinity of a bathroom.

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Szinbád Büfé | Snacks, Restaurants (Takeaway) | Meal HUF 500
XI. Kruspér utca 6-8 | Central Buda | +36203545390
10:00 – 19:00 daily

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!

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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