When gastro revolution hit Budapest a few years ago, we didn’t know what we are up for exactly. The tasty, ready-to-eat food fastly conquered our streets and hearts alike, and before we blinked twice, not only vans and hawkers but also restaurants started serving us with our favourite street food. Here’s a great selection!
Vágódeszka
Located in the heart of the city, Vágódeszka (aka chopping board) will make you realize how awesome the famous Hungarian kolbász can be! Transforming the traditional sausage into the modern era with a mouth-watering revelation, they make sure it will be your next favourite thing in town. Visit the joint and try their special Robuci that combines their homemade lecsó with the kolbász of your choice. The wide range of delicious meals will satisfy fast food enthusiasts and those who are curious about Hungarian flavours alike. Drop by the friendly restaurant located just a stone’s throw away from St. Stephen’s Basilica and Arany János utca, and enjoy the traditional bites with a modern twist!
VegaCity
Just a stone’s throw away from always busy Kálvin tér and Astoria, a friendly vegan restaurant awaits the health-conscious with a continuously varying lunch menu and a range of breakfast options in the heart of the city. Besides the finely prepared warm cooked meals, there are tasty homemade hamburgers, gluten and sugar free desserts, sandwiches, freshly squeezed juices or smoothies to consume. Try the Gandaburi, their gluten free, vegan hamburger or their special cake, sweetened by banana and date, also made of chickpea flour without gluten. From 9 AM to 7 PM on weekdays, VegaCity is one of the healthiest alternatives, but it’s worth dropping by the neighbouring BioABC and VitaminABC, too.
Wan Hao Restaurant
Located in the heart of the Chinese quarter, Wan Hao restaurant is awaiting you with delicious and healthy Chinese and Cantonese gourmet meals. Did you know that their repertoire includes street food too? Try Wan Hao’s finest Cantonese dim sums and enjoy the authentic flavours of Baozi, Jiaozi and stir-fried rice noodles in the fresh air. With several delicious low-fat and vegetarian dishes on their menu, Wan Hao offers diet-friendly delicacies to support your spring revival. Take a culinary journey to China with a taste-bud impressing experience. We’ve got great news for you: as a Funzine reader you get a 10% discount on your food consumption all year long!
Waffle Dog
This dessert to go idea is simply amazing. Inspired by a trip to the Benelux, the kid and dog-friendly eatery introduced a new version of waffles to the Hungarian sweets market. Their mouth-watering and flavourful waffle dogs are filled and served with all kinds of good stuff, such as homemade vanilla cream, Hershey’s chocolate sauce, juicy jam, fruits, túró rudi, and quality chocolate pieces. The dreamy waffle dogs and the delicious Dutch mini pancakes called Poffertjes are freshly prepared in front of your eyes (in just a couple of minutes) with the toppings of your choice. Salty versions will be also available soon. Waffles have never been this creative, check them out!
MiniZso
KicsiZso’s “little brother” MiniZso Bagel is awaiting all street food fanatics with extremely delicious, gourmet bagels from 7.30 AM to 5 PM every weekday in Buda. Are you craving for salmon, chorizo (spicy sausage) or ham? MiniZso Bagel’s friendly stuff is ready for any wishes: go in and ask for whatever your stomach desires and they will prepare it for you on spot. In case you are hungry for something else, soups, coffee and cookies are also on the menu. Their freshly squeezed juice or a glass of ice-cold beer will certainly quench your thirst. Downtown Budapest’s (Hattyú utca) cozy eatery is truly a gem
Bubba’s Downtown
Captain Bubba did it again: it’s new joint opened in Pest, Egyetem square. The menu offers a wide range of water- and seaside delicacies, guests can choose from almost 80 types of seafood including shrimp, grilled fish, fish fillets, cattlefish and clam, as well as Budapest’s best Fish & Chips meals, Beef Burger specialties and the best and most delicious meat dishes of Bubba Captain’s Buda restaurant. Bubba’s Downtown is the heaven for those who fancy seafood, delicious homemade cookies, a filling brunch (with wrap, omlet, French toast and tasty sandwiches) complemented by a refreshing draught or bottled beer, a smoothie, or quality wine. Secure your breakfast or lunch, let down the anchor at Bubba’s!
Bors GasztroBár
Hands down, Bors is in the TOP 3 best soup eateries in downtown Budapest. From time to time the enthusiastic team comes up with incredibly special (and revolutionary) soup and sandwich creation ideas, such as the newest addition called Sancho, which is a piquant Mexican baguette. Based on the ever-changing menu, their well of inspiration seems endless. Bors’s sweet, salty and dessert inspired soups (strawberry cake, Hungarian trifle, Bounty and chili, and so on) are simply magical, and only the staff’s great sense of humour and unbelievable hospitality can top it. The place isn’t too big, so don’t expect chairs and tables. Instead, be prepared that Bors GasztroBár is one of the coolest take-away eateries.
Black Cab Burger
In the heart of the capital city, Black Cab Burger offers an incomparable experience with a heavenly flavour fusion that guarantees love at first bite. Guests are welcomed by a modern, cosy atmosphere with comfortable red chairs, stylish black tables and London’s emblematic symbols on the walls displaying the double decker buses, the iconic Big Ben and black cabs too, of course.
Once you take a look at Black Cab’s menu you’ll immediately know it’s a gourmet burger kitchen. The creative “make your own burger” concept means guests can build their desired burger from top to bottom with regard to the size of the bun, the preferred meat – chicken, beef, salmon – toppings, and extras including specialties such as blue cheese, grilled pineapple and fried egg. There are house specials too, such as customer favourite Cabbie Burger which is too tempting to keep yourself away from. The fusion of fresh pickled cucumber, crunchy iceberg lettuce, tomato, onion, cheddar cheese, medium grilled prime beef and mild jalapeno peppers creates an exceptional taste experience. Crispy bacon is the icing on the cake with quality sauces (mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, BBQ), all served in a soft toasted bun. Black Cab’s pride and joy is award-winning Big Smokey Burger, but Smokey Ranger is also worth mentioning. The latter is a great, tasty burger with prime beef, bacon, cheddar cheese, fried onion and fresh vegetables; each flavour individually pops up while you are munching on your burger.
Black Cab’s signature hand-cut chips is fried in peanut oil, and with the characterful malt vinegar dressing, it creates an exciting taste harmony. Black Cab has insanely delicious salads and fantastic hot-dogs, as well as a full chocolate, home-made brownie. If you get thirsty, choose from the decent list of English soft drinks, ales, ciders and Hungarian fruit juices.
Pöriző
It wasn’t a long time ago when Pöriző (the nickname of a Hungarian dish, pörkölt/stew) buffet entered the Hungarian street food scene, but it already rose to fame among locals and tourists. Located at Arany János utca (just a minute walk from the metro station’s exit) the buffet tops Tripadvisor’s list in its own category and it is flooded by the positive feedback of those who have ever visited Pöriző and enjoyed a meal there. The gastronomical project came to life on the basis of two street food magicians’ idea; their aim was to prove that Hungarian meals also stand their ground in the street food scene. Unsurprisingly, the menu offers local specialties such as chicken stew in noodle cone and beef goulash.
Sushiroll
Are you looking for a street food alternative that is not only fast and delicious but also healthy? Visit Sushiroll at Corvin promenade where you can choose from tasty hand rolls prepared extremely fast; making a roll takes only 1 minute. Are you craving for something different? Try their maki plates, nigiri, salads and soups. The management puts special emphasis on using the best quality ingredients (the super healthy ginger, avocado, coconut, fresh fish, galangal and sea grass, just to mention a few) and everything is prepared freshly on spot. With several vegetarian options on the menu, Sushiroll is the perfect place to go not only for meat lovers. Check out their daily offers and head to the restaurant!
Rukkola
There is a literally colourful salad & sandwich bar in the heart of the city, where everything on the menu is named after the colours of the rainbow. Baross utca’s tiny salad shop is the favourite spot of locals and foreigners alike, who fancy a tasty, filling (and healthy) meal, a juicy smoothie or a heart-warming soup around lunchtime every weekday. Their slogan could be: tasty and affordable. All of their delicious sandwiches are under 1000 HUF and the creative, zesty salads are also available within an acceptable price range. With ingredients like cashew nut, pesto, tuna, spinach, pasta, chicken breast, iceberg salad, dried tomato or aragula, Rukkola creates an incredible taste experience. Check it out!
Arriba Taqueria
With a colourful menu as vibrant as the Mexican community, there’s a downtown restaurant which offers more than a culinary experience. This special place is non-other than Arriba Taqueria, where a breath of calm is guaranteed by guest-friendly service and homey atmosphere. This gourmet restaurant makes the time spent there really special by offering finely prepared, authentic courses, as well as an insight into a different, fascinating culture. If you’d love to taste these delicious specialties, but you’re caught up in work, don’t worry, you don’t have to miss out on the delicacies as Arriba Taqueria offers a great food delivery service as well. Pop into the friendly joint or order your desired pack of finely prepared courses – one of Budapest’s most authentic places surely won’t disappoint you!
Pasta.
With a colourful menu as vibrant as the Mexican community, there’s a downtown restaurant which offers more than a culinary experience. This special place is non-other than Arriba Taqueria, where a breath of calm is guaranteed by guest-friendly service and homey atmosphere. This gourmet restaurant makes the time spent there really special by offering finely prepared, authentic courses, as well as an insight into a different, fascinating culture. If you’d love to taste these delicious specialties, but you’re caught up in work, don’t worry, you don’t have to miss out on the delicacies as Arriba Taqueria offers a great food delivery service as well. Pop into the friendly joint or order your desired pack of finely prepared courses – one of Budapest’s most authentic places surely won’t disappoint you!
LángosBáró
Without a doubt, lángos (scone) needs no introduction. Hungary’s beloved street food inspired LángosBáró’s team to reimagine the deep fried salty treat and add something extra to it, creating a different, but still mouth-watering experience. The food bar offers extreme toppings, such as roast a la Brasov with cucumber salad & sour cream, feta cheese cream, pulled pork (with cheddar cheese, jalapeno or onion jam) and scone burgers. Their revolutionary ideas make them stand out, no wonder why they are among the TOP Hungarian street food spots in almost every dining guide magazine. If you don’t feel like going out, you can also order from LángosBáró, but keep in mind that lángos is best when fresh and hot. Check it out!