Are you looking for Budapest’s best markets? Here’s a selection of the cosiest venues which you can put on your shopping map in case you need fresh fruits, vegetables and other edibles.
Great Market Hall
Budapest’s most beautiful and biggest indoor market is easy to spot: situated close to Liberty bridge, the building is famous for the colourful Zsolnay tiles that cover its roof. But it isn’t only impressive on the outside. Once you enter, you’ll see dozens of vendors selling fresh veggies, candied and juicy fruits, spices, meat products and basically everything a good delicatessen shop would offer. It’s open from Monday to Saturday from 6 AM.
Downtown Market
Formerly known as Hold Utca Market, downtown Budapest’s recently restored market place aims to put good quality products grown on the countryside into Budapesters’ wicker baskets. District V’s charming social hub gives home to several restaurants too, where people often come by around lunchtime from nearby office buildings. Opening hours: from 6.30 AM every day except for Sunday.
Fény Utca Market Hall
Located behind Mammut Shopping Mall in Buda, Fény Utca Market might be less fancy than its Buda-based counterparts, but product-wise it stands its ground. Fresh fruits, vegetables, homemade dairy products, honey, pastries, herbs, fish and meat are all available. What’s more, there’s a popular lángos (savoury fried dough) stall in case you’d get hungry while shopping.
Czakó Market
The country’s best producers show up every Saturday between 8 AM and 2 PM in Czakó Kert. The location is beautiful: the garden that gives home to the market resembles a typical countryside yard from back in the day. It is a nice place to stroll around, whether you are just browsing, taking photos or actually doing some grocery shopping.
Pancs
Nominated for the Best of Budapest & Hungary award not long ago, Pancs is a market place and gourmet meeting point situated in Tűzoltó utca. It is organized in the garden of a ruin bar, namely Élesztőház every Sunday (between 9 AM ad 2 PM). Customers can stock up on seasonal fruits and vegetables, artisan cheese, homemade ham and salami, pastries, syrups, marmalade, fruit juice or even wine.
Lehel Market Hall
There’s a boat-shaped market hall in District XIII that easily catches the attention. The building is colourful, huge, and totally unexplainable considering its distance from any significant water surface. But from the inside, it is just like any other farmer’s market with lots of vendors, complete with an antique book store, supermarkets, a post office, and cloths shops. It’s open every day from 6 AM.
Bosnyák tér Market
People living in Zugló consider themselves very lucky since Bosnyák tér is just a stone’s throw away from them. Open from Monday to Saturday, it is said that what’s not available there doesn’t even exist since everything but the kitchen sink can be purchased. The location is slightly less central, but in return, prices are wallet-friendly and the atmosphere is unique.