Hungary Parliament building on the Danube River, a stunning architectural masterpiece offering breathtaking views.

Typical food and drink of Budapest

🍴 What to Eat in Budapest: The City’s Top Dishes and Best Restaurants

Budapest, the vibrant capital of Hungary, is a haven for food lovers. From rich, flavorful stews to delicious street food and indulgent desserts, Hungarian cuisine is as comforting as it is unique. Whether you're craving a hearty bowl of goulash, crispy lángos, or a sweet chimney cake, this guide will take you through the must-try dishes of Budapest and the best restaurants where you can enjoy authentic Hungarian flavors.

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Goulash soup

Goulash soup is perhaps the most famous Hungarian dish—a rich and hearty soup made with beef, onions, potatoes, and seasoned with paprika and aromatic spices. While you can find it in many restaurants, the best goulash soup is the one made at home. Nothing beats the authentic taste of a family-cooked meal, shared with loved ones. In this photo, you can see the goulash my family made. 😋

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Beef Stew

Similar to goulash but thicker, pörkölt is a stew made with meat (often pork or beef), onions, paprika, and sometimes tomatoes. It's typically served with pasta (Tészta) or bread dumplings.

Chicken Paprikash

Another classic Hungarian dish, chicken paprikash features chicken cooked in a creamy paprika sauce, often served with dumplings or noodles. For a vegetarian alternative, mushroom paprikash is a delicious option, made with the same rich, flavorful paprika sauce but using mushrooms instead of meat.

Hungarian fried bread

A popular Hungarian street food, lángos is deep-fried dough topped with various savory toppings like sour cream, cheese, garlic, or even sausage.

Catfish paprika stew

It is a creamy paprika catfish stew typically served with noodles or dumplings, known as "nokedli".

Hunter-Style Beef

Vadas, or hunter-style beef, is a Hungarian dish with tender beef in a sweet-and-sour vegetable and mustard sauce. It's my favorite food!

Fish soup

Also known as fisherman's soup, halászlé is a spicy fish soup made with paprika, onions, and various freshwater fish, such as carp or catfish.

Vegetable stew

A traditional Hungarian vegetable stew made with peppers, tomatoes, onions, and sometimes sausage or other meats. I usually prepare with eggs as you can see in my photo.