Obviously we did need to try the famous local dish and even though I wasn’t massively excited about my first encounter it was actually really delicious. I really enjoyed the falvoursome pork goulash served with their pasta like dumplings. Take a trip to Market Hall and head to the top floor where you can find lots of these local dishes to tuck in to. You may laugh at the intimidating portion sizes but just say no to extra potatoes, pasta, cheese and cream. They know how to pile on a warm layer for winter that’s for sure! The market also has an abundance of fresh fruit, veg, meat and preserves. I was struck by the rows and rows of perfumed local honey everywhere you looked. If I’d had a bigger allowance I would have been stockpiling that stuff to take home for the months ahead.
For those of you who don’t know, my husband is a total coffee snob and as soon as he found out there was a whole trail of good independent coffee shops in Budapest, he suddenly seemed much more up for my holiday suggestion. We started with Fekete which was probably my favourite of them all, mostly because I was obsessing over the interiors as well as my moist, poppy seed plum cake. I can’t vouch for the coffee in any of these places as I recently stopped drinking the stuff but the husband approved and I can safely say the tea was top notch for my amateur standards. Don’t miss this peaceful gem, tucked away in a courtyard. We spent hours in there reading and brainstorming ideas for what’s left of my website update.
Some other great places for those coffee fiends out there were Espresso Embassy, My Little Melbourne brew bar, the small but perfectly formed Kontakt and Madal. I definitely rate the perfectly tasty iced tea from Kontakt, served in a glass that shot me straight back to year 9 chemistry lessons. Nick was left raving about their nitro cold brew which did look pretty impressive I have to say.
As I said before we were staying right near the ruin bar district tucked away in the Jewish Quarter, which is great for fun nights out and cheap and cheerful meals. These buildings were ruined by bombings during the wars and have been transformed into quirky watering holes, with crazy decor and all manner of randomness around every corner. Szimpla Kert is probably the most well know of the ruin bars and is well worth a visit although I semi regretted not heading there in the day to snap some of the fun interiors in the light. If it’s quirky atmosphere doesn’t do it for you then a glass of wine at 60p sure will!
There are also a few street food courtyards around this area with too much variety to make any kind of informed decision. I was drawn to a van totally devoted to all things cheese, sweet and savoury and it was gooood! We also checked out Iskola, an old school that’s been turned into a restaurant and bar. The walls are plastered with old pages from kid’s books and the place is kitted out with school tables and chairs to match. We had some typical Hungarian grub which also went down well and 2 courses cost £2.80!!! That’s insane! You can tell I get overjoyed at the sign of a bargain.
For some speedy meals that aren’t so Hungarian but equally tasty, try Hummus Bar which does what it says on the tin. We also love Burrita for their generous portions of spicy Mexicana and delicious salsa selections. We tried Pad Thai Wok Bar a healthy Thai food haven once and loved it so much we had it as our departing lunch too. You can choose each element of your dish; grains, protein, sauce, herbs and extras. It’s totally delicious, particularly the pad Thai which is probably why it’s named after it. Along with that the Hungarians are big on pastries and you can pretty much grab one on every corner. I missed the buttery sweet smell wafting through the air when we got back home.
The parks are a great place to make your way to as there’s often things going on. We stumbled across an open air photo exhibition in one all about food in different cultures which was a welcome surprise. There’s even a fairytale castle to ignite your childhood, princess dreams in the City Park. This is the biggest of all the parks and also houses the Szechenyi Baths. There are quite a few bath houses through out the city, tapping in to the natural spas, but we chose this one as our relaxation for the day. There are outdoor and indoor baths, all heated at different temperatures and even the outdoor pools keep you warm on a chilly day. I didn’t believe it until I tried it! There’s also all sorts of treatments you can indulge in if you feel so inclined. It’s the perfect way to soothe aching legs after a few days exploring the city.
There’s also Ecseri flea market which I’ve heard is worth going to if you’re a magpie for a bargain but we didn’t end up getting there. I’ve come to realise that Nick gets bored pretty quickly in places like that. I don’t think his brain can fathom why I’m rooting through old ‘junk’ piles. I settled for marvelling at all the colourful flower stalls dotted around the city, scattered with a seasonal assortment of mini pumpkins in between blooms.
I hope I’ve inspired you to take a trip to this lovely place. I can see how it would be a totally different experience in Summer too, with lots of outdoor eating and clearer views. I know it can get quite hot from friends and family that have been, but I enjoy wrapping up in warm layers and defrosting in cosy coffee shops for city breaks. Oh and don’t worry about speaking Hungarian as every one speaks English and I didn’t feel so guilty about it with so many Hungarian’s saying what a ridiculously hard language it is to learn!