While out and about in Budapest, we often feel tempted to feast in one of the many hip hangouts, but we can’t always spare time for a full meal. However, a District XIII side street now offers urban dwellers a healthy solution to culinary cravings, where the recently opened Kencés eatery spreads an assortment of savory sandwich creams on freshly baked breads. Here guests can order any variety of luscious toppings as tasting plates, while these colorful creams – including flavors like Hungarian sausage and green pea with mint – are available for takeaway, too. Spread the word!
Running parallel to bustling Pozsonyi Avenue, Tátra Street is a less-frequented lane in the city’s “Újlipótváros” neighborhood which doesn’t boast too many eateries, and what places there are to grab a bite here are largely limited to small shops selling ready-made sandwiches or bakery products. However, a recently opened hangout now provides an easily accessible alternative for guests by offering a selection of homemade sandwich spreads and freshly baked breads that are served within just a few minutes after you place your order.
Dreamed up with a cool concept to provide a treat for those popping in for a no-frills feast, Kencés prepares a diverse variety of toppings that guests can mix and freely spread on their breads. While the featured sandwich creams change almost every day according to available seasonal ingredients, what is permanently featured on the menu is the Jewish egg, a traditional treat in Hungary’s Judaic community, where chopped eggs are mixed with raw onions and goose lard. However, this is not the only delight the eatery has in store – Magyar sausage cream and local paprika-flavored “körözött” cottage cheese cream are also popular spreads among both regular guests and drop-ins.
In addition to the hearty Hungarian toppings, Kencés cooks up varied vegetable treats, including Provance-style zucchini cream and Greek fried-paprika cream. While we can order sandwiches with any of the selected spreads, the main appeal of the place are its filling tasting platters, where a spoonful of three to five different creams are served on a plate alongside freshly baked white, multi-seed, or wholegrain baguette breads. The Hungarian sandwich plate, one of the most popular meals of Kencés, boasts sausage cream, kőrözött, Magyar ratatouille cream, and Jewish egg. Unfortunately, not all of the sandwich creams are displayed in the restaurant, but the staff prepares our meal behind a glass counter, and during this process we can see the selected spreads.
Best of all, prices of these mini-feasts are quite reasonable: sandwiches cost between 690-890 forints, while a multi-cream plate will set you back 1,190 forints, including the price of the baguette. Besides the savory sandwiches, Kencés always prepares a duo of sweet delicacies, including desserts for those with lactose intolerance. Above all, the creams (and everything else) are available for takeaway, too, so you can spread them among your friends in an impromptu picnic.
Kencés
Address: Budapest 1136, Tátra utca 12/B
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8am-4:30pm
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