As street-side eateries gain growing importance in our fast-paced world, this edible movement quickly infiltrated Budapest in recent years, and now an ever-increasing number of tiny nooks and transformed trucks sell a wide assortment of takeaway feasts around the city’s downtown zones (and even beyond). From succulent Magyar sausages to Taiwanese treats to vegan vittles, these eight new hotspots provided a diverse street-food diet this year in Budapest.
1/8
BAOTIFUL
With its exotic cuisine and eccentric interior, BAOTIFUL is an unmatched spot amid the city’s street-food scene, awaiting gourmands in an alluring lair in central Budapest. The signature meal on the menu is bao, Taiwan’s favorite street food – a tender steamed-bread delicacy that is stuffed with a variety of delicious fillings. Meanwhile, their excellent Thai and Japanese beers are great for washing down the delectable Asian specialties.
2/8
Budapest Bakering
Designed to resemble some of the city’s public-transport vehicles, Budapest Bakering operates cute pushcarts that feed people wandering the city center with bagel-like filled bread rings, available in a variety of intriguing flavors. In recent days, the miniature food-delivery conveyances are elevating Budapest’s festive spirit with decorative Christmas lights, and instead of the usual savory snacks, they’ve proffered scrumptious sweets along with a variety Christmas gifts.
3/8
Rombusz Terasz (Closed)
This fiery-red food truck on Budapest’s Ráday Street offers a selection that diverges from the traditional hot dogs we stumble upon in American baseball stadiums and IKEA. The sausages used in BudDog are European varieties of kolbász (a spice-infused Central European banger), but guests who prefer the classic version can get ordinary hot dogs, as well. If that’s not enough, vegetarians can order BudDog’s new-wave grain-based sausages with various creamy toppings, while guests with gluten intolerance can ask for a gluten-free bun.
4/8
Faszaládé
This wittily named street-food paradise (ask an open-minded Hungarian friend for the translation), located just steps away from St. Stephen’s Basilica, is where vegetarians are advised to turn around before even entering, as the place’s profile is pretty much all about the juicy sausages, and the aroma of charcoal-grilled meat fills the air. Even picky eaters who are hesitant to devour blood-based delights should try Faszaládé’s butcher’s dessert, a bombastic black pudding roasted on foaming butter, served with apple compote and pine nuts.
5/8
Green Paradise at Karaván
In a world where meat dominates the widely expanding street-food scene, Green Paradise is a true blessing for vegans, testifying to the fact that meals with no ingredients of animal origin can be extraordinarily tasty. This recent addition to Karaván’s colorful food-truck fleet in District VII sells pastas and whopping wraps, along with delicious desserts and healthy smoothies.
6/8
Kolbice by Kobe Sausages – Vásárcsarnok
A new edible invention of 2015 is Kobu served at Kolbice, a fine example of how street food comes in all shapes and sizes: this innovative mash-up of “kolbász” (“sausage” in Hungarian) and “burger” is based on luscious grilled beef links made from Grey cattle (Hungary’s native long-horned bovine breed), along with varied toppings and sauces put between two distinctly shaped sesame-seed buns. Devouring this innovative meal provides a mouthwateringly juicy gastronomy adventure. Kolbice by Kobe has multiple outlets downtown.
7/8
Pizza Quadra
Affordably-priced square-shaped slices await guests at Pizza Quadra, a place that doesn't compromise when it comes to quality ingredients. Apart from the well-known pizza versions, like margarita or quattro stagioni, this understated eatery serves some of the chef's own creations as well. Those who are passing by Deák Square and have a few minutes to spare should stop by Quadra to grab an instant Italian treat.
Address: Budapest 1052, Fehér hajó utca 8-10
8/8
TöLTő (Closed)
On a late summer day, a brand-new gourmet sausage shop popped up on Wesselényi Street in downtown Budapest, where tasty links are loaded with quality ingredients. Upon entering TöLTő, the sleek interior showcases an epicurean fast-food adventure, with fine and fresh artisanal stuffed sausages filling soft buns, all topped with carefully selected ingredients such as coconut balls made with cashew and olive paste, daikon radish, or various sprouts. For those who seek fine sausage-based meals when they wander around District VII, this little nook is the place to stop by.
