Since ruin pubs first started popping up as Budapest’s most iconic party places, these stylishly crumbling hangouts gradually evolved to host a variety of community events attracting diverse visitors with colorfully creative programs regularly organized at their premises. Now these delightfully dilapidated destinations are also sources for fresh and healthy food, as three of the city’s most popular ruin pubs organize Sunday markets for local vendors to proffer regional produce and handmade delicacies, where shoppers can select tasty goods while enjoying free samples and live entertainment.
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Szimpla Kert
Equipped with innumerable vintage knickknacks mounted on the walls, the queen of Budapest’s ruin bars is not only a surreal destination for tourists looking for intoxicating nights out in the city, but it’s a delightful daytime hangout on Sundays, where a well-established circle of vendors offers a wide variety of fresh merchandise from 9am to 2pm. The tasty treats sold here include organic pastries from Galgafarm, paprika-infused smoked sausages from Buza, natural dairy products, piquant pickles, garden-fresh fruits, and crisp vegetables. During the market’s opening hours, live concerts provide pleasant background tunes, while bartenders also serve drinks to remind visitors that they are still in a ruin pub. What’s more, those who would like to sample delicacies made with products from this market can join Szimpla’s recently launched Sunday Brunch event happening in the bar’s salon.
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Élesztőház
Located within Budapest’s District IX, the rickety property that houses Élesztő encompasses a variety of hangouts, including a wine bar, a haven for artisanal beers, and a grill station, and with the recent launch of Pancs – Gasztroplacc – which happens here every Sunday – one more culinary attraction has been added to the place’s burgeoning gastronomy scene. On the last day of each week, some of the bar’s outdoor and indoor locales fill up with up-and-coming vendors offering self-made delicacies, including tasteful vegan dips from tunki-tunki, creamy cheese from GombSajt, or scrumptious vegan cakes from Az én vegán konyhám, while carnivorous guests can buy crimson sausages, aromatic smoked meat, and even fresh chicken offered for pre-order at the market. Spanning 9am to 2pm, Élesztő’s gastronomy bazaar – which is still in an emerging phase – boasts various cooking and entertainment shows to accompany the culinary jamboree, which certainly bears a homey Hungarian atmosphere.
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Anker’t
Organized by Vegan Food Fest, once a month Anker’t turns into a bustling market hall that offers mouthwatering merchandise and handmade local goods with a twist, all free from animal products. Vegans or those who follow special diets can start joining the gastronomy gathering at 10am, and by noon this downtown ruin bar becomes a lively scene of young couples, families with children, group of friends, and dog walkers scanning the variety of stalls that all promote a healthy lifestyle. Located right near the entrance, it’s hard to resist My Garden’s extensive selection of organic fruits and vegetables that are tastefully packed in paper bags, while the variety of spicy pickles offered by Chabo can equally tempt our taste buds. In addition to such delicacies as fresh pastries and raw cakes, a few vendors offer vegan cosmetics. What’s more, visitors can devour a variety of handheld treats prepared on the spot, including hamburgers from Vegan Love or hot dogs from Vegan Grill. Welcoming the public until 6pm, the Vegan Sunday Market is complete with cooking workshops and roundtable discussions.
