As one of Budapest’s top fashion experts, Hungarian stylist Márk Lakatos is highly regarded for his ability to create tasteful outfits – but it came as a surprise to many when Márk announced that he would be opening a street-food stand specializing in gourmet sausages earlier this year. Would the acclaimed fashionista be as adept at making meaty treats as he is at making chic ensembles? We visited his beautiful booth at the increasingly impressive Downtown Market, and discovered that the Magyar maven is equally skilled at crafting sensational flavors as he is at creating fashion sensations.

As the name suggests, the founder and owner of the place is the well-known stylist Márk Lakatos, who is actually rather familiar with the restaurant business, because his grandparents also worked in this sector. So, Márk’s idea of creating a bistro didn’t come out of nowhere – last year, he even opened a pop-up eatery at the port of Tihany on Hungary’s Lake Balaton, with a selection similar to that now available at the Downtown Market.

We definitely recommend visiting the market itself to everyone at lunchtime, because in addition to several casual eateries run by top Hungarian and international chefs, we can also choose among lángos fried-dough treats, sausages, and a wide variety of other customary Hungarian street-food dishes here.

However, all of the sausages available at Lakatos Műhely are the unique creations of Márk, and represent a completely different line than the nearby Kolbice. Officially, this is a lunch spot that also serves gluten-free pottage to customers who drop by the small shop on the market’s first floor. The place is small but is predictably tastefully decorated, working with red, white, and light-brown colors, and a retro atmosphere.

As we mentioned, the sausages take up most of the menu, and in addition to the basic products, there is also a changing seasonal selection. The homemade sausages are created with pork, pheasant, and venison, and come in flavors such as paprika,blue cheese, orange and oregano, and leek. A normal portion costs 1,190 forints, and is served with additive-free bread baked in sausage fat, straight from the nearby Artizán Bakery.

Naturally, we receive stylish meals here – right at first sight, we can see that the sausages, served with red onion or homemade mustard, are not soaked in fat, and feel light and soft. The orange-and-oregano-flavored sausage was the only one a bit overwhelmed with spice. The light, strawberry-flavored gazpacho proved to be a similarly delicious and unique experience with the sweet fruit. Judging from the chickpea pottage, the place will be worth visiting for dishes other than sausages.Among some of the other traditional dishes available here, we recommend the roasted chicken leg served with rosemary new potatoes or wild rice, the Thai chicken ragout soup with lemongrass, or the bulgur risotto with balsamic paprika.
Lakatos MűhelyBudapest 1054 (Belvárosi Piac), Hold Street 13
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