More and more markets are selling fresh local produce around Budapest these days. With so much tasty fruit and so many delicious vegetables to choose from, and summer now upon us, we’ve selected our favourite outlets. These set up weekly or at certain times of the year, with a few operating on the outskirts of town.
1/5
Buda
Dézma House in District I both preserves the history of viticulture in Tabán and houses today’s Czakó Garden, home of the weekend Czakó Market (pictured above). In addition to fruit and vegetables, on both days you can sample special dishes and sense the atmosphere of this once bustling neighbourhood. On Saturdays, producers also set up on nearby Krisztina tér, although they’re currently taking a break until August. Some of the same producers put out stalls on Batthyány utca, by the Víziváros community club at No.26, on Friday mornings from 8am. Another favourite is the weekend Vahot utca Market in District XI. Close to Bikás Park, vendors lay out their delicious meats, cheeses, fruit and vegetables. The market located in another part of the district, at Infopark, is similarly convivial, with quality handicrafts and local produce for sale. Locals in Hegyvidék, District XII, have long kept their market secret, though it’s an easy hop by tram from Déli station to this open square by the district council on Királyhagó utca. As well as operating here five days a week (not Sundays or Mondays), vendors also set up stalls on nearby Pagony út, at János Hospital and Diana út. Look out, too, for the Városmajor Producer’s Market for the Living Tisza Association at Csaba utca 5, where you can browse products from the Tisza river. It’s quite modest, only half-a-dozen stalls, open three days a week (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays) but the aim is to represent the best of the region with the finest goods. For excellent, certified organic food, the Saturday Bio Market by the Mammut mall on Csörsz utca is a must. You can meet the traders and small-batch producers who sell only certified organic food – about 80 stalls in all.
Venue information
Czakó Market
1016 Budapest, Tigris utca 62. Sat-Sun 8am-2pm
Krisztina tér Market
1013 Budapest, Krisztina tér. Sat 7am-noon
Infopark Market
1117 Budapest, Infopark, Building E. Every other Thur 8am-3pm
Vahot utca Market
1119 Budapest, Vahot utca. Sat-Sun 6am-1pm
Városmajori Market/Tisza Association
1122 Budapest, Csaba utca 5. Mon, Wed & Fri 9am-5pm
Hegyvidék Market
1126 Budapest, Királyhágó utca 18. Tue-Sat 8am-1pm
Bio Market
1123 Budapest, Csörsz utca 18. Sat 6.30am–1pm
2/5
Óbuda
The Saturday-morning market at Római-part, the idyllic Óbuda embankment lined with bars and eateries, has been in place a long time. In addition to great products, the community here know each other, vendors and customers, with trust built up over the years. The location allows you to buy a kilo of peaches then dander down to the Danube and dangle your legs in the river as you enjoy the fruits of summer.
Venue information
Római-part Market
1031 Budapest, Nánási út 47-49. Sat 8am–1pm
3/5
Pest
One of the oldest and most reliable options for fresh farm food is Pancs gasztroplacc (pictured above), in the courtyard of the Élesztoház on Sunday mornings in District IX, where you can not only pick up excellent fruit and vegetables, but also meet a community interested in conscious nutrition and delicious flavours. In summer, they theme dishes regularly, such as the recent Turkish specialities offered by producers. Like Pancs, the Szimpla Háztáji Market on Sunday mornings at the famed ruin bar of the same name also offers delicious produce – cheeses, meats, oils – sold by friendly, English-speaking vendors. Lunch here usually supports various charities, and a live band keeps you entertained as you browse. One of the lesser-known options is the Friday-afternoon Gazda-Sziget Producer’s Market in Kőbánya, where reliable producers have been selling their wares for many years. Even more local is the Havanna Market in District XVIII, at the housing estate of the same name, where a number of producers offer their own smoked meats and prime cuts on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.
Venue information
Szimpla Háztáji Market
1075 Budapest, Kazinczy utca 14. Sun 9am–3pm
Pancs
1094 Budapest, Tompa utca 26. Sun 9am-2pm
Gazda-Sziget Market
1108 Budapest, Újhegyi sétány 16. Fri 1pm–5.30pm
Havanna
1181 Budapest, Baross utca. Wed & Sat 5am-1.30pm
4/5
Occasional markets
Not everywhere has the opportunity to organise a market every week, but it’s still worth looking out for those which set up at various times during the year. The Anker Kiskertpiac (pictured above) is one, primarily for urban gardeners, focusing on flowers, plants and designer products related to them. This Wednesday, 13 July, and again two weeks later on 27 July, PiacKa will be organised on trendy Buda boulevard Bartók Béla út by DiVino, allowing you to meet producers from different parts of the country. From time to time, once on Dob utca and now at the Westend mall, a Vegan Sunday Market caters to meat- and dairy-free customers. The last occasion was in May, when around 30 producers were involved.
Venue information
Kiskertpiac
1061 Budapest, Anker köz
Vegan Sunday Market
1062 Budapest, Váci út 1-3
PiacKa
1114 Budapest, Bartók Béla út 32. 13 & 27 July 4pm-7pm
5/5
City outskirts
Technically belonging to District II but suburban in feel, the fortnightly market in the garden of Máriaremete Church is worth combining with a day out if you’re there on a Saturday. Modest Wekerle (pictured above) is similar in character, a traditional and specifically organic market is held several days of the week. Again, you can combine it with a little tour, this time of the unique architectural attractions of the nearby Wekerle estate. With so many people moving out of town for a calmer, slower way of life, closer to nature, producer’s markets such as Platz in Pilisvörösvár and the farmer’s markets in Budaörs and Biatorbágy do good business.
Venue information
Máriaremete
1029 Budapest, Hímes utca 3. Every other Sat 7am-11.30am
Wekerlei
1192 Budapest, Gutenberg körút 24. Tue & Fri 7am-noon, bio Thur (4pm-7pm) & Sat (7am-noon)
Platz
2085 Pilisvörösvár, pit lakes. Monthly Sun 9am-2pm
Budaörs
2040 Budaörs, Patkó utca. Sat 6am-2pm
Biatorbágy
2051 Biatorbágy, Baross Gábor utca 1. Sat 7am-noon
