Last summer we had the chance to experience the Sziget Festival in Budapest and to combine it with the amazing food culture of the capital of Hungary! Typical of Central Europe, its staples are based on bell peppers, paprika and smoked sausage, without forgetting sour cream and cheese… From street food staples such as the fried Langosz covered with cheesy potatoes or the famous cylindrical cake, to fancy restaurants dating back to the Magyar Empire as well as amazing markets ready to enchant your palate, Budapest is definitely worth a food travel!
And you are lucky, there are still spots to visit the Sziget Festival this year from the 7th to the 13th of August :)
Here are our top 9 of what you should try in Budapest
Tarhonya : this typical egg-based pasta is fried in butter or lard before being boiled, and is usually served with meat or vegetable stews, fried sausages or in salads.
Lecsó is a Hungarian speciality also found in Czech Republic, Slovak, Poland or Croatia. This vegetable stew made of hungarian wax pepper and tomatoes as well as onions, and of course paprika powder is thick, sweet, and simply a vegetarian’s dream. It can be served alone with bread, or with chicken cutlets.
Goulyas is probably the national dish of Hungary. This medieval meat and vegetables stew is seasoned with paprika and other spices such as caraway seed, cayenne or bay leaves. It can be made from lamb, beef, pork or veal and can be either served as a soup or as a stew, and dressed with lemon juice, red wine or sour cream!
Palinka is a traditional fruit brandy originating from the Transylvania Region and mainly made out of plums, apricots, apples, pears and cherries. Protected by a European Geographical indication, it can only be produced in Hungary and in four provinces of Austria.
Kolbasz designs different kinds of sausages, that come from every region of the country with their own special recipes and tastes. Kolbasz may be boiled, dried or smoked, they can be eaten as cold cuts or served in main dishes with stews and salads. These sausages typically contain bacon, ground pork, beef, lamb, paprika (surprise!) garlic, pepper, nutmeg and a huge variety of local spices. They can also be eaten directly at butcher shops, with mustard and sauerkraut.
Kürtőskalács is hollow, cylinder shaped pastry made from a sweet yeast dough roasted over charcoal. Coated with castor sugar, cinnamon or walnut, this caramelised spit cake is usually sold on festivals and outdoor events.
Fröccs is a sort of Spritzer, a mixed drink made out of white wine and carbonated water, popular in Germany, Austria and Hungary. Fröccs exist in multiple variations in Hungary with different proportions of wine and water.
Lepeny: is a sort of thick pancake garnished with sour cream, bacon and cheese. In the Sziget Festival it was grilled with a hot iron.
Lángos : Can’t say no to fried dough! Langos is flat bread made with flour, yeast, water and salt. You’ll frequently see it topped with mashed potatoes, sour cream yogurt, grated cheese, ham or sausages, but also with sugar or jam.
So, when are you going?
