Food & Drink

Table manners can be quite formal in Hungary, and sitting down to dinner can be a real family affair, as it’s common for multiple generations and extended families to live together.

The cuisine of Hungary is based on its ancient agricultural practices,  local traditions, and the country’s main ethnic group, the Magyans who had originally come from the Central Asian Steppe. Traditional dishes are centred around meat, vegetables, fruits, bread, cheese and – hot paprika – the result of Turkish influence. It features heavily in cooking, so expect a bit of spiciness (there is a sweet paprika too, if spice makes you feel funny).

Goulash is a popular national dish. Somewhere between a soup and a stew, made with beef, potatoes, paprika, and sometimes with Hungarian gnocchi. It’s origin lies in the simple country meals prepared by shepherds and cattle herders over centuries.

Gundel palacsinta is a dessert of pancakes with walnuts, raisins, lemon rind, and chocolate sauce with rum. It’ll warm your heart. Chicken paprikash is cooked in a paprika cream sauce and served with dumplings or egg noodles, and kelbasz is a Hungarian paprika spiced sausage.

Langos is a delicious deep-fried bread baked with cheese, ham, and garlic. You can find it everywhere, as it’s a popular street food, centuries old. Toltott kaposzta  are Hungarian cabbage rolls made with cooked cabbage leaves wrapped around meat, rice, and spice mixture.

Sweet dessert wines are popular in Hungary. Tokaji Aszu is a wine that comes from the Hungarian Furmint vines from the northeastern part of the country. It features notes of honey, apricot and botrytis. Bull’s Blood is a dry, rich, and full-bodied wine from the Eger wine region – it pairs nicely with Hungarian cuisine. 

Palinka is a strong fruit brandy and can be sweet or quite fiery. Unicum is a liqueur made from a mixture of more than forty spices, consumed often as a digestif. Hungarian beer is generally crisp, and lightly hopped, and the craft scene is on the rise. Froccs is a popular Hungarian summer drink made from wine and sparkling water - also crisp, and refreshing.

Tipping is expected, usually 10%, in cash.