First-Time Foodies’ Guide to the 18 Must-Try Traditional Hungarian Foods and Drinks

Suppose you’re a foodie pair like us, welcome to our post that will make you drool and reach for your stretchy trousers. Caleb and I primarily traveled to eat and drink, and we fully understood the task when living in Hungary.

We had the opportunity to sample practically all of the traditional Hungarian dishes, and we’ve limited it to the absolute best, including chicken paprikash, cabbage strudel, stuffed crepes, cottage cheese noodles, and Esterházy torte.

In this beginner’s guide to what to eat in Hungary, we’ll *only* cover the must-eat meals and drinks, followed by a precise timetable for fitting them all into a short stay. We do not want you to squander calories on subpar local cuisine. Let’s get started with a video showing some of the meals you’ll be consuming!

✔️ Hungarian Food Quick Guide:

🌶️ Use plenty of paprika

🐮 Heavy, rich cuisine with plenty of sour cream

🥘 Comforting meal, ideal for rainy days

🍰 A wide range of cakes

🥩 A lot of flesh

1. Chicken Paprikash

This is one of Taylor’s personal favorites! Chicken paprikash is a stew-like meal with a striking orange hue due to the abundance of paprika, which is a mainstay in Hungarian cuisine, according to Michelin Guide. However, it’s completed with a generous amount of sour cream, making it ridiculously creamy and delicious, and the sour cream balances out the heat. It’s not hot at all!

It’s a very classic dish that is frequently served with chewy, bouncy egg dumplings, and the combination is fantastic. Dang. goooooood.

Discover our favorites in Budapest at Pörc & Prézli Étterem or Kek Rosa.

2. Pörkölt

Consider this the stew version of goulash! It has similar ingredients such as beef, onions, garlic, and plenty of peppers (again, not hot). It cooks for a long period, and the meat (often pig or beef) melts in your mouth!

Find our favorite in Budapest at Ghetto Gulyas.

3. Roasted Duck Leg and Red Cabbage

Duck legs are roasted in their fat for hours until the meat slips off the bone, but the skin remains thin, golden brown, and crispy. Typically served with tangy, tender red cabbage and the pair. *Chefs Kiss*

Dare I suggest they compare to the duck legs we ate in France? *ducks while a croissant is flung at my head.*

Our favorites in Budapest are Cafe Kor (you get two legs – value!) and Hungarikum Bisztro.

4. Lángos

I’m sure you’ve heard of it: deep-fried circles of golden-brown dough the size of your head (really, look at the langos compared to Caleb’s head in the photo) piled high with sour cream and cheese, with the option of adding cabbage, sausage, and onions.

I hope you’ve packed your stretchy jeans. This is a great option for couples like us because it’s large and sharing!

Find our favorite in Budapest at Langos Papi (a tiny window that you must visit!)

5. Goulash Soup

When you think of traditional Hungarian cuisine, you most likely think of *this* dish. It began as a source of sustenance for herders and then became a fixture.

It’s a hearty soup laden with paprika (always), meat, potatoes, and perhaps some little noodles or veggies if the soup-creator is feeling, well, healthy. It’s more “soupy” than we expected, and we’re not upset about it.

Surprisingly, it’s not too spicy. If you want to spice things up, many eateries serve paprika on the side.

Find our favorite in Budapest: Ghetto Gulyas or Szaletly.

6. Fisherman’s Soup (Halászlé)

Fisherman’s soup is similar to French bouillabaisse. The most common fish used in the soup is catfish or carp (our preference), and the recipe is quite simple: onion, broth, paprika (can you see the pattern?), and small bits of fish.

That is it! But, as basic as it sounds, it’s quite tasty! Warning: it is on the “fishy” side, which we like.

Find our favorite in Budapest at Rosenstein.

7. Hungarian Stuffed Crepes

We talk about this dish all the time. It’s a thin crepe stuffed with cooked meat (traditionally veal), onions, paprika, and sour cream. It is then coated in a sauce similar to chicken paprikasha.

It isn’t the prettiest dish, but it’s excellent and well worth the calories.

Find our favorite in Budapest at Negro Mangelica.

8. Stuffed Cabbage (Töltött Káposzta)

Yes, just like the stuffed cabbage your grandmother prepares, which gives me a special spot for stuffed cabbage. We’re talking cabbage packed with ground pig, rice, and plenty of paprika, served over tender, acidic sauerkraut.

This is best eaten in the winter (because of the cozy effect), and we recommend it at Budapest’s Christmas markets if you’re planning a trip!

Discover our favorite in Budapest at Kéhli Vendéglő.

9. Mangalica Pork

Mangalica is a breed of Hungarian pig that produces excellent meat, similar to the Iberian pig in Spain. In Hungary, it is used in a variety of applications such as roasts, chops, and bacon-wrapped meats. You must try it at least once!

Find our favorite in Budapest at Negro Mangelica.

10. Cottage Cheese Noodles (Túrós Csusza)

If you enjoy mac & cheese, which you do because you are a human living on Earth, you must try this simple, tasty, and hearty dish.

Pasta, cottage cheese, sour cream, and a generous serving of crunchy bacon bits. Yes, it is as amazing as it sounds.

Find our favorite in Budapest at Tati Farm to Table.

11. Strudel

Strudel is loved by you, us, and everyone. It’s some kind of filling encased in a golden-brown, thin, and crispy crust. However, the strudel in Hungary is unlike most others!

The range of fillings we tried was astounding! We tried both savory cabbage strudel (our fave!) and intriguing sweet ones such as sour cherry with chestnut plum and caramel.

Find our favorite in Budapest at Strudel Hugo (SO MANY FLAVORS).

12. Kürtőskalács (Chimney Cake)

Another one you’re familiar with, particularly if you’ve visited any European Christmas markets. It’s a piece of dough wrapped around a baking spit, cooked over a fire, and topped with cinnamon sugar!

The outside is quite crispy, while the inside *should* be soft and fluffy if you get a decent one.

PRO TIP: Regardless of how nice it smells, avoid getting a chimney cake from a shack on the pavement or in the subway. They are normally pre-baked and firm, which is why they are so cheap.

This is a great dish for couples to enjoy because you can easily take the layers apart in a spiral and eat half each. Plus, they’re huge!! If your vacation is brief, you might be able to fit some packaged ones in your suitcase as a gastronomic souvenir!

Find our fave in Budapest at Pichler Gelato and Chimney Cake OR Kiraly Kalacs Kurtokalacs (a tiny blue shop). For more information, see our guide to Budapest’s best chimney cakes!

13. Dobos Torte

This one’s for our chocolate lovers (basically everyone!) A famous Hungarian cake created with sponge cake and chocolate buttercream, topped with a glossy, delicious piece of caramel.

It’s quite rich and delicious. Find our favorites in Budapest at Cafe Gerbaud or August Cukrászda.

14. Esterházy Torte

I didn’t think I’d like this because I don’t like walnuts, but I enjoyed it so much that I forgot to take a good photo. 🤣

It’s a flavor-packed cake with layers of walnuts (or almonds) and rum-laced buttercream. Read it again. RUM. LACED BUTTERCREAM.

It has no wheat, but we discovered it to be surprisingly fluffy, soft, and extremely sweet! Our favorite places in Budapest are August Cukrászda, Cafe Gerbaud, and Daubner Cukrászda.

15. Krimes

This is my favorite dessert on the list. If you’ve ever had a Napoleon pastry, you’ll enjoy this. It’s essentially a thick slice of vanilla custard sandwiched between crispy golden-brown puff pastry.

While Ruszwurm claims to be an old king’s favorite and makes theirs with whipped cream (for a more airy texture), we prefer it at Auguszt because 1. it has two layers of puffy pastry and 2. The custard is thicker and more tasty, in our opinion.

You can always try both. Perhaps for comparison? 😏. Our favorites in Budapest are August Cukrászda and Ruszwurm Cukraszda.

16. Gerbeaud Slice

I can’t lie, I don’t particularly enjoy this one, but Caleb does, and it’s a classic, so it’s on the list. I just have a “thing” about orange fruit and chocolate. ← I am strange.

The most intriguing aspect of this cake is that it is not a cake at all: it is layers of pastry crust (similar to pie crust) topped with chocolate, ground walnuts, and apricot jam.

Expect a pie-like, crumbly, and dry texture rather than smooth and fluffy. Find our favorite in Budapest at Cafe Gerbaud.

17. HUNGARY WINE

I’ve said it before and will say it again: Hungarian wine has ruined us for all other wines. The white wine is quite good. Our wine judge acquaintance informed us that they do not export Hungarian wine because they consume it all and it is difficult to learn to read the labels. 😅

The famous wine is Tokaji Aszu, which is extremely sweet but contains no added sugar. The wine develops a fungus called noble rot, which gives it its sweetness. The grapes are then hand-picked and pressed using gravity (which is why it is so expensive!)

Discover our favorite in Budapest at You MUST do this wine tasting in Budapest. Hands down, one of the nicest wine tastings we’ve had throughout Europe. It was well worth the money we spent.

18. Unicum

A powerful, bitter Hungarian herbal liqueur that is commonly used as an aperitif or to make delicious cocktails!

Find our favorite in Budapest at We especially enjoyed the tour to the Zwack Unicum Museum, which is the only place in the world where Unicum is made and can be tasted!

How To Fit All Of These Foods In A Short Journey

Okay, you might think 18 food/drinks is tough to squeeze into a short vacation, but it isn’t if you’re ready to share, which is one of our top travel suggestions for couples! Here’s how we’d plan your days and meals to try everything on this list.

Day 1:

• Breakfast: Head to Strudel Hugo and share some strudels.
• Lunch: Share the duck legs at Cafe Kor. You receive two, and you have a large snack coming up, so just share one main.
• Snack: Share a langos at LangosPapi.
• Dinner: At Getto Gulyas, start with goulash, followed by chicken paprikash and pork.
• Finish your day with a Hungarian wine sampling.

Day 2:

• Breakfast: Stop by Cafe Gerbeaud and split a Gerbeaud slice and Dobos torte.
• Lunch: Share cabbage rolls at Kéhli Vendéglő.
• Snack: Share a chimney cake at one of our recommended restaurants.
• Afternoon excursion to the Zwack Museum to taste Unicum (it is only open until 5).
• Dinner: At Negro Mangelica, split two pork main courses and a Hortobágyi Palacsinta to begin.
• Finish your day with more wine at WINE NOT? Hungarian Wine Bar.

Day 3:

• Breakfast: Stop by August Cukrászda and share a Kreme and Esterházy torte.
• Lunch: Tati Farm To Table offers cottage cheese noodles and whatever else you want.
• Snack: Re-eat your favorite item! 🙂
• Dinner: At Rosenstein, share the fisherman soup and anything else that strikes your attention.
• Finish your day with more wine at Kadarka Wine Bar.

So, dear culinary buddy, that concludes the traditional foods in Hungary that we strongly recommend you try. Yes, there are others, but if you hit these, you’ll have covered all of the ones we enjoyed the most. Please let us know in the comments if you have any questions or what you try!