If you conduct a simple search, you can easily uncover a list of random things to buy in Budapest. But do you want to purchase hand-painted eggs, beautiful Ajka crystal glasses, or the weird Raven of Matthias that appears on many Budapest souvenir lists?
Like, what? What kind of memory does THAT produce?
Caleb and I have lived in the city, so we’ve seen all the mass-produced or random stuff you don’t need to purchase. We are avid foodies, thus we believe that the finest things to bring home are FOOD. If you also connect through food, our guide to the best “foodie” souvenirs to bring home from Budapest is ideal for you. Let’s get to it!
Making Meaningful Purchases for Bring Home
One of our recommendations for visiting Budapest is to avoid thinking about selecting the appropriate thing to bring home as simply “shopping for stuff,” because what you buy and bring back should not be some random tchotchke that sits on the shelf collecting dust.
It should be something that reminds you of a specific moment from your trip, or better yet, something that allows you to recreate that memory!
That’s why we love FOOD SOUVENIRS!
Sure, they don’t endure as long as some other Budapest mementos, but you could have a nice date night at home with what you brought back and reconnect over those special memories. That’s a lot more memorable than looking at that stupid keychain you got for $1, which doesn’t even remind you of anything special other than the fact that you traveled to Budapest, right?
10 Foodie Souvenirs We Brought Home
1. Tokaji wine
The most famous wine in Hungary is Tokaji Aszu, which is extremely sweet but contains no added sugars. Noble rot is a fungus that causes the wine to be sweet. The grapes are then hand-harvested and pressed using gravity (which is why it’s so expensive!).
You can get less expensive ones that are not gravity-pressed (which is what we did!) and they taste just as nice!
It tastes similar to fig Newtons if you know what they are. Or, ultimately, figs!
We purchased a bottle that says 5 Puttonyos on it. Simply make sure it says Tokaj ASZU. Just because it says Tokaj doesn’t guarantee it’s this sweet wine; it could simply be wine from the Tokaj region.
2. White wine
Aside from Tokaj Aszu, Hungary makes other wonderful white wines. Caleb claimed they made him dislike all white wines, even though they are my favorite white wines in the world.
Most of them are dry yet fruity with a hint of minerality (did I just sound fancy?), and Preselo is our favorite brand. We appreciate their furmint, so we brought back three bottles!
3. Bull’s Blood Wine
Hungary is better known for its white wine, but its most famous red wine is Bulls Blood Wine, which comes from Eger, just outside Budapest!
According to folklore, when Hungarians and Ottomans fought, the Hungarian warriors went up via Eger and drank a dark-colored wine. The Hungarians won, and the Ottomans said it was because they drank bull’s blood.
4. Unicum
This is a very traditional Hungarian herbal liquor that is powerful and bitter. It is most typically drunk as an aperitif, but it also makes excellent cocktails; we currently have some on our bar that we enjoy using for mixology!
Where to buy: any supermarket or liquor store. However, if you want to understand the SUPER fascinating history, go to the Zwack Museum and enjoy a taste. It is only made in one location in the globe!
5. Palinka
If you enjoy vodka, you’ll probably want to try some Palinka. It’s a fruit brand with a very high alcohol content. It comes in a variety of flavors, and you should consume it in moderation or risk death. (Exaggerated, but you get the point 😅.)
Where to purchase: any liquor store.
6. Stuhmer Chocolate
Stuhmer is Budapest’s best chocolate (unless you prefer dark chocolate). There’s no cream there. I crack me up.) Throughout Budapest, you’ll find many establishments dedicated to selling their chocolate, and they have a wide variety of options, including bars, pralines, truffles, and more.
Bonus: You can get it all packaged in boxes, making this an extremely simple keepsake to pack. If they stay long enough to accompany you home.
Store Locations:
Budapest, Teréz krt. 36, 1067 Hungary.
📍 Budapest, Pozsonyi út 9, 1137 Hungary.
📍 Budapest, Deák Ferenc U. 21, 1052 Hungary.
📍 Budapest: Bartók Béla út 18, 1111 Hungary.
📍 Budapest, Október Huszonharmadika u. 8-10, 1117 Hungary.
7. Hungarian Noodles
After one customary meal, you’ll see that Hungarians enjoy egg noodles in their dishes, particularly our favorite nokedli, which is similar to German spaetzle.
Noodles are simple to pack, and it’s enjoyable to come home and cook for dinner to transfer you back to eating at a classic Hungarian extreme (restaurant).
Where to buy: Go to the central market hall and buy from local noodle artisans (is that what you call them?)
8. Paprika
Everything in Hungary has paprika, although it isn’t as spicy as you may assume! If you plan to reproduce any Hungarian meals when you return, you should pick up some paprika. Even if you aren’t, try it in some standard dishes.
Where to buy: any supermarket or souvenir shop.
9. Cured sausages
Hungary has an abundance of sausage. They pair perfectly with wine! Kolbasz is a catch-all phrase for sausage, which includes everything from smoked sausage to liver sausage to paprika-heavy sausage.
Where to buy: Any grocery shop, deli, or central market hall. Falu Delikat is one of our favorite gastronomic locations in Budapest.
10. Mixes and Sauces
The cheapest and most portable meal item on our list! Why not go to the grocery store and get some pre-mixed seasonings/canned sauces for your favorite Hungarian dishes, such as chicken paprikash or hortobagyi palacsinta crepes?
This is one of the most useful gifts because it makes for a simple, enjoyable dinner when you return home!
General Things to Buy in Budapest That Are Both Packable and Useful
Now, if you want to pick up some mementos that aren’t just for eating, here’s a list of what to buy in Budapest that we think are both useful and memorable:
- Magyar Kártya, or Hungarian playing cards, are used for domestic games.
- Hand-embroidered linens because some of them are stunning. You can always use a nice napkin, tablecloth, or whatever.
- Postcards. We collect postcards from wherever we travel. While not particularly helpful, they are memorable and easy to transport!
- Lavender things. There are also lavender fields near Budapest, so you might pick up some fragrant bath/spa products to take home.
That concludes our list of the top gourmet souvenirs or gifts to bring home from your amazing holiday in Hungary! While this isn’t a list of 40,000 items to buy, we believe it’s the most useful, portable (and delicious!) list available!
[…] visiting new cocktail bars while traveling is one of Caleb’s and my favorite activities! Budapest is well-known for its nightlife, but it offers much more than clubs and ruined pubs, and the […]