Street food is food that is prepared or cooked by vendors in public spaces like streets, available for immediate consumption. It has since become an integral part of Budapest’s culinary culture and is a very important aspect of it today. Street food brought back many traditional Hungarian meals into the mainstream again by improving their ingredients or by experimenting with different toppings.
Street food in Hungary started in the 1860s in Városliget, according to Múlt-kor, a famous Hungarian history portal. First street foods were traditional “cheap” meals of peasants, like bread rolls, pretzels, and sausages.
The modern street food culture revolution in Budapest started around 2011 with the appearance of LEVES. The founders took a traditional Hungarian dish, improved the recipe with some exciting ingredients, and made it easy to consume on-the-go.
Street food culture was booming in the last decade with the emergence of many different players, foods, ingredients, vibes, and so on. Some of them have unfortunately been closed since. Some of them retained their family-like size but still prosper. And some are now available all around Budapest. Zing Burger is one of the most successful stories of Hungary’s street food history.
Almost all street food places in Budapest are in the central parts of the city, particularly in the 5th, 6th, and 7th districts. However, many street food vendors have worn out their little shops and are now available at several venues all around Budapest.
Today Budapest has many amazing street food places, so it’s difficult to show them all. This is why we collected our top 10 street food places for you to check out! But first, let’s see what type of street food can a student in Budapest eat?
What are the typical street foods in Budapest?
The typical street foods in Budapest are the following.
- Hamburger
- Soup
- Pottage
- Grilled sandwich
- Lángos: Lángos is a traditional Hungarian fried flatbread, made of soft dough, and is consumed mostly during summer in Hungary.
- Chimney cake (kürtőskalács): Chimney cake, also known as kürtőskalács, is a traditional pastry from the Hungarian-speaking regions, notably Szeklerland in Transylvania. Originally consumed for special celebrations, these cylindrical-shaped treats, baked over coals, are now a common sight in daily life.
- Kenyérlángos: Kenyérlángos is basically the Hungarian version of Italian pizza. It’s made of bread dough and is topped with traditional Hungarian toppings like bacon, red onion, and sour cream. We also call it ‘langalló’ or ‘töki pompos’.
Street foods represent today’s Hungarian cuisine perfectly. They are usually neither expensive nor cheap, due to the fact that most of them are easy or quick to cook. But as many special items with extras appeared, prices started to increase accordingly.
How much does street food cost in Budapest?
Street food in Budapest usually costs around 2000-5000 HUF (5-13 EUR / 5.3-14 USD). The price depends on several factors including the following.
- The specific place.
- The specific venue.
- What you order.
- An additional extra (for example French fries, toppings, soda etc.) you ask for your meal.
Top 10 Street Food Places in Budapest Students Shouldn’t Miss
The top 10 street food places in Budapest that international students shouldn’t miss are the following.
- Zing Burger
- Retro Lángos
- LEVES.
- Bors Gasztrobár
- Tölcsibe
- Pizzica
- Budapest Bagel
- Tepsis Budapest
- Las Vegan’s
- Kató Néni Finomságai Downtown (chimney cake)
Zing Burger
Zing Burger is a haven for burger aficionados in Budapest, offering a tantalizing array of gourmet burgers that blend quality ingredients with culinary craftsmanship. Each burger tells a unique story, from the meticulous selection of ingredients to its creation, aimed at providing an extraordinary taste experience.
With multiple locations across Budapest, Zing Burger has become a staple for both locals and students craving a substantial, flavorful bite.
Address: Multiple locations in Budapest. But the most central ones are at Kálvin tér 5, and at the Street Food Karaván in Kazinczy utca 7 in the Jewish Quarter.
- Opening Hours: Varies by location. Usually opens at around 11:00 and is open until 22:00-23:00.
- Price Range: $$
- Current Google Ratings: Ratings vary by location.
- Are vegetarian options available? Yes, there are vegetarian options available.
Retro Lángos
The legendary lángos joint at Arany János utca metro station in Budapest. Although the place was closed for a short period of time, it was revived shortly after. Retro Lángos deserves all the mad props as it makes amazing lángos, personally by the owner itself!
The place creates innovative lángos, mixing the traditional flavours with modern toppings. Retro Lángos has even gluten-free options.
If you are still hungry after a lángos (we doubt that), you can also have some genuine Hungarian palacsinta for dessert, too.
The array of available lángos is uncanny. But if you listen to us, stick to the good old option with cheese and sour cream! 😉
- Address: Budapest, Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út 25, 1065 Magyarország
- Opening Hours: every day 11:00-22:00.
- Price Range: $$
- Current Google Ratings (04.2024): 4.6/5
- Are vegetarian options available? Yes, there are vegetarian options available.
LEVES.
LEVES stands out in Budapest’s vibrant street food scene as a cosy and stylish soup kitchen. The place prides itself on offering a unique variety of soups and grilled sandwiches. Its name ‘leves’ literally means soup.
Reflecting culinary influences from around the globe, the menu features at least five different kinds of soup daily, including flavours as diverse as coconut-and-pumpkin, mint-and-green-pea, Catalan chicken, and even cold raspberry soup. LEVES has become a beloved spot among locals and tourists alike, embodying its catchphrase “Eat the street!”.
Situated near the bustling Great Market Hall at Fővám tér, LEVES. is perfectly positioned for a quick, satisfying bite in the midst of your lectures. But be quick, there is always a long queue of students in front of LEVES., especially during lunch break!
- Address: Vámház körút 14, 1053 Budapest
- Opening Hours: 11:00-16:00, closed on weekends.
- Price Range: $
- Current Google Ratings (04.2024): 4.7/5
- Are vegetarian options available? Yes, there are vegetarian options available.
Bors Gasztrobár
Good food, good ingredients, good food for good customers, and good value for money – that’s the ars poetica of Bors GasztroBár. They create quality street food combined with elements of a traditional bistro kitchen – in other (maths) words: Street food + Bistro = Bors GasztroBár.
They offer traditional and unique soup creations, gourmet grill baguettes in creative flavour combinations, as well as pasta dishes. In addition, extreme, off-the-beaten-track creative syrups, homemade pies and desserts are also available. The food palette at Bors is always in motion.
Not to mention that they are located near Szimpla Kert, one of the best ruin pubs in Budapest, right in the centre. If you need to prepare yourself for a party, then it’s a perfect place to go!
- Address: Kazinczy utca 10., 1075 Budapest
- Opening Hours: every day 11:30-21:00.
- Price Range: $$
- Current Google Ratings (04.2024): 4.8/5
- Are vegetarian options available? Yes, there are vegetarian options available.
Tölcsibe
Tölcsibe brings a unique twist to the Budapest street food scene with its innovative American-inspired cuisine served in edible cones. This quirky and delightful concept not only offers a new way to enjoy chicken but also emphasises the utility of the cone beyond just holding ice cream.
Situated in the Jewish Quarter, Tölcsibe is perfect for students looking for a quick, tasty, and unconventional meal that’s easy to enjoy on the go.
The establishment’s high rating reflects its popularity among locals and visitors alike, making it a must-visit for anyone craving something different. Whether you’re looking for a satisfying lunch, dinner, or a late-night snack, Tölcsibe’s diverse menu and extended hours cater to a wide range of tastes and schedules.
- Address: Wesselényi utca 23, 1077 Budapest
- Opening Hours: Monday to Wednesday: 11:30 – 23:00, Thursday to Friday: 11:30 – 0:00, Saturday: 12:00 – 01:30, Sunday: 12:00 – 23:00.
- Price Range: $$
- Current Google Ratings: 4.6/5
- Are vegetarian options available? Yes, there are vegetarian options available.
Pizzica
Pizzica, led by the de Bartolomeo brothers, stands out with its authentic pizza al taglio, the Roman rectangular-shaped slices that are cut with a scissor. The de Bartolomeo brothers are native Italian guys from Southern Italy, thus ensuring genuine Italian vibes in Pizzica. Students flock here to enjoy the thin, crispy crusts and rich, flavourful toppings.
Slices go for about 2 EUR / 2.2 USD and you’re good with 2-3 slices. Even overly hungry students.
Perfect for a casual date, a group dinner, or for afternoon munchies, Pizzica offers a genuine taste of Naples at student-friendly prices.
- Address: Nagymező utca 21, 1065 Budapest
- Opening Hours: 11:00-23:00, open until 0:00 on Fridays and Saturdays, closed on Sundays.
- Price Range: $
- Current Google Ratings (04.2024): 4.7/5
- Are vegetarian options available? Yes, there are vegetarian options available.
Budapest Bagel
Budapest Bagel, celebrated for its simple yet delicious bagels, is a must-visit in the Kálvin tér area. This spot offers a variety of bagels including ones with cream cheese and cucumber, egg cream with avocado, and duck liver cream with pear, ensuring a delightful experience for every visitor.
- Address: Baross u 4, 1085 Budapest
- Opening Hours: 8:30-17:00, 9:00-17:00 on Sundays
- Price Range: $$
- Current Google Ratings (04.2024): 4.5/5
- Are vegetarian options available? Yes, there are vegetarian options available.
Tepsis Budapest
Tepsis offers a unique twist on pizza with its light, crispy, and beautifully bubbled Roman-style pizza, a rarity in Budapest. Known for its variety, including both Hungarian and authentic Italian combinations, Tepsis became popular for its innovative approach to pizza.
Tepsis can be found in the Jewish Quarter, right next to Szimpla Kert. It’s a must-visit for pizza lovers seeking something different from the traditional Neapolitan style.
- Address: Kazinczy utca 3, 1075 Budapest
- Opening Hours: 12:00-21:00 on Tuesdays-Thursdays-Sundays, 12:00-22:00 on Fridays-Saturdays, closed on Mondays and Wednesdays.
- Price Range: $$$
- Current Google Ratings (04.2024): 4.6/5
- Are vegetarian options available? Yes, there are vegetarian options available.
Las Vegan’s
Las Vegan’s is known for being Hungary’s first vegan food truck hamburger spot, offering a range of plant-based foods including burgers, vegan nuggets, and smoothies. They have several locations across Budapest, each offering delicious vegan hamburgers among other delights. The most central one can be found at Streed Food Karaván in the Jewish district of Budapest.
The place also makes amazing sauces that you can enjoy with your French fries or fried sweet potatoes!
It’s not the cheapest, but is definitely top-tier quality. Las Vegan’s is truly a vegan and vegetarian food lover’s dream come true!
- Address: depends on the specific venue, but the most central one is at Kazinczy utca 18, 1075 Budapest.
- Opening Hours: depends on the specific venue, but the one at Kazinczy utca is open from 11:30 to 23:00, and is open until 0:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.
- Price Range: $$$
- Current Google Ratings (04.2024): 4.2/5
- Are vegetarian options available? Yes, there are vegetarian options available.
Kató Néni Finomságai Downtown
Kató Néni Finomságai Downtown is your way to go, if you want to try the famous Hungarian chimney cake as a street food dessert. Chimney cake is an integral part of Hungarian cuisine and is a delicious dessert for every occasion.
Kürtőskalács can be bought in 2 basic flavours: vanilla and cinnamon. From there, it’s up to you how you customize it at Kató Néni Finomságai Downtown. The available options include several toppings, candy sprinkles, sweet sauces, and you can even fill it with ice cream.
- Address: Október 6. utca 6, 1051 Budapest
- Opening Hours: every day 11:00-22:00.
- Price Range: $$
- Current Google Ratings (04.2024): 4.4/5
- Are vegetarian options available? Yes, there are vegetarian options available.
Honourable Street Food Mentions
Budapest has many great street food places, but not all of them can make it to the top 10. Unfortunately, we can’t list them all. Yet, there are 4 more great places you should also try during your Erasmus in Budapest. These street food places are the following.
- Hi Bing
- Eggi Café
- Tökmag Vegan Street Food
- Anjuna Ice Pops
Hi Bing
Hi Bing is a star in Budapest’s Chinese Quarter in Kőbánya – internationally known as Chinatown Budapest – and is finally available also in the city centre. What is more, in the close proximity of many universities like Corvinus and ELTE!
Hi Bing has gained popularity as the Budapest “hotspot” for Chinese pancakes, known in the old country as jianbing. What is a Chinese pancake? Chinese pancake is a pancake that is made from wheat and lentils, topped with fresh eggs and a secret recipe sauce, then combined with a variety of toppings of your choice.
The result is a crispy and juicy street food classic.
- Address: Vámház körút 16, 1053 Budapest
- Opening Hours: every day 11:00-21:00.
- Price Range: $$
- Current Google Ratings (04.2024): 4.8/5
- Are vegetarian options available? Yes, there are vegetarian options available.
Eggi Café
Eggi is a relatively new street food player in Budapest, where the emphasis is on traditional Korean-style toast sandwiches and croissant waffles. The toasts are stuffed with mouth-watering ingredients like endless cheese, sausage, ham, chicken, bacon, egg, corn, cabbage, and so on.
There are also extra combinations, like honey cheese sandwiches.
The place is open for only about 6 hours per day, so you’d better go there at lunchtime if you want some amazing grilled Korean toast sandwiches!
- Address: Akácfa utca 37, 1072 Budapest
- Opening Hours: every day 9:00-15:30, closed on Sundays.
- Price Range: $$
- Current Google Ratings (04.2024): 4.9/5
- Are vegetarian options available? Yes, there are vegetarian options available.
Hokedli
Hokedli is a relatively new street food place in town in the vicinity of Andrássy Avenue and the National Opera House. They are famous for their pottages (in Hungarian: főzelék) made of several vegetables and with innovative recipes. The ingredients are always freshly bought every morning by the owner herself.
On top of the pottages, students can also buy side dishes for their pottages, like stuffed tomatoes, grilled cheese, BBQ chicken, etc. They also make excellent homemade cakes, as well. But hurry cake is usually sold out quite quickly at early lunchtime!
- Address: Nagymező utca 10, 1065 Budapest
- Opening Hours: 11:30-15:30 every weekday, closed on the weekends.
- Price Range: $$
- Current Google Ratings (04.2024): 4.7/5
- Are vegetarian options available? Yes, there are vegetarian options available.
Anjuna Ice Pops
Honestly, we thought about this a lot. As street food is usually something that is either deep fried in oil, or comes out of an oven, a cold dessert doesn’t seem like something that belongs to a street food list. But we decided to include Anjuna Ice Pops, as it clearly checks all requirements for being a street food place that creates awesome icicles and desserts alike.
The place offers 4 types of products: ice pop, acai bowl, smoothie, and pupsicle for dogs.
Yes, you heard the last one right, Anjuna Ice Pops is a proud advocate of dog rights. Pupsicle is a peanut butter and banana ice cream made from peanut butter and banana, stuck on a doggy treat. It’s a safe, vet-approved treat that not only delights your pet, but also helps other dogs at shelters.
Their aim is to improve the culture of pet ownership in Hungary and promote adoption.
Anjuna Ice Pops currently has 4 venues in Budapest, with the one in Király utca being the most central one. But if you want to enjoy your icicle next to the Danube at Jászai Mari tér (and later go to Margit-sziget), then choose the one at Pozsonyi út 5, 1137 Budapest.
- Address: depends on the actual venue, but the most central one is at Király utca 44, 1061 Budapest.
- Opening Hours: depends on the actual venue, but the aforementioned one is open 10:00-19:00 every day. Others are open 11:00-18:00 every day.
- Price Range: $$$
- Current Google Ratings (04.2024): 5/5
- Are vegetarian options available? Yes, there are vegetarian options available.
