Essential Food, Wine, and Dining Experiences in Hungary 

When in Hungary, be prepared to eat and drink … and then do it some more. To fully experience Hungary there are some food, drinks, and experiences that just cannot be missed. We have compiled what we think are the most essential (and tastiest) ones, and we hope you can check all of them off! This list is in no particular order, and will update it from time to time (as our cravings change). Many of Taste Hungary’s food and wine experiences also highlight the items on this list. What have we missed here? What are your Essential Hungarian food and wine experiences which should be on this list?

1. Lángos

2. Unicum

3. Gulyás (Goulash)

4. Neighborhood Markets

5.  Pezsgő (Sparkling Wine)

6. Mangalica (Mangalitsa)

7.  Nagy Vásárcsarnok (Central Market Hall)

8.  Római Part (Romai Strand)

9. Picnics

10. Coffee: Historic Coffeehouses, Retro Eszpresszos, and 3rd Wave Coffee

11. Rétes (Strudel)

12. Nose To Tail Eating

13. Fröccs (Spritzer)

14. Zsíros kenyér (“Fatty” Bread)

15. Szalonnasütés (Bacon Roasting)

16. Szódásüveg (Soda Syphons)

17. Michelin-Starred Restaurants

18. Romkocsma (Ruin Bars)

19. Dobos Torta

20. Pálinka

21. Túró Rudi

22. Jewish Cuisine

23. Velőscsont (Bone Marrow)

24. Tokaj

25. Indigenous Grape Varietals

26. Liba/Kacsa Máj (Foie Gras)

27. Kacsa (Duck) and Goose (Liba)

28. Szilvás Gombóc (Plum Dumplings)

29. Szörp (Fruit Syrup)

30. Taste Hungary Tours

31. Étkezde (Lunch Rooms)

32. Cukrászdas (Patisseries)

33.  Fagylalt (Ice Cream)

34. Mák (Poppy Seeds)

35. Dió (Walnuts)

36. Húsleves (“Meat Soup”)

37. Hideg Gyümölcs Leves (Cold Fruit Soup)

38. Töltött Paprika & Töltött Káposzta (Stuffed Peppers & Stuffed Cabbage)

39. Palacsinta  (Pancakes)

40. Furmint

41. Holiday Traditions

42. Paprika and Peppers

43. Disznótor (Pig Slaughter)

44. Drinking From Unmarked Plastic Bottles

45. Házi Barack & Szilva Lekvár (Homemade Apricot and Plum Jam)

46. Hungarian Wine Country

47. Artisan Cheese

48. George Láng’s The Cuisine of Hungary

49. Lake Balaton: Corn on the Cob, Lángos, and Artisan Products

50. Craft Cocktails

51. Bogrács (Cauldron)

52. Savanyúság (Pickles)

53. Craft Beer

54. Tökmag (Pumpkin Seeds)

55. Fresh-Picked Fruit

56. Meggy (Sour Cherries)

57. Gomba (Mushrooms)

58. Halászlé (Fisherman’s Soup)

59. Házi Fánk (Homemade Donuts)

60. Krémes

61. Hidegtál (Cold Plate)

62. Yeast-Raised Desserts

63. Flódni

64. Fried Food (with Homemade Tartar Sauce)

65. The Tasting Table

66. Gyula Krúdy’s Novels

67. Etyek

68. Budapest’s Natural Springs

69. Bor Mámor Bénye

70. Budapest Wine Festival

71. Sólet (Cholent)

72. Lecsó

73. Maximilian

74. Rozé (Rosé)

75. Tokaji Esszencia

76. Rákóczi Túrós

77. Kürtöskalács (Chimney Cake)

78. Leves (Soup)

79. Seasonal Eating

80. Pogácsa

81. Red Wine from Southern Hungary

82. Sörözős and Borozós

83. Hungarian Breakfast

84. Kovászos Uborka (Fermented Cucumbers)

85. Tészta (Pasta)

86. Paprikás Csirke (Chicken Paprikás)

87. Lunch at a Butcher

88. Pork: Sausage, Bacon, and More

89. Főzelék

90. Zsír (Fat)

91. A Spájz (The Pantry)

92. Home-cooking

93. Túró (Curd Cheese)

94. Poncichter Ragu (Soproni Bean Stew)

95. Pörkölt (Stew)

96. Bodzalé (Elderflower Juice)

97. Wine from Somló

98. Téliszalámi (Winter Salami)

99. Gesztenyepüré (Chestnut Puree)

100. Sunday Lunch