Top five places to enjoy vegan food in Budapest, Hungary
My husband and
I love travelling. It is the biggest passion we share and we cannot imagine our
lives without it. Living in Europe gives you a unique opportunity to just jump
on a plane and in a matter of an hour or two you are in a different country. We
enjoy these weekend trips a lot and on average we embark on one every month.
Budapest has been on my husband’s bucket list for some time. My family and I
have been there before as my parents chose it for their 25th wedding
anniversary trip. On one rainy afternoon in August in 2018, I came across an
amazing flight deal to the Hungarian capital. The decision was quick. An hour
later we booked both plane tickets and a little apartment in the city centre
for a weekend away in November.
And so another
travel adventure began…
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| Danube River, Budapest |
With its scenic
setting on the two sides of the Danube River, blend of old and modern
architecture and rich cultural scene, many describe Budapest as the ‘Paris of
the East’.
Traditional
Hungarian food is sweet paprika-spicy, rich and hearty. It is dominated by
stews, soups and pancakes, mostly meat-based. However, the recent explosion of
fresh and flavoursome vegan food has added another dimension to this central
European cuisine.
My travel
research is never limited to just most recommended places to see and visit. In
fact, the food research is what I enjoy most. I start with the Happy Cow
directory of vegan restaurants, browse through reviews on the TripAdvisor and
finally read blog posts of fellow vegan travellers. What I am always keen to
find are these little slightly undiscovered gem cafes and restaurants, as well
as places that have gone ‘an extra mile’ to turn traditional dishes (often
containing animal products) to 100% plant-based ones.
Prior to even
leaving the UK, I had a feeling that Budapest will surprise me. And it
certainly did. 10 years after my first visit to Hungary, I was amazed to see
how much Budapest has changed, both in terms of tourist infrastructure, but
also restaurant scene. Everywhere we went we were passing by places that were
either 100% vegan or were advertising special menus for people who opt in for cruelty-free
food. We quickly realised that three days will not be enough to try all of
these amazingly-looking dishes, but we certainly made the most of our visit.
Here I would
like to present you my top five places to enjoy vegan food in the vibrant city
of Budapest.
Las Vegans
Karaván udvar: Kazinczy utca 18, 1073 Budapest
Karaván udvar: Kazinczy utca 18, 1073 Budapest
Allee
Street Food: Váli
utca 6, 1113 Budapest
Rácskert: Dob
utca 40, 1073 Budapest
Currently
located in 3 locations around Budapest, Las Vegans serves delicious plant-based burgers,
crispy fries and fresh smoothies. The selection includes Forest (with a
mushroom patty), Indian Chickpea, Coated (with vegan fried cheese), Carrot,
Seitan and Thai Burger. Served with internationally flavoured sauces and
toppings, such as curry sauce, onion jam, pineapple salsa or peanut sauce, they
truly are a delicious explosion in your mouth. The smoothies are packed with
vitamins and other nutrients, providing a refreshing end to what may be
considered a ‘fast food’ meal.
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| Las vegans - food stand |
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| Las Vegans: Seitan burger and Green Glow smoothie |
Kozmosz
Hunyadi
Tér 1, 1067 Budapest
Tel: +36 20
514 6663
100% plant-based restaurant Kozmosz is located in a quiet
neighbourhood of Budapest, not too far from the historic city centre. It serves
delicious traditional Hungarian dishes that have been ‘veganised’, such as bean
goulash, seitan stew with ‘nokedli’ dumplings or ‘cottage-cheese csusza’
(pasta). Other more international food staples to enjoy include mushroom ragout
with coconut milk, beetroot burger or Greek Briam (Baked Courgettes and
Potatoes). If you have a sweet tooth, you should definitely try the layered
pancake or one of the other seasonal desserts.
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| Kozmosz - Barbecue seitan plate |
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| Kozmosz: a selection of seasonal desserts |
Simple, hearty and no-fuss. Three words that can best
describe this restaurant that serves traditional Hungarian cuisine. Located
between the Nyugati Main Railway Station and the Houses of Parliament, Lecso Magyaros
Gyorsetterem is a convenient spot to enjoy food that feels both
homemade and authentic. At lunchtime, the restaurant offers a selection of more
than 50 self-service buffet style dishes. At a dinner time, one can enjoy table
service experience with even more menu items to choose from. The vegan options
include a variety of vegetable soups (just check that no cream was added),
fried vegetables, salads and pickles (check for mayonnaise) and rice and
pasta-based dishes. Very affordable prices and quick and friendly service.
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| Lecso Magyaros Gyorsetterem: soup and a main course from the lunch buffet |
This small and cosy café and chocolate shop offers an impressive selection
of artisan and handmade pralines and heart-warming hot chocolates. Aztek
Choxolat is a perfect spot if you are looking for a calm and
relaxing atmosphere on a busy sightseeing day. You can find it tucked away in a
lovely courtyard just across from the Great Synagogue and the centre of the
Jewish Quarter. The vegan options include all the dark chocolate-based hot
chocolates and a selection of rich Hungarian and Aztek chocolate pralines.
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| Aztek Choxolat: Thick cinammon-flavoured dark hot chocolate |
And last but definitely
not least…
Tel: +36 70
934 8836
This beautiful rose ice cream shop and little bistro
restaurant located near St Stephen’s Basilica is now not only one
of the best spots for desserts, it is also a real vegan paradise.
Its renewed in June 2018 menu offers mouth-watering, colourful and healthy
breakfast and lunchtime dishes. Amongst them are tropical smoothie bowl, chai-spiced
oat porridge, grilled chickpea omelette, as well as a selection of sandwiches,
salads and mezzes. My personal highlight, however, were the cakes and coffee.
The chai-spiced banana chocolate cake with caramel-chocolate cream and
buckwheat crunch was rich and delicious. However nothing can beat the spiced
apple cake with hazelnut cream – honesty the best vegan cake I have ever eaten!
All of this enjoyed with a creamy coconut or oat milk latte. Pure heaven!
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| Gelarto Bistro: banana-chocolate and apple-hazelnut cake |
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