My first recommendation is what you don't have to do.
Literally everyone that we read or talked to about Budapest said that trying langos is an absolute must while in Budapest. It looks good, doesn't it? Langos is a fried, pastry sort of thing. We were expecting something along the lines of a doughnut. Whatever it is, we are not fans of it. We tried it in the Great Market Hall, as Rick Steves recommends. Simply put, just because everyone says it's good and that you must try it does not mean that it is actually good and that you must try it.
I do not know what Vorosmarty ter (square) is like throughout the year. But I know that in the weeks leading up to Christmas, it is awesome, full of vendors selling everything from knick-knacks to awesome plates of food to chimney cake. We had dinner there one night and went through a line pointing at stuff we wanted. The result was the plate of food above. Then for dessert we had chimney cake. Chimney cake is roasted, as you see above, seasoned (with cinnamon is great!), and then put into a bag so that you tear it off piece-by-piece. The result is incredible. As I said, I'm not sure what happens in Vorosmarty ter during the rest of the year. But if it's anything like Christmas season, go. Oh, and be sure to try the mulled wine. Mmmmm.
One of the simplest, yet best pizzas I have ever had, at Millenium da Pippo, a Sicilian restaurant on Andrassy ut (avenue).
Borsso Bistro, close to the hotel we stayed at, Butterfly Home. Rabbit in a paprika sauce, cucumber salad, and egg souffle was my dinner one night . . . and I was not disappointed.
Food in Budapest is a wonderful delight, full of many different options to try. As is true in most places, do what you can to get off the beaten path. While we were able to enjoy some meals on streets full of tourists and places catering to tourists, we really had to work to make that happen. The most enjoyable experiences were places on side streets, places away from the normal tourist tracks.
Of course, going to Budapest, or any place for that matter, in an off-season is helpful, as you will not be one of the thousands of people walking around the city. Restaurants and other businesses will literally be vying for your dollar, trying to entice you to spend some time with them. And your most memorable experiences will come not only from tasty food but also from experiences where you get a chance to visit with locals, where you are able to get to know the people of a particular locale.
Hungarians love their paprika and with good reason. They have learned how to flavor their foods well with this (is it a spice? an ingredient?). Whatever it is, it's good. And you will want to take some home with you. Try to immerse yourself into the foods the locals eat, staying away places that cater to what you normally eat while at home. Chances are, there will be plenty of those places around, wherever you are. For the most part, I would highly recommend steering clear of those places.
But I do have to confess that one of our last meals in Budapest was one at one of those places. For whatever reason, it sounded good. So we indulged our taste buds with it:
Burger King. Not too bad. And it did provide us with an interesting picture (right before a worker told us to put our camera up), with a whopper that costs 1,370 (forints that is, not dollars). And we thought it interesting to have Heineken as a drink option at a BK.
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