My Vegan Foodie guide to Budapest, Hungary

Budapest is one of my favourite cities to visit and explore. It’s breathtakingly beautiful with a spa or café around any corner (so what’s not to like!). I’ve been there more times than I can remember and I always love to return to enjoy more of the beauty of the city, either during winter or the hot summer season.

I also love the new emerging young Budapest, which is very creative and chic. So I really think Budapest have the best of both worlds.

Date updated: 9/8/2017 

Sáo 哨

This is a real gem located in District VII (the Jewish Quarter which I highly recommend). They serve delicious vietnamese food. The food is fresh and the staff is very friendly. They will help you identify what is vegan on the menu. We went back there for a second evening. Since the food is lovely and the setting is super romantic and cosy.

 +36 20 319 4099

 instagram.com/sao_foodandbar

New York Cafe

This is truly the most beautiful cafe in the world. Opulent, gilded and it feels like being inside a dream while sipping on your tea. When I was there we went for high tea, and as New York Cafe serves, coffee, cakes and Hungarian cuisine we had to pre-order a vegan version. They do accommodate allergies or food choices, just call ahead and make a reservation. You can get into New York cafe without one, however, I do recommend booking a table.

This is such a wonderful experience with the setting, the service and the ambience of the surroundings.

Located:
Budapest, Erzsébet krt. 9-11,
1073 Hungary
Phone: +36 1 886 6167

Mazel Tov

This is a cosy if you don’t know it’s there, you don’t know about it kind of place. It serves middle easter food which is really tasty and the portions are huge (just be warned). I ordered loads of hummus, baba ganoush, carrot salad, beets etc, and I thought that the dishes would be small, but they were really huge and I was so embarrassed since I was unable to eat all that yummy food :)

The setting is quite unique with its huge brick ceilings and garden and it’s perfect for a casual dinner.

Located:
Budapest, Akácfa u. 47, 1072 Hungary
+36 70 626 4280

Vega City

Vega City is like a deli where you order over the counter and either eat in or take away. Everything is vegan and they serve a selection of both Hungarian, western food and smoothies.

Located:
Budapest, 1053, Múzeum krt. 23,
1053 Hungary

Fekete

A coffee place where you can pop in for a coffee, I used to recommend this place before as they made me vegan sandwiches, however, they don’t have this on the menu anymore. So if you are looking for a decent cup of coffee, you can go here. But I would recommend Budapest Baristas instead, which are located just a few metres away.

Located:
Budapest, Múzeum krt. 5,
1053 Hungary
+36 1 787 7503

Budapest Baristas

Located in the same street as Fekete on the Museum Quarter you will find Budapest Baristas. As I’ve had real trouble finding good coffee in Budapest when I first visited, I’ve collected a few gems where I can get good coffee and enjoy a latte with soy milk.

I enjoy their coffee since they have a selection of plant-based milk to choose from. This time around it became our regular breakfast spot. They offer fresh, healthy food for breakfast and they are a rare gem in Budapest. 

Their chia pudding is vegan and is made with creamy coconut milk and sugar-free raspberry jam. They have a few items on their menu which are vegan such as the yam toast with avocado – I loved this! And the bagel which you can order with avocado as well. My favourite is the yam toast with avocado and an order of extra mushrooms on top.

They also have one vegan cake, which I never got the opportunity to try as I don’t eat cake for breakfast.

Located:
Budapest, Múzeum krt. 15,
1088 Hungary

Cafe Gerbeaud

This is Hungary’s prime chocolate maker which also has a cafe. It’s beautiful and worth a visit to enjoy the setting as well as the adjoining chocolate shop. By high-quality (non-dairy) vegan chocolate bars in opulent packaging. They do have the best dark chocolate-dipped roasted almonds I’ve ever had.

The menu in the bistro is not the most vegan-friendly but they have tea and I really recommend a visit just for the chocolate shop and to enjoy the setting.

They do however have ice cream in the summer, so I highly recommend sitting outside and watching the square and enjoying their dairy-free ice creams. I had raspberry and lemon, both divine!

Located:
Budapest, Vörösmarty tér 7-8, 1051 Hungary
Phone: +36 1 429 9000

Innio 

This is a wine bar. I’ve only had bread, baba ganoush and champagne here. I enjoy going to this place in the summer, to sit outside and drink champagne and watch people. I don’t go for the food, it’s more of a go-to place for me to enjoy a quiet evening in Budapest during summer – and champagne of course ;)

Located:
Budapest, Október 6. u. 9, 1051 Hungary
+36 70 311 1010

Bio ABC

A quaint organic food shop if you need to stock up on vegan snacks.

Located:
Budapest, Múzeum krt. 19, 1053 Hungary
+36 1 317 3043

1000 Tea – cafe and tea shop

This is a real gem. It’s accessible from one of the main tourist trap streets in Budapest. (Don’t ask me which one..) However, the shop/cafe got a very unnoticeable entrance from the street. You step away in an entrance away from the street and walk straight into a small quaint courtyard with small chairs and tables, with bamboo trees decorated with tea strainers amongst other things. They have a large selection of the world’s finest teas which you can enjoy. Their menu features a range of vegan options, clearly marked so. I recommend their Baba Ganough with warm pita bread. So nummy. We went there twice and the food, tea and service were absolutely top-notch.

I managed to get my hands on some Pu-Erh Tea – I haven’t been able to buy this since moving away from London.

The shop owner and staff are really friendly. The courtyard offers a nice place to sit, serene, away from the tourists with a nice shady area to relax and just enjoy the moment with a teacup in hand.

Located:
Address: Budapest, Váci u. 65, 1056 Hungary
+36 1 337 8217

Their website: www.1000tea.hu

The hummus bar

I love, love, love hummus so I could eat here every day! I loved my plate of hummus with mushrooms, bread, and different hot spicy sauces. The staff is absolutely lovely and the prices are great. I ate well and a lot of food for maybe 1000 forint.

Their website: www.hummusbar.hu

Located:
several locations, see the website for details.

Tokio

This is a Japanese-style restaurant. I had a cucumber salad with seaweed and grilled tofu on the side the first time we went.
The second evening we went there I ordered a salad with herbs, tofu and a wasabi dressing. It was very, very nice. The vegetables were fresh and they made a nice and full mix of the different herbs, sprouts and salad leaves.

The staff at Kyoto very friendly and open to any special requests. We ate there twice during our stay because they could accommodate my request and they had great cocktails for dessert.

UPDATE: This used to be a restaurant named Kyoto, but it’s now Tokio, however, the menu seems similar.

Read more about them: tokiobudapest.com/en

Located:
Budapest, Széchenyi István tér 7-8, 1051 Hungary
+36 1 801 9862

Molinari

Only have vegan sweets/cakes. It says on Happy Cow that they have vegan sandwiches but they don’t, I was there twice. So if you visit go for coffee and cake! :) 

Located: at several places around the city, view the website for details.

Nobu 

This was a true fine dining experience with perfect food and waiters taking the best possible care of you. Of course, I loved our dinner there. I would advise that you pre-book a table and also tell them that you are vegan. I thought that they would naturally have “accidental” vegan dishes on the menu when I quickly went through it online. This was not the case, but they made three dishes vegan for me, one of which was not on the menu. The food was incredible in presentation, texture and flavour. 

Located: 
Budapest, Erzsébet tér 7-8, 1051 Hungary

Karavan 

This is one of the food courts in the old Jewish district. They have one vegan stand and that’s the Las Vegans burger van with a selection of different burgers and fries. 

I had the seitan burger, with vegan cheese, mayo and broccoli sprouts which was one of the best vegan burgers that I’ve ever had. And trust me, I’ve had plenty of vegan burgers in my days. 

Located: 
Budapest, Kazinczy u. 18, 1075 Hungary

Napfényes Étterem – not a great experience :(

I was going to order some traditional Hungarian food until I got seduced by their pizza menu…and I ordered a Calzone instead.

Now, I’ve heard great reviews about this restaurant from other vegans. But I’m so sad to write that I am disappointed.

We specifically asked to have our food delivered to us at the same time. My friend ordered a Gulash and bread, I ordered a Calzone.

They brought my friends food first. Then 20 minutes later my food arrived…
The waitress kind of forgot us after that, I wanted to order a dessert. I gave up waiting so I went up to the counter and ordered from their pastry selection, and a cup of tea.
I waited for 20 minutes, but still no dessert or tea.
So I went and reminded the waitress, and she confessed and said she forgot the tea and cake I ordered.
Ten minutes later I went and reminded her again about my dessert and the cup of tea.
Then the dessert came and my cup of tea, might I add was a bag and hot water I was served.
We asked for the cheque straight away as you might understand.
No – I didn’t tip them a dime. I also reminded her that I ordered a bottle of water, that I paid for before leaving.
I hope they employ more people and that the next time I visit, they give me a better experience.

Perhaps going there in the early evening is better. This was the worst restaurant experience I’ve had – ever. And I’m so sad to share that since it’s very special for me to go out and dine vegan, since leaving the UK and relocating to Sweden :(

Their website: napfenyesetterem.hu/english

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