Whether you’re a traveller who delves deep into the culture of the country you’re visiting, with its customs and traditions, or you’ve never considered tourism like this before, this is your starting point; breakfast.

Maybe you just need a strong coffee first thing in the morning to get you going, or maybe you’re someone who enjoys a hearty, protein-packed breakfast. Whatever you are, and whatever you’re looking for, breakfast is an essential part of both your day-to-day life and your Budapest getaway.

What to drink at a Hungarian breakfast

Let’s start with the drink. You can’t be a real Hungarian if you order a juice. Yes, you can find them everywhere, but they are not exactly the most typical thing you can drink.

If you’re a fan of coffee or tea, you’re in luck, because that’s how breakfast is usually served in Hungary. They have a wide variety of both, although coffee is usually served with milk or black.

Traditional Hungarian breakfasts

Before you dive into its gastronomy, before you try Gulyás, Lángos and Kürtóskalács, the so-called Chimney cake, you have to start at the beginning, step by step. So here’s what to eat if you want to be a Hungarian on the streets of Budapest.

Bundás kenyér 

Hungarian frech toast – this could be the summary of one of the country’s most common breakfasts. The fried slice of bread is battered with milk and can be sweetened with sugar, cinnamon or honey, as well as being topped with ham and cheese.

Körözött 

A cream cheese that has its origins in Slovakian gastronomy, although here it has evolved in a very particular way to become a local breakfast dish. The key? The country’s condiment, paprika. In addition to cheese and paprika, this cream cheese has onions and sour cream.

Hagymás túrókrém 

If you remove the characteristic paprika from the Körözött, you get a Hagymás túrókrém with the same texture but a completely different taste.

Hideg tál 

This breakfast is fantastic when you are at the end of the week or the end of the month, and you take leftovers from one place or another. Obviously, on holiday it’s very difficult to have this breakfast, as it’s more for a household. But you can always order a little bit of everything in the cafeteria and see what it feels like.

Paraszt reggeli 

Woke up feeling like eating the world? Well, before you eat it, start with a Paraszt reggeli, which is basically an omelette with onion, tomato, bacon and a typical Hungarian sausage called kolbász.

Quick typical Hungarian breakfast

Lekváros bukta 

The time has come for those who, in addition to coffee, need something sweet for breakfast. Maybe not every day, but you’re on holiday and you deserve a little treat, don’t you think?

Lekváros bukta is a bun filled with different varieties of jam. Although peach is the most common, you can find them filled with other flavours as well as ham and cheese.

Pogácsa 

This type of bread, in the shape of a ball, is very common in Eastern and Central Europe, although in each region it has a little local touch that makes it different in each place where you try it. It is usually covered with seeds and inside you can find anything from ham and cheese to minced meat.

Kakaós csiga 

Another well-known Hungarian pastry. It is very similar to a cinnamon shell, although the inside is usually coated with chocolate and sugar.