2018 is still blossoming with new streetfood places, social community style foodie gatherings. The new trend  is the uniqueness of the pop-up style: once in a lifetime editions with options for re-visiting due to the ever-changing menu, whenever you visit, there is always something new to try. Some of their history started with friends and family events, followed by the Restaurant Day where a wider audience gave its feedback. Later, the success came however they tend to remain open not just for a one-night stand, but for a couple of weeks or even for a whole season or more. Try re-thought Hungarian specialities with environment-friendly solutions, from little kiosks serving food with sustainability efforts in their mind, recycling cups, plates or using the selected trash manner to open-air minimal, sometimes industrial spheres. A big thumbs up for them supporting the sustainability! Are you more adventurous? Pop-up dinners are also hip where you can mingle with the locals in their own home. Are you more passionate? Gather a bunch of friends and you can cook your own dinner step-by-step at Budapest Makery.

Restaurant Day

The original international event was created by thousands of people organizing and visiting pop-up restaurants worldwide. The main idea is to have fun, share new food experiences and enjoy our common living environments together. Pop-up restaurants can be opened and local food carnivals can happen anytime and anywhere.  All restaurateurs are personally responsible for all actions related to running their restaurants. The pop-up event can happen anywhere: at a home, at the office, on a street corner, in the host's garden or inner courtyard, at a park, etc. – only  imagination is the limit. Unfortunately, as this international gathering has been run with volunteer workforce, the organisers run low on workforce and had to close down their sites, including the interactive map.  The Budapest event has it's own Facebook page, find all up-coming infos here with separate events in their feed. Restaurant Day is celebrated four times every year, prepare for the next Budapest one, save the date: 26-27 May! 

Budapest Makery

The first DIY restaurant, with a unique method: the menu of the DIY restaurant changes weekly and there are recipes, which are relatively easy to be prepared. You arrive, select the appealing dish then get all the ingredients on wooden plates.Everything is prepared, cut into cubes, strips, measured out, the spices are pre-selected. With the help of a tablet: you follow a video of the preparation of the selected dish. Actually there is no recipe, no detailed description, you  learn step-by-step from videos. The meal is prepared in the back of the restaurant on an induction cooker, when you’re ready, the table is set and you consume your culinary art. Address: District 7., Dob Street 38. , booking is a must: +36 30 504 0640 or visit their Facebook page

Eat & Meet

Get a unique glimpse into a family’s daily life and go behind the scenes. Enjoy a genuine and home-cooked Hungarian dinner paired with excellent wines, while meeting fellow travellers and a local family ready to reveal all the secrets about Hungary. A dinner giving you a taste of Hungary and an authentic experience you won’t soon forget. The idea of Eat&Meet appeared in the head of a young Hungarian lady, having plenty of creativity, energy and most importantly, infinite love and passion for the unique food and the rich culture of her homeland, Hungary. The wish to share her passion and her knowledge with people visiting Hungary, met her family’s support, and that’s how a dream became reality – and Eat&Meet was born in Janury 2015.  The price of the dinner is 35€/person, which includes an aperitif, the 3-course meal, water and Hungarian wine as well. Dinner booking enquiry must be requested  in advance via the Eat & Meet site.

The Failed Housewives of Budapest

These two young women from Budapest would like to give you an exclusive insight to Hungarian gastronomy and culture. They are no professional chefs, but true locals with Hungarian and Jewish background who have the passion to share with you via the Budapest lifestyle through food, gastronomy, culture and (mostly funny) life stories. So brace yourself for a good laugh when they invite you for short walk in their neighborhood and welcome you in their homes to taste and learn how to cook the secret family recipes. The ladies will guide you through every step, not to worry and give you the ultimate tool for cooking: a glass of great wine from the countryside. For more info and booking visit them on Facebook: Failed Housewives of Budapest

Paradicsom - The letscho ("lecsó") renaissance

This pop-up stall was hosted at the Rákóczi Market and served an epic Hungarian dish called letscho aka "lecsó" in Hungarian. Different versions can be found all around the world, from the Moroccan tagine dishes to the Sicilian caponata, from the French ratatouille to the Middle East shakshuka. Since there is no real global letscho, though the infinite regional is true, the genre also allows experimentation a wide space. As the owners are conscious of the animals, their dishes are full vegetarian, or even vegan available at affordable prices in a paper cup to protect our environment. Address: the pop-up event is over for the lecsó, however you can find their taste touches at Somewhereatthebottomoftheriver café, at District 8, Német utca 4. Mon-Sat: 12:00 - 03:00, Sun: 16:00 - 03:00

Pöriző - The stew magic 

The two streetfood magicians, Dani Balogh (W35, Revolución) and Peti Lázár (Burger House), joint forces for a new project that created the true Hungarian streetfood. You can find them at Arany János Street metro stop. Each pörkölt is accompanied by a distinct twist in separate tortillas (aka pancakes), as the place is fairly new, bit queues happen, this is the best take-away option. No worries, they can be nicely dressed with nokedli (aka the usual dumpling sidedish), fried potatoes, and noodles, and it is also roasted as nicely as it should be. You can even ask for sour cream, nettle, and even more. Vegans also have variations every week. Visit them at: District 5., Podmaniczky Frigyes tér 4. (Arany János metro stop, M3, blue line)

HER - Lángos with love from the Grandmas

HER is a pop-up bistro with grandmothers, ovens, plenty of baked bread rolls and stuffed bread, seasonal menus and drinks. Lángos is Hungary’s beloved, but anti-health food, deep-fried dough in oil with various toppings. This time it is baked in oven, so you wouldn't get greasy, topped with garlic butter, sour cream, and shredded cheese a la the traditional way. The "bundás kenyér" is a dish similar to French toast, where you soak the bread in milk and eggs, this time the grandmas fry them in oil and top it with  nutmeg, mozzarella and safran or various grated cheese from gouda to mozzarella and add tomato sauce or HP sauce. The event is strictly a pop-up, they shout out the place and the date via their Facebook page. The face behind the brand, Balla mama had her own cooking show at the Gourmet Festival this weekend, we are looking forward what future brings and hoping she will come more often to town! (Actually we would love to adopt her as our Grandma! )

Delibaba

The owners Anna and Bence created a new category with their sandwiches. All of their compilations are coming from domestic small-scale producers.For the seasonally changing meals only quality, healthy, natural and fresh ingredients are used. With their passionate work, personal attention and the pleasure of creating new quality, they make their offer interesting, unique and finest. Taste their Caponata, Vadas, Pörkölt filled sandwiches in fluffy baguettes, goose liver paté, amazing cakes, they deserve a huge yumm from us!

Address: District 5., Nádor utca 19., Mon-Fri: 08:00 - 17:00, Sat: 09:00 - 17:00, Sun: closed