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Lunch at the butcher shop, a Hungarian specialty
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Imagine that you are wandering around downtown Budapest, trying to figure out where to have lunch. I bet that you would never think of going into a butcher shop, would you? And oh boy, are you missing out. Butcher lunches are still popular in Hungary, here is why and where to have it in Budapest.
It is common in Hungary that butcher shops have a ready-to-eat section, offering freshly cooked meats of all kinds: sausages, bacon or meatloaf, which you can have with a few slices of bread and some savanyúság, which is basically marinated vegetables like pickles, paprika or cabbage.
Hungarians often call these hentesebéd which literally means butcher lunch. People like to eat at these butcher shops because the meat is always fresh, and it comes from a reliable source. They know exactly what they get because people who eat here are often regulars at the place, bringing home the same sausage or pork chop to cook for their families.
The possibilities are endless, and the “menu” varies from one butcher shop to another.
Here are a few places in Budapest where you can have the perfect butcher lunch.
Ica Mama Húsboltja [Granny Ica’s Butcher Shop]
- 64. Bartók Béla Street
- 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
It is a family-owned business. The same family has been running the butcher shop for 27 years. The shop goes from one generation to the next. They always try to offer something new to the customers, and of course, they always have fresh product.
Balla Hús [Balla Meat]
- 6 Városház Street
- 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
