Have lunch for a thousand forints in Budapest Part 1 – Sandwiches
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New and trendy restaurants just keep opening in the capital, but very few people can afford the luxury to go to a fancy restaurant and have a proper lunch that lasts about an hour or longer. Let us be honest, most of us are constantly running, working, and we do not have the time (or the money) to go to restaurants all the time. Often we resort to street food carts or fast food chains. Here are a few very good alternatives for a healthier and cheaper quick lunch in Budapest.
Budapest Bagel
4. Baross street, (30) 846 4453
Monday to Friday: 8:00 AM – 7:30 PM
Saturday: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM (Sunday: Closed)
New York might be known as the bagel kingdom, but there are a few pretty good bagel places in Budapest as well. As a student, I often had very little time between classes to have lunch, and Budapest Bagel was the perfect place to go, grab a bagel and head off to another class. The place is extremely small, so you have to eat your bagel outside, but luckily, the place has a smaller terrace where you can sit down and have your bagel in peace. (However, I would advise you to go to the Museum Garden nearby, sit on the grass and have your lunch there if you have time.)
Photo: Facebook.com/budapestbagel/
The bagels are quite big, and they are stuffed with a LOT OF fillings. Even my male friends never complained about staying hungry after eating one of the more loaded ones. They offer a nice variety of bagels: there are a few vegetarian options besides the meaty ones, something for everyone. They use quality ingredients, and everything is always fresh. The simplest bagel has a cream cheese and cucumber filling, and it is only about HUF 500; even the one with avocado and walnut costs only HUF 990. Obviously, if you would like to go for the fancier ones, such as the smoked salmon bagel, those cost more than HUF 1000.
Photo: Facebook.com/budapestbagel/
Crudo – soup and more
7-9. Kőrösy József Street, Buda (next to Allee shopping centre), (30) 515 3708
Monday to Friday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM (Sunday: closed)
On the Buda side, there is a recently opened place called Crudo, which offers soups and sandwiches. What more do you need for a quick lunch in the middle of the day? Most of the sandwiches cost HUF 990. (Their most expensive sandwiches are the duck and roast beef ones, HUF 1590) Besides sandwiches, Crudo is specialised in soups also. They have a variety of 10 different soups on their menu.
Photo: Facebook.com/CRUDOBP/
If you have a really big appetite, you are advised to get a soup and a sandwich combo, because you might not get full with the sandwich only. However, if you get full easily, choose only one, and you will be fine. The Sandwiches are always made fresh, and they are always toasted before serving.
Bors Gasztrobár
10. Kazinczy street, (70) 935 3263
Monday to Sunday: 11:30 AM – 9:00 PM
Once we are in the realm of soups and sandwiches, Bors Gasztrobár must be mentioned. These guys really know something! This is another one of my favourite places to go when I do not have time for a hot meal, and I need something quick and delicious. The dishes are always fresh, delicious and very creative. They always surprise customers with something new on the menu, but the permanent baguettes, such as the Barack Obama or the French lady, are also worth trying. Soups retail for HUF 650, the cost of the baguettes vary according to size and fillings.
Photo: Facebook.com/BorsGasztroBar/
Leves.
14. Vámház boulevard
Monday to Sunday: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Technically, Leves. [soup in Hungarian] is a soup bar, but they also have really nice grilled baguettes on the menu, so I thought they deserved to be included in this list. Soup goes really well with sandwiches anyways; this is why most of the sandwich places have soups on the menu as well.
