Central Market Hall, just off of Vaci utca is one of the best places to spend your time if you're looking for a truly all Hungarian experience. My love affair with the Budapest market began as soon as I arrived at the end of last summer. Nevermind all the amazing food to be found, what I couldn't resist was all the hustle and bustle of so many different characters and the rough country butchers, bakers and vegetable vendors yelling at you from behind their stands in words I at first couldn't understand.
As anyone might expect, the market is packed full with all of Budapest's favourite things: salami, paprika, bread and dessert of course. But in between the excess of these favoured goods, you'll also find an eye catching array of some of the nicest fresh produce you've seen. The displays of lettuce in full bloom look like floral bouquets, the obscure selection of mushrooms is almost fantastical in appearance, and the red cabbage is the absolute fanciest of purples.
Tastes aside, the physical structure of the market itself is also something quite spectacular. My former 'History of Hungarian Architecture' professor shared with me and my classmates that it was built during the establishment of Pest and similar to many of the other structures on that side of the Danube, was constructed according to a German neo-classical design. The population of Pest was growing so quickly that the small neighbourhood market's couldn't sustain the city, thus the establishment of market hall that still feeds hundreds of city dwellers daily.
As Budapest quickly fills up with big corporate grocers such as Auchan, Kaisers, and Tesco, it's refreshing to take a step back into historic Budapest and receive your sales according to a much more sensible model that is based on how much the vendors like you as opposed to the flyer's weekly special that everyone else gets. Also, last time I cruised my cart around Tesco, I don't recall hearing the latest political scoop from the cliques of seniors complaining in the aisles or smelling the fresh strudel baking in a dozen varieties. Perhaps you'll pay a slightly higher price for your produce at central market, which has been greatly influenced by the rise of tourist traffic, but being amongst the colourful crowd is worth the extra penny.
As anyone might expect, the market is packed full with all of Budapest's favourite things: salami, paprika, bread and dessert of course. But in between the excess of these favoured goods, you'll also find an eye catching array of some of the nicest fresh produce you've seen. The displays of lettuce in full bloom look like floral bouquets, the obscure selection of mushrooms is almost fantastical in appearance, and the red cabbage is the absolute fanciest of purples.
Tastes aside, the physical structure of the market itself is also something quite spectacular. My former 'History of Hungarian Architecture' professor shared with me and my classmates that it was built during the establishment of Pest and similar to many of the other structures on that side of the Danube, was constructed according to a German neo-classical design. The population of Pest was growing so quickly that the small neighbourhood market's couldn't sustain the city, thus the establishment of market hall that still feeds hundreds of city dwellers daily.
As Budapest quickly fills up with big corporate grocers such as Auchan, Kaisers, and Tesco, it's refreshing to take a step back into historic Budapest and receive your sales according to a much more sensible model that is based on how much the vendors like you as opposed to the flyer's weekly special that everyone else gets. Also, last time I cruised my cart around Tesco, I don't recall hearing the latest political scoop from the cliques of seniors complaining in the aisles or smelling the fresh strudel baking in a dozen varieties. Perhaps you'll pay a slightly higher price for your produce at central market, which has been greatly influenced by the rise of tourist traffic, but being amongst the colourful crowd is worth the extra penny.
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