Buda bites and bevvies

Budapest MUST eats and drinks (in no particular order):

It would be remiss of me to not enthusiastically share these culinary gems with anyone who should find themselves reading this list before a trip to Budapest. Hungary's capital may not generally be considered a world renowned wonderland for gastronomes but that couldn't be further from the truth as its shaping up to a be legit contender in its own right. So diet be damned, and come one, come all to devour eats galore from the Pearl of the Danube.

1) Chicken paprikash from Busó Bisztró: eat like a fiend on this traditional comfort food stew with sour cream and noodle dumplings. What more can you wish for than to be in Hungary with paprikash on your plate? 

Address: Budapest, Hercegprímás u. 8, 1051 Hungary

Opening hours: Monday - Sunday 12 - 10pm

2) Artisinal rose-shaped gelato from the aptly named Gelarto Rosa. Make the correct decisions for your gut with their flavours of dreams. I liked choc-chilli more than the right amount and can also vouch for the passionfruit and mango, a summery feel-good flavour of rejuvenation. 

Address: Budapest, Szent István tér 3, 1051 Hungary

Opening hours: Monday - Sunday 10am - 10pm

3) Square donuts fried in hazelnut oil from The Box Donut for truly one of the fanciest donuts you'll ever eat. I went cray cray for the pistachio and raspberry offering. 

Address: Budapest, Teréz krt. 62, 1066 Hungary

Opening hours: Monday - Saturday 7.42am - 8pm, Sunday - 9.42am to 8pm 

4) Chicken breast stuffed with sundried tomatoes and basil with butter grilled veggies and rocket for good measure at Lisztró. Oh me, oh my, this was bloomin' phenomenal!! The bistro may not be much to look at but don't let that put you off dining here as I'd go so far as to grant it the esteemed accolade of the best meal I gobbled on my trip. The craft passionfruit lemonade was faaaaaaabulous too; a zingy delectation that wasn't too overpowering. 

Address: Budapest, Liszt Ferenc tér 10, 1061 Hungary

Opening hours: Monday - Saturday 11am - 1am, Sunday 11am - 12am

5) The criminally delicious chimney cake (named Kürtőskalács in Hungarian) from the street is such a treat at Street Cakes :D You can choose your fillings from many options and you'll want it for breakfast errrrryday. I went for one filled with chocolate and vanilla ice cream, the inside was lined with Nutella and the exterior rolled in cinnamon, then topped with Bounty and technicoloured sprinkles. Plastic wrapping and a spoon is necessary to eat these as the contents drip out. 

Address: Budapest, Andrássy út 61, 1062 Hungary

Opening Hours: Monday - Friday 11am - 7pm, Saturday - Sunday 12pm - 8pm

6) Anything from Anjuna Ice Pops - I encourage picking the raspberry lime dipped in dark choc for it was 3 layers of divine delectation. It's not just kids who will delight in these frozen delights made from only natural ingredients. 

Address: Budapest, Sas u. 7, 1051 Hungary

Opening Hours: Monday - Sunday 11am - 9pm 

7) Langos from Retro Langos Bufe as your mouth and tum deserve this deep fried dough of grease and lashings of whatever you select to top it with. Customarily, this is spread with sour cream and piled with cheese which wouldn't be agreeable for the lactose intolerant among us. This kiosk is a virtuoso at langos but the menu is limitless making it challenging to narrow your choice down from too many possibilities. 

Address: Budapest, Podmaniczky Frigyes tér 4, 1054 Hungary

Opening Hours: Monday - Saturday 10am - 6am, Sunday - 10am - 12am

8) Dobos torte from Ruswurm Confectionery - this gets my glowing endorsement as it is SEVEN layers of rich chocolate buttercream with a nutty edge and shiny, caramel crackle on top. This olde worlde pastry shop was first established in 1827 making it one of the earliest of its kind in the city. 

Address: Budapest, Szentháromság u. 7, 1014 Hungary

Opening Hours: Tuesday - Friday 10am - 7pm, Saturday - Monday 10am - 6pm

9) Vegetable lecso from the gastropub slash laidback club Ötkert - it's a hearty meal all my fellow foodie friends will love. Consisting of a thick ragout with yellow pepper, tomato, onion and sautéed paprika; in other words Hungary's equivalent of ratatouille minus the courgette. 

Address: Budapest, Zrínyi u. 4/A, 1051 Hungary

Opening Hours: Sunday - Wednesday 11am - 12am, Thursday - Saturday 11am - 5am

10) Have your fantasy in hot chocolate form created at Rengeteg RomKafé - where they have no menu but the barista can suggest combos to suit your preferences and advise which ingredients are available. My milk chocolate with raspberry and gingerbread was absurdly blissful and got yummier with every sip. The too-pretty-to-drink concoction was brewed up especially for me and was one of the greatest beverages to ever be drank. The décor is somewhat disconcerting however and I can only describe it as a haunted horror of a teddy bears picnic. 

Address: Budapest, Tűzoltó u. 22., 1094 Hungary

Opening Hours: Monday - Sunday 10am - 10pm

11) Authentic Thai cuisine from Tom Yum Thai - my Phad Thai Chicken was beautifully presented and *that* splendid, I could've kissed the chef!

Address: Budapest, Andrássy út 2, 1065 Hungary

Opening Hours: Monday - Sunday 11am - 11pm 

12) The somlo cake at Puli is impeccable; it's gotta be said. This is apparently Hungary's favourite kind of cake and consists of 3 chocolatey sponge cakes and whipped cream bowled up as a type of chocolaterifious trifle. 

Address: Budapest, 1061, Andrássy út 34, 1061 Hungary

Opening Hours: Monday - Sunday 12pm - 12am

13) The galaxy donut from The Donut Library, a fan favourite among inhabitants with its cosmic designed glaze of blue, pink and purple hues and white speckles and a vanilla custard centre surprise. You'll attack this whole heap of sugar with vigour for its unbelievably impressive and YUMMO. 

Locations: 

1137 Budapest, Pozsonyi út 22.

1111 Budapest, Karinthy F. út 18.

1075 Budapest, Károly krt. 7.

Opening Hours: Monday - Sunday 10am - 8pm

14) Summer berry ice cream from 'the most beautiful café in the world', New York Café which is Beauty and the Beast fancy. There will be a queue for a table lest you have reservations in this showstoppingly illustrious and former meeting place for important writers. You're obliged to luncheon in this radiant establishment where a pianist serenades to ignite romance. I'm gifted to dessert like a rockstar and indulged on this pretty people ice cream, pretending like I was filthy rich for 32 minutes. It's hard to not get toooooo excited at the serving of 4 scoops of summery ice cream: 1x lemon grass, 1 x vanilla, 1x blackcurrant, 1x raspberry with forest fruit sauce, tempered choccie, whipped cream and berry adornments. 

Address: Budapest, Erzsébet krt. 9-11, 1073 Hungary

Opening Hours: Monday - Sunday 8am - 12am

15) Partake in an elixir from the chocolate GENIUSES at Noir Chocobar. Not only did they serve me up with the richest, orange dark hot chocolate but they stayed open longer especially for me as they knew I'd gone out of my way for one. It was an honour to grace my lips. 

Photo credit: Noir chocobar Instagram

Address: Budapest, Hegedű u. 6, 1061 Hungary

Opening Hours: Tuesday - Sunday 4pm - 11pm, Closed on Mondays but check the times before you go as the kitchen was closed when I went on at 9.45pm on a Thursday in September!

BRB, Budapest calls xoxo

Vienna is still waiting for you. Stop making it wait!!

VIENNA MIGHT BE TOO FANCY FOR THE LIKES OF ME - 

I didn't think Austria would make me feel all these feelings but it is scored on my heart and I mean that truly. These are a few recommendations of my faves from my trip to the land of lederhosen and schnitzel: 

1) Apple strudel with the best of them at Cafe Mozart.Their sumptuous version of an already exquisite dessert comes with vanilla cream (better known in the UK as custard) - it can change lives with one spoonful. You'll be as elated as I was to taste so much cinnamon and crisp, flaky pastry which is just how I dreamed it would be. 

2) Awaken your inner Prince or Princess at Schonbrunn Gardens. The grounds are a very Viennese extravagance with the loveliest vantage point overlooking the city, Palace and manicured gardens from up a semi-nightmarish hill devoid of shade. The marble-lous Neptune fountain tickled my photographic fancy as did the glorious, lavish Gloriette which is a focal point and look out of grandeur. 

3) Have *all* the fun at the world's oldest zoo inside the grounds of Schonbrunn. They have all the standard zoo animals: penguins, giraffes, deer, zebras, fishies and reptiles as well as sleeping lions and tigers and bears -- oh my!! Zoos have this intrinsic joy of discovery for children and adults alike. On my visit, the meerkats were having a scrap, the pocket-sized lil chimps were monkeying around in the monkey house enclosure and the elephant rascals were playing chase. I came mainly for my furry little friends - the pandas who put on a show for one and all demanding bamboo, lying on their fluffy backsides and snatching food from one another.  All in all, my heart and soul was brimming with love for all creatures great and small. 

4) Opera out with a free, live broadcast on the big screen outside the Vienna Opera House during the summer whilst the show is being performed inside.The theatrics of such a distinguished, cultural experience will wow you even if you don't understand the majority of the happenings despite intently reading the German subtitles. It was special to share a screening of George Bizet's passionate and lusty opera Carmen, which is set in 1830's Seville, with two new Aussie friends.

5) Seek serenity inside one of the most peaceful places in Vienna at St Stephen's Cathedral, the Romanesque-Gothic symbol of Vienna which is affectionately nicknamed 'Steffi' by residents of the Austrian capital. This is where: Mozart married, Vivaldi's funeral was held, many archbishops are buried in the crypt and Beethoven discovered his deafness when birds flew out of the bells as they tolled but he hadn't heard them. It is not as grandiose and resplendent inside as other places of worship I've visited worldwide but it was a reverent hang. 

6) Chillin' like Bob Dylan in Stadt Park and drinking it all in on a splendiferously sunny afternoon. At 65,000m2 it's the biggest park in the city centre and is a tranquil, shaded site to sit and contemplate. Errrrrybody mobs the golden plated, bronze, over-the-top statue memorialising the composer Johann Strauss. 

7) Marvel at the wonder of the world-famous Lipizzaner stallions at the Spanish Riding School during their morning exercise. If you haven't pre-booked tickets, you should expect a long queue to witness the training session inside the sandy but stupendously ostentatious area. I'm told that this is the only known Institution which practises 'classical equitation in the tradition of the haute ecole since the Renaissance.' If all the seats are occupied, you can stand and look down from the gallery as the horses command an audience. You will be told off for taking photos or filming as this is prohibited and a mistake I made myself until I was tapped on the shoulder as I wasn't made aware of this from the outset. 

8) Mill around with the other tourists at expressionist landmark Hundertwasserhaus, a former tire factory and architectural highlight of Vienna. The unusually cheerful design is both funky and eye-catching with its bright colours and uneven layering. 

9) Kick back with a cold one in a deckchair at Copa Beach, a teeny patch of man made beachy paradise dubbed Vienna de Janeiro which is by the Danube's riverfront. Let the record show: it's an evening of excellence with the water scintillating as the sun hides gradually behind the clouds. It would also be a wonderful venue for a romantic stroll or to bounce on one of 40 floating trampolines at Danube Jumping - the world's largest trampolines over water. 

10) Tuck into an elephantish portion of schnitzel at Schnitzelwirt. You will never find a turkey schnitzel as good as this anywhere else! I can't vouch for the many other varieties on the menu but there wasn't a single person in the establishment who managed to eat up every bite. I came away with a food baby equivalent to being six months preggers!!

11) Stand up snackage at Trzesniewski - their bite-sized morsels of open, mini sandwiches are ridiculously scrum. I emphatically endorse the egg on egg and paprika. 

12) Let your heart be light at the carnival of cray cray that is Prater Amusement Park. Might I suggest visiting at night when the rainbow illuminations of the rides are a pop of colour in the night sky. Screams from some of the more terrifyingly traumatic fairground attractions pierce the air but everything round about radiates joie de vivre. A ride on the iconic, big wheel is a must! Don't worry about the height of 65 metres as it moves snail slowly at 2mph and the carriages don't seem to rock or sway. 

13) Sample the sweet delicacy of fluffy, shredded pancakes known as Kaiserschmarnn at Heindls Schmarren and Palatschinkenkuch. The ones with apple, cinnamon and cranberries were beaut and genuinely the ULTIMATE pancakes I've ever encountered. I swear, you'll miss all this tasty Austrian grub but if you've eaten anything beforehand even the small pan is too gigantic not to share with a friend. 

14) Create tunes on the piano staircase, roll the dice to choose instruments to compose your own personalised waltz masterpiece and conduct the Viennese Philharmonic Orchestra virtually just for kicks and giggles at House of Music. This interactive sound museum launched in 2000 and has 5 floors dedicated to all manner of sound and collections dedicated to famous composers in the former palace of Archduke Charles. 

15) Scratch a gastronomic itch at Veganista which uses all vegan ingredients to produce the most delightfully creamy gelato. Flavours such as - black forest and salted chocolate will make you stupidly happy as your belly vibes with this ice cream of wonder. The decadent cake offerings at Cafe Demel will also set your world on figurative fire. Why not cap off your European vacationing with a slice of one or three from the array of choices? 
There is greatness in every crumb. 

You can't go wrong whatever you decide to do in the Austrian capital as it exudes prettiness and you'll never be more than 100 metres away from all manner of intensely scrummy cakes. So come, visit, eat and have a merry old time :) x