Belvarosi Disznotoros on Karolyi utca is downtown Budapest's standing-counter sausage shop, with paprika and blood sausage plates and wild boar stew at counter prices.
Must order: A mixed Hungarian sausage plate with rye, mustard and pickled peppers.
Tip: No seating, only high tops; the queue moves fast, take a tray and pay at the till.
Address: Károlyi Mihály utca 17, 1053 Budapest
Kispiac Bisztro next to the Hold utca market is a six-table Hungarian bistro with veal liver, pork belly and roast duck at downtown bistro prices around HUF 3500.
Try: Hungarian small bistro plates
Order: The breaded veal liver with mashed potato and cucumber salad.
Tip: Six tables, Mon to Sat noon to 22:00; book at least two days ahead.
Retesbar on Suto utca is a downtown Budapest takeaway strudel counter with apple, cherry, poppy seed and cottage-cheese retes at well under HUF 1500 a slice.
Try: Hungarian strudel slices
Order: The poppy seed (mákos) retes with a small Hungarian coffee.
Tip: Open daily 10:00 to 22:00; ask for a piece warmed in the oven if there is a slow moment.
Bors GasztroBar on Kazinczy serves three daily soups and a dozen stuffed baguettes from chalk boards, a Jewish Quarter counter with the cheapest fast lunch in Budapest.
Try: Daily soup plus stuffed baguette
Order: The daily soup plus a stuffed baguette from the chalk board.
Tip: Closed Sundays; the menu rotates weekly, follow Facebook for the day's soup.
Karavan on Kazinczy next to Szimpla Kert is the Jewish Quarter's food truck court, with langos, burgers, gyros and kurtoskalacs all under HUF 3500 in Budapest.
Try: Lángos, burgers, kürtőskalács
Order: The classic lángos with sour cream, garlic and grated cheese.
Tip: Late-night until 01:00 Thursday to Saturday; the langos counter has the longest queue.
Kispiac Bisztro next to the Hold utca market is a six-table Hungarian bistro with veal liver, pork belly and roast duck at downtown bistro prices around HUF 3500.
Try: Hungarian small bistro plates
Order: The breaded veal liver with mashed potato and cucumber salad.
Tip: Six tables, Mon to Sat noon to 22:00; book at least two days ahead.
The upper-gallery langos counters inside the Central Market Hall on Vamhaz korut are the iconic Budapest spot for a HUF 2000 lunch over Hungarian fried dough.
Try: Lángos at the gallery counters
Order: The classic lángos with sour cream, garlic and grated cheese.
Tip: Cash only at most stalls; closed Sundays; the gallery is upstairs from the produce floor.
Hummusbar on Kiraly utca, the 2005 original of Hungary's vegetarian hummus chain, serves Israeli hummus, falafel and pita plates at downtown counter prices in Budapest.
Try: Hummus, falafel and pita plates
Order: The classic hummus with chickpeas and a side of falafel and pita.
Tip: Five-plus branches across Budapest; the Kiraly utca original is the most central.
Retesbar on Suto utca is a downtown Budapest takeaway strudel counter with apple, cherry, poppy seed and cottage-cheese retes at well under HUF 1500 a slice.
Try: Hungarian strudel slices
Order: The poppy seed (mákos) retes with a small Hungarian coffee.
Tip: Open daily 10:00 to 22:00; ask for a piece warmed in the oven if there is a slow moment.
