10 good, fast, cheap exotic buffets in Budapest
Where can you eat something special and good in Budapest, and not for a lot of money? The 444 good places in Budapest guide reveals this, among other things. Our book lists the great places in Budapest in 12 thematic chapters, from restaurants to lookouts, from cafes to shops, from film festivals to playgrounds, from galleries to pizzerias. 444 places with expert tips, so that both those who would like to go on a trip with children and those who would take a foreign partner for a business lunch will find something for them.
You can order from the 444 webshop, and of course it is available in all good bookstores. Ideal as a Christmas present.
The next ten buffets here are not for the interior design solutions, nor for the waiters’ designer uniforms. But to eat well with the occasionally exotic guests.
Bangla Buffet Premium
Bangladeshi cuisine is very closely related to Indian cuisine, most of the menu in Bangladesh also consists of curries. The best is the spicy-spicy jhal goru, which is made from beef, and as a side dish, csápáti, i.e. flat bread, goes well with it. Even with a yogurt mango lassi, the bill will be well under HUF 3,000. If you want to spend a little more, order a lamb dish.
VII., Akácfa u. 40.
Dabao Jiaozi
The flourishing Little China in Jegenye Street and its surrounding area has at least 15 restaurants. There are also multi-story palaces and small cafes such as Dabao Jiaozi. The eponymous jiaozi (xiaoce) are the small stuffed dumplings that are the main attraction of the place. You can take them home in quick-frozen form by the bag, but for the real Chinese experience, you have to order portions of 15 each, both fried and boiled. The best is the mixture of pork and crab meat with onions and seasoned with parsley.
X., Jegenye u. 19.
Edy’s French Tacos
The french taco is a version of the Mexican original developed in France, which is similar to the version filled with cornmeal, in that you can put anything in it. Here, with the sauces and meats, you can also get a Vietnamese or Arabic twist, or whatever the dear guest asks for, because everyone can combine the fillings according to their individual needs. Don’t miss the good melting cheddar, you can really indulge yourself with it.
VI., Hajós u. 19.
Hi Bing
Jianbing, i.e. Chinese pancakes, can be eaten in several places outside of Budapest, in the city center we recommend this place on Kálvin tér. It is worth trying the basic pancake, with a lot of extras, some kind of meat, egg, or maybe cheese. There is no better, cheaper and faster lunch in the area.
V., Vámház krt. 16.
Kabul buffet
A classic fast buffet, with daily dishes laid out on the counter, from which you can request both small and large menus. The real treasure here is bolani, the filled Afghan flatbread, which is made fresh with different fillings, costs a few hundred forints, and is enough for a light lunch. The leek version is 10/10, it’s hard not to order another one. But there are many cheaper, good lunches in Budapest than two.
VIII., Népszínház u. 27.
Little Japan
A Japanese sushi maker cannot be really cheap, but this much money is not much for this quality. In the business premises, which can seat a total of five people, most of them are regularly Japanese, and the boss on the other side of the counter is also a young Japanese man. They try to get the seafood ingredients from good places, but it is worth trying the variations inspired by local ingredients, such as the ribs or the surprisingly good goose.
VIII., Üllői út 40.
Komachi
The Japanese soup based on different noodles is a simple and great crowd-pleasing dish in its homeland, but in Budapest it is almost only prepared well in very expensive restaurants. One of the few exceptions is Komachi, where you can taste not only soups, but also Japanese-style curries and donburis, i.e. one-dish dishes based on rice. On cold days, sutamino miso ramen soup is one of the best choices in Budapest.
VII., Kertész u. 33.
Oscar Kebap House
Turkish fast food, but not at the standard of the boulevard. Yes, you can also get a classic gyro dish here, but it’s also made from lamb and is a completely different world compared to what is offered in the city center. Most of them are Turkish men here, who eat the dishes of their country that cannot be tasted elsewhere in Budapest, such as the pizza-like lahmacun, all kinds of grilled meat kebabs grilled to order, or the lamb soup, which is especially good in such a cold weather.
VIII., Orczy út 46-48.
Rim Thanonh
The menu has all the Thai classics from noodles to curries, we especially recommend the pork salad called laab moo. The lovely Thai kitchen ladies will throw together any Thai food upon request, and if the guest says “spicy”, they will give you really spicy food, which you have to eat out of spite. So everyone should think about whether they can really handle Southeast Asian seasoning.
VII., Dob u. 60.
Yum Yum
The buffet, run by a Thai-Hungarian married couple, presents only a very small slice of Thai cuisine, what can be reproduced in the simplest and cheapest way in Eastern Europe. Thus, there are no freshly prepared dishes based on scallops here, but almost only various curries and soups, which are put out on the counter when they open, and they are offered to the dear guests, wherever – the food or the guest – does not run out. You can live well for around HUF 2,000.
II., Margit krt. 46.,