Vegetarian Eating Places in Budapest
Hungarians are definitely meat lovers, and while traditional Hungarian restaurants offer few options for vegetarians, the number of great vegetarian eating places is growing.
Surprisingly, Lonely Planet mentioned Budapest among the few superfood cities around the world. For those, who strictly follow the vegan diet, most vegetarian restaurants offer several vegan dishes — there’s no strict line between vegan and vegetarian places.
Napfényes Étterem
Napfényes étterem is my best advice if you are looking for vegetarian food in Budapest! This centrally located (near Ferenciek tere), restaurant is suitable for groups, families, couples and also individuals to have either a quick meal during a working day, or a longer, comfortable meal on the weekends.
The interior is stylish, elegant, and waiters are extremely polite and helpful. The focus is on the customer, in every way. And we have not talked about the food yet. For those, looking for quick lunch menu, there is a daily offer of soup, main course and dessert. The full menu is carefully created, with several traditional Hungarian dishes, with a vegetarian twist. They perfectly bring the traditional Hungarian flavors.
Nemsüti
Nemsüti is a lunch bar, offering menus, as well as sandwiches, salads at two locations on the Pest side (Jászai Mari tér 4, or Hold utca 9). The lunch menu is the most popular offer of this lovely vegetarian eating place. It includes one kind of soup, three kinds of main dishes and a dessert. All menus also include a glass of homemade lemonade. They offer lunch as long as they have it, and most of the time you have to be on the spot by noon, to be able to choose. In case none of the meals are your taste, try the delicious sandwiches or salads!
Both of the Nemsüti locations have a small terrace, great to sit outside and enjoy the view over Margaret bridge and the island.
Karaván Street Food Garden
Food trucks are popular street food places all around the world. You may have noticed that there aren’t many individual food trucks in Budapest, but there are designated areas for them around the city. More often, spring and summer festivals feature a great variety of food trucks. The most popular street food garden is Karaván, located next to the famous Szimpla ruin bar in the 7th district.
Las Vegans
Las Vegans doesn’t offer complicated meals — they stick with the old-fashioned hamburger. Hamburger with a vegan twist: seitan burger, carrot burger, tofu burger or chickpea burger. The combination of veggies, burgers, and sauces is well thought out and delicious!
Vegan Love
The Buda side of Budapest tends to pick up food trends a bit more slowly, but it’s lovely to see that it now also has a fantastic vegetarian (and actually vegan) eating place. The owners of Magic Burger opened Vegan Love. Magic Burger made its name as one of the first “craft burger” locations in Budapest. Encouraged by that success, the owners opened a healthier option, Vegan Love, on Bartók Béla út, offering salads and soups as well.
Vega City
Vega City, just across from the National Museum, has a huge selection of vegetarian, vegan dishes. The salad selection is the best from all the vegetarian eating places. Vega City offers a lunch menu as well, along with a wide selection on the rest of the menu. Due to the fact that the restaurant is very close to several universities, at lunchtime the place gets pretty busy.
To learn more about Hungarian cuisine, visit the Central Market, and get more suggestions on vegetarian eating places in Budapest, take a look at our tours. Taste some Hungarian dishes (a vegetarian option is available), and join our “Culinary walking tour“!