Where are the Best Crêpes in Budapest?

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What are Crêpes?

Crêpes are a French culinary treat. Made of a thin batter of flour, eggs, milk (or water), butter, sugar and salt and whisked until no lumps nor air bubbles remain (Vachon, 2020). Then, it's ladled over a hot griddle, swirled into a thin circular shape, and cooked until slightly crisp before flipped for further cooking. Crêpes can be stuffed or topped with fruits, chocolate, whipped cream, custard, or filled with savory flavors such as ham and cheese, mushrooms, meats, even smoked salmon! (Fleming, n.d.). In fact, if you're interested in cooking up some perfect brunch crêpes, Grace Lynne Fleming's article on 25 Savory Crepes is for you! 

Banana chocolate crêpes 
(Free to use under the Unsplash License)

Photo by Delaney Van on Unsplash

How Exactly Were Crêpes Born?

There is a story in French history that speaks to how crêpes first appeared. Writer Pamela Vachon (2020) describes it as a "happy accident" when buckwheat porridge spilled "onto a flat cooking stone" in a 13-century kitchen (paragraph 6). However, some historians believe crêpes may have been created as early as 472 A.D., when they "were offered to French Catholic pilgrims visiting Rome for Candlemas by Pope Gelasio I" (Vachon, 2020, paragraph 6). 

What I image the first crêpe may have been.
(Free to use under the Unsplash License)

Photo by Mockup Graphics on Unsplash

What's most interesting is that crêpes have grown in various forms in many countries. For example, crêpes are called "offertjes" in Holland, "dosas" in India, "blini" in Russia, "hirayachi" in Japanese, etc. (Vachon, 2020, paragraph 4). In Canada, I know them as crêpes, and their thicker, fluffier cousins as pancakes. While living in Bangkok, Thailand, I even wrote about a German friend who celebrated her birthday at Crêpes & Co., a restaurant that specializes in crepes (Cutenekko, 2011). Bottom line: crêpes are adored the world over. 

Why are Crêpes Famous in Hungary?

Crêpes in Hungary are called palacsinta (Renata H., 2019, paragraph 2). A common crêpe iteration throughout the country, and especially in Budapest, is a walnut and chocolate palacsinta. Pastries in general are plentiful in Hungary; it's not known why crêpes in particular are popular. My best guess would be that these thin pastries are hard to resist and light enough to gain a sweet taste without too much fullness. 

While in Budapest on a 10-day tour through Eastern Europe, I was told I must try Hungarian crêpes - and not just any crêpes, but ones made at the posh restaurant, Gundel. 

Budapest's Gundel Restaurant - the Best Crêpes?

Locals will often direct tourists to the Gundel restaurant in Budapest for dinner or its delicious palacsinta. Housed in a building completed in 1894, Kàroly Gundel rented the space and opened Gundel  in 1910 (Gundel, 2021b, section 3). Today, it hosts events, weddings, and tour groups, and of course, regular diners. Although expensive, it comes highly recommended; apparently, the restaurant has hosted famous celebrities and politicians throughout the years, so it certainly has a reputation for taste. 

I visited in July 2018 to taste their walnut and dark chocolate crêpes. Once inside, I felt immediately underdressed. Columns, velvet covered chairs, rich wall fabrics and fancy silverware adorned the interior. There was even a string quartet performing for diners during afternoon tea time. 

Gundel's interior dining space.
(Photo: Cutenekko)

I sat at a large table with other diners from our tour group and was served Gundel's version of a Hungarian palacsinta alongside a beverage of choice. 

Gundel's walnut & dark chocolate crepe.
(photo: Cutenekko)

The taste was lovely; it had a slightly nutty flavor and the dark sauce added the proper amount of sweetness without being too rich. As this was part of our bus tour experience, I cannot attest to the cost of this meal. 

Can't Travel to Budapest Right Now?
You Can Try it at Home!

If you enjoy baking and are curious to replicate Gundel's crêpe, there is a wonderful recipe on the blog Diplomatic Kitchen (Diplomatickitchen, 2011). Leave a comment on Diplomatic Kitchen or here (below) if the recipe worked well for you.

Travel Information

Gundel Restaurant Budapest:
Website. Reservations required. $$$$. Reviews from TripAdvisor.

Other Restaurants:

If Gundel is a bit over budget for you, TripAdvisor has curated an extensive list of 16 restaurants that serve good crêpes. See the list here (Budapest Crepes, 2021). Prices from $-$$$$. Gundel ranks #6.

How to get there:

Budapest is the capital of Hungary. Its closest airport is the Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport Official site - English (bud Budapest Airport, n.d.). Be careful searching for this airport online; there are several fake sites. 

Tour Site:

For this trip to Hungary, I booked through Tour Radar (n.d.). You can input data based on your budget, travel area, and duration. Tour Radar will recommend various tours that fit your itinerary and budget. I had a good experience using this site and would recommend it, especially for those who have limited time travel, enjoy traveling without hassle, or who wish to see specific sights. 

Resources cited in this post (in order of appearance in the text): 

(1) Vachon, Pamela. (2020, July 29). The history of crêpes: a personal and historical exploration of the famous French pancake's origin. Diced. Retrieved November 6, 2021 from URL. 

(2) Van, Delaney. (2020, March 15). Banana chocolate crepes. Unsplash: photos for everyone. Retrieved November 6, 2021 from URL. 

(3) Fleming, Grace Lynne. (n.d.). Easy savory crepe recipe - 25 savory crepe fillings for your brunch menu. diys.com. Retrieved November 6, 2021 from URL. 

(4) Mockup Graphics. (2020, April 17). High-quality photo of a pancake on a white background. Unsplash: photos for everyone. Retrieved November 6, 2021 from URL. 

(5) Cutenekko [screen name]. (2011, May 21). Crepes & Co. birthday. Sanuk Canadian. Blogger. Retrieved November 6, 2021 from URL. 

(6) Renata H. (2019, May 5). 12 delicious Hungarian desserts you must try in Budapest. Have Fun Budapest. Retrieved November 6, 2021 from URL.

(7) Gundel. (2021). Gundel kft. Retrieved November 6, 2021 from URL. 

(8) Gundel. (2021b). Gundel: about. Gundel kft. Retrieved November 6, 2021 from URL. 

(9) Diplomatickitchen. (2011, December 23). Hungarian chocolate crepes - Gundel's style. Diplomatickitchen: creating moveable feasts. Retrieved November 6, 2021 from URL. 

(10) Budapest Crepes. (2021). TripAdvisor LLC. Retrieved November 6, 2021 from URL. 

(11) bud Budapest Airport. (n.d.). Flight and travel information. Retrieved November 6, 2021 from URL. 

(12) TourRadar. (n.d.). Retrieved November 6, 2021 from URL.

Been to Budapest and tried Hungarian crêpes? Or just love crêpes? Tell us your favorite place to enjoy these treats in the comments below. 

Budapest's Parliament Building - A Must See!

Whenever you see photos of Budapest, it's most likely scenes from Fisherman's Bastion (n.d.) or of the Hungarian Parliament Building along the Danube River. The Parliament isn't easily missed in photographs; its golden-hued dome is clearly visible from many points along the river, as is its beautiful façade which is lit up in the evenings. 

Let's look at why you should visit -- and more importantly tour inside -- this beautiful building. 

About the Hungarian Parliament Building

The official name is the Hungarian House of the Parliament (Visit Hungary.com, 2021). Architect and designer Imre Steindl, stipulated construction materials to be locally sourced from within the country, as were the craft persons tasked to work on the project  (Visit Hungary.com, 2021).

Built between 1885 and 1902, several architectural styles can be seen in the design: Baroque (interior layout), Gothic (exterior) and Renaissance (ceiling)  (Visit Hungary.com, 2021). What's most interesting is the floor plan; all aspects of the interior have political and historical meaning. For example, the official tourism guide, visithungary.com (2021) states the middle "cupola...refers to the unity of the legislature...and was also the site of the joint sittings of the lower house and upper house" (paragraph 3). 

Where is the Hungarian House of the Parliament? 

Source: Google Maps (2021) - Hungarian Parliament Building

There are several ways to access this area: 

1. Take the bus. Kossuth Lajos ter Bus No. 15, 70, 78 or 115 
2. Take a tram. Kossuth Lajos ter Tram line 2.
3. Take the Metro. Line M2 and get off at Kossuth Lajos ter. 
   (All transport methods sourced from: Civitatis Budapest, n.d.)

How to Tour Inside the Parliament

English-language guided tours are offered at multiple times during business hours:

• 10 a.m.
• 12 p.m. (noon)
• 1 p.m.
• 2 p.m.
• 3 p.m. 

Tours are approximately 50 minutes (times and tour length source: Civitatis Budapest, n.d.). 

It's advisable to book in advance, which can be done at the Hungarian Parliament Visitor Centre (n.d.a.) which is located next door to the Parliament itself. 

! Please note the linked site listed above is the official government site. A quick Google search finds many fake and false Hungarian Parliament Visitor Centre sites which sell tours. Be careful not to purchase tickets through these fake sites. 

Tour costs range from $6.10 USD up to $21.40 USD (Civitatis Budapest, n.d.). The government's official site to purchase tickets is here (jegymester.hu, 2021). Other safe travel sites to book tours include: Civitatis and Viator. 

Scenes from My Tour Inside the Parliament

The guided tour I took was included in the 10-day Eastern EU itinerary in which I was traveling. As a fan of both architecture and politics, I was excited to join.

First, we arrived early morning to observe the military guards hoisting the Hungarian flag outside (series of three photos):  

Procession 

Preparation

Hoisting the Hungarian flag

The flag ceremony was strict; silence was observed with only a trumpeter (if I recall?) playing, or the occasional yell from the leader enforcing directional orders. Our tour guide allowed us to linger outside a bit more to take in the Gothic architecture of the exterior. 

View outside the House of the Parliament

Once inside, I was offered two options: take an elevator, or follow a Parliamentary guide up some red carpeted stairs. I chose the stairs. This stairwell is called the City Side Staircase XVII:

That ceiling!

The stairs are draped in red carpet flanked by gold walls.

Unfortunately, I am not a great photographer and didn't capture this particular aspect of the building - The Lounge of the Chamber of Peers (photo below). I was too busy marveling at the ceiling artwork of Karoly Lotz (Visit Hungary.com, 2021) which lays above the stairway. Slightly to the left of the photo (below), you can also make out some of the stained glass windows by Miksa Roth (Visit Hungary.com, 2021).

The next stop was the Chamber of Peers, which certainly sounds like it could be a future Harry Potter novel title, perhaps? Seven rows of seats can hold 453 members of parliament (Hungarian National Assembly, n.d.b). 

Inside the Chamber...

Looking slightly right in the Chamber

Military guards were seen patrolling the next tour stop: the Dome Hall. During our tour, I remember the guide requesting us to give them plenty of room as they completed their ceremonial duties which includes guarding the Hungarian Holy Crown and Coronation Isignia (Hungarian National Assembly, n.d.b.). I had to admit, the swords were a little scary. 

Before ending the tour, all visitors get treated to a view of the beautiful Grand Staircase (below): 

Apologies that my photos don't really match to the extravagance inside the building. It truly is a well worth seeing in person as videos, nor photos, can appropriately showcase all the art, textured carpets, and adornments inside. 

All photos by Cutenekko unless otherwise stated/cited. The tour was completed in July, 2018.

Travel Information

There is a wonderful gallery of photos of the Hungarian House of the Parliament via the official site, here:

Gallery - Visitors - Országgyűlés (parlament.hu)

The tour route, as listed on the official site: Visitor route - Visitors - Országgyűlés (parlament.hu)

The official Hungarian National Assembly site for visitors who wish to tour the Parliament is here: Home - Visitors - Országgyűlés (parlament.hu)

It's ideal to visit the House of the Parliament on a rainy or cold day as the tour is completely indoors. 

One caution for those with accessibility issues:
I did not see many elevators, ramps and the like while there. Before arriving for a tour, the official Assembly site recommends those with wheelchair or other accessibility needs to email them at: tourist.office(at)parlament.hu. 

References cited: 

Civitatis Budapest. (n.d.). Budapest Parliament. Retrieved Oct. 31. 2021 from URL. 

Google Maps. (2021). Hungarian Parliament building. Retrieved Oct. 31, 2021 from URL. 

Fisherman's Bastion.com (n.d.). Fisherman's Bastion Budapest. Retrieved Oct. 31, 2021 from URL. 

Hungarian National Assembly. (n.d.a). Welcome! Retrieved Oct. 31. 2021 from URL. 

Hungarian National Assembly. (n.d.b). Visitor route: a walk through the house of parliament. Retrieved Oct. 31, 2021 from URL. 

Jegymester.hu. (2021). Hungarian Parliament building. Retrieved Oct. 31. 2021 from URL. 

Visit Hungary.com (2021). Hungary's most iconic building: the Parliament. Retrieved Oct. 31, 2021 from URL.  

Been to the Hungarian House of the Parliament and want to share your travel tips? Have a question? Looking for more information? Tell us in the comments below.

Why You Should Visit Szentendre (Hungary)

Europe is most certainly full of quaint and picturesque cities. That said, Szentendre is beyond charming. So much so, it attracts artists whose works are freely installed outside for public viewing, and young people who like strolling throughout the twisty cobbled streets, taking in a café or an ice cream at a parlor. 

Let's explore why Szentendre deserves to be seen if you're planning to stay for a bit in Budapest. 

Where is Szentendre? 

Source: Google Maps

Szentendre is roughly 40 minutes north by train or car from Budapest. It is situated along the Danube river. There are a variety of ways to get there, the cheapest being the bus which costs approximately $1 CAD (Rome2Rio, n.d.). Other, possibly more fun options from Budapest to Szentendre include: 

• the suburban HEV train on the Metro red line from Batthyány tér station, or 
• boarding a boat at either Vigadó square or Batthyány square (Szentendre: Wikitravel, 2019). 

Szentendre's small population of less than 30,000 also makes it safe, ideal for cycling or walking around, and something that can be completed as a day trip from Budapest. 

More About Szentendre

Meaning Saint Andrew (Szentendre, 2019), the town was settled by Serbians who fled Turkish occupation in the 17th century (Tripadvisor, 2021). Szentendre rests along the Danube river, has several Orthodox Serbian churches in baroque style, museums (both indoor & outdoor), artist colonies, and has been described as 'Mediterranean-like' due to its colorful shop fronts and its hilly lanes (Szentendre, 2019).

City map of Szentendre with points of interest listed (click to expand).

 

What Should I Do in Szentendre?

Walking or cycling the town is recommended, as the small layout makes it ideal for slow tourism. It's best to start from the main street or square, and then venture outwards. For those looking for more ideas, travel writer Orfhlaith Kearney of Culture Trip (2017) has compiled a very nice top 10 list of places to check out in Szentendre. 

Main square in Szentendre. 

How I Spent a Half Day in Szentendre

One activity I booked in advance of my arrival to Szentendre was a cooking demonstration and lunch. While waiting for the chef to begin, we were treated to a glass of lemon squash. 

 

My refreshing glass of lemon squash.

I'm not much of a cook, but I enjoy sampling all kinds of different foods and am curious to see how things are made. This cooking demonstration was of Hungary's most famous dish - goulash. Goulash is similar to beef stew; ingredients include onions, paprika, sweet peppers and tomatoes. It can be served with bread, pasta or potatoes (The Bossy Kitchen, 2021).

During my trip, I ate quite a bit of goulash with bread or potatoes and some pickles on the side. If you're curious and want to make it yourself, you can find an authentic recipe for Hungarian Goulash on the blog, The Bossy Kitchen. 

I think the chef and translator were totally flirting with each other. 

During the demonstration, the smell was tantalizing and my mouth was watering by the end. Finally, lunch was served of the aforementioned goulash, along with bread and a small pastry. 

The freshly prepared goulash. 

Cannot recall what was inside pasty due to eating it so quickly. 

With lunch complete, I was now free to venture off and explore more of Szentendre. I gathered my things and took off on foot, stopping only when I found something of interest, or in the case below, rather funny.

The Holy Cow Burger restaurant entrance board. Eating here is a...blessing? LOL 

Passing by one outdoor café, I spied an unusual customer - and one who likely skipped out on his bill - a ginger cat, curled up in a patch of sunshine. 

Hungarian cats strikingly similar to Canadian cats - lazy AF. 

Moving along the cobbled streets, I spied a path going up in a spiral. I followed it up to a rooftop/hilltop park which offered a good view of the church in the main square.

How it started (climbing) ...

... How it ended (with a beautiful view). 

I also came across an alleyway that looked remarkedly similar to alleys one might see in Kyoto or Matsumoto (Japan). I set up my camera on the ground and took a self portrait.

Self portrait.

I finally made my way to the Danube river where there was a wonderful walking/cycling pathway along its edge. This was perhaps my favorite view from the day; I noticed a lot more people strolling along the river taking in the fine weather. It seemed to me that Szentendre made a great spot for those wanting to get away from the busier pace of Budapest. 

I had to return to the meeting point to catch a bus back to the city. The waiting spot was situated along a path next to a more modern church. The narrow concrete tower (below) made quite an interesting contrast to the red tiled house next door. It would be my final photo before heading back to Budapest for the evening.

I hope you enjoyed photos and stories from Szentendre Hungary. The next blog post will feature more sights within Budapest. I hope you'll return next week. 

All photos by Cutenekko taken on a Huawei P10 Lite. 

Travel Information:

Szentendre, Hungary - Tourism site from Budapest.com.

When to Visit:

Spring and Fall are ideal times due to being off-peak season and milder temperatures. During summer, avoiding weekends may be best to avoid crowds of locals from the city.  

 

Resources Cited:  

• Explore Szentendre. (2021). Tripadvisor. Retrieved October 21, 2021, from URL. 
• Kearney, O. (2017, April 12). The top 10 things to see and do in Szentendre, Hungary. Culture Trip. URL. 
• Hungarian goulash. (2021, March 11). The Bossy Kitchen. Retrieved October 24, 2021 from URL.
• Rome2Rio.com. (n.d.). Budapest to Szentendre. URL. 
• Szentendre. (2019, April 24). In Wikitravel. URL. 

Been to Szentendre? Got info you'd like to share? Please drop a comment below. I would love to hear from you.