2-Hour Private Market Tour in Budapest With Free Tastings
5
LIKELY TO SELL OUT*
2-Hour Private Market Tour in Budapest With Free Tastings
By Budapest Market Tour
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About
I’m Andrew, I was born and raised in Budapest. I used to work as a sous chef in the US, and as a line cook in a 2* Michelin restaurant. I have been a culinary instructor and a market tour guide since 2012. If you have ever been to a market, and you wondered what the locals do with all the stuff, which food stalls to visit, where to buy your souvenirs or just wished you have a local friend, then you came to the right place.
Join me and I will take you to the ultimate cultural, culinary market tour this city has to offer.
Learn about our history and culture through sampling some of the famous dishes this market has to offer. You will get personalized suggestions. Your questions can be answered like only a local can answer them. The tours are short they, very informative and filling. This way you can leave with a belly full of delicious food, and knowledge.
We might meet as strangers but we will leave as friends so come along for this private guided food, and cultural tour.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-100
Duration: 2h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More
- Bottled water
- Food tasting
- A local former chef with perfect English as your guide
- A shot of my homemade palinka (optional)
What's not included- Transportation to and from the market
- Start:
- Central Market Hall, Budapest, 1093 HungaryWe will meet at the main entrance of the market, the one that is across the street from Burger King.
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 397697P1- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 397697P1
From
$62.89
per adult
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About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- B1898SSmeganm0 contributionsAmazing Tour to see the Real BudapestAndrew was an absolutely amazing tour guide through the Lehel Market! We felt we got to see the real Budapest and got to try some very authentic Hungarian foods. Andrew always gave us recommendations, but let us choose what we wanted to try (we always went with his recommendations and were never led astray). We left not only extremely full, but with tons of knowledge about Hungarian food and culture. I would recommend this tour to anyone who wants to experience the real deal! I would happily go on many more tours with Andrew!Written May 2, 2024
- cathawks0 contributionsFood, Culture and History from a native ChefAndrew is a great guide! He is very knowledgeable as a chef, and can navigate the right balance of unique new foods to try, sweets, staples with history and local culture. We had a great time, learned a ton and had some delicious food!Written January 20, 2024
- PatN3960 contributionsVery interesting and informative tour. Would recommend this for first-time visitors.Andrew was very helpful and informative during the tour. Answered all our questions and was very pleasant. We would recommend this tour for any first time visitors.Written September 27, 2023
- browncondo21020 contributionsAmazing MarketWhen I first entered the market, it reminded me of a gutted train station but after further investigation I found out it was built a The Grand Market Hall in 1897. There seems to be at least 100 booths on 2 floors from fruits and vegetables, to meats and fish, food vendors, souvenir and candy shops, clothing and leather goods, porcelain but most of all Paprika It is called the "Red Gold" of Hungary. You can get it in many sizes, regular, smoked and spicy. .You can get it at most shops in the market. Also pick up some of their Saffron. Although we didn't buy any prepared food there, the portions were huge and the smells mouthwatering.Written December 5, 2022
- jbucktn0 contributionsWell worth the time!Andrew was amazing and,he spent the time to get to know us and our interests. He customized the tour based on our interests and his knowledge of food, the market, and history was well worth the time. I learned all about paprika also and he made a recommendation for what I should purchase with no pressure from him or the vendors. I am looking forward to cooking with it!Written December 3, 2022
- yvetteg4020 contributionsDiscover The Central Market with an expert!My husband and I took the Central Market Tour with Andrew. We met him at the main entrance of Central Market as planned. Andrew had recommended we didn't eat breakfast beforehand, as we would have plenty of opportunities to taste a variety of Hungarian foods. I"m so glad that we listened to his advise, as we tried so many different foods from savoury to sweet. As a chef his knowledge of food and food preparation was excellent. Not only did he give us an insight into the foods, but the history of The Central Market. Andrew was able to recommend some good quality paprika for us to bring him. It was a thoroughly enjoyable two hours of history, culture and food. Highly recommend.Written September 22, 2022
- lital20080 contributionsRecommended to see.The market is right next to the Danube river and the Vaci utca shops and restaurants. Its full with shops selling SWEET AND PIQUANT PAPRIKA GRIST, paprika cooking paste, Hungarian wine, meat, fish, fruits, vegetables and souvenirs. If you like to take home with some of Hungary tastes its the right place to visit.Written July 22, 2019
- MichaelASnfq0 contributionsGreat market tourAndrew was waiting for my brother and I at the main entrance of the market. After sampling the typical Hungarian foods, we wanted to learn more about it. Andrew also being a cooking instructor told us some basic know - how and recipes during the tour. He pointed out and explained what we can see in the market and told us how Hungarians or he uses them. He also sent us some recipes that we were really keen on trying out. He has family in the United States where he also resided, so his English is as perfect as his knowledge. He is a delightful young man who really loves his country, cooking, food and markets this makes for an enjoyable experience. We highly recommend it.Written May 20, 2019
- Istanbulvermont0 contributionsThis tour could be the best part of your tripI think that food tells you a lot about a culture, so I like to spend time wandering around a city seeing what people buy in their grocery stores. But this tour is so much more than that because Andrew is a great ambassador for Hungary! He takes time to show you typical ingredients in local cooking and baking, and helps you to get the best products, like paprika, so you get the best brand for your budget. He helped me pick out some Pick sausage and paprika for souvenir gifts. I was surprised that he speaks English so well, so neither we nor he had to struggle at all. We tried some of the local food on the second floor, where there are food stalls, and his tips were right on - really, really tasty! He is a chef, too, so he`s great for "foodie-talk".Written March 27, 2019
- Ernie302040 contributionsGreat Day at The Central Market HallMy wife, daughter, son-in-law, and I took the Central Market Tour with Andrew. We started it by meeting him at the main entrance of Central Market. Andrew expertly lead us through the labyrinth of stalls, stopping along the way at the ready-to-eat food stalls. He provided us with plenty of tastes of Hungarian food (don't eat before visiting). He helped us in purchasing the best paprika and Foie Gras to take home. I have Hungarian roots and Andrew was really interested in our family background. Our time with Andrew during this market tour was excellent. This was one of the best experiences we have had in Budapest.Written January 31, 2019
- peterdavy500 contributionsCity breakA fantastic place to spend half a day, the vast array of stalls, selling a great selection of local produce. There are plenty of choices for eating and drinking within the market. The building is stunning both inside and out. A must see.Written November 16, 2018
- Grant R0 contributionsFabulous experience exploring the markets ; cafe and then wine tastingGourmet tour visiting largest covered market, a converted butcher shop for traditional lunch...standing up, a beautiful cafe for cakes and finally wine and cheese tasting. Yum!Written June 19, 2018
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
35 reviews
Excellent
34
Very good
1
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Celeste K
2 contributions
Dec 2024 • Couples
I can't say enough good things about this tour! Andrew was a great guide, extremely interesting and really tailored his tour to our interests.
I was initially a bit worried as my partner is not the most adventurous eater, but Andrew managed to balance his preferences with my own foodie palate and we both thoroughly enjoyed the food. There was a great variety of food and so much of it! We both left stuffed and with extra food that we enjoyed the next day. I wont spoil the tour by listing all the things we ate, but needless to say they were all delicious.
It's much more than just a food tour though, Andrew is extremely knowledgeable about the history and culture of Budapest and so our tour was also culturally stimulating! We also had some great chats about his alcohol distilling and cooking career.
Andrew definitely goes above and beyond for the tour, he even kindly gave us a bunch of tips for other foodie places around the city and even gave me a written tour of Lehel market so that I had a guide when I went to explore that - we followed his advice on the salami to get from there and it may have been some of the best I've ever had.
Needless to say, I heartedly recommend this tour to anyone who loves food (and those who are learning to love it) and who want to learn more about the gastronomic history of Budapest.
I was initially a bit worried as my partner is not the most adventurous eater, but Andrew managed to balance his preferences with my own foodie palate and we both thoroughly enjoyed the food. There was a great variety of food and so much of it! We both left stuffed and with extra food that we enjoyed the next day. I wont spoil the tour by listing all the things we ate, but needless to say they were all delicious.
It's much more than just a food tour though, Andrew is extremely knowledgeable about the history and culture of Budapest and so our tour was also culturally stimulating! We also had some great chats about his alcohol distilling and cooking career.
Andrew definitely goes above and beyond for the tour, he even kindly gave us a bunch of tips for other foodie places around the city and even gave me a written tour of Lehel market so that I had a guide when I went to explore that - we followed his advice on the salami to get from there and it may have been some of the best I've ever had.
Needless to say, I heartedly recommend this tour to anyone who loves food (and those who are learning to love it) and who want to learn more about the gastronomic history of Budapest.
Written February 1, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Celeste,
Im flattered by your kind words, it was a fun morning filled with some good food and conversations. I'm glad you enjoyed the samples and that you got the salami, they really know their craft. :) I'm glad the tour of the Lehel was also a blast. Thank you for the fantastic review, the fun morning and the kind words.
Written February 5, 2025
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Stephanie R
5 contributions
We had a great time with Andrew as he taught us about Hungarian history while we enjoyed a variety of Hungarian samples. It was very informative as well as delicious. We feel like we know much more about the Hungarian culture and food. We recommend him to anyone looking for an immersive and knowledgeable food experience! Thanks Andrew!
Written January 22, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Stephanie,
Thank you so much for the fantastic review and for coming along. It was a cold but fun morning. It was great to meet all of you, and I'm glad I was able to provide you an immersive experience. Thank you.
Written February 5, 2025
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Nicola Y
Birmingham, UK4 contributions
Aug 2024 • Couples
Andrew was a knowledgeable and entertaining host for for our market tour, coping admirably with our complicated dietary needs (1x gluten free meat eater, 1x vegetarian). Lots of tasty morsels of food and knowledge to keep your appetite saited. Highly recommended, we enjoyed the small intimate group which meant anyone could ask a question and get to hear the answer. Be warned, the tour starts with a shot of Palinka (for the drinkers in the group), so make sure you partake in the langos to soak up the fruity alcohol.
Written August 10, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Nicky,
Thank you so much for your very kind words. Im glad you all had a great time. It was really great meeting you. Thank you for choosing me for this tour.
Written August 28, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mandy Haslam
19 contributions
Apr 2024 • Couples
We enjoyed a full-on packed 2 hours with Andrew, our knowledgeable and gregarious guide, in the vibrant food market. Our tour began at 9am on Saturday which enabled us to beat the crowds and queues. We started with a traditional lángos with sour cream and cheese topping washed down with a slurp of Andrew's homemade moonshine palinka, which was deliciously warming. The best palinka we'd had in Budapest. I was grateful to have a guide for many reasons, but not least to have him do the purchasing in the market where the forint is predominant. We tried a wide array of the most delicious traditional foods. Pickled green tomato was surprisingly good.
Written April 16, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Mandy and Mark,
Thank you so much for the very kind words. I'm really glad you and Mark enjoyed the tour. I'm delighted to hear that you found my palinka the best you have had in the city. Thank you so much for choosing me for your tour.
Cheers
Andrew
Written April 23, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
David R
Hebron, CT3 contributions
Dec 2023 • Couples
We had an excellent tour with Andrew of this very large market. He was friendly, personable and spoke very good English. He navigated us around this very large and complex space, from the souvenir stands right through all levels of food.
He was ready to answer any questions, helped us find good deals on paprika and other food items to take home and plied us with lots to eat - sampling all sorts of Hungarian food. He also gave us a good introduction to life in Hungary - as much as one can get in 2 hours.
This tour fulfilled our expectations, and then some. I would heartily recommend Andrew to anyone genuinely interested in Hungarian food.
He was ready to answer any questions, helped us find good deals on paprika and other food items to take home and plied us with lots to eat - sampling all sorts of Hungarian food. He also gave us a good introduction to life in Hungary - as much as one can get in 2 hours.
This tour fulfilled our expectations, and then some. I would heartily recommend Andrew to anyone genuinely interested in Hungarian food.
Written December 18, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi David,
Wow. Thank you so much for your very kind words. It was great to meet Mary and you. Thank you so much for choosing me for your tour.
Written December 22, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mariana Hernandez Quiros
5 contributions
Jan 2025 • Friends
Andrew’s food tour was fun, educational, and tasty. He’s also a very funny guy. If you want to learn about the history of Hungarian food and try many samples, I highly recommend this tour!
Written January 29, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Mariana,
Thank you so much for joining me on the tour. I really appreciate the kind words. Thank you for the fun morning.
Andrew
Written February 5, 2025
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
CarlEKansasCity
Overland Park, KS38 contributions
Nov 2024 • Couples
We had an excellent food sampling tour at the Great Market with Andrew! Our group of 3 couples were on a Viking river cruise, and we decided to do a small private tour of the market instead of the Viking tour, and glad we did, as the market is crowded, and we were able to move from place to place in a small group. Andrew gave us good directions and we met him outside the market. He guided us through the market and shared lots of interesting information about the market, and the city. We had samplings off many different types of food, including his home made palinka. A very fun time.
Written December 23, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Carl,
Thank you so much for your fantastic review! It was real fun guiding you all and sharing the unique flavors and stories of Budapest and the market. I'm glad you enjoyed the homemade palinka and the personalized experience. Your kind words truly mean the world to me. Thank you for choosing me for your market tour.
Warm regards, Andrew
Written December 28, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Julie S
Novato, CA1 contribution
Nov 2024 • Family
Andrew's tour was the highlight of our two week trip to Budapest and Vienna. Andrew is incredibly knowledgeable and personable. He has a deep insight into Budapest (being a local) AND his English is excellent. His training as a chef comes through with all aspects of the market tour.
Written December 16, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Julie,
Woow, thank you so much for your fantastic review!I'm thrilled to hear that my food tour was the highlight of your trip to Budapest. Your kind words mean the world to me. I truly appreciate you choosing me for your market and food tour. thank you.
Warm regards, Andrew
Written December 28, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mandy Haslam
19 contributions
The best way to savour a uniquely Hungarian gastronomy. Our guide did not just speak fluent English having spent 8 years working in American kitchens, but was also loquacious in sharing so much, not just about Hungarian traditional food, but also the culture too. He was a great, entertaining person to enjoy spending the morning with.
Written November 14, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Mandy,
Thank you so much for the kind words. I'm really glad we had a chance to meet and I'm delighted to hear you enjoyed the tour. Thank you
Written December 28, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Kelsi R
1 contribution
Nov 2023 • Couples
The Central Market is a very authentic Hungarian market that would have been challenging to fully experience if Andrew wasn’t there to lead us through it.
He knew the best stands to eat at and the best stands to buy authentic Hungarian work from rather than resale items from other countries.
His English is perfect (he lived in the US for many years) and we had great conversation about Hungary’s history and food traditions. It was great having someone who spoke perfect Hungarian to interact with those running the stand. He clearly has a great relationship with everyone since they all seemed happy to see him.
The food was great of course. You will try a wide variety of foods that are all delicious in their own way.
He knew the best stands to eat at and the best stands to buy authentic Hungarian work from rather than resale items from other countries.
His English is perfect (he lived in the US for many years) and we had great conversation about Hungary’s history and food traditions. It was great having someone who spoke perfect Hungarian to interact with those running the stand. He clearly has a great relationship with everyone since they all seemed happy to see him.
The food was great of course. You will try a wide variety of foods that are all delicious in their own way.
Written December 3, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Kelsi,
Thank you so much for the very kind words. Hope you made it home safely. thank again so much for choosing me for your tour.
Cheers
Written December 11, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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