Private Tour
Budapest Great Market Hall Chef‑Led Private Tasting Tour
Overview
Available languages
2 hours
Mobile ticket
Budapest’s markets can feel overwhelming at first — the crowded stalls, the unfamiliar cuts of meat. Many visitors walk through unsure of what they’re seeing or how it all fits into everyday Hungarian life. This private tasting tour offers a clear, relaxed way to understand not just the market, but the food, history, and culture that shaped it — through the eyes of someone who grew up with it.
My family has lived in Budapest for generations, and food has always been our way of understanding the world. Combined with years spent cooking professionally in both the US and Hungary — including time in a two‑Michelin‑star kitchen — I explain Hungarian cuisine through real experience rather than rehearsed stories.
As we explore the Great Market Hall, our conversation moves naturally from ingredients to traditions, from family memories to regional history. You’ll leave with a full stomach, a deeper sense of Hungarian life, and the feeling that you’ve seen the market the way locals do.
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
We’ll explore one of Budapest’s historic markets at a relaxed pace, stopping to look at seasonal produce, cured meats, pastries, spices, and everyday staples. Tastings are included as we move through different sections of the market, visiting a curated selection of stalls that show how Hungarians shop, cook, and eat. As we walk, I explain how certain ingredients are used, how dishes developed, how that whole paprika story happened, and how to make sense of items that may be unfamiliar — and how all of it connects to history and culture. Expect clear, practical explanations, real‑world examples, and plenty of opportunities to ask questions. Because this is a private experience, the focus is shaped by your interests. Some guests want to dive into cooking, others into culture or history, and many enjoy a mix of all three. Nothing is scripted — the goal is to help you understand the market and Hungarian food in a way that feels natural, engaging, and easy to follow. There will be food, stories, and laughs, and you’ll come away with a deeper understanding of Hungarian ingredients, food culture, and everyday life.
Sample Menu
starter
Langos
Deep fried bread dough in our case topped with sour cream and cheese
dessert
Strudel
Choice of your filling (based on available selection) wrapped with layers of phyllo baked fresh on premises.
dessert
Turo Rudi
Cottage cheese with a hint of lemon covered in dark chocolate.
starter
Variety of cured sausages
dessert
Konyakmeggy
Dark chocolate filled Cognac and sour cherry.
starter
Pogacsa
Three kinds of savory scones(UK)/biscuits(US).(Cheese, Potato, Pork crackling)
starter
Pork Crackling
starter
Assortment of pickles
What‘s Included
A shot of my homemade palinka (optional)
Bottled water
A local former chef with perfect English as your guide
Food tasting
Transportation to and from the market
Options
Budapest Great Market Hall Chef‑Led Private Tasting Tour
Reviews
61 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
A Fantastic Food Tour in Budapest
DaveyI12,,Jan 4, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Andrew was an excellent guide who showed us all the best food in the Great Market Hall—the lángos and strudel were definite favourites. He also shared the history of the market and of Hungary in an informative and entertaining way, with great humour throughout. As a bonus, he even brought along some of his homemade pálinka to try, which was a perfect way to start a cold morning. We absolutely recommend Andrew’s tour. He also gave us some excellent recommendations on things to do in Budapest, and we’ll definitely be back to do more tours with him next time we visit
Excellent food tour
Wendy B,,Sep 13, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00We took a wonderful tour of the food markets in Budapest. He was quite knowledgeable about the market itself, the items sold, and, more importantly, the various types of foods. We tasted local meat, pickles, langosh, strudel, and candies. It was a quick two hours and we highly recommend it.
Andrew was very friendly...
Mary C,,Aug 14, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Andrew was very friendly and informative. Learned much about Hungarian food, history and culture. It was a fun experience!
Fun private tour!
Laura L,,Aug 14, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A super experience! Andrew was an excellent guide, very friendly and fun. We enjoyed sampling the various foods, and learning about the history of the market. Since it was a private tour we were able to ask lots of questions, and take our time.
This was exactly what we wanted!
Z1282XGcharlesm,,Jul 15, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was exactly what we wanted. The tour of the Market Hall was great. The two hours just flew by. Andrew's easy presentation of information was great and easy to follow. It was clear he had done this tour before and was very knowledgeable of the workings of the market, where to get samples, and what samples to try. His background in cooking added to the tour. Andrew very quickly adapted to our interests, our tastes, and what we were shopping for. We would definitely do this this tour again and would strongly recommend it to anyone who had an interest in the market and its history. Well done.
Good food and good history!
ksrocheleau,,Jun 19, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A nice way to start our stay in Budapest. Andrew was very informative, and we tasted lots of yummy local goods. My family of 4 enjoyed the tour.
One of the best tours thanks to our guide Andrew.
Denyse B,,Jun 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We took this tour of the Budapest Great Halls organized and accompanied by Andrew, our guide. Hungarian-born, also a local chef by profession in Budapest. We meandered all the main floors and kiosks. Andrew made us taste several Hungarian specialties during stops on the course. He also explained the history of construction and the evolution of this market. He is also very generous with his explanations and stories of Hungarian food according to the different periods. We were captivated and also laughed a lot because he is a good storyteller. We tasted the best Palinka in Budapest, offered by Andrew. I recommend this private tour with this very kind guide. He also advised us on how to identify and choose spices and appellation contrôlée products from Hungary. After this two-hour tour, we continued to stroll and visit by ourselves from kiosks to shop for products and souvenirs from Hungary.
Comprehensive overview of Hungarian food in a beautiful setting
AradTraveler,,May 30, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Despite having visited it before, this was a very informative overview of the market and Hungarian cuisine. Helpful information and a relaxed pace, yet comprehensive. There was a lot of tasting so don’t eat breakfast before you go.
Fun couple of hours
Christopher F,,May 30, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Was a fun couple of hours with Andrew. Got to taste some of the traditional Hungarian foods and get to see where the locals do a lot of their shopping. He's a funny, sharp guy. One suggestion might be to stop by one of the cheese stands and sample some tastings there. But definitely a fun way to spend a couple of hours.
Don't miss Andrew's tour!
sherylk886,,May 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My son Benjamin researched this food tour in advance and we both loved it! Andrew was so friendly and knowledgeable. He spoke about food, the marketplace, and history as we visited booths and enjoyed a variety of food. So much fun! We wish we lived in the same country as Andrew so we could see him regularly.
Related Experiences
Operated by Budapest Market Tour