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6 things to bring back from Hungary and Budapest

Hungary, although located quite close to Poland, has a completely different climate, culture and cuisine. When visiting our neighbors, it is worth bringing products that are not readily available in our country or are much more expensive. 


I present to you our personal list of things worth bringing from Hungary. 


1. Hungarian white and red wine 

Hungary is a true kingdom when it comes to wine selection. Hungary is home to two regions known worldwide for the production of this beverage. We are talking about Eger, known for the production of Egri Bikaver red wine, and the Tokaj region where the unique sweet white wine - Tokaj - is produced.

In addition to the above-mentioned places, in principle, throughout the country you can find smaller wineries and wines from the so-called home production sold in plastic bottles, which are not inferior in taste to those with well-known labels. What's more, even "ordinary" Hungarian wines, which can be bought for 7-15 zlotys at popular discount stores such as Lidl, taste excellent and you will certainly find among them pearls for which you will have to pay much more in Poland.


More about Hungarian wines can be found in another post about our stay in Eger.

Eger , wino węgierskie - budapeszt, zwiedzanie, tokaj

Eger , Hungarian wine - budapest, tour, tokaj

Eger , Hungarian wine - budapest, tour, tokaj


Eger , Hungarian wine - budapest, tour, tokaj

Eger , wino węgierskie - budapeszt, zwiedzanie, tokaj


2 Paprika

Being in Hungary, it is impossible to come across the ubiquitous paprika. Someone who does not like the taste of paprika or is allergic to it, for example, will not have it easy because it is found in virtually every product. How surprised we were when, while shopping in the Hungarian Lidl - a store where we usually stock up in Poland - we noticed a lot of similar but different because enriched with paprika products. We could mention, for example, the cheese spread for sandwiches, which we knew only in versions with horseradish and chives, while in the south it was replaced by a version with paprika. The same is true, for example, of cold cuts which in most cases also have this additive. 

Erös Pista - Strong Stefek Hungarian paprika, market, hall, souvenirs from Hungary
Hungarian paprika, market, hall, souvenirs from Hungary

When sourcing paprika in Hungary, it is worth remembering that the one called Erös is the spicy version and Édes the sweet and delicate version. Paprika is very often found in paste form in a jar or tube. The best known and most associated by Poles is Erös Pista - Strong Steak. Pastes, in addition to containing a lot of paprika, are also very salty. They are used in the preparation of dishes such as Halaszele, which I mentioned in my post about what to try in Hungary. 

Węgierska papryka, targ, hala, pamiątki z węgier
Erös Pista - Strong Stefek Hungarian paprika, market, hall, souvenirs from Hungary

The history of this spice itself is very interesting, as it dates back to the time of John III Sobieski, when the blockade of the main sea routes caused pepper to stop reaching the country of the Magyars. The resourceful Hungarians began to replace it with paprika, which in turn was brought to Hungary by the Turks.

3. salami 

Salami very often "lands" on the tables of Hungarians as an ingredient of a typical local breakfast. Of course, very many of these cold cuts come in a version with paprika, which I personally recommend especially with beer :) 

The most famous Hungarian salami, however, is Pick Szeged, which is made from the meat of the Hungarian special breed of Mangalica hairy pig. What distinguishes it from other types of salami is that it is covered with a white coating, is cured and aged for a long time in cold air.


salami Pick Szeged

                                                                      Salami Pick Szeged

4. ceramics and lavender products from the Tikhany peninsula 

Almost everyone has heard or will hear at least once in their lives about Boleslawiec ceramics, which stand out from other such products because of their unique designs and shapes, which have been patented and cannot be used by other manufactures. The same is true of the Hungarian porcelain manufactory in Herend, which is located just 40 kilometers from the famous Tihany peninsula. In addition to traditional tableware, plates, sugar bowls, cups, this Hungarian manufactory has become famous for the fact that trophies in the shape of an ancient vase are produced there, with which the winners of the Hungarian Formula 1 Grand Prix are awarded. Among other things, in 2019. Lewis Hamilton received just such a statuette. The factory has also been producing awards for Japanese sumo and judo champions for more than 30 years. You can find more about Herend products and porcelain here.

Ceramika i wyroby z lawendy z półwyspu Tichany, Budapeszt

As for the extremely charming lavender peninsula of Tihany itself, you will also come across a large number of stores and local ceramic manufacturers there, where their studios are located in thatched cottages where you are sure to find something that catches your eye.

Ceramika i wyroby z lawendy z półwyspu Tichany, Budapeszt

Tikhany is also a "lavender kingdom" - which is best explored by going there between June 30 and July 1 - when the town holds a festival of lavender, which was brought to the place centuries ago by the Romans. Surrounding the town are fields, full of this unusually 

Ceramika i wyroby z lawendy z półwyspu Tichany, Budapeszt

Ceramika i wyroby z lawendy z półwyspu Tichany, Budapeszt

Ceramika i wyroby z lawendy z półwyspu Tichany, Budapeszt

Ceramika i wyroby z lawendy z półwyspu Tichany, Budapeszt

Herend porcelana

5. herbal liqueurs 

One of the world's more recognized herbal liqueurs - Uncjum - is made in Hungary, Budapest to be exact. Its label is impossible to fake. A red circle and on it a silver plus sign. 

herbal liqueurs Hungary

In the composition of the liqueur you will find as many as forty varieties of herbs from the Pannonian Plain. The product is aged in an oak barrel for at least 6 months. Its color is dark brown. The taste itself is original and will certainly not appeal to all gourmets as it is bitter. In addition, it has a specific herbal and spicy taste. The amount of alcohol is 40%. In the beginning, Uncjum was only available in pharmacies, but over time liquor stores began to sell it. To this day, Uncjum can be found in pharmacies which may seem rather strange :) 

In stores we will meet a lot of "substitutes" and other alternative manufacturers of similar liquors. 

Especially those in mini bottles resembling our Polish "monkeys" catch the eye. If you're not convinced that it's worth bringing such a souvenir from Hungary, it's definitely worth stocking up on the mini version.


6 Strasbourg pate, foie gras

a product about which there is a lot of noise not only in Poland but also around the world due to the controversy aroused by the production method of this dubious delicacy. In Poland, its sale and production was introduced in 2000. Hungary is among the few countries where this ban has not been introduced. This means that you can make a stock of this peculiarity. I personally decided not to buy it and bring it back because of the way this product is made. 

Well, ducks or geese are force-fed through a long furore put into their throats with very large amounts of feed. In the long term, this causes the livers of the animals to swell and enlarge up to tenfold resulting in great suffering and pain. The so-called cirrhosis of the liver is formed. It allegedly makes foie gras pate exceptionally good.


foie gras

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