Where to Eat Lángos in Budapest?

From classic cheese and sour cream to something completely different

If you want to try real Hungarian street food in Budapest, lángos is almost a must. You will find it at markets, at outdoor pools, in snack bars and in restaurants. Today there are many more versions than the classic one with cheese and sour cream.

But what is real Hungarian lángos like? Which topping should you try first? And where should you look for lángos in Budapest?

What is lángos?

Lángos is a yeast dough, fried fresh in oil. It is slightly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. You can eat it plain, but in Hungary we almost always order it with a topping.

The classic versions:

• Garlic lángos – simple, but very Hungarian
• Sour cream lángos
• Cheese lángos
• Cheese and sour cream lángos – probably the one you will see most often

If it is your first lángos ever, we would start with cheese, sour cream and garlic.

What makes a good lángos?

The most important thing is that it is fried fresh. A good lángos gets a little crispy on the outside, but stays light and soft inside.

And don't expect a small snack. In Hungary, lángos is usually not something you finish in two bites.

Where to eat lángos in Budapest?

You can find lángos in many places in Budapest: at markets and street food spots, as well as in Hungarian restaurants.

When you choose a place, check the menu, the prices and recent guest reviews. It also matters whether you want a quick lángos standing up, or you would rather sit down, have a drink with it and try other Hungarian dishes too.

If you are sightseeing in downtown Budapest, you will find plenty of options within walking distance in District V, VI and VII.

Does it have to be cheese and sour cream?

Not at all.

Next to the classic lángos, you can now find lots of different versions. At Drum Café, we like to play with it too.

Besides the traditional version, we make beef stew lángos and vegetarian lángos, for example. We also have our own dishes where we use lángos in a completely different way.

Black Lángos, Lángos Burger and Lángos Lasagne

Over the years, several lángos specialties were born at Drum Café.

The Black Lángos and the Lángos Burger are our own creations, and they are legally protected. You will also find Lángos Lasagne on our menu, which brings Hungarian lángos together with a very different cuisine.

These are not traditional Hungarian dishes – and we don't want to pretend they are. We simply like to take something we know and push it a bit further.

See our lángos dishes →

Lángos or goulash?

On your first visit to Budapest, it is a hard question. But we think you don't have to choose.

Lángos shows you the world of Hungarian street food, while goulash soup is one of the best-known dishes of traditional Hungarian cooking.

If you spend a few days in Budapest, give both of them a chance.

All about Hungarian goulash →

Lángos in downtown Budapest

Drum Café has been open since 2006 in District VII of Budapest, at Dob utca 2, just a few steps from the Dohány Street Synagogue.

Along with classic Hungarian dishes, lángos has been an important part of our menu from the start. If you want a traditional cheese and sour cream lángos, you will find it here. If you want to try something more unusual, we have ideas for that too.

We are open every day from 9:00 to 24:00, and there is no service charge.

Where is the best lángos in Budapest?

Our answer is the same as for goulash: it is a matter of taste. Some people like a thinner, crispier dough, others swear by a thicker, softer lángos. Some only want garlic on it, others want as many toppings as possible.

If you are in downtown Budapest, try ours – and then decide for yourself.

Drum Café – Lángos & Goulash Bar
1072 Budapest, Dob utca 2.