Food & Cooking Tours in Budapest

We would highly recommend visiting this Chocolate Museum while in Budapest.Just an amazing place with so much history. Our tour guide was so welcoming and friendly. We had many tastings,made our own chocolate tart and had a wonderful sit down chocolate cake with drinks. We made our own way by public transport from the city centre and it was easy to find. Great experience and highly recommended.

Our trip to Budapest was an extended weekend spa hotel visit to the Hotel Gellert, not our first visit to this exciting city and on a previous visit we had seen that there was a Hungarian cookery class course, with a visit to the food market
Our spec from from Agnes was that we should meet up at the market at 09:00, where Andrew would meet us and guide us through the market while we bought all the ingredients for our pre-chosen courses, the cookery glass offers a large selection of traditional Hungarian dishes, all which are possible to make on the day course
We know the markert well, but shopping together with Andrew was a whole new market experience, learning about the traditional Hungarian ingredients, buying local and not foreign vegtables, what cuts of meat to get for the dishes that we had chosen, tastings with the stall holders, local cheeses and good advice on where to buy Hungarien salami and sausage, which evolved into a salami hunt through the market until we found Andrew’s recommended salami choice
After our market breakfast (don’t eat any breakfast before you go, the stallholders are very generous) we headed for the kitchen
After a short taxi trip we arrived across town where we would spend the rest of the day preparing our meals, the prepping started with a plum palinka...a good start...
We enjoy cooking and it was hands on from the start, with professional guidance from Andrew on how to prep, how much paprika to add to get the correct flavour and loads of good tips passed on from his grandfathers ‘tried and tested’ recipes
Our choice was, Goulash, chicken paprika, and cottage cheese pancakes, we prepped all the veg and meat and slowly started to prepare the courses, helped along with a glass or two of wine, lots of interesting chat and insider info on Budapest and Hungary
Andrew had check on everything and in no time the first two courses were ready, soft silky Goulash soup, with just the right bite, suculent chicken paprika in a rich sauce, we retired to the table to enjoy the results. For our pancake finish, we cooked crepes, with local cottage cheese, lemon and double cream
Old style cooking with old style flavour, which you can only learn from a professional cooking from the heart
We had an awesome day and returned to our hotel, together with our present of a Speatzie noodle maker, which we will have great use for after our fantastic day learning how to make the real thing, an absolute must for all foodies

Agnes was an exceptional guide. We started the day at the Central Market where we explored local foods and treats and then visited many of the stalls to learn about Hungarian crafts and products. We then returned to the first floor to gather ingredients for our cooking class as well as sampling some additional treats - from cherry bon-bons, to cottage cheese candy bars to savory strudels. Agnes also explained about the mushroom examiner at the market which was truly fascinating. We then returned to the flat where Agnes provided us with a wonderful atmosphere to cook. Agnes adjusted the menu to accommodate my sister's vegetarian requirements and still created a tasty and traditional menu. Throughout the afternoon, Agnes provided us with insights into Hungarian traditions from explaining the local liqueurs to names days. It was a fabulous way to spend a day in Budapest! I would highly recommend this tour and would do it again when I return to Hungary.

The home cooking class was so much fun. It was the highlight of my trip to Europe. I learned so much more than Hungarian cooking. I learned about the culture as well. I will be taking another class when I am back in Hungary.

This experience was the highlight of a wonderful few days in this gorgeous city. From the minute we arrived in Agi's home we felt welcome and knew this was going to be a brilliant experience.

We were late (don't ask) but this didn't faze her at all, we were met with a glass of pulinka and canapes and after a short introductory chat we set to work. This was no impersonal industrial cookery school but the warm heart of Agi's home,In the 3 hours we were with her we made goulash soup, paprika chicken and Somloi Gluska for dessert. Everything was explained with lots of handy tips (we're both keen cooks but still picked up tips on when to season, how best to skin a chicken and so on) all accompanied with a very nice red wine. We then sat down to a long leisurely lunch when we chatted about the Hungarian way of life and learned about traditional customs and celebrations - so much more interesting than reading up on the subject!

When we left we were surprised with a lovely gift (wont spoil the surprise) and as soon as we got home we had copies of our recipes emailed to us complete with more handy tips.

This was a wonderful experience and one which we'd love to repeat both with Agi and in other cities.

This traditional cooking has some interesting advantages, in that the ingredients are widely available and there aren't so many steps that you couldn't make this on a regular basis at home, eating well without taking so much time out of your busy schedule.

The class itself was great. Agnes is warm and inviting, and knows her history and culture as well as the actual aspects of cooking. She's as willing to help with the basics such as knife skills, important steps like tempering, as well as l learning the techniques of the dishes themselves. In addition to the actual food we were preparing, we got to sample local produce, and of course palinka.

Another nice feature is the location. It's actually not far from where my tourists will be staying and touring, but it's still a short walk away from the river on the Buda side. Most people never venture beyond the castle, so we had a nice, short work into the really beautiful neighborhoods at the start of the hilly area.

I have just returned from an amazing European trip with my hubby and our best friends and during our time in beautiful Budapest we booked a cooking class with Agi, as I have a small home-based food business in Australia (Canefields Kitchen) and wanted to learn how to cook some Hungarian food from the experts. Agi was on holiday so my friend Ros and I enjoyed a fabulous cooking experience with Agi's co-cook Andrew. It was a wonderful morning and we learnt so much about Hungarian food, culture and lifestyle. The class was held at Agi's apartment, that was easy to get to by the Metro, and was homely and comfortable to work in. The food was simple and delicious and we loved the commentary of Andrew who was a delightful young man with lots of interesting facts and information to share. The food was fun to cook and was very tasty. We also experienced the traditional drink Palinka and some very nice Hungarian wine.Thanks Andrew! we loved the whole experience. Deb & Ros

We had a short time in Budapest, but read so many wonderful things about the cooking class wee decided it was a "must do." We were not disappointed. Agi and Andrew took us on a wonderful tour of the market and introduced us to many of the items we would be using in the dishes. We noshed on items from the upstairs food vendors and shopped for groceries to complete our meals. This was wonderful because it gave us an opportunity to discuss items that could be substituted for ingredients not available for us at home. Once back at the apartment the fun began. Agi and Andrew were patient in their teaching allowing us to be fully hands on. We talked, laughed, cooked and then enjoyed a fabulous lunch together. Eat light before you meet at the market. If we have the opportunity to return to Budapest we will definitely take another class.

We had a wonderful day with Agnes, our guide and chef. After meeting at the Central Market, she toured us through this huge market, showing us many things in the vendor's stalls that are not typical in the USA where we are from. She also bought us several prepared food items there, so definitely do NOT have breakfast before meeting with her. There was so much good street food there. Afterwards, we took a taxi to her apartment, where we prepared a full course Hungarian menu. She is a very good cook, and we had fantastic goulash soup, chicken paprika and apple cake. We learned also how to make spaetzle. Definitely would recommend this experience.

We loved our trip to the chocolate museum. We took a taxi from the city center. It was about a 25 minute drive. Our tour guide, Erika gave us a wonderful tour. We learned the history of chocolate in Hungary. There is a great display of chocolate packaging over the last hundred years. We got to make our own chocolate tarts. There were plenty of chocolate samples during the tour. The tour ended with tea and more samples of chocolate. The museum is located in a beautiful renovated residence. Erika was very knowledgeable it was a delight to take her tour. If you love chocolate you will enjoy this experience. Highly recommended!

The welcome from Agi and Andrew was amazing. They opened their home and instructions were superb. I was born in Budapest but never learned the fine art of cooking Hungarian foods. It was the best morning I have spent, I was instructed with clarity and much humour. English was spoken if required. I learned a lot and enjoyed the fruits of my labour. The food was delicious. Agi even sent me off with a bag of homemade paprika which I now use to impress my friends with my culinary skills. I would definitely go back...if you want the real home cooking experience do not miss this. Thank you Agi and Andrew.

Now we're talking!! Tired of the excessively "touristic" spots? Take the class! I've been travelling around and was a little bit tired of castles, monuments, walls, churches, etc. and decided to take a break from all that and do something really "local". It was quite a surprise to get inside someone else's home, take a chair, chat and cook! It was worthy! They spoke good English (just in case you are like me, speaking one or maybe two words in hungarian). Now I will take back to Brazil what I've learned from Andrew and will try this at home...

My sister and I took this cooking class together and it was our favorite thing we did the whole trip. Agi was very nice and explained things thoroughly as we went along. She was able to put together a delicious vegetarian menu for us of vegetable ragu, potato paprika and cottage cheese calls for dessert. Everything was so delicious! We even had hungarian wine and some brandy along the way. Highly recommend!

We really enjoyed our cooking class with Andrew. Andrew was very knowledgeable about Hungarian cooking, both from a historical context, as well as contemporary trends. The instructions he provided were easy to follow and we were able to cook as much or as little as we wanted to. I would do the experience again and recommend it to others that are travelling to Budapest.

We thoroughly enjoyed our private walking tour of Budapest last Sunday. The weather was perfect and our guide, Odea, could not have been better. Even though she is not originally from Hungary, her knowledge of the history and culture was amazing. We would highly recommend this tour to anyone that wants to experience Budapest in depth.

Andrea was a well-informed, kind and engaging guide. And she kept bringing us chocolate! We went in a small group and it was a delightful way to see the museum and find out about the history of chocolate in Budapest. It was well worth the jaunt out of the city center. It was more fun than either I or my daughter imagined.

Reka was a fabulous tour guide! She knows Budapest inside and out. She showed us sights we had read about and many that we hadn't heard of. She has a through understanding of Budapest history and the ability to make it come alive. Touring the city with her was very enjoyable. Even her dinner recommendations were spot on.

Learning how to properly use and cook with paprika was only one if the many highlights of the class. Our walk thru the market was interesting and informative. Agi was wonderful at leading us thru several traditional dishes. It was one if the best cooking classes I've taken on a vacation.

This was entertaining and delicious. It was well worth the time to learn and prepare for ourselves with the guidance of Andrew, the guide and chef.

If you are looking for a more personal food experience in Budapest, we highly recommend this tour/cooking class.

Go as a client, leave as a friend: book a tour! Budapest Urban Walks was very responsive in scheduling, and they will make any of the tours just what you want. You will get lots of interesting insights about Budapest and great tips on where to go after yours tour.