Q&A with culinary tour guide Nelli Hajba

TELL US ABOUT TYPICAL HUNGARIAN FARE

Hungarian dishes tend to include meat and dough. We do dough in every form, from baked to fried to boiled. We have lots of indigenous livestock, including grey cattle and mangalica pigs. And we use a lot of paprika, which was introduced by the Turks when they ruled. When I travel, I always take my Hungarian paprika with me.

AND DRINKS?

I could spend hours showing you the different kinds of alcohol we have! There are digestifs, aperitifs and wines from 22 regions. If you eat too much, there’s no better remedy than a shot of pálinka [fruit brandy] or Unicum [herbal liqueur].

HOW HAS THE FOOD SCENE CHANGED IN RECENT YEARS?

There are fewer and fewer csárda — restaurants serving traditional food. That’s a shame. But most restaurants still include classic dishes like goose liver on their menus, and have Hungarian wines from local wineries. Although it’s sad that some old restaurants closed during the pandemic, it’s offered opportunities for young restaurateurs with new ideas. That’s exciting.

Nelli Hajba is a Budapest local and founder of Nellicious Travels, leading food-related tours and culinary experiences in the city. nellicioustravels.com