3 Things to Do in Budapest’s Secret Chinatown
Budapest’s Chinatown is the place to go for good Asian food and to get away from the tourist track. If you need some Chinese products, you can get it there too!
Did you know Budapest has a Chinatown? It might not be strung up with paper lanterns like the Chinatowns you see in the movies or in other cities, but step inside this curious part of Budapest, and you might be mistaken you’ve stepped through a porthole into Asia. You’ll mostly find wholesale stores and warehouses, but you’ll also find some great places to eat real Chinese food. If you’re sick of the sugar-laden “Chinese” food you find downtown (which, to be honest, all kind of tastes the same) then you’ll want to head up to Kőbánya (Budapest’s X District) for some real Chinese food. So, read on to learn all about this interesting part of town, what to see, and, most importantly, where to eat!
Explore the Four Tigers Market
If you’re done with the big sites, done the Hop On Hop Off tours and all the other touristy things and want to really get off the beaten track, then you may want to brave the Four Tigers Market. On the boundary between Kőbánya and the outer VIII District, you’ll spot a line of industrial buildings covered with Chinese characters. This is the Four Tigers Market, or the Józsefváros Market. It’s a warren of wholesale shops occupying the former factory buildings once belonging to MÁV (Hungarian National Railways). Although most of these shops only sell to businesses, it’s a fascinating place to explore, as parts of it will make you feel like you’ve stepped out of Budapest into the backstreets of Hong Kong or Shanghai.
The market may have an unsavory reputation. You may hear stories about how it sometimes gets shut down by the police for tax reasons, and you may spot some gambling going on in plain sight, but if you just walk around here during the day, it’s perfectly safe to explore.
Eat at the Restaurants at the Monori Center
Once you’ve worked up an appetite, the Monori Center is only a little further away from the center in the X District (also called Kőbánya). It’s about 30 minutes within walking distance from the Four Tigers Market (or just hop on the tram for a couple of stops), but you’ll find the atmosphere is a little different here. The buildings are new, and again, mostly wholesale shops, but you won’t spot any gambling going on and it looks more like a business district in Asia. However, what you will notice is the smell of delicious food as you walk the streets here.
Although the Monori Center focuses more on wholesale stores, most come here for the Chinese restaurants, which are all excellent. You won’t find any fancy places, but you can be sure you’ll get good, authentic Chinese food (at reasonable prices too). The most famous is the He He Chinese Restaurant, which is a no-frills restaurant on two levels, serving freshly cooked Szechuan cuisine. Try the spicy chicken or the homemade tofu here, or the dumplings. You can be sure you won’t leave hungry!
Other restaurants to try around the Monori Center include Spicy Fish (Jegyenye utca 26/8.) and Wanhao Étterem (Jegenye utca 30.) to name a few.
Grab Chinese Street Food at the Nightmarket
In the summer, the parking lot by the Wan Hao Étterem in the Monori Center becomes an open-air street food extravaganza. From 5 pm in the evenings, the restaurants in the area serve delicious food from kiosks and trucks camped out here, from barbecued meats and dumplings to hot pots and more. You can get a table under the huge canopy and order the food you want to try from the numerous food stalls. It’s a fun way to try the best food in Chinatown. On weekends, the Nightmarket sometimes hosts live music or shows, so the atmosphere can be quite festive.
Q & A
- Does Budapest have a Chinatown?
- Budapest may not have a Chinatown in the way many other cities do, but there are pockets that are predominantly populated by Chinese and Vietnamese immigrants. These mostly revolve around commerce, but you’ll find authentic restaurants in these areas.
- How can I get to Budapest’s Chinatown?
- You can take the 28, 28A trams from Blaha Lujza tér to both the Four Tigers Market (Kőbányai út 31) and to the Monori Center and Nightmarket (Mázsa utca).
- Is Budapest’s Chinatown safe?
- Yes, just use your common sense as you would anywhere you travel. In a busy market, like the Four Tigers Market, you may be at risk from pickpockets (like you would be downtown, like on the metro or in the Central Market Hall), so keep valuables in a safe place. Do note that photography and filming are frowned upon in the Four Tigers Market, so best to avoid that.
The central market hall is one of the most iconic places in the capital of Hungary. If you visit Budapest, check out this nice market which offers you the best food and delicacies.
Your experience is important.
Anything you have not found?
Ask a Question
Please log in to write a review.
There is no review yet.