If you’re visiting Budapest and looking for a cheap, tasty, and typically Hungarian snack, you should definitely try Lángos. Pronounced “Lang-gosh,” this treat is a must-try.

We had Lángos a couple of times during our trip. Once, we got it from a booth on the top floor of the Central Market, which I recommend for an inexpensive lunch. Another time, we enjoyed it at the cafe at the Palatine Strand baths on Margaret Island, along with several plates of chicken livers (but that’s a story for another time!).

Lángos is a delicious cross between a doughnut and a pancake. It’s made from a yeasty dough that’s rolled into balls and then flattened by slapping them from hand to hand. We watched this process at the Central Market. The flattened dough is then deep-fried in hot oil until it puffs up and is served with either savory or sweet toppings. One of the most popular toppings is sour cream and grated cheese, known as sajtos tejfölös (sajtos means cheese and tejfölös means sour cream).

Another Hungarian specialty you might encounter, especially in tourist areas, is Kürtős Kalács. We saw this at the Hungarian Arts and Crafts Festival in August, among other places. This treat is made from milk dough rolled into strips, which are then wound around a metal cylinder and toasted over an open fire, similar to what you might do when camping. The name comes from the funnel inside a chimney that it resembles once it’s removed from the metal spit. After it’s cooked, it’s typically rolled in sugar and cinnamon, and sometimes nuts. You can then peel strips off the roll to eat, making it a great snack to share with family.

Thanks to my Hungarian friend, János, for explaining these delightful snacks to me. All I know is that they were fun and tasty to eat!