Food Shopping

There are several types of places to buy food in Hungary: a local grocery store, a super suburban grocery story, or an open-air market. The open-air markets vary in size and frequency. Usually small stands are open every day while large markets set up twice a week. At these you can buy fresh fruits and vegetables as well as dry goods such as beans, nuts and dried fruit. A shopper must either bring a shopping basket or bag, or purchase one from the vendor.

Local grocery stores stock fresh produce as well as dry goods, packaged products, liquors, wines and toiletries. There is no age limit or ID required to purchase alcohol. Stores are generally open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday until noon; however, it is becoming increasingly common for grocery stores to be open on Sunday and occasionally 24-hours a day. Again, it is a good idea to bring your own bags.

A new trend is the suburban superstore located in major shopping areas. This is the place to go to stock up on bulk items; sales run for several weeks. Bags are provided. It is still possible to visit small specialty shops like the bread shop, the meat shop, etc. Hungarians generally buy bread and dairy products daily even if they go to the superstores for bulk items on weekends. It is normal to pay cash everywhere.