6Tamás Kifőzdéje (Balla-Hús)
Opened in 1951, Balla-Hús is a butcher-shop-cum-eatery in downtown Budapest. Balla's business model has evolved over the decades: instead of raw meat, today it specializes in breakfast and lunch dishes to a shrinking number of local residents (Airbnb, I'm looking at you). I used to be a regular when I lived around the corner; in the morning, I would go for the scrambled eggs sprinkled with crisped-up sausages and red paprika.
During lunch, traditional meat-heavy dishes are laid out in the steam tables and usually include some kind of goulash, roasted and blood sausages, fried chicken liver, schnitzel, vegetable stews (főzelék), and pickled veggies. Let the Dionysian feast mural inspire your meal.
Hidden on a side street, Balla Hús is one of the few affordable eateries in the tourist-heavy downtown; accordingly, customers include everyone from bureaucrats from the nearby Mayor's Office to construction workers. Expect an especially generous portion if the owner himself serves you. Open Tuesday to Friday!
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