Namgyal Momo Tibetan Eatery

Think Budapest is too small to find here delicious Tibetan food? Think again. On a District 9 side street hides Tsewang Namgyal’s tiny eatery, Namgyal Momo, where he serves up some seriously tasty Tibetan classics. Tsewang, a gregarious political refugee from Tibet who came to Budapest in 2005, speaks fluent Hungarian and appears to know each customer by name.

The highlight here is the thentuk, a reviving winter noodle soup packing yak meat in a flavorful broth. Most popular among locals are the shapta dishes — stir-fried yak meat mixed with vegetables and Tibetan bread — displayed in the steam tables behind the glass. Don't leave before an order of Tibetan dumplings, better known as momos. You could also try po cha, the slightly sour Tibetan butter tea.

Although mainly a takeout, I urge you to sit down and take in the unusual atmosphere of this snug space. Photos of Buddha and the Dalai Lama blanket the walls, and it's easy to lose yourself in the soft, Philip Glass-esque Tibetan music looping from the speakers.