Pinczi hús-hentesáru bolt

Part butcher shop, part ready-to-eat meat paradise, Pinczi hús-hentesáru is an iconic sausage shop in Budapest exhibiting a fast-disappearing side of the city. This low-priced, bare-bones lunch destination, which opened in 1991, specializes in meat dishes that have traditionally been dear to Hungarian stomachs — sausages, meatballs, pork ribs. No matter the time of day, Pinczi swarms with customers who're a cross-section of local residents, with a noticeable concentration of middle-aged men carrying protruding bellies.

Best of all here is the marinated roasted pork belly; crispy on the outside, with a layer of soft fat yielding to a tender meat. My go-to order is a paprika-laced sausage with a slice of said pork belly, paired with a side of sauerkraut and a slice of bread. All of this rarely comes out to be more than €5. You'll either have to eat standing at the high-top tables or find a seat on the busy street outside with a postcard view of the Nyugati Railway Terminal.