Local Drinks

1. Szódavíz

   Soda water

   Usage

   A registered hungarikum, still sold by the siphon from szikvízüzem workshops. The official name is szikvíz, the everyday one szódavíz; Ányos Jedlik devised the industrial process in 1826. Mixed with wine it becomes fröccs

2. Csapvíz

   Tap water

   Usage

   Hungarian tap water is treated for drinking. Use this word if you want free water in a restaurant — bottled mineral water, ásványvíz, is charged for

3. Szörp

   Fruit syrup, diluted before drinking

   Usage

   A concentrate that is never drunk neat — it is cut with water or soda. Hungarian food regulations require at least 33% fruit juice. Order it in a café and it arrives already diluted

4. Bodzaszörp

   Elderflower cordial

   Usage

   A syrup made by steeping early-summer elder blossom in sugar, lemon and water, then diluted with water or soda. A summer standard, and often home-made in the places that serve it

5. Traubisoda

   Traubisoda, a Hungarian grape soft drink

   Usage

   A grape-must soft drink produced since 1971 and usually shortened to Traubi. Described as the first modern Hungarian soft drink, and the standard choice when you do not want a cola

6. Gyümölcslé

   Fruit juice

   Usage

   Graded by juice content: must is 100%, nektár at least 25%, gyümölcsital at least 12%. A carton marked rostos contains pulp

7. Almalé

   Apple juice

   Usage

   Juice pressed from apples — one of the most commonly processed fruits in Hungary, and available everywhere

8. Limonádé

   Lemonade

   Usage

   A refreshing drink of lemon juice and sugar, sometimes made with soda water. Terraces in summer often list it as házi limonádé, house lemonade

9. Kávé

   Coffee

   Usage

   The general word for coffee. What cafés serve is presszó / eszpresszó, pressure-brewed and strong, so ask for tejeskávé if you want milk. Budapest had around 500 kávéház coffeehouses in the early 20th century, and several of the historic ones still trade

10. Presszókávé

    Espresso

    Usage

    Coffee extracted under pressure; also called presszó or eszpresszó. Note that presszó can also mean the café itself

11. Tejeskávé

    Coffee with milk

    Usage

    A compound of tej (milk) and kávé. Ask for this, not plain kávé, if you want milk in it

12. Tea

    Tea, usually herbal or black

    Usage

    Herbal infusions are also called tea. Dried elder blossom (bodzavirág) is used against colds as a diaphoretic and fever reducer, and chamomile (kamillavirág) is equally common

Browse all TravelPhrases languages