Where to buy good quality lamb? (Budapest)

Not sure which side of the divide you're on ... but I would have thought the indoor markets in Pest would stock fresh lamb.

I'm sure you know the big covered market opposite Fóvam ter, just before Szabadság Bridge. There is also a similar smaller one just behind the US Embassy on Hold utca. I've seen big chunks of fresh meat on the bone there, but haven't investigated what species are involved.

angol wrote:

Not sure which side of the divide you're on ... but I would have thought the indoor markets in Pest would stock fresh lamb.

I'm sure you know the big covered market opposite Fóvam ter, just before Szabadság Bridge. There is also a similar smaller one just behind the US Embassy on Hold utca. I've seen big chunks of fresh meat on the bone there, but haven't investigated what species are involved.

I'm living in Buda but am in Pest most days as well. I've already tried the indoor markets - beef and pork in abundance but no lamb unfortunately :-(

Ooo! I found it the other day!  I got lamb shanks from a butcher at the Great Market Hall.

Actually, I was surprised and impressed by that market. I thought it would all be touristy, but the butchers and produce was excellent. And one of the plus sides of being touristy is that the butcher spoke great English, and he could advise on cuts. I'm usually the person who is holding up the line miming "pig" and then pointing to my ribs to try to get my order across.

Auchan Savoya Park occasionally stocks lamb...but the section's really tiny, and the risk of finding it empty huge.

Thanks for the responses. I've also seen the lamb in Auchan at Savoya Park (pretty close to me at home here in Budafok). It's usually very small cuts and stupidly expensive at around HUF 2,500 for 600g. No Turkish butchers anywhere? When I lived in Germany and Switzerland they used to be my choice for good quality legs of lamb but in two years here in BP I haven't seen a single one.

It was not clear to me: Did you ask for lamb at the butchers or are you just going in and hoping to see lamb for sale?

I ask because some businesses in Hungary, especially smaller businesses, do not keep in stock much that does not sell rapidly. But they can usually get it for you on special request, or tell you who can, if you ask. I would be surprised if they couldn't. Or you can go to a restaurant that serves lamb and ask where they get theirs.

In any case, I doubt it will be very cheap. So if you are holding out for economic or price reason, you might be out of luck. Basic economics of supply and demand.

There is not really a huge Turkish community in Hungary, unlike in Germany. But for Turkish butchers, maybe you can ask someone here: https://www.expat.com/en/nationalities/ … e/hungary/

A lot of people keep sheep out in the countryside, so all that meat must go somewhere :-)

Well, I've asked at the local butchers (a couple of different ones) and also at supermarkets with no success.
I'm not bothered about paying a proper price for decent lamb but I refuse to pay the prices at Tesco and at Auchan for small portions of very fatty poor quality lamb. I can understand why there isn't the large Turkish community here, what with the history and all...
I'll keep looking :-)

Have you tried asking 'kebab shops' where they get their meat? (Actually, maybe that's not a good idea!!)

Kebaberies do exist here - with the spit roast 'meat' turning on a spike for slicing. There are two at least on south side of St István körút. I've eaten a spicy dish at one of these restaurants - a vast two-floor place like a canteen. Couldn't identify the meat, but did seem more like beef. This one also has a spit roast for kebabs at the street window.

I cooked the lamb shanks I got from the Great Market Hall the other day, and they were outstanding. I don't know if they have lamb there every single day, but when I was there, there was oodles of it in most of the butchers. Sorry, I can't tell you about cost - I bought mine with a whole lot of other stuff, so I didn't pay attention.

Almost anything you can buy at the Great Market Hall can be found elsewhere for less. Despite its name the Great Market Hall is pretty much, if not entirely, retail. "Real" markets you find throughout Hungary will often have many persons selling their own produce and products at excellent prices. There is even a business type here, roughly translated, "self producer" specifically for this type of business.

However, finding things for less can take amassing considerable word of mouth information and local knowledge. It helps to have some (at least basic) local language skills. At that all takes time. And time is money. And it may be less convenient. So there are trade-offs.

Argonaut wrote:

Well, I've asked at the local butchers (a couple of different ones) and also at supermarkets with no success.

I would not ever bother asking at supermarkets. Employees will almost never help in this way; customer service is simply not like that here.

You have to usually ask the owner directly. And some times the one and only person in the shop is actually not the owner.

And then you have to ask in ways to get beyond the initial, ubiquitous "nincs" stage. They will have little interest in stocking, or even bother to get, a product only you want to buy at your convenience. You have to show it is worth it for them financially.

For example, think laterally: if you want cheap (per kg) high quality lamb, try offering to buy an entire lamb for them to butcher for you. Get a freezer and you are set for the year. I know someone who just did exactly this with a hog.