Budapest Underground Passages to Ban Hot Food Vendors from Cooking On-Site Starting 2025

The Budapest Mayor's Office has prohibited the preparation of hot food in the city's underground passages, meaning residents and commuters will no longer be able to buy hot sandwiches, gyros, grilled sausages, breaded meat, or chimney cakes in these locations.

Budapest residents and commuters will no longer be able to buy hot sandwiches, gyros, grilled sausages, breaded meat, or chimney cakes in the city’s underground passages from 1 January 2025.

In response to Blikk’s inquiry, the Mayor’s Office confirmed that hot food vendors will be banned from cooking in Budapest’s underpasses. Officials explained the decision by citing infrastructure concerns.

The kiosks and pavilions set up in these areas are “unsuitable for such activities due to their utility provisions and design,” the office said.

Officials highlighted several issues related to on-site hot food preparation, including frequent complaints about odours, grease condensation in ventilation ducts that are difficult to clean, and improper disposal of used oil and fat, often resulting in drainage systems being clogged, which were designed solely for rainwater.

As a result, “on-site cooking will no longer be a permitted activity in any underpass starting 1st January 2025,” effectively amounting to a ban. Authorities noted that affected vendors were informed of the decision in advance.

While the range of available food options will decrease, the office confirmed that rental fees for pavilions will not be reduced accordingly, as the usage fees have always been determined uniformly, regardless of activity type.

There is no mention of whether the Budapest transport company is planning improvements to allow hot food vendors to return to the underpasses. Also noteworthy is the question of how, if the decision increases the number of already vacant shops in the underpasses, they plan to rent them out and revitalise the area.