Last week we rolled out a cocoa snail at Makmoiselle Bakery, had an exciting lunch at GUSTO13, and finished the day with an ice cream at Füge. But the city has so much more to offer— so let’s continue the gastronomic journey!
Pekedli Szatócsbolt
On a perfect day, I would go to the market right after breakfast, or if I cannot go to the market, I would go to a delicatessen. If we want to be less fancy, we could call it a grocery store, or “szatócsbolt” in Hungarian: a store where we can find all the daily necessities. And if it’s connected to the Veszprém area, that’s a definite plus. Something similar was on the minds of Nóri Kis and Péter Juhász, who moved from the capital to Veszprém to look for local, organic products. Except they could not find them. Although neither of them had been involved in the food industry before, they thought it might be a good idea to start a business that would collect local products and support the community of farmers and producers by selling their items. While they started off without knowing any of these people, they began to reach out to them through recommendations and launched a webshop. Not much later, they were already working with 60 producers, who had finally become accessible and visible with their help.
They became increasingly popular and were looking for a step up when the opportunity arose with Veszprém becoming the European Capital of Culture. They won some funding, so Pekedli could finally open its physical doors as well, once the renovation of the shop was complete. Pekedli means a container, and it is a perfect symbol of the place: something that holds and stores treasures. The selection is constantly changing depending on what is in demand and what is available: we can find honey, dry pasta, syrups, chutney, meat products from Várvölgy Hús, cheese from Sümegtej and Tekeresvölgyi Családi Birtok, bread from the Derce Pékség (bakery), pumpkin seed delicacies from Pepo Papa, and even eco-friendly cleaning products. We can even taste the food as they make cold plates and hot sandwiches on the spot, along with coffee made in a good old moka pot. Nóri and Péter also organize workshops and markets at external locations, promoting the authenticity of artisanal manufacturers and local farmers. The webshop is temporarily unavailable due to the ever-changing prices and the endless administrative work, but a visit to the store is definitely worth it for the amazingly cozy and welcoming atmosphere, not to mention their friendly four-legged companion, Rozi.
Pekedli Szatócsbolt | Web | Facebook | Instagram
Tizen1
If we continue strolling on the cobbled streets after all the delicacies, we deserve an afternoon coffee, and for that our recommendation is the Tizen1 specialty café. This place is the work of a quartet: Edit, Gabi, Krisztián, and Márk. The café opened first in 2015, but in another, bigger location with a different set-up. The first phase ended in June 2018, but at the end of that year, they found a new place: a small store under the spiral staircase of a shopping mall on a pedestrian street. The name remained the same, but the concept became very different: the new café is very tiny, it is only six square meters, and every inch of the place has its role, so it can fit many things. They have a terrace discreetly tucked away in the greenery between the Lutheran church and the shopping mall, open all year round, so the brave ones can also sit there during the winter. Otherwise one can always order coffee for takeaway, although you would never feel rushed with your flat white here anyway.
The atmosphere is accompanied by professionalism; the La Marzocco machine immediately signals this, as only skilled people can use it. The two grinders have two different batches; one is their own blend, and the other is a guest coffee, both from the friendly team of roasters at 42 Coffee. We can enjoy some biscuits on the side, order a panini, or Hester’s Life granola to eat. Of course, instead of a coffee, we can order a chai latte or a hot chocolate, and local artisan syrups are also available. Regulars and tourists alike come here to recharge their batteries, and then they can continue their walk through the hills of Veszprém with more energy after a caffeine boost.
The culinary life of the county seat is so rich that there are many more great restaurants and bistros than what could make it into this article (and into our bellies in a single day). A visit to KUNSZT!, a community space, café, and design shop all in one in the beautifully restored Art Nouveau Rosenberg House, is a must. It is also well worth walking down to the bank of the Séd for a juicy burger at the lively, stonewalled Fricska restaurant. If we want to discover Veszprém’s Italian cuisine, we can head to the tiny but extremely cool Veszprémium, the recently opened, fully vegan Pasta Siena, the more traditional Pizza Dellarosso, or the Oliva, where we can even stay for the night. In the evening, we can sip a cocktail or a glass of wine at the vibrant Papírkutya or go to the brand-new Wine & Vinyl Bar & Store for some upbeat tunes—yet another reason to return to Veszprém.
A magnificent interior straight from Kazakhstan
Shallow gold diggers?
