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Fish soup, paprika or salami. These are the dishes that will surely pop into your mind when you mention the gastronomic specialities of the town in the southern Great Plain. But what else does the town have to offer?
Did you know that the history of the cafés in Szeged dates back to 1739? This was when the first café was opened as a result of the Ottoman rule. The relics of this rich past are still seen all over the town. While walking around town, pop into one of the confectionery shops, with their decades of history and interiors which, in addition to true culinary specialties, also invoke the beginning of the last century.
One of the key ingredients of traditional Hungarian cuisine is ground paprika, which has been declared a Hungarikum. This spice was first used to replace pepper, as the latter was too expensive for the people living on the Great Plain. This is how the story of stews and other dishes seasoned with paprika started, becoming national dishes by the end of the 1860s. When discussing Hungarikums, salami is one that should not be left out, as it is most definitely the best known Hungarian food in the whole world. Most tourists visiting Hungary take home one or two rolls of premium quality winter salami.
A good fish soup is the ultimate dish that you absolutely must try when in Szeged. The area around Szeged is teeming with good restaurants, where you can try any number of special fish soups. Some people like carp, others like catfish, some like it with the offal, some without, but one thing is for sure, a good portion of hot Szeged paprika will feature in every recipe