Goulash soup

How is the Goulash Soup prepared at Centrál Café?

At Centrál Café, our goulash soup is made with deep respect for Hungarian culinary tradition – yet subtly reimagined in its details. The base is a rich beef broth enhanced with red wine, simmered together with tomatoes, peppers, onions, sweet paprika, potatoes, and fresh root vegetables. The depth and intensity of the flavor come from long cooking time, carefully balanced spices, and high-quality ingredients. It’s served with hot chili salsa, silky sour cream, a drizzle of fine olive oil, and rustic sourdough bread – completing the experience.

Why did we choose to include this dish on our menu?

Goulash is not only Hungary’s most iconic national dish, it’s also a beloved classic in the world of café dining – something guests not only search for, but expect. At Centrál, we wanted to represent this dish with the dignity it deserves: preserving its traditional flavor while offering a fresh, slightly elevated presentation. Our goulash is both comforting and refined – just like Centrál itself.

What makes Centrál’s Goulash Soup special?

The distinction lies in the details: the richness brought by red wine, the crisp freshness of the vegetables, the smoothness of the sour cream, and the bold intensity of our house chili salsa. Served with crusty sourdough bread, it delivers not just a rustic experience but a warm reminder of countryside kitchens. Centrál’s goulash is more than a well-prepared classic – it’s a contemporary café dish that bridges past and present with elegance.

Where does goulash come from?

The origins of goulash soup reach back to the lives of Hungarian herdsmen – “goulash” originally meant cattle herder, who would cook hearty paprika-based stews over open fire in cauldrons. From the 18th and 19th centuries, goulash gradually rose from rural kitchens to the tables of city restaurants, eventually becoming one of Hungary’s most recognized national dishes. Károly Gundel, one of the greatest figures in Hungarian hospitality, viewed goulash as more than food: to him, it was a vessel of cultural identity – rooted in folk traditions, yet capable of urban refinement. At Centrál Café, we carry this legacy forward, serving our goulash with reverence for tradition and thoughtful modern touches.