Almost everyone loves the diverse cuisine of Italy, and plenty of restaurants prepare it well here, while new Italian places keep popping up citywide at all price ranges. However, in recent months these five promising Italian eateries opened for business to offer remarkable value for money with their tasty pizzas, pastas, and more – read on to discover fantastico flavors for reasonable rates.
Upon entering this restaurant at Oktogon, we must make a quick decision: pizza or pasta? The identity elements designed by Stylewalker help us make a choice. At Made in Pasta, we are the ones to put together what we want to eat, following the latest trend. If we decide to taste a pasta dish, we can choose from three classic (990 HUF) and three gourmet (1,490 HUF) toppings, and three types of pasta, in addition to the daily specials. The fresh pastas are always made on-site. We tried the wild mushroom and seafood versions – one from the classic and one from the gourmet offers – and enjoyed both. However, if we prefer pizza, we need to make choices again, as they offer slices and 45 cm pizzas, as well (390-2,600 HUF).
Address: Budapest 1064, Oktogon Square 4
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Casa Bianca opened between Jászai Mari Square and Kossuth Square in the second half of August, with a design unlike any other Italian restaurant in the city. The goal of the owners was to open a friendly gathering space for nearby residents and workers, while trying to bring back the concept of a classic “bistro” – that is, offering good food for a good price. Therefore, the team opted for Italian cuisine, as in their opinion, it is the best to satisfy this style of dining.
The menu of Casa Bianca is simple and brief, but all dishes are well thought out. We tried a risotto with baby beetroot, aglio e olio (1,590 HUF), and homemade lasagna (2,490 HUF), though they also recommended the pappardelle with tiger prawns and tomato. What struck us right away was that there is no pizza to accompany the soups and pastas. The reason for this is that the owners did not want pizza to take a dominant role and overpower the other dishes. Regardless, the meals are never the same, because everything is made by hand and on-site.
Address: Budapest 1055, Balassi Bálint Street 21-23
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Perfetto Italian Kitchen opened on Kecskeméti Street in October. The restaurant’s special feature is the merging of two catering forms: fast-food and traditional restaurants. In other words, we order and pay at the cash register, and then sit down at any open table. All dishes are prepared in front of the guests’ eyes, so it is unquestionable what our food is made from. On each table, there are small pots with various herbs in them, which we can use to further season the food to our liking.
The main dishes of the menu are naturally pasta (Quattro Formaggi, Bolognese, Pomodoro, all'Arrabbiata, Pesto, Creamy Spinach, Truffle, etc.) for 1,390-2,100 forints, and pizza (Margherita, Tonno, Prosciutto e Funghi, Quattro Formaggi, Prosciutto, Toscana, Perfetto Special, etc.) for 590-2,590 forints. However, they did not forget about soups, focaccias, and dieting guests, either: we can choose from seven kinds of salads, or put together our own. The restaurant’s future plans include opening more units in Budapest, or even in other major Hungarian cities.
Address: Budapest 1053, Kecskeméti Street 8
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We found Pastano Trattoria on Nagy Diófa Street by mere accident, as the place looks more like a pub than an Italian restaurant at first glance. However, this is not a problem: we found that eating next to fake flowers and checkered tablecloths is just as good as stuffing our faces at a high-end eatery. We tried an arrabiata (1,790 HUF) and lasagna (1,990 HUF), and were not disappointed. We were especially delighted to find that the quantity of the meals reflects the Hungarian spirit – no one leaves here without a full stomach.
Address: Budapest 1072, Nagy Diófa Street 25-27
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5/5
Bellozzo
How could an Italian restaurant take over part of the Burger King at Oktogon? Well, Bellozzo is operated by the same company that owns Burger King. However hard it is to imagine, the restaurant prepares everything in a show kitchen, with fresh ingredients straight from Italy. Behind the concept is a great international team, since the project, blooming from the idea of Hungarian colleagues, grew to its final form through several years of persistent work of Italian chefs, American gastronomy advisers, and Hungarian professionals. The restaurant is somewhere in the intersection of fast, high-quality, and cheap; we will see what will become of it, but for now, the initiative looks to have good potential. In any case, the blue-and-white tiles, solid wooden tables, metal kitchen counters, and antique mirrors give the place a modern-yet-cozy ambience – unlike in Burger King.
Address: 1066 Budapest, Oktogon Square 1.
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