Restaurant, bar and street-food spot in one, La Fabbrica focuses on the cuisine of the Mediterranean region. Here in Budapest’s city centre, Chef Mario Palermo prepares spaghetti with fresh, sweet tomatoes, pasta with squid and lemon, and a delicious variation with seafood. All of them are imbued with simple but amazing flavours that perfectly evoke the atmosphere of the Mediterranean.
Italian cuisine is a favourite of many who swear by freshly prepared pizza or pasta. Budapest has countless restaurants and eateries offering Italian food, but you won’t find many places in the city that present the gastronomy of the Mediterranean region as a whole, including influences from Iberia, Greece, southern Italy and Turkey.
Opened in the summer of 2018, La Fabbrica does just this, in a stylish interior that functions as a restaurant, bar and trattoria in the historic building of former Marczibányi Palace at Sas utca 8.
The classicist building designed by renowned Hungarian architect József Hild is a beautiful landmark on Szent István tér. The original mosaic flooring from 1869 – covered for long years by concrete – surfaced during renovation, and it now adds a classy touch to the interior.
The bar and trattoria are to the right, the restaurant to the left, with the whole kitchen visible. There is a large separate area, too, accessible from the courtyard. It is a big space, with a basement where preparation and freezing stations are installed, and a gluten-free room, to prepare dishes for those with food allergies.
The restaurant and the bar are made even more unique with an olive tree and a stylish lighting set-up over the counter.
Chef Mario prepared three pastas for our visit to the restaurant’s kitchen: a spaghetti with fresh, sweet tomatoes, a pasta calamari pasta with squid and lemon, and a tasty variation with seafood. All three were excellent, with authentic Mediterranean flavours.
We’ll be back in a few weeks to present you La Fabbrica’s bar offerings, and its menu in detail.
