Felicita Budapest was opened at the end of April, involving a chef from Bergamo and a pizza chef from Turin, in District XII, on the ground floor of the Hegyvidék Shopping Center, with its own spacious terrace. For authentic Neapolitan flavours, most of the ingredients come from Italy and, for classic Mediterranean dishes, Greece.
The whole project began at the end of last summer, and in the meantime
they tried to visit all the Italian restaurants in Budapest to assess the
current domestic offer.
“There are
ever more decent Neapolitan pizzerias already in the capital, but we’re not satisfied
with being good, we want to be the best!” says Andrea Zöldhegyi, CEO and
co-owner of Felicita.
Their aim is to maintain the respect and honour of Italian cuisine, so in addition to Hungarian diners, they would also like to attract Italians living in Hungary if they’re looking for authentic flavours.
The quality of the ingredients is unquestionable, while interior designers Marci Lengyel and Andi Juhász have created an Italian atmosphere around it. Ádám Szabó is responsible for the unique ceramic plates, whose little openings allow the pizza dough to stay fresh while being consumed. A pizza oven from Naples rounds out the well-conceived concept.
In the first weeks, the emphasis was on pizza that could be partaken on the terrace or taken away, but now that that interiors have opened, a shortened menu has been expanded. A daily menu will soon be available, of course also according to Italian tastes, with daily risottos, soups and ravioli.
The ravioli, like the pizza dough, they knead themselves, otherwise Italian Gentile pasta is used for the dry dough and the de Angelis brand for the fresh. Gluten-free pastas and pizzas are also optional, as long as the topping allows.
The Gentile pasta also ensures a succulent spaghetti carbonara (2,990 HUF), and the squid ’nduja in the classic Neapolitan calamarata (4,450 HUF) results in a deep and complex taste, while the cheeses and antipasti deserve their own mass. By the way, ’nduja is Calabrian sausage with a characteristic taste that is soft enough to be spread.
Of the pizzas, of course, we tasted Margherita (2,390 HUF), Felicita (3,590 HUF) and the pistachio-infused mortadella (3,890 HUF). In the 480-degree electric oven, the baking time is one minute, so the dough is brittle and flavours explodes – to talk about styles.
A wide selection of Hübris beers, Italian wines, proseccos and 150 varieties of spirits have been collated by András Ódor. The cocktail range evokes the light Italian way of life, felicità meaning happiness, of course.
The area has long deserved a high-end Italian restaurant, and although
the managers are thinking of home delivery, we would still encourage everyone
to visit in person, as Neapolitan pizzas and al dente pastas are best consumed straight away.
Let’s hope that once their reputation is deservedly widespread,
they will be able to maintain this really high standard!
Felicita Budapest
District XII. Apor Vilmos tér 11
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