Phenomenal pizza in District XII – Ciao, Localino!

We believe that the reason why Italian cuisine is so brilliant and so popular is because they rely on foundations that cannot be gainsaid. Sun-ripened tomatoes, expertly prepared homemade pasta, golden olive oil, exceptional flavours from the sea – and there's always some refined extra. A few drops of lemon juice, coarsely ground pepper, a little chili and, of course, the love of food and flavours.

Eating plays an important role in Italian culture, this manifestation of earthly pleasures, which people like to experience together. Yes, they experience it rather than just consume. Even if you don’t have the whole afternoon in the garden, if the whole family can’t get together, you have time for something in a hurry, on weekdays, after work, during aperitivo time. 

During the first quarter of this year, the Leroy team began to rewrite the history of the outlet opposite. They wanted to rely on stable knowledge and experience to open something that is easily understood and appreciated, needs little explanation and has several profiles. For example, from the nearby offices, workers can have a business lunch in summer either on the terrace or in the cool dining room. But if the discussion goes on until the evening, they can bring out the tablecloths.


Anyone after a good Negroni or an Italian Prosecco is in the right place, but those who succumb to the pizza aromas wafting from the oven, are also welcome. Not to mention any groups of friends happy to swap the hustle and bustle of Pest for this tranquil location, or couples ready to entrust cooking their evening meal to the management here.

Localino is not a trattoria, osteria or pizzeria, but a cosy Italian spot. Even given the shortage of hospitality professionals in 2022, there's a great kitchen team and Stefano from Lazio who, like any host, adds to the atmosphere of the space with his cheerful presence. Smiling, professional and elegant, ready to welcome guests.

The café area of Localino close to the street front is the noteworthy setting that greets you as you come in from the shopping centre. Of course, there are still plenty of hangovers from the previous operation, but renovation is an ongoing process. The smell of pizza leads you in the direction of the kitchen, where everything is based on the co-operation of Giuseppe and Szilveszter Tarjányi, who take their profession extremely seriously.

Tens of thousands of pizzas have already emerged from Giuseppe’s hands, he is a true master of the genre, but instead of the much talked-about and popular Neapolitan style, his pizzas with wild sourdough leavened for 72 hours are from a completely different school.


As a result of the use of sourdough, the pizzas with far less gluten than average do not have a flaky rim, nor do the hydrated doughs have their regular spotted pattern, but crispy blisters appear randomly. It’s actually more like a crispy pizza but not of the paper-thin variety. The excellent toppings baked in the oven combine with the pasta in just the right proportion, fresh, tasty and refreshing for a different experience each time.

An important character in this story, in fact, is Szilveszter Tarjányi, who learned his profession in Italy and England. He stood out from the rest at the academy run by a true Italian culinary legend, restaurateur and gastro expert, learning from Antonio Carluccio. According to the good-natured chef, Italian cuisine also allows room for creativity, since everyone adds to a recipe anyway, making their favourite pasta, salad or meat dish special by making small changes that are sometimes surprising, sometimes imperceptible.


His former master, Carluccio, for example, revolutionised the Italian cuisine intended for the English, so that it remained authentic while also appealing to English public taste. When we asked Szilveszter about the composition of the pizza flavours and his work with Giuseppe, he smiled with satisfaction. This is a team, there is absolute democracy, they work together. This was good to hear and see the harmony in the kitchen.

The menu, being Italian, is a bit more extensive than today’s fashionably concise ones, but not overly so. Moreover, many revered Italian dishes have been added, which may not even be served in domestic restaurants. After all, while quattro formaggi or Bolognese are popular, cacio e pepe or pasta alla sorrentina masterpieces are less often seen. However, those Roman and the Campania styles exemplify the great flavours and the genius of Italian cuisine.


All their pastas are homemade from Italy, so expect a real al dente experience, not like the variety you buy in stores here. Because of this, it’s worth to going for a primo piatto before biting into half a pizza or nibbling on a salad.

Of course, we asked for the cacio e pepe spaghetti, a rare find on Hungarian menus, but after the basics, we were offered an even more complex one: the spaghetti comes with lobster, a tomato-based, slightly spicy pasta dish, prepared with lemon and white wine. A delicacy that we would order every two days if we were on the coast.

They roll the dough carefully as the aforementioned perfect pizzas were baked in no time. For the Genovese, there's prosciutto cotto, pesto and parmesan on a mozzarella base. Given the dairy products and pesto, it might have been a fatty combination but the pizza felt light. You can’t really stop as you lose yourself in the experience, but we managed to sneak in a tomato-based companion, a Napolitana marriage of mozzarella, anchovies, black olives and capers piled on a red base. Deliciosa!

Hats off to anyone who can still go for dessert after all this, we would have only timidly tried a heavier, more chocolatey and frothy dish, but the citrus zing of a torta della nonna could not be resisted. Crispy, creamy and sour – an ideal summer dessert.

By the time we finished our lunch, several people had already arrived for late afternoon coffee and cakes, with the relaxation of the evening hours drifting away. We can’t wait to try a pizza on a summer evening, accompanied by a refreshing and smooth prosecco!