Opened next door to Tom George Osteria, Tom George Pizza Bar may look like a simple little slice shop at first glance, but there's more behind it than meets the eye. The new concept draws on more than two decades of restaurant experience that helped make Tom George one of Budapest's best-known Italian spots. There's no traditional dining room here - the focus is on takeaway, although you can grab a seat on the terrace when the weather allows.
The Pizza Bar first opened with a soft launch in summer, before closing briefly in autumn to fine-tune the concept and returning in early October. The design now feels younger and more relaxed, while switching to self-service has helped bring prices down. The menu has been reworked too, with eight Roman-style pizza al taglio options, including bufalina, stracciatella, truffle, funghi, prosciutto crudo, 'nduja and mortadella , plus a classic Margherita added in response to customer demand. There's also arancini , while for dessert you can finish with a familiar favourite from the Osteria: tiramisu .
We first tried the pizza by the slice during the soft opening, and the man behind the dough is Krizmanics Norbert, who also oversees the food at the Osteria. The dough is left to ferment for 72 hours before going into a Moretti Forni oven at 400°C, while the toppings are sourced from the same trusted Italian suppliers used by the Osteria. The pizzas are initially baked to around 80-90%, then finished in the oven for a few minutes once ordered before the final toppings are added. This keeps them fresh while allowing them to be served within just a minute or two - proving that fast food doesn't have to mean compromising on quality.
The good news is that, based on what we tried, it works. Our bufalina had a light, crisp base that held up well even after travelling, while plenty of attention had clearly gone into the generous toppings. The stracciatella, for example, comes with colourful cherry tomatoes from an organic farm and homemade pesto, while the mortadella is topped with premium mortadella and smoked burrata. The prosciutto crudo comes loaded with paper-thin ham and Parmesan aged for two years. The format may be fast and casual, but the ingredients and preparation show what happens when an established restaurant turns its attention to pizza by the slice.
The fine-tuning has also brought lower prices. Thanks to the self-service kiosk system, a slice of Margherita or funghi now costs HUF 990, while most pizzas are HUF 1,490. The most generously topped premium slices come in at HUF 1,990.
The Pizza Bar is a handy option if you want something genuinely good between meetings or plans, as well as for visitors looking to grab a quick slice while exploring the city. It's also a more affordable way to get a taste of Tom George's approach to pizza. Instead of the Neapolitan style served at the Osteria, here the focus is on its crispier, more travel-friendly Roman cousin.
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Tom George Pizza Bar
(Cover photo: Tom George Pizza Bar)
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