Budapest’s best pizzerias: A connoisseur’s guide to the city’s top pies

While Budapest may be better known for its thermal baths and ruin bars, the city has quietly cultivated a world-class pizza scene over the past decade. From hole-in-the-wall Neapolitan joints to innovative Nordic-inspired concepts, these five pizzerias represent the absolute cream of the crop. Each offers a distinct take on Italy’s most beloved export, with carefully sourced ingredients, impeccable techniques, and atmospheres that transport you from the Danube to the Mediterranean.

Author: Mariya Zantsevich

Forni di Napoli: The Neapolitan Holy Grail

📌  7-9 Szent István körút, Budapest 1055 / 19 Október 6 Street, Budapest 1051

This always-crowded pizzeria serves Budapest’s most authentic slice of Naples. The secret lies in their Morello Forni wood-fired oven, imported from Italy, which reaches a scorching 485°C and bakes perfect pizzas in just 60 seconds. The result is textbook Neapolitan pizza, approved by the Pizza Europa League: the team took the gold medal in the 2025 Europe’s Top 50 Pizzerias award for their elastic, chewy crusts with leopard-spotted charring and soupy centres.

And the sauce? At Forni di Napoli, both red and white pizzas are available. Try the Margherita with San Marzano tomatoes, or go for the version topped with 24-month-aged Parma ham and buffalo mozzarella—you’ll feel as close to a Naples backstreet as you’re likely to get this side of the Alps.

Pizzica: That exact square slice of your dream pinsa

📌21 Nagymező Street, Budapest 1065

The most popular and user-friendly pizza format in Italy is pizza al taglio—cut into square pieces you can grab for a house party, a stroll in the park, or a casual bite with friends. Another bonus? You can sample multiple flavours in one go. Just point at whichever slice catches your eye and forget about counting calories.

Pizzica has been bridging Italy and Hungary for 11 years, having introduced pizza al taglio to Budapest in 2014. Their signature pinsa romana features a lighter, airier crust, perfect for holding up creative toppings like pesto-infused ricotta and truffle ham.

Leopard Nordic Pizza: Scandinavian-minimalist with birchwood tables and foraged decor

📌9 Kecskeméti Street, Budapest 1053

Tucked away on Kecskeméti Street in central Budapest, Leopard Nordic Pizza Studio is an ambitious collaboration between Nor/ma—renowned for their Scandinavian-style bakery and sourdough bread—and pizzaiolo Dani Szarvasi (of Digó, Blitz Pizza, and Freyja fame). Together, they reinterpret pizza through a Nordic lens.

Their secret lies in wild-yeast, overhydrated sourdough crusts, fermented for 48–72 hours and baked in Nor/ma’s ovens, yielding pies that are airy yet tangy—an homage to Copenhagen’s avant-garde pizza scene. The dough is slightly sourer and denser than the Italian classic, so don’t expect the usual flavour.

The menu is divided between Neapolitan-style rounds (with leopard-spotted, wood-fired edges) and Roman al tagliosquares, all topped with authentic Italian ingredients reimagined. Don’t miss the seasonal special featuring a beetroot base, fresh goat’s cheese, and roasted pine nuts.

Manu+: The Jewish Quarter’s best-kept secret

📌8 Vámház körút, Budapest 1053

Manu+ nails the “less is more” ethos while channelling subtle Berlin techno vibes. Nestled in Budapest’s bustling Jewish Quarter, this minimalist, industrial-style space prioritises quality over quantity. A glowing neon-red cross (or perhaps a plus sign?) marks the entrance, leading into a chic loft space where a roaring wood-fired oven takes centre stage.

The contrast of gritty urban aesthetics and artisanal firecraft sets the scene for Neapolitan-style pizza made on flawlessly thin, crisp-yet-supple dough. Expect elevated classics that let high-quality ingredients shine. For a decadent treat, try the Nduja con Patata with crispy potato slices and melt-in-the-mouth Stracchino—a rare, creamy cheese seldom found outside Italy.

Al Piatto: Polyglot Pizzaioli

📌2 Krúdy Street, Budapest 1088

These dough scientists mill their own flour and use a double-decker wood oven to achieve the perfect crust—thin yet supple, with puffy, charred edges. And yes, you will eat those edges—don’t even think about leaving them behind!

But the real stars here are the toppings. Where else can you find a pizza topped with burrata stuffed with pistachio pesto, crushed pistachios and mortadella? Or one with gorgonzola, truffle oil, walnuts and honey? Perhaps even one with aubergine cream, mozzarella di bufala, and sun-dried tomatoes?

The multilingual staff (Hungarian, English, Italian, Spanish) will expertly guide you through their impressive wine list. One evening, they rescued my mood with a heavenly balanced rosé the colour of coral—reminiscent of a Botticelli painting. Just a heads-up: ask for pineapple on your pizza, and you might be shown the door (politely, of course).

Budapest’s pizza scene has something for every craving—whether you’re seeking Neapolitan purity, Roman creativity, or Nordic reinvention. Each of these establishments brings its own personality to the table, proving that Hungary’s capital deserves a place in Europe’s pizza pantheon.

And yes, be ready to queue. If your pizza craving won’t wait, book ahead—or join the crowd of fellow pizza hunters with an Aperol Spritz in hand.

Read also:

• Hungarian restaurant prepares the world’s best pizza!
• Exclusive – Heavenly taste: The 3 most unique pizza places in Budapest – PHOTOS

Featured image: depositphotos.com