More than a few Budapest restaurants can be accused of dressing up their mediocre food with some fancy décor and impressive-sounding descriptions. Not so at Millennium da Pippo, where the decorative frills clearly take second place to authentic and excellent Italian cuisine.
Occupying a near-perfect location along Andrássy Avenue at the corner of Rózsa Street, da Pippo makes a great spot to stop for lunch after visiting nearby Heroes’ Square and Kodály Circle or for a satisfying recharge while shopping along Andrássy. Alternatively, it would be ideal for dinner with family or a group of friends, and even a casual midweek date.
Don’t be fooled by the nondescript outdoor facade – inside is where you want to be, among a charming hodgepodge of Italian memorabilia and items from the restaurant’s precursor, which was called simply „Millennium”. Built as a tribute to the Millennium metro that runs along Andrássy Avenue, you’ll find old photos, signs and other items documenting the construction of Europe’s first underground railway, and even the trademark exposed metal supports found in the line’s historic stations. All of this, in addition to green and white checked tablecloths and a cheerful, casual atmosphere, make one feel relaxed and at home, a welcome relief from the pretense of nearby Liszt-Ferenc Square. It’s like a real Italian trattoria, right here in Budapest.
Speaking of authenticity, anyone who’s ventured beyond the typical pizza-and-spaghetti tourist traps in major Italian cities will recognize that yes, there is a difference, and Chef Pippo knows it. The menu includes a fantastic selection of Italian-style pizzas, with many combinations and a shortlist of specials that you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else in town, or even the country. The generously-sized pies are baked in a special oven and come with a proper extra-thin crust. Though on our recent visit we declined to try the pizza ourselves, we took the expressions of gleeful satisfaction emanating from the surrounding tables that had ordered it as a positive sign.
Instead I opted to start with the arugula and parmesan salad, which comes with large slices of delectable parmesan cheese over verdant greens and a light oil and vinegar dressing, which I happily mopped up with fresh warm bread that is crusty on the outside and chewy on the inside. The following vegetable soup was a bit on the salty side but had a nice herby bite to it. Next I chose the tortelloni with spinach and gorgonzola cheese, finding that these homemade bundles seem to just melt in your mouth, disappearing far too quickly. My companion tried the Sicilian-style sea bream (somewhat strangely called „bleak royal” on the menu), which was filleted at our table by the waiter and served with a very agreeable ragout of olives, capers and tomatoes. Despite our satisfaction with our choices, it should be mentioned that deciding on what to eat isn’t easy – the fine-looking pasta, risotto and meat selections that tempted us on our first visit will have to be tried at our next one.
Rounding off the meal were two interesting desserts, mine (the „Zabaione”) a creamy concoction of egg yolks and sweet wine with a dollop of vanilla ice cream added in for good measure, while my companion chose the Panna Cotta, a cream gelatin with raspberry sauce. The former was exponentially sweet, while the latter had a nice balance of cool and light cream and sweet yet sour raspberries, with fresh mint leaves as an accent.
As one might expect, a great meal is complemented by great wines (the opposite is true as well), and Millennium da Pippo did not disappoint here either, with a good selection of Italian and Hungarian wines by the bottle. The Tuscan Pinot Grigio comes highly recommended, and the house wines aren’t bad at all – refreshing and light.
Overall, Millennium da Pippo provides delicious and reliable Italian cuisine in a casual atmosphere at prices that won’t break the bank. As a rare example of a place where the quality of the food comes above all else, you’re likely to find it a place to return to often. Buon appetito!
Starters
Sicilian Mixed Cold Cuts
Arugula Salad with Parmesan cheese
Mains
Tortelloni with Spinach and Gorgonzola cheese
Sea Bream with Capers, Olives and Cherry Tomatoes
Pizza
Rucola Pizza
Any of the „Pizze Berlino 2006” selections
Desserts
Panna Cotta
Zabaione
1062 Budapest, Andrássy út 76.
Tel.: +36.1.374.0880