Panificio Il Basilico Szentendre

Szabolcs Szabadfi is the man who brought sourdough baking into the Hungarian mainstream. A tireless advocate for his craft, he criss-crosses the country giving workshops, while those held at his own restaurant have waiting lists stretching months. He now runs several bakeries across Hungary, but it was in Szentendre he found the storybook setting to build his base. Set beside the Bükkös Stream by an old watermill, this bakery and restaurant seems to melt into its natural surroundings. Loungers are placed next to the terrace tables for guests to recline on. Inside, the bakery counter stretches for metres, often drawing snaking queues. Alongside house-made pastries, customers will find artisanal goods from small-scale producers. Szabi’s doughnuts, sweet rolls, and sandwiches all ooze fillings, with the picture-perfect, flower‑shaped doughnut standing out as a house favourite. The host is also a pizzaiolo, and while the menu features classic Italian pizzas, his gourmet creations warrant special attention: feather‑light with refined ingredients and assembled with fastidious care. Every corner of the place radiates a deep affection for Italian gastronomy and Hungarian hospitality.