A Sardinian café in Budapest

ELTE English in the Media Specialisation

Apr 28

TuttoFood TuttoWine: a hidden treasure straight from the Mediterranean

We can expect to find Italian restaurants in every city, town or village in the world. It can be authentic Italian food, something resembling Italian food and sometimes they do not even spell the word spaghetti right in the menu.

But what about Sardinian food? Have you ever heard of it?

As a young, patriotic, sardinian Erasmus student I would have never expected to find a Sardinian shop and café in Budapest, casually walking towards Heroes Square.

Sardinia is the second biggest island in Italy after Sicily. We have a very unique history and culture. We are proud people: proud of our language, our beaches, our flag and, of course, our traditional Sardinian food and drink. Therefore, when I saw the flag of Sardinia on beautiful display in a café, I knew I had to go inside.

TuttoFood TuttoWine is the name of this little café and shop, it is a family business and all 3 family members: mother, father and young daughter work here. They are not Sardinians but they worked for several summers in the restaurant business in Sardinia, more precisely in San Teodoro. They therefore decided to share their love of the island with Budapest, opening TuttoFood TuttoWine a few months ago.
Care and seriousness are the key words I would use to describe this café. Every single item on the menu is meticulously selected and comes directly from the island. They make frequent travels to Sardinia, to meet their local suppliers, find new collaborators and directly collect certain products that could not be shipped otherwise. Inside, the café's setting is very minimal and cozy, and it would be impossible not to feel at home. A special ambience evoking the sea and the coast has been created by paintings of small white fish on a blue background. In addition, small plants and small details add a relaxing atmosphere to the whole room.

But what about their menu? Their offer covers breakfast, lunch and small snacks, along with typical drinks: coffee, beer and wine. Starting with the coffee selection: they have chosen to use the Cagliari brand, a fine Sardinian coffee company. Customers can choose between an espresso (single or double shot), cappuccino, macchiato or latte. Everything can be accompanied by homemade cookies and cakes.

A wide selection of cold meats and cheeses is another protagonist of their menu offer. Every single product comes from local farmers and independent shops, which shows their support for small businesses and their strong ethical and respectful attitude towards traditions. These products can be enjoyed in sandwiches, an extensive list of the owners' suggestions is shown on a blackboard hanging in the "watery wall". Alternatively, you can buy and taste these specialities at home, as they offer prices per kg. Last but not least, every afternoon they offer an aperitif formula, which includes a drink of your choice from Aperol Spritz, a glass of Sardinian red or white wine or Ichnusa beer.

"Ichnusa? Sorry I don't speak sardinian!"

Ichnusa is the ancient name of the island. The literal translation is 'footprint', since the shape of Sardinia was vaguely similar to a footprint left by wearing a sandal. Ichnusa then became the brand of the most famous Sardinian beer, deeply loved and protected by residents. It's worth a try and the unique bottle design with its rich flavor will make evreyone happy.

And in the end an extensive selection of red and white wines, to discover the taste of unique grapes that have grown near the Mediterranean sea. The wines are selected from various producers, currently they are in a close business relationship with mainly 3 Sardinian wineries. This small number should be considered as a positive feature, as it shows the time and effort of the product research.

Passion, kindness and love for their work describe this family. Everyone will always be welcomed with a big smile and each customer will certanly leave TuttoFood TuttoWine with a happy face and a full tummy.

"Si bieusu" is the Sardinian way of saying see you soon, this phrase will be necessary when leaving the cafe, since it will be impossible not to have just become a regular customer.

I consider myself very lucky whenever I can find good Italian food abroad, but this small family business is a precious hidden treasure, a hidden treasure straight from the Mediterranean.

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