For those looking to escape predictable holiday flavors, Leon Osteria is offering a distinctly Italian answer to festive dining. The restaurant’s special seasonal menu channels the generosity of Italian holiday tables, delivering comforting winter dishes.
Leon Osteria’s concept is built on the idea that food is a cultural experience, shaped by memory, simplicity, and care. The kitchen draws heavily on traditional recipes, where fresh pasta, hearty broths, slow-cooked meats, and carefully balanced flavors take precedence over culinary spectacle. The result is food that feels personal and familiar, echoing the spirit of Italian home cooking and the idea of nonna’s recipes brought to life.
Festive arancini
The festive menu opens with classic and seasonal starters. Tortellini al Brodo presents handmade meat-filled pasta served in a traditional Italian meat broth, finished with Parmesan. A more playful holiday note appears in the festive arancini, combining pumpkin, chestnut, cranberry and mascarpone in a crisp fried rice ball. Smoked mackerel is paired with a cold spaghetti salad and coconut milk, offering a lighter yet distinctive beginning to the meal.
Homemade porchetta
Main courses lean into hearty winter flavors while maintaining balance and restraint. The rack of lamb comes with a spicy crust, creamy polenta and chanterelle jus, while the homemade porchetta features herb-seasoned pork served with rosemary potatoes and grilled vegetables. Seafood is represented by branzino, accompanied by arugula, pear, pomegranate, walnut and mosto cotto, creating a fresh contrast to the richer meat dishes. A vegetarian option is also included, with pumpkin steak served alongside cauliflower risotto and marinated green apple.
Profiterol
Desserts stay firmly within Italian tradition. Cantuccini, reimagined for the holidays, are served with cranberry, white chocolate ganache and baked plums, while the classic profiterol offers choux pastry filled with vanilla cream and topped with chocolate sauce.
To complete the seasonal offering, Leon Osteria has added festive drinks such as mulled red vermouth and a mulled Riserva Daisy, reinforcing the warm, celebratory tone of the menu.
Available only until the end of the month, the festive selection is designed for those seeking something different during the holiday period: an Italian-inspired pause that emphasizes flavor, tradition, and the pleasure of sharing a meal in good company.
LEON OSTERIA
7-9. Lánchíd utca, H-1013, Budapest
Dining and Cooking