We here at Funzine are, of course, big fans of fun. So when a new place colorful and eclectic enough to light up one of the grayest, busiest streets in the city opens, it’s impossible not to get a little excited about it. Arriba Taqueria is perhaps the most colorful and funkiest place to grab a quick bite to eat in Budapest.
Even before you get inside Arriba, it is clear that this is something totally different. A neon sign and big windows onto the huge murals and floral tables exude a happy atmosphere. Once inside, it’s as if you’ve found a hidden corner of a Mexican beach town, mistakenly transplanted to Budapest. Being from California, where this type of place is an integral part of the restaurant scene, it was a welcome bit of something I often miss here.
The idea is simple, fresh, good food – quick. That’s not to say this is a fast-food chain where quality surrenders to convenience. Rather, you’ll find that you get to choose exactly what goes into your meal from a variety of great ingredients as they are assembled in front of you. It’s simple in the sense that you can choose from tacos, burritos and quesadillas with a variety of marinated chicken, beef, or vegetables. Then top it with rice, beans, fresh salsas, lettuce, sour cream and cheese – or any combination of these items that makes your mouth water.
There are also a few options for sides or snacks that they’ll make up fresh for you. The stuffed jalapeño poppers are particularly good, fried in bread crumbs and stuffed with melty cheese. Arriba also makes its own tortilla chips on site. While they throw a few in the basket next to your burrito or tacos, it’s worth asking for a whole basket of them to dip in fresh-made guacamole.
I tried a burrito filled with carne asada (marinated beef) and plenty of rice, salsa, lettuce, sour cream and cheese on my visit. The burrito was pretty good sized and the spicy meat was great. My vegetarian friend went for the tacos, choosing corn tortillas stuffed with veggies and just about every topping option in some combination between the two tacos he received. While a fork was necessary in his case, my burrito was tightly wrapped and would be a good option for the take-out window.
No taqueria would be complete without frozen margaritas and bottled Mexican beers. We tried the margaritas since they seemed appropriately festive for such a funky place. They’re a great cool companion to the spicy salsas.
While you can count the number of good Mexican restaurants in Budapest on one hand, Arriba Taqueria benefits from the experience of its older brother Iguana and makes the best Mexican the city has seen yet. It’s not Mexico, but it’s definitely a welcome addition that brings something I can honestly say is totally different.
Meg George
1067 Budapest, Teréz krt. 25.
Tel: +36.1.374.0057
