Tereza Mexican Restaurant

If Mexican food isn't your first choice in Budapest, no one will blame you for it. But if the craving for tacos and margaritas strikes, Tereza is unlikely to disappoint as long as you remain mindful of the fact that Mexico (and California and Texas) is half a world away. Tereza – whose moniker is a playful latinization of Terézváros, the name of its neighborhood – is run by the owners of Mazel Tov, a comparably hip establishment a few blocks away. Although there's a below-ground indoor section, Tereza comes into its own in the al fresco season when its open-air courtyard transforms into a lively night-time hangout lit by lanterns and the occasional tongues of flame leaping from the grill station.

The food is hit-or-miss. The tacos – carnitas, al pastor, and pollo – come on disappointingly flavorless wheat tortillas, and no more exciting is the cheese quesadilla, but I enjoyed the fajitas, which, unlike the original Tex-Mex version made with skirt steak, comes with pork. Tereza isn’t cheap and many people stick to just drinks here: plenty of classic and flavored frozen margaritas, tequila, mezcal options.