Six places with Mexican cuisine in Belgrade Tacos, nachos, and burritos
We continue our already traditional section, in which we talk about the best establishments of national cuisine in Belgrade. This time, our selection includes places with authentic Mexican dishes, cocktails, and atmosphere.
Words: Daniil Korzhuev
Photos: promo
La Taqueria
Authentic Mexican food and cocktails in the heart of Belgrade. The interior of La Taqueria is rich in detail: numerous references to the country’s main holiday — the Day of the Dead, painted and live cacti, Mexican flags, and sombreros. Tacos here are prepared from chicken, pork, and beef; our choice would be barbacoa, where the meat is cooked on charcoal (traditionally in a pit) — there is a version that this word is the basis of the familiar barbecue. The menu also offers a wide selection of quesadillas (pay attention to the «Gringo» with cheese, fried pineapples, and pork, marinated for 18 hours) and four types of burritos, including vegetarian. And don’t forget about the cocktails — they prepare «Mexican Mule», «Tequila Sunrise», and as many as eight variations of «Margarita» here.
• Gračanička 7 • Instagram •
Nachos
«Nachos» is a restaurant with Tex-Mex cuisine and a Western atmosphere. The Wild West theme at «Nachos» is fully realized — here you’ll find bull heads with horseshoes, archival photos of ranches, and cowboy hats with cacti — in short, the saloon atmosphere is preserved. The menu includes several burgers, including a Mexican one with avocado, one named after nachos, and a vegetarian one with corn, mushrooms, and salsa. There are also tacos, quesadillas, and various variations of nachos and tortillas — for example, «Chips con Carne» with cheese, jalapeños, pico de gallo sauce, guacamole, and sour cream. For a more substantial dinner, you can try the chimichanga — a dish resembling a burrito, fried on a skillet or in a deep fryer, which originated in the border areas of Mexico with the United States.
• Strahinjića Bana 66a • Instagram •
Zapata
«Zapata» has five restaurants around Belgrade — the original one is on Vojvode Bogdana by Vukova Spomenik. The restaurant is named after the Mexican national hero, revolutionary Emiliano Zapata — his photo, as well as various artworks featuring Zapata, can be found in all branches of the chain. Here you’ll find a wide selection of burritos, including several signature ones, nachos, and tacos — try one of the most popular variations, «al-pastor», made with pork and pineapple. «Zapata» also offers enchiladas (fried or baked tortillas made from cornmeal, filled with various ingredients), and for sweets — the main Mexican dessert — churros.
• Vojvode Bogdana 13 • Instagram •
La Chona
An authentic taqueria with excellent cocktails in Dorćol. The menu in «La Chona» is small — featuring a few classic tacos and their wheat tortilla counterparts. However, all the tortillas here undergo a process called nixtamalization — treatment of soaked grain with lime or ash (this process increases the amount of calcium and vitamin B3 in the grain). But the main reason to come here is for the cocktails: «Michelada» — a traditional beer cocktail with spices, and strawberry, raspberry and devilish «Margarita». For non-alcoholic enthusiasts, there’s Mexican horchata — sweet rice milk with cinnamon.
• Kneginje Ljubice 26 • Instagram •
Buena Vida
A luxurious Mexican cuisine restaurant in New Belgrade. The venue is green and spacious, with a glass ceiling and elegant furniture, occasionally featuring live music. At «Buena Vida», you can try Mexican chicken soup, mango guacamole, and several straightforward tacos. On weekends, they offer a brunch menu — featuring dishes such as caprese quesadilla and omelette burrito. And they also prepare a cucumber «Margarita» here — with tequila, lemon and orange juice, agave syrup, and, of course, cucumber.
• Bulevar Milutina Milankovića 1i • Instagram •
