You only have to go as far as downtown Budapest to taste authentic Brazilian flavours – A la Gringa

Budapest’s newest Brazilian restaurant opened a year ago, and since then, anyone who goes there can experience the authentic flavours of the South American country. We were guests of A la Gringa.

If you’re tired of the local flavours, you can take a look around Budapest, where you’ll find national cuisines from all over the world. We’re lucky because there’s a wide choice, but often the question arises: is the flavour of a distant land we don’t know really reflected in the food served? Well, at A la Gringa restaurant, the primary goal from the very beginning has been to bring the flavours of the Brazilian home to the Hungarian capital.

Quality is guaranteed by Marissa Reisman Vieira, who moved to Hungary from Brazil 10 years ago. Why does someone come from so far away to our little country? Well, her grandmother was from a Hungarian Jewish family and the young girl became interested in Hungary. Since then, Marissa has graduated and acquired Hungarian citizenship.

She always wanted to introduce Brazilian gastronomy to the people of Hungary. The young restaurant owner is proud of her heritage and her family also owns restaurants back home.

When she came to her final decision to open a restaurant after the COVID-19 closures, the first big challenge, apart from finding the right capital, was finding a location. She wanted to open a restaurant in a quiet location in the city centre, within easy reach. Thus, she chose a small street between Deák Ferenc Square and Astoria, the Vitkovics Mihály Street premises. The restaurant’s floor area is not large, but both floors have a pleasant atmosphere thanks to the design and decoration.

The difficulties of renovation and compliance with Hungarian regulations are behind it, but she has not found a suitable chef in Hungary. As Marissa said, those who didn’t grow up with the tastes of their Hungarian grandparents have a hard time finding the right Hungarian flavours. The same was true for Brazilian food, so in the end, the chef came from Brazil.

Chef Leo was immediately attracted by the concept and the importation of South American culture. Therefore, since his arrival, he has been striving to bring authentic flavours to the table, with chemical-free dishes.

The task is not small, as sourcing ingredients is often a challenge. In addition to Hungarian ingredients, she also imports materials from Brazil. Also, Marissa revealed that she tries to grow vegetables on her balcony that would be impossible to get at home.

Among the drinks, we tasted Guaraná, a well-known Brazilian drink that dates back to 1905 and is perhaps the closest in taste to Sprite.

The menu is very special, as there is no Hungarian food on it, but the waiters are happy to explain to guests which dishes are similar to what they are served in Hungarian cuisine. The menu offers a choice of cold starters, hot starters and the more hardcore meat main courses, but you are also encouraged to try the side dishes that come on a separate plate, such as grilled okra.

It’s definitely worth trying a small basket of Pao de queijo, the Brazilian cheese scones.

The Brazilian meat pies are delicious as well, and breakfasts with nice tapioca are also an exciting taste adventure.

One of the most exciting items on the menu is the Brazilian seafood ‘chowder’, Moqueca, which consists of distilled monkfish and whole prawns, with rice offered as a side dish.

And just how well A la Gringa has got the Brazilian flavours right? The prices are not low, but when you consider that many of the ingredients are brought in from far away Brazil for us, it’s easy to understand. On weekends, we can enjoy our dinner while listening to live Brazilian music, which takes us from a small restaurant in Pest to Latin America’s most populous and expansive country. On Sunday, a special menu is offered, a real Brazilian selection.

All in all, A la Gringa adds to the already exciting gastronomic scene of Budapest. The combination of a pleasant atmosphere, friendly service and heavenly Brazilian flavours will make us want to come back.

Check out the A la Gringa menu here, and if you have tasted their food, you can share your experience in the comments.