The Best Mexican Restaurants To Book In London
Kol, Marylebone
Kol, the fine-dining restaurant from Mexican chef Santiago Lastra, won a Michelin star this year and entered the UK’s National Restaurants Awards at number 20. But we really love its downstairs mezcaleria, which serves more than 80 varieties of tequila and mezcal sourced from small-scale and independent distillers. The bar itself is an atmospheric, friendly spot that serves incredible cocktails and ‘antojitos’ as good as the Michelin-starred fare served in the restaurant upstairs. Expect to sample the likes of Orkney scallop ceviche with rhubarb; octopus tostada; and churros with chocolate mousse and pork scratching (yes, really). Pair them with a martini of Volcan blanco tequila, Dolin dry vermouth, pine distillate and cucumber.
9 Seymour Street, Marylebone, W1H 7BA
Visit KolRestaurant.co.uk
Tacos Padre, Borough
Tacos Padre was founded by Nicholas Fitzgerald in 2017 with appearances at legendary food festival Meatopia and various pop-ups in London, Mexico City, Portugal and Berlin. He opened his first permanent taqueria in Borough Market two years later, and it’s been a hit with taco fans ever since. By day, the taqueria serves tacos and Mexican small plates and on summer weekend evenings, the stage is set for a full dinner service, with outdoor tables set up outside the stall. Fancy a night in? Tacos Padre also sends out DIY taco kits nationwide, alongside salsas, rubs, and cocktails which are all made in-house from scratch.
Winchester Walk, Borough, SE1 9AG
Visit TacosPadre.com
Charlie McKay
Hacha, Various Locations
Deano Moncrieffe and Emma Murphy of award-winning Dalston agaveria Hacha opened a second site in Brixton Village earlier this year. The new venue has some familiar touches taken from the original, but with more space across two floors. The bar features a rotating menu of 25 varied tequilas, mezcals and lesser-known agave spirits, which can be enjoyed solo or in tasting flights, although we recommend one of the team’s signature ‘Mirror Margaritas’. If you’re after a bite to eat, the kitchen serves a menu of Mexican-inspired dishes.
Locations in Brixton & Dalston
Visit HachaBar.com
Mezcalito, Various Locations
Mezcalito opened in Chelsea in 2018 – and was so popular even Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston popped in for dinner. This summer, the team has opened a second site in Islington. Small sharing plates include the likes of elote (corn on the cob coated with zingy Tajin chilli and grated parmesan) and nachos smothered with homemade frijoles, paprika-nacho cheese, sour cream and roasted salsa de la casa. Mains include a line-up of classic tortillas and quesadillas while pudding is all about the kitchen’s chocolate-filled churros. Over at the bar you’ll find an impressive collection of over 250 agave spirits, featuring well-known brands, limited releases and hard-to-find bottles.
Locations in Chelsea & Islington
Decimo, King’s Cross
Peter Sanchez-Iglesias won Michelin stars for both of his Bristol sites, Casamia and Paco Tapas. Now he also heads up Decimo. On the tenth floor of the Standard hotel, Decimo comes with floor-to-ceiling windows offering dramatic views across the London skyline. Accessed via a red elevator on Euston Road, the rattan-filled space includes an open kitchen, intimate standalone bar clad in Jatoba wood, and two attractive private dining rooms. When it comes to food, Sanchez-Iglesias merges the Spanish cuisine of his family with his love of Mexico. Expect tons of flavour via aguachile crab and jalapeño; cauliflower tacos; caviar-topped tortillas; and meat and seafood cooked over open fire. Make sure to have a pre-dinner drink at downstairs bar Double Standard.
10 Argyle Street, King’s Cross, WC1H 8EG
Visit Decimo.com
Santo Remedio, Various Locations
Ever-popular Santo Remedio has two spots in the capital. London Bridge serves up regional Mexican dishes, from seabass cooked over a wood-fired grill to short rib with Oaxacan mole. There’s also an extensive selection of tequilas and mezcals to get stuck into, and private parties and events can be held in the upstairs Cantina. Meanwhile, its Shoreditch site is an ode to the cafés of the Roma and Condesa neighbourhoods in Mexico City. On a sunny corner in Shoreditch, it’s a relaxed spot to pop into for cocktails and tostadas before a night out, or for an avo-heavy recovery brunch the next day.
Locations in London Bridge & Shoreditch
Visit SantoRemedio.co.uk
Breddos Taqueria, Clerkenwell
The brainchild of Street Feast stalwarts Nud Dudhia and Chris Whitney, Breddos Tacos opened in 2011 and serves authentic Mexican cuisine alongside a collection of rare mezcals. The food is addictive: feast on Galician rib-eye with buttermilk onion rings; clam and sea urchin aguachile (Mexican-style ceviche) tostadas; or kung pao pork belly with jalapeño. Although you can’t book a space round the large communal table, they’ll take your number so you can head elsewhere for a cocktail while you wait.
82 Goswell Road, Clerkenwell, EC1V 7DB
Visit BreddosTacos.com
El Pastor, Various Locations
This cool taqueria group comes from the team behind Quo Vadis and Barrafina. It’s great for plates of tasty, authentic tacos. Guests can tuck into toppings such as chipotle chicken and prawn al mojo de ajo, while sharing options come in the form of carnitas with confit pork, and short rib specked with guajilla rub, salsa la maya and optional bone marrow. As well as the first site in Borough Market, there are two outposts at Coal Drops Yard (Plaza Pastor and Casa Pastor), Tortilleria El Pastor at Maltby Street Market and its latest outpost on Brewer Street in Soho.
Locations in Soho, Borough, Bermondsey & King’s Cross
Visit TacosElPastor.co.uk
Club Mexicana, Soho
With a menu boasting some of the best tacos in London, Club Mexicana is extremely popular on the vegan food scene. These Mexican morsels are bursting with flavour and spice. The team’s ‘To-fish’ tacos – beer-battered tofu wrapped in seaweed and topped with fresh chillies, shredded lettuce and chimichurri sauce – are always a hit, although our favourites are the playful ‘Cheezeburger’ tacos with ground ‘beef’, queso, white onion, gherkin, burger sauce, shredded lettuce, chipotle ketchup and crispy shallots. These days, you can find its delicious creations at Kerb Seven Dials or its permanent, thoroughly pink site in Kingly Court, off Carnaby Street.
Various locations
Visit ClubMexicana.com
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