Mexican cuisine has been simmering beyond the spotlight for years in the UK but now it’s finally trending. Full of flavour and health friendly, Mexican food is so much more than nachos, chilli, and guacamole. Many UK diners are all too familiar with brands of TexMex food typified by burrito bars but now they’re eager to get the authentic Mexican culinary experience. And the big feature is that Mexican food caters for both meat-eaters and vegetarians – it’s all about the flavours.
Brits have become all too familiar with the TexMex representation of Mexican food as it has become branded in fast-food culture. The perception of Mexico and its cuisine is very much the American version, watered down and often stereotypical. Authentic Mexican dishes are as far from fast food as you can get, lovingly prepared and cooked with fresh healthy ingredients, often by a chef adding their own unique touch or twist.
London has embraced the authentic cuisine of Mexico with numerous eateries celebrating the country in the best possible way – by cooking and serving delicious Mexican food as a unique experience. Whether it’s in a posh, fine-dining establishment or in a no-frills street-food taqueria, ‘real’ Mexican cuisine has arrived in England’s capital and there isn’t a soggy nacho in sight. Here are 10 of the best Mexican restaurants in London.
Kol, Marylebone
A household name around the world, Kol is the first permanent venture from renowned ‘Nomadic’ chef, Santiago Lastraes. Described admirably as 'Mexican soul, British ingredients’, the restaurant was awarded its first Michelin Star in 2022. It’s easy to see why – the food is excellent, as is the elegant layout, wine options, serving ceramics and the staff. The fact that Kol was the joint highest UK restaurant in the Top 50 Best in the World 2024 speaks volumes.
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Sonora Taquería, Stoke Newington
If there’s such a thing as a ‘Cult’ Mexican restaurant, this is it. Always busy, this LA-style taco joint offers three short menus at the most reasonable of prices. Most dishes are pork and beef-based, though there’s a cactus leaf nopales offering for vegetarians and faux chorizo for vegans. There’s nothing fancy about the small canteen-like space, and there's a chance you won't instantly be getting a seat. But it’s so worth a visit nonetheless.
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Cavita, Marylebone
Named after its chef, Adriana Cavita, this celebrated restaurant is as much about achieving a relaxed vibe as it is about serving the most excellent Mexican food. But you’d expect that from a chef who learnt her skills in some of the most-decorated, experimental restaurants across the globe including Mexico's Pujol and Spain's El Bulli. With El Bar De Cavita downstairs serving margaritas and mezcal, the place is as popular as any Mexican eatery in London.
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Homies on Donkeys, Leytonstone
Possibly the most authentic Mexican eatery in London, Homies had its original home in Walthamstow's Wood Street Market gaining a reputation as a delicious taco spot. Run by Tijuana-raised chefs, the taqueria is proudly cutlery-free – you eat with your hands as in a true Mexican cantina. The place has an enticing vibrancy and the staff is super friendly. As for the food, perfect carnitas, chicken barbacoa, birria or steak tacos, with sublime side dishes are downright delicious And the surroundings are as eye-opening as the flavours.
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Zapote, Shoreditch
With the onus on ‘modern’, Zapote is a vibrant and inventive Mexican restaurant in a trendy part of London. Punchy meat and elegant seafood dishes come from the creative mind of chef Yahir Gonzalez – the menu includes duck quesadillas with a gooey smoked chipotle jelly, scallop ceviche, beef tartare taco with roasted bone marrow and charred octopus. Zapote is a complete fine-dining experience with exquisite desserts to boot, not to mention the best Tequila-based cocktails in town.
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Club Mexicana, Soho
The fourth London branch of this unique Mexican restaurant, it’s as fun and lively as it sounds and like its sister restaurants, it’s totally vegan. Club Mexicana began ten years ago as a supper club in Hackney and now founder Meriel Armitage has this central London flagship site in Soho for her plant-based take on tacos, nachos and burritos. Very much a party restaurant, you can’t book ahead but it’s worth waiting with your friends and a frozen margarita or two to sample the inventive meat-and-dairy free dishes. Replete with a giant mirror ball, it’s got the perfect atmosphere to kick off your night-out.
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El Pastor, Battersea
Another lively Mexican restaurant to add zip to your evening, inspired by the taquerias of Mexico City that the founders, the Hart Brothers frequented during the time they ran rowdy nightclub, El Colmillo. And like Club Mexicana, there are four El Pastors situated across the capital, with the fourth in Battersea the biggest yet. There’s nothing too revolutionary about El Pastor – the menu revolves around their signature tacos, especially the amazing Pastor Taco – but it’s the best, tastiest Mexican food. And the vibe of the place is pure ‘fiesta’.
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Del 74, Dalston
Del 74 is a no-fuss restaurant that ‘keeps it simple, keeps it real’. It’s very laid back, with 1970s-inspired decor and short, to-the-point menu, with a focus on Mexican classics, and some specialities like Cochinita Pibil – braised leg of pork, guacamole, and red pickled onions. There's a well-stocked bar serving the usual but also options like a pay-as-you-pour mezcal sharing bottle. The prices are reasonable and the experience is memorable.
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Breddos Tacos, Clerkenwell
Inspired by the roadside restaurants of Mexico and America, Breddos keep things casual in a taqueria serving up authentic street food. A cool and fun ambiance makes it a go-to place for lovers of local produce cooked with strong flavours. It may lack the polish and experience of some Mexican joints, this has an inventive charm – including a custom-made wood grill adding that rustic effect. As well as the Tacos hitting the bullseye, it’s worth trying the seafood tostadas too, combining the crunch of tortilla shells with punchy cross-continental flavours.
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Santo Remedio, Shoreditch
Purposely described as a café rather than a restaurant, Santo Remedio has an intimate feel that many restaurants can only dream of. Subtly-lit, inviting in décor and spread over two floors, this place seduces customers with some inspired food – guacamole sprinkled with tiny grasshoppers, hibiscus flower quesadillas and enchiladas and 12-hour slow-cooked smoky beef tacos. But there’s so much more; with a laid-back vibe, everyone’s welcome for cocktails, brunch or evening meal.
From fine-dining restaurants to street food cafés, London has a wealth of eateries to change the mind of the most discerning of foodie turned off by TexMex franchise stops. And if authentic spices and flavours is what you want from your Mexican experience, London is offering so many hotter-than-hot options.
