Tacos, tortillas, tostadas… whichever you choose, there’s one thing all Mexican restaurants share: a hefty dose of passion. Spurred on by the success of high street stalwarts like Wahaca, the last 15 years has seen the capital’s food scene explode with restaurants and street food stalls offering Londoners a true taste of Mexico.

But with so many to choose from, how do you sort the Tex-Mex from the real stuff? Your best bet, as always, is to avoid hip casual dining chains that specialise in sizzling fajitas and brimming burritos and plump for independent, family-run neighbourhood boltholes that offer dishes you may not recognise by name but are sure to be authentic in flavour.

From Michelin-starred mezcalerias to traditional taquerias serving up colourful, creative dishes, these are the best Mexican restaurants London has to offer – without a fajita or burrito in sight.

Ixchel, Chelsea

The ultimate destination for authentic Mexican food on the King’s Road, Ixchel opened in 2023 to rave reviews – and its success shows no signs of slowing down. Helmed by chef Ximena Gayosso Gonzalez, dining at Ixchel is an immersive experience from the moment you step through its doors. Rich in terracotta hues and contemporary Mexican artwork, the interiors are certainly a talking point – as does the gorgeous streetside terrace which is open exclusively for summer – but the food and drink takes centre stage. Boasting one of the largest selections of agave based spirits in Europe, start your evening at the tequila bar to enjoy one of the house margaritas – we’d opt for the refreshing cucumber and jalapeño iteration, but the elderflower iteration is definitely worth ordering too – before perusing through the food menu.

Named after the Mayan goddess of the moon, Ixchel is a celebration of Mexico’s rich culinary heritage that showcases the depth and diversity of the country. Therefore, expect small plates to share like aged Hereford beef tataki with spicy chilmole rub and tiger prawn aguachile before larger plates arrive in waves, such as slow braised short rib with smoky adobo, and Hen of the woods mushroom tinga tacos, which are paired with sides of broccolini and crispy potatoes doused in chipotle crema.

Not one to rest on their laurels, Ixchel also offers regular fun taco collaborations with other UK chefs, a unique Antes de las Cinco (before five) happy hour menu, and a unique breakfast and Sunday lunch offering. Eschewing British classics for the likes of aged bone-in rib eye with chilmole jus and toreados, and chicken in adobo enchilado sauce and pickled red onions, you won’t want to miss it.

33H King’s Road, SW3 4LX, visit ixchellondon.com

Cometa, Fitzrovia

Cometa, a new Mexican seafood restaurant, opened earlier this year to permanently take over Carousel’s wine bar. While the adjacent restaurant continues to host its beloved chef residencies, Cometa is led by Ollie Templeton alongside Mexico City-born chefs José Lizarralde Serralde and Alejandra Juarez to celebrate the very best of British fish and seafood through a creative and modern Mexican lens. 

Building on more than a decade of collaborations in Carousel’s residency kitchen with leading Mexican chefs, and rooted in tradition, sample dishes include prawn ceviche with burnt mandarin and ginger followed by larger dishes from the grill, including lobster-tail flautas with black bean purée, and sea bass with mole verde and chile de árbol. Drinks transport guests straight to Mexico City, thanks to an array of classic micheladas, a trio of margaritas – classic, spicy and the house, which is made with sweet tamarind – and refreshing aguas frescas.

19-21 Charlotte Street, W1T 1RW, visit cometa.restaurant

Taq, Notting Hill

Taqueria opened on Westbourne Grove 20 years ago and was, for many years, a highlight in London’s nascent Mexican restaurant scene. However, the beloved Mexican restaurant brought in the big guns – Jackson Boxer and Eduardo 'Lalo' Yishima – to relaunch and refine its concept earlier this year. Now named Taq, the Notting Hill restaurant has a new identity and an entirely new menu, rooted in serving fresh, hot tortillas topped with high-quality grilled meat and salsa, cold beers, and seriously good value margaritas. 

Overseen by Boxer and executed by Yishima, the menu is centred around classic staples – tacos, tostadas and quesadillas – plus some inventive blackboard specials. These include a fish torta, a Mexican interpretation of a cheeseburger reimagined in taco form, as well as tacos filled with the likes of tempura fish and macha mayo and steak with beef fat and matchstick fries. Crisp tostadas topped with tuna and guac, quesadillas stuffed with cheese, carnitas, mushroom, or chorizo complete the menu, while the drinks list features £10 margaritas, palomas, and mezcalitas, as well as Mexican lagers, micheladas, and a short, sharp wine list of fun, approachable bottles.

141-145 Westbourne Grove, W11 2RR, visit taq.london

Kol, Marylebone

Image: Anton Rodriguez

Image: Eleonora Boscarelli

The debut restaurant from Mexican chef Santiago Lastra, Kol opened in October 2020 and, within 18 months, became the first Mexican eatery in the UK to be awarded a Michelin star. Featuring warm, stripped-back, terracotta-hued interiors that evoke the feeling of a jaunt to Oaxaca, an authentic mezcaleria set just below the restaurant and a chef’s table private dining room, Kol sources top-quality British ingredients to showcase the variety, intricacies and innovation of Mexican gastronomy.

Tuck into the nine-course tasting menu (six courses are available on request at lunchtime), highlights of which include Lastra’s signature langoustine tacos with smoked chilli and sea buckthorn, duck mole and trout tamal – all paired with an optional selection of wines or, our personal preference, mexcals sourced from the subterranean Mezcaleria. Vegan, vegetarian and pescatarian menus are available, but with a three-month wait for a table, you’d best get booking now.

9 Seymour Street, W1H 7BA, visit kolrestaurant.com

Decimo, King's Cross

Accessed via a scarlet red pill lift off Euston Road, Decimo is set high above London on the 10th floor of The Standard hotel in King's Cross, featuring dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows that allow for panoramic views of the capital’s skyline. Launched in 2019 by Michelin-starred chef Peter Sanchez-Iglesias, and now Paola Arenas, Decimo’s Mexican fare has swiftly become a favourite of Londoners in the know.

Beyond a dedicated selection of aguachiles and tacos, Arenas' menu explores the breadth of traditional masa (dough) dishes, from sopes to enfrijoladas and gorditas, so expect halibut, corn husk and pumpkin seed cooked using ancestral prehispanic techniques. Much-loved favourites remain, including the marinated red peppers and bread and tuna tostada, while vegetable-forward are mainstays, from sprouting broccoli with cashews and guajillo, to comforting smoky black beans, kale destined to be scooped up with warm tortillas. The drinks menu is shaped by citrus, spice and smoke, moving from margaritas and caipirinhas to more distinctive serves, including pimenton paloma and hoja santa negroni.

As the evening builds, Decimo shifts seamlessly from a restaurant to a late-night destination as tables give way to sobremesa: the Spanish tradition of lingering after a meal for conversation, connection and dancing into the early hours. A curated music programme with resident DJs including Bushbby, Astrid Gnosis, Harv will add to the restaurant's vibe every Friday and Saturday until 2am. But, if you're more of a morning person than a night owl, Decimo's weekend brunch menu is certainly worth a punt too.

The Standard, 10 Argyle Street, WC1H 8EG, visit decimo.london

El Pastor, across London

Inspired by the decade-long stint founders Sam Hart and Crispin Somerville spent running Mexico City nightclub El Colmillo and searching for the city’s best al pastor taco, El Pastor first opened just off Borough Market in 2016 and quickly expanded across the capital, since bringing more of its lively, informal taquerias to Kings Cross’s Coal Drops Yard, Battersea Power Station and Soho. Serving up tacos, tostadas and quesadillas, packed with fresh, aromatic flavours and a good dose of spice, every one of El Pastor’s tortillas is made in-house from heritage Mexican corn and served alongside an impressive array of tequilas and mezcals.

Don’t miss the sharing plates, all served with unlimited fresh tortillas and featuring angus short rib in a chipotle muscovado-coriander seed rub served with pickled red onion, and the whole sea bream, where one side is marinated in adobe rojo and the other in mojo verde, before being served with lime slaw, frijoles refritos and chipotle chilli mayo.

Visit tacoselpastor.co.uk

Mestizo, Camden and Chelsea

A real neighbourhood watering hole with a loyal local following, Mexicans have come to Mestizo to enjoy the traditional dishes of home since it opened in 2004. Representing the vibrant diversity of Mexican cuisine, the fare here is colourful, flavourful and truly authentic; inspired by the home cooking of owner Roberto Alvarado’s mother and mother-in-law and following success in Mexico City, Cuernavaca and Ixtapa.

Signature plates include molcajete Mestizo – a sharing platter of meat served with cheese, chorizo, grilled spring onions, a choice of salsa and warm corn or flour tortillas – and the mole poblano: chicken breast served with a chocolate and chilli sauce that has to be tasted to be believed. Vegan, vegetarian, dairy-, nut- and gluten-free menus are all available, and if you want to recreate the Mestizo experience at home, pop into the Mestizo Market on Hampstead Road and King's Road to stock up on all manner of Mexican treats.

Visit london.mestizomx.com

Santo Remedio, across London

If you’re looking for an antidote to the myriad of second-rate Tex Mex eateries that have popped up across the capital, Santo Remedio – which translates to 'holy remedy' – may be the place for you. Helmed by husband and wife team Edson and Natalie Diaz-Fuentes, this vibrant trio of eateries brings the rich diversity and depth of traditional Mexican flavour to London, inspired by the time the Mexico City-natives spent in Oaxaca and the Yucatan. In Marylebone, expect a laidback cantina-style restaurant; London Bridge is home to the asador outpost, serving wood-fired and barbecued specialities; and Shoreditch is the vibrant taqueria, offering streetfood-style favourites with craft cocktails.

Specialty ingredients – such as grasshoppers, added to guacamole for texture – are sourced directly from Mexico and combined with local produce including British lamb and Hertfordshire pork. Other menu highlights include pork belly tacos, hibiscus enchiladas with Morita chile salsa, and dulce de leche and ncho chilli tart with crème fraîche served alongside super-charged mezcal margaritas, sangria and a selection of Mexican wine and beers. Each venue also offers differing pre-theatre menus, bottomless brunches and tasting menus, so make sure to check them out before you book.

Visit santoremedio.co.uk

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