5 Best Mexican Restaurants in London (to Rival Even Mexico)

From tacos to tostadas, fajitas to frijoles, there’s a lot to choose from when it comes to Mexican food. And London—despite being nearly 9,000 kilometers from Mexico—has it all.  

Tuck into everything from street food-style small plates to hearty burritos sure to satisfy the hungriest of tummies when you’re next in the UK capital. To help with the hunt, we’ve rounded up the best Mexican restaurants in London. 

1. Del 74 

Found in Dalston, north London, Del 74 serves up Mexican food from its funky laid-back restaurant.  

Expect the favorites like nachos with chunky guac, cochinita pibil tostadas and quesadillas with either a smoky jackfruit, steak or braised brisket filling. For vegan options, there are dishes like cauliflower crackling or chipotle chili tacos.

On a budget? Head here for happy hour, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., where tacos are £2 a pop and the beer and margaritas are discounted, too. On Tuesdays, it’s Taco Tuesday where it’s happy hour all day long. 

Insider’s Tip: Del 74 is open late, all the way until midnight on Friday and Saturday, so it’s the ideal spot for late-night tacos and shots of mezcal. 

2. Taqueria

What started life as a food stall on Portobello Road is now a thriving Mexican restaurant in Notting Hill. 

Along with a changing menu of specials, Taqueria features all the classics like Mexican chorizo quesadillas, ceviche tostadas and vegan and vegetarian options with black beans, cauliflower and mushrooms. 

The menu also includes an impressive 16 different types of tacos, including deep-fried cod in cider batter, slow roasted pork belly and fried plantain with aged cheese.

For drinks, along with a lengthy wine list, there are Mexican-inspired cocktails—Mezcalita and Mexgroni to name a few—as well as micheladas (beer served with ice, lime and a salt rim).

Save room for dessert because Taqueria serves doughy churros with cajeta, a sticky syrup and sweet tooth’s heaven.

3. El Pastor 

After running a nightclub in Mexico City for 10 years, the founders of El Pastor fancied a change. They now run El Pastor and other Mexican restaurants in London which feed hungry guests from locations across the city. 

To start, dip tortilla chips into a choice of seven salsas that range from “mild” to “quite spicy” to “wild.” The wild really is wild, so don’t say we didn’t warn you. 

Groups, or hungry couples, can order a sharing plate of either a whole chargrilled sea bream, pork cooked three ways, or spiced butternut squash and jicama, a Mexican yam. Elsewhere on the menu there are tacos, tostadas, soups and quesadillas to choose from. 

If you have room after all that, desserts include house-made ice creams, a chocolate mole tart and pineapple with a chili and hibiscus twist. 

For drinks, they serve their own small batch mezcal along with cocktails and beer. 

4. Wahaca  

Set up by a former cooking show “Masterchef” winner, Wahaca is a street food-inspired Mexican restaurant in London with outposts across the city. 

Choose between tapas-style small plates to try a bit of everything. Opt for dishes like slow-cooked beef tacos, black bean and three cheese quesadillas or sweet potato feta taquitos. Plus, if you can’t decide, you can go for one of the three different set menus, which include six complementing dishes to sample. 

Big plates for one are also available, including burritos, enchiladas and Mexican-inspired salad bowls.

They have some unique locations, too. Head for Mexican in a recycled shipping container overlooking the Thames, an old t-shirt factory in Kentish Town or a hotel in Brixton where Hendrix and The Clash played gigs. 

5. Corazón 

Found in Soho, Corazón is a bright and cheerful take on Mexican food. The menu features Mexican favorites with some British twists, like the potato and jalapeño taquitos with Lancashire cheese or Cornish oysters with chili. There are tacos—like the Baja fish, plantain and black bean, or pork belly—and big plates, like the oxtail barbacoa or cauliflower al pastor. 

For sides, try mole fries, ceviche or keep things classic with tortillas and guac.

Drinks include a playful menu of cocktails—Trump’s Wall, Texan Hooch and Jacked Sangria all make an appearance—as well as freshly made agua frescas of the day. 

If you’re in London for the weekend, turn up hungry for the Mexican-inspired brunch complete with a tasting flight of four margaritas.