The best Mexican restaurants in London

Paladar isn't strictly Mexican, but it captures plenty of that vibrant energy in both its food and drinks. The Latin American restaurant in Elephant and Castle serves creative, gluten-free dishes, such as ceviche with tiger's milk and sweet potato crisps, as well as crispy pork belly arepas and rich, spiced mole poblano. The drinks list also celebrates the region, featuring top-notch mezcal and tequila cocktails. With its colourful art, leafy garden and friendly, laid-back vibe, it's a great spot for a taste of Mexico in south London.

The bold Mexican cuisine at Kol has earned it a Michelin star, enhancing the vibrant flavours of traditional recipes with high-end produce. Expect ingredients like caviar or wagyu beef. There are set menus for lunch and dinner, including vegetarian alternatives, or you can go for the chef’s table experience.

Mestizo is considered to be one of London's most authentic Mexican restaurants. Expect a lively atmosphere and a menu with favourites like enchiladas and tacos as well as lesser-known dishes. Explore the huge choice of mezcal and tequila, plus a wide range of margarita flavours. On Sundays there's a Mexican brunch buffet at the Camden branch.

Get a true taste of Mexico at Mezcalito. This vibrant restaurant and bar serves cocktail lists that take you on a journey through the country's regional flavours. When it comes to food you can enjoy quesadillas, chicharrones, and nachos. Plus there's all-you-can-eat tacos every Tuesday, served in the eclectic and lively setting.

After years on market stalls and food trucks, Taco Bros has finally set up a permanent spot in East Finchley. This family-run taqueria brings the recipes of their grandmother in Mexico City to life, serving corn tortilla tacos, flour tortilla quesadillas, and burritos filled with chicken tinga, carne asada, carnitas, or chile mushrooms. The chicken tinga is a highlight, while rotating specials like mole carnitas keep the menu fresh. With walls decorated in family photos, lucha libre masks, and Mexican keepsakes, Taco Bros perfectly captures the flavours and spirit of authentic Mexican street food.

Frida Café & Bistro serves classic Mexican dishes in Camden Town. The interior is colourful and rustic, creating a homey atmosphere where you can enjoy food all day. A wide range of dishes are available including tapas, Mexican-inspired burgers, burritos, and fajitas. There's something for everyone, including plant-based foodies, on the menu here.

Head to Brorittos for award-winning Mexican street food - in 2023, this place was crowned the best Mexican spot in the city. This South London restaurant is modern and bold, beginning as a pop-up during lockdown. It's well-known for birria tacos and burritos but the menu includes a variety of other burritos, tacos, nachos, and loaded fries, including vegan choices and kids' portions.

Located in Borough Market, Tacos Padres serves up Mexican street food and takes inspiration from chef Nicholas Fitzgerald's travels. There's a simple menu of tacos, snacks, and small plates, with rich flavours like carne asada and roast sweet potato. Cocktails, Mexican beers, and mezcal are available here to complement the food.

La Chingada in Rotherhithe is serving tacos that are making a splash on the food scene. This place is colourful, casual, and serves food made with local and organic ingredients. All your favourites are on the menu, from classic tacos to burritos bursting with flavour. Try yours with a Mexican soft drink.

Started in Hackney and inspired by Mexico’s roadside taquerias, Breddos Tacos cooks up favourites like burritos and tacos with quality British ingredients. This is a relaxed space with vibrant neon signs, where you can eat to a vinyl soundtrack. The beer, tequila, mezcal, and cocktails on offer top off the entire experience.

Homies on Donkeys is a cool and laid-back destination for Mexican food. Inspiring combinations of ingredients come together to form unique dishes. The menu focuses on tacos, plus a weekly special for a fresh take on Mexican cooking. There's graffiti on the walls and hip hop on the playlist at this chilled eatery.

Taquería has a stylish industrial interior and specialises in Mexican small dishes. Of course, tacos are a favourite here with plenty of fillings to choose from, but you can also go for small bites like tostadas or quesadillas. Mexican drinks are served to complete your meal at this chic eatery.

Opened in 1982, Café Pacifico was London's first Mexican restaurant and is still going strong. This traditional cantina is humble but vibrant with a colourful mural in the dining room. The varied menu is full of classic dishes and has something for everyone, including kids and vegan and gluten-free diners.

Cavita is a Marylebone restaurant dedicated to sharing Mexican culture and cooking. Inspired by traditional recipes, food is prepared using sustainably sourced produce and ingredients straight from Mexico. Expect sophisticated street food and sharing platters – vegan ceviche, fish tacos, and grilled octopus. There's an international wine list and lots of mezcal and tequila.

Del74 is a cool destination for traditional, honest tacos. The goal is to keep things simple, whether you want a quick bite or a full-blown Mexican feast. Of course, tacos are available with a broad choice of fillings. If tacos aren’t your thing there’s still plenty on the concise menu to enjoy.

When you want a plant-based version of your favourite Mexican dishes, head to Club Mexicana. It’s eye-poppingly colourful and serves a simple menu of nachos, burritos, and tacos filled with ingredients like BBQ jackfruit. Beer, cocktails, and natural wines are served too, as is the lagerita – a beer with a frozen margarita top.

You often see a long queue extending from Daddy Donkey Mexican Grill. Hungry diners are willing to wait for the satisfying burritos served here. Pick your favourite fillings and choose between salsas ranging from mild to extra hot. Get the complete experience by adding a Mexican beer into the mix.

From the team behind Café Pacifico is Primos Mexican Cantina, a local restaurant in North London. This place is lively, bold, and full of colour. There's tasty food, carefully-blended cocktails, and fun events like the bottomless bingo brunch each week. The food menu is brief but packed with classic Mexican dishes.

At El Pastor the menu revolves around tortillas made fresh in-house every day. This is a relaxed spot that serves a menu of classic taco fillings, plus sharing plates if you're in the mood for a more communal meal. Accompany your food with wine, cocktails, or mezcal from the bar.

Decimo serves high-end Mexican cooking with a Spanish twist, alongside stunning views from its 10th floor location. The interior is richly-decorated and plush, with plenty of cacti and decorative pieces. The menu is simple and Mexican influences shine through across the board. This is elevated modern food – brunch is served at weekends too.

La Bodega Negra is a classic Mexican restaurant serving stylish street food. Think Mexican favourites with a twist like sea bass ceviche and truffle and black mole quesadillas. Cocktails and Mexican spirits are available here, and the sex shop front makes sure every meal is spicy.

Vibrant restaurant and salsa club Loco Mexicano immediately catches your eye on the street. Enjoy the bright and colourful dining room whilst you try the varied menu - there's dishes like fajitas, nachos, steak, and seafood. A set lunch menu is available here for an easy meal and cocktails are also served.

Yucca serves award-winning Tex-Mex cuisine at its restaurant in Fulham. Whether you're familiar with Mexican cooking or it's brand new for you, the menu includes lots of inspiring dishes. Go for street food like tacos and burritos or dishes like steak or ribs. The comprehensive drinks list also has something for everyone.

At Corrochio's you can enjoy authentic Mexican cooking as well as a varied choice of cocktails. This restaurant and late-night bar focuses on traditional recipes prepared by real Mexican chefs. Choose streetfood sharing plates or dishes like enchiladas. There's a big choice of tequila, mezcal, and cocktails to go with it.

Frida's is a group of rustic Mexican restaurants with a homey and welcoming interior. The simple menu is full of freshly cooked Mexican dishes, with crowd-pleasing options like tacos, quesadillas, and burritos. There's a wide range of fillings to choose, from vegetarian choices to meaty ones. The drinks menu includes micheladas and Mexican-inspired cocktails.

If you love meat and don't care who knows it, Meat Head Mexican Grill should be on your to-go list. This is the first eatery in the UK dedicated to birria tacos - they're juicy, messy, and indulgent. Nachos layered with meat are served too - remember to bring the napkins!

Intimate and sophisticated Mexican restaurant Catalina's is inspired by the chef's grandmother. The restaurant uses homemade hot sauces and you can take part in a hot sauce-making class here. This inclusive restaurant welcomes dogs and even offers a special gourmet doggie menu. For humans, there are treats like chilli and tacos.

Indulge in Mexican dishes with sweeping city views at Madera. Upscale recipes are served in an elegant setting with rattan furniture, plants, and well-curated interiors. Music, interiors, views, and food come together here, with the menu including the likes of ceviche, tacos, and numerous vegan options. Signature cocktails plus coffee and smoothies are served.

Sonora Taquería, previously a highly sought-after market stall known for its regular long queues, opened a brick-and-mortar site in Stoke Newington in 2023. The taqueria, which remains incredibly popular, has achieved a cult status and is widely acclaimed for its savoury and spicy beef barbacoa and freshly-made tortillas. Here, you can experience genuine Northern Mexican tastes, fresh ingredients, and a regularly rotating menu.

MXO was among the first establishments in London to offer an all-day Mexican dining experience and agave bar, finding inspiration in the vibrant Mexican culture. The restaurant serves breakfast dishes all day long, in addition to lighter lunch selections and more substantial dinner choices, complemented by classic tacos and other small dishes. The drinks at MXO's late-night bar revolve around agave-based spirits, with a curated array of tequilas and mezcal showcased in innovative cocktails.

Mexican Seoul, which started as a mobile pop-up during lockdown, serves a unique blend of Korean and Mexican street food, featuring creative taco ingredients and prize-winning chicken wings. Their debut taco bar is situated next to Victoria Park and offers mixed drinks and other beverages alongside their signature fare. The atmosphere is lively and sociable, with DJs providing music on weekends, and outdoor seating is also available.

This warm, colourful restaurant in Shoreditch is tastefully furnished in a vibrant, creative style. It boasts a lengthy bar where bartenders mix mezcal- and tequila-based cocktails. You can order bar snacks there, or get some small plates, sharers or other dishes from the main dining area. The kitchen at Zapote serves up contemporary riffs on traditional Mexican cuisine, including dishes such as wild mushroom quesadilla, or beef tartare taco with roasted bone marrow.