London's Best Mexican Restaurants

Where to Find Flavors from South of the Border in London

Apr 20, 2009

Until a few years ago, Mexican restaurants were hard to come by in London. Today, you can find a variety of restaurants throughout London serving authentic Mexican fare.

London is a melting pot of cultures, with thousands of restaurants reflecting the city's ethnic diversity. Curry houses, tapas bars, Greek tavernas, and French bistros abound, but until recently London was home to few Mexican restaurants. The following restaurants are sure to satisfy anyone's cravings for Mexican cuisine.

Wahaca

Wahaca specializes in Mexican market eating and prides itself on using fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. Wahaca has two London restaurants, located in Covent Garden and in the new Westfield Shopping Centre in White City. The menu features a variety of small dishes, or antojitos (similar to Spanish tapas), giving diners the chance to sample several different items. Traditional favorites like tacos, tostadas, quesadillas, taquitos, enchiladas, and burritos are all available, as well as some more unusual items, such as agua fresca (hibiscus water) and lemon margarita sorbet.

Nineteen Ten Mexican Kitchen

The impressive new Westfield Shopping Centre is also home to Nineteen Ten Mexican Kitchen. The name of the restaurant is a reference to the Mexican Revolution of 1910, also known as the Chili Revolution. Nineteen Ten serves up burritos and tacos with a variety of fillings and fresh salsas, made to order right in front of you. Nineteen Ten is a great place to take a break and recharge before hitting the rest of the shops.

Mestizo Restaurant & Tequila Bar

Mestizo is a favorite among London's Mexican and Latin American communities, a true testament to its authenticity. In addition to the many antojitos and tacos available, Mestizo offers a Sunday brunch that features a set-price buffet that includes drinks and desserts. Downstairs is a lounge and bar, where live music and special events often take place, including Jueves Mexicano (Mexican Thursdays), where, from 6pm, tacos are available for just £1. Mestizo is just a short walk from Euston Station, making it easily accessible from most parts of London.

Taqueria

Like the taquerias that line the streets of Mexico selling tacos and other antojitos, Taqueria's signature dish is the taco, served with a variety of fillings. All of Taqueria's dishes are made from scratch, including the Mexican hot chocolate that is ground in-house. Taqueria is part of Cool Chile Co. and is located on Westbourne Grove in Notting Hill. Cool Chile Co. also runs a stall at London's Borough Market, where you can buy dried chilies and Mexican herbs and spices to make your own Mexican feast.

Crazy Homies

Also located in Notting Hill, near Portobello Road, is Crazy Homies. Crazy Homies offers many of the traditional dishes found at other Mexican restaurants, but the most impressive aspect of Crazy Homies' menu is the wide range of tequilas to choose from, including some interesting flavored varieties: chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla, caramel, and black pepper.

Chiquito

Chiquito is a popular chain of Mexican restaurants. There are several branches located throughout the U.K., but you'll find London's main branch in Leicester Square. While perhaps not as authentic as London's other Mexican restaurants (the food is more Tex-Mex in flavor), Chiquito is a good place to find the basics: fajitas, enchiladas, and margaritas, to name a few of its menu items.

The enchilada may never replace the curry as Britain's favorite dish, but the above restaurants are certainly making Mexican food more popular.

The copyright of the article London's Best Mexican Restaurants in Culinary Travel is owned by Angela D. Stancar. Permission to republish London's Best Mexican Restaurants in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.