Mexican magic: Mezcal boasts a far greater diversity of flavour than its “smoky” stereotype
(Picture: Jamie Lau/Studio Lau)The popularity of Mexican spirits in London is on the rise, and there’s a wealth of bars, restaurants and brands — many of which are relatively new — to show for it. At the forefront of those spirits is mezcal.
After decades of consumers being deceived by the worm-filled swill that tainted the drink’s reputation by calling itself “mezcal”, Mexico’s indigenous and historic spirit has finally shed this stigma thanks to the range of new ancestral and artisanal brands that landed across the pond before making their way over to these shores.
Unlike tequila, which is technically a type of mezcal made from one species of agave (blue weber or agave tequilana), mezcal can be produced from at least 50 species of agave. This diversity means that mezcal is hugely complex in flavour. And while “smoke” is a common tasting note for most mezcals given that the piña — the heart of the agave plant — is roasted in an earthen pit with wood and coals during the spirit’s production process, this rich spirit can also express notes of tropical fruit, green pepper and beyond (even cheese). Which is all to say, mezcal is more than just “smoky tequila” — and it’s time to get drinking.
With that in mind, here are some of the best places in London to make a start in, from specialist cocktail bars to trendy restaurants with mezcal-food pairings.
Kol Mezcaleria
Down the spiral staircase from the Michelin-starred Kol restaurant is its subterranean mezcaleria — London’s most immersive place to drink Mexican spirits and mezcal cocktails. Head through a rippled glass sliding door and into a dimly lit concrete cellar decorated with frayed, woven basket light fixtures, rattan furniture and a custom concrete-wood bar top that is as much a piece of art as it is a stimulus for Mexican escapism.
The bar boasts an eclectic selection of mezcals and Mexican spirits, including its own label of destilado de agave (“mezcal” that the place buys in bulk and bottles itself in the UK as opposed to Mexico, meaning it can’t legally be called mezcal). The cocktail list is split into five seasonally-rotating flavour profiles, which recently have included rhubarb and pear, and apple and beetroot. For each flavour profile, guests have two drink options, each of which is a twist on a classic. To keep things approachable, one of the two drinks contains a Mexican spirit as the base, while the other uses something more familiar, such as gin or whisky. The rhubarb and pear Americano made with Montelobos ensamble mezcal, Campari, Punt e Mes, pear, rhubarb and cider is an exceptional serve featured at the moment, but you really can’t go wrong here.
Lower Ground Floor, 9 Seymour Street, W1H 7BA, kolrestaurant.com/the-mezcaleria
Decimo at The Standard, London
For fashionable Londoners who enjoy spectacular views with their food and agave in their drinks, Michelin-starred chef Peter Sanchez-Iglesias’ Decimo on the 10th floor of the Standard hotel is the place to book. The Spanish-Mexican influenced restaurant is designed with floor-to-ceiling windows that feature skyline views on one side and unparalleled views of the St. Pancras Clock Tower on the other, and an array of earthen-toned décor ranging from bamboo ceiling covers to stately cacti (yeah, don’t touch those).
And while it’s easy to get caught up in the glamour Decimo unabashedly flaunts with its overall vibe — clientele included — it is genuinely one of the best places to drink mezcal in London. On the food menu, guests are encouraged to order the flight of four carefully selected mezcals for £35 to pair with their indulgent meal. It’s the ideal opportunity to discover mezcal’s vast spectrum of flavours, beyond smoke (the Mezcal Amores cupreata paired with the gooey Spanish tortilla will undoubtedly leave you with a newfound perspective on the spirit’s potential). The restaurant also makes a point to use Mexican key limes in its margaritas; a detail that may seem superfluous to some, but which feels vital after a few sips of the marvellously drinkable mezcal margarita. Not all limes are created equal, and this proves it.
10th Floor, 10 Argyle St,WC1H 8EG, decimo.london
Side Hustle at The NoMad London
This isn’t your typical five-star London hotel bar. Bowties and formal attire are swapped for bartender chic (read: dress shirts and leather aprons), dated crowd-pleasing tunes make way for a curated playlist of sexy Latin hits and sublime margaritas replace glasses of Krug as the celebratory beverage of choice. More of this, please.
The bar stocks exquisite mezcals from producers such as Vago and Alipus, as well as expressions from the pioneering Del Maguey brand, giving guests a range to choose from. The knowledgeable bartenders have no issues guiding guests towards a mezcal that fits their palate best, either. Side Hustle’s verdita — a traditional Mexican beverage made with lime and pineapple juices, jalapeño pepper and green herbs that serves as a chaser or pairing to agave spirits — is made fresh regularly and amplifies the tasting experience (and, for those who are first-time mezcal tasters, makes the spirit slightly more approachable). Oh, and those margaritas? They’re made using key limes, too.
Old Police Station Entrance, 28 Bow St,WC2E 7AW, thenomadhotel.com
Mezcaleria Colmillo at El Pastor Soho
Mezcaleria Colmillo, the basement agaveria beneath Mexican restaurant El Pastor, is a guaranteed fun night out regardless of whether you’re a seasoned mezcal drinker or a rookie. The atmosphere is lively and straddles the line between club and agave spirits lounge, with a variety of DJ-curated electronic and Latin tunes filling the room.
The bar’s impressive list of mezcal offerings are broken up into four relatively easy-to-understand categories: “fresh and green”, “silky and smooth”, “deep, dark and smoky” and “unique and exotic / pechugas”. There are plenty of styles to choose from, but the educated servers turn a potentially overwhelming task into one filled with curiosity and excitement as they guide guests towards the mezcal that best fits their experience levels and palate. After a few margs and pours of mezcal, it’s nearly impossible to resist getting up for a dance.
66-70 Brewer Street, W1F 9UP, tacoselpastor.co.uk
Los Mochis
Japanese-Mexican fusion cuisine and cocktails is the thing at Los Mochis, a buzzy neighbourhood bar-restaurant that’s metres away from Notting Hill station, tucked away on a residential side street. And while the combination of cuisines might feel an uneasy one, don’t judge it before you try it — the food and cocktails are both executed with finesse and purpose. For those who just want to pop in for a quick bite and drink, the upstairs bar is the perfect space to book, while the ground floor dining room and outdoor seating is ideal for groups and couples who are keen to spend an evening or afternoon eating and drinking their way through the menu.
Fresh and vibrant bites such as the beetroot tiradito with avocado crema, spring onion and yuzu, and the shiso-truffle soy and yuzu tobiko sea bass ceviche all go fantastically with the mezcalito, Los Mochis’ mezcal margarita. Otherwise, try a mezcal flight from the menu, or book one of Los Mochis’ mezcal masterclasses with The Lost Explorer mezcal. The one-hour class includes a tasting flight of The Lost Explorer’s delectable spirits, and a demonstration on how to make a couple of signature classics.
2-4 Farmer Street, W8 7SN, losmochis.co.uk
Hacha Brixton
Hacha’s second location in the heart of Brixton Market Row has taken south London by storm, bringing its approachable agave selection to a new audience.
Similar to Hacha’s Dalston site, the bar rotates a list of 25 spirits, in addition to some refined Mexican fare and cocktails. The limited selection is very much a case of quality over quantity, and once having tried some neat, Hacha’s award-winning Mirror Margarita awaits. The mind-boggling, crystal-clear take on the classic tequila cocktail has all of the freshness and complexity of your standard margarita, except without the citrus juice.
12 Market Row, SW9 8LD, hachabar.com
Doña
“Independent creativity. Empowered femininity.” These are the guiding principles of Doña’s playful and upbeat agaveria, a space that has a vibe somewhere between a burlesque lounge and jazz bar. Headed up by Lucia Massey and agave entrepreneur Thea Cumming, founder of Dangerous Don mezcal, the bar champions artisanal producers from across Mexico in the form of curated mezcal flights and creative cocktails.
The Margaret is the bar’s take on a margarita, made with Dangerous Don espadín mezcal, lime juice and sweetener, finished with sal de gusano (aka worm salt, a traditional mezcal pairing). It’s an utterly delicious cocktail to prime the palate before diving into more spirituous serves, such as the Fiorella, Doña’s earthy and peppery take on a martini made with Quiquiriqui mezcal, Italicus, dry vermouth and Empirical Ayuuk. With live music playing on most nights and Tigre Tacos cooking up Mexican bites for the bar as well, Doña has the perfect recipe for a good night out.
92 Stoke Newington High Street, N16 7NY, bardonalondon.com
Mayahuel at Cavita
Located in the low light of the cavernous basement beneath Cavita, Mayahuel — a bar named after the Aztec goddess of the maguey, or agave, plant — is presently one of London’s buzziest destinations for drinking Mexican spirits and cocktails.
Mayahuel is as much about education and discovery as it is about having fun. The drinks menu features exploratory flights of mezcal that are served with thoughtful food pairings, evoking specific flavours in the spirit. From the traditional orange wedge seasoned with sal de gusano, to more common ingredients such as chocolate, guests are encouraged to taste and find the mezcal they like best, and the curated flights are the surefire way to do it.
Cocktail lovers can expect a menu focused on showcasing Mexican spirits, from the lesser known sotol and raicilla (a mezcal made in Jalisco, Mexico) to Mexican rums and whiskies. The highlight of the bar? The tableside margarita trolley. Pick your base spirit — mezcal is the no-brainer — and choose the variety of lime that you’d like your margarita to be made with after tasting the range offered (it really does make a difference). Go on one of the live music nights — it’s the perfect time to immerse yourself in the authentic Mexican ambiance that Mayahuel offers.
56-60 Wigmore Street, W1U 2RZ, cavitarestaurant.com
The Mexican at Annabel’s
The Mexican’s unparalleled agave spirits selection is very much a case of “if you know, you know”. And frankly, the privileged Londoners who have access to Annabel’s are already likely well-aware that this bar has the largest selection of mezcal and tequila in Europe (and quite possibly in the world, outside of Mexico).
The mind-boggling, 12-page spirits list is full of rare agave spirits, an impressive effort by Mexican standards, let alone on this side of the pond. Serves of neat mezcal are paired with a sidecar of house-made sangrita or verdita, traditional Mexican beverages of citrus, herbs and spices, which refresh the palate between sips and elevate the drinking experience. Securing a booking at this exclusive agaveria is the tricky bit, but if you have the opportunity to visit The Mexican as an agave spirits lover — run just as fast as you can.
