Dining
The 6 Best Tacos in London
Six taquerias worth crossing London for, from a railway arch under Borough Market to a strip in Leytonstone that eats with your hands only.
In short: our top picks are El Pastor, Santo Remedio and Breddos Tacos. 6 places in total, chosen on merit, with the full reasoning below.
Mexican food took its time arriving properly in London, and for years the city made do with Tex Mex substitutes that had little to do with an actual taqueria. That has changed fast over the past decade, helped along by chefs who trained in Mexico and brought real technique with them. The six spots here range from a railway arch counter under Borough Market to a strip in Leytonstone with a strict no cutlery policy. What links them is a short menu done with care rather than a long one done for the sake of it.
| Place | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|
| El Pastor | Borough Market | £££ |
| Santo Remedio | Bermondsey | £££ |
| Breddos Tacos | Clerkenwell | ££ |
| Cavita | Marylebone | £££ |
| Homies on Donkeys | Leytonstone | ££ |
| Sonora Taqueria | Stoke Newington | ££ |
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Editor’s choice
El Pastor
Why we pick itEl Pastor came from the team behind Barrafina and it shows in the discipline, a short menu built around a vertical spit of marinated pork that gets shaved straight onto warm corn tortillas. Sit at the counter under the railway arches and watch the whole operation happen a few feet away.
Worth knowingTacos add up quickly once you order enough to fill up, and the bill surprises people expecting taqueria prices; most seating takes no bookings.
Mexico City style taqueria
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Santo Remedio
Why we pick itSanto Remedio pairs its pork belly tacos and baby potato flautas with a proper margarita list, and the room on Tooley Street stays lively well past when most Mexican kitchens in the area close. It is less precise than some of the newer openings, more about a good time with friends.
Worth knowingPortions feel small against the bill outside the brunch deal, and comparable Mexican cooking exists elsewhere in London at a noticeably lower price.
Mexican restaurant and margarita bar
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Breddos Tacos
Why we pick itBreddos started as a car park pop up in Hackney and now runs a permanent room on Goswell Road, still built around slow cooked meats like lamb barbacoa and a rotating specials board. The tortillas are pressed fresh and it shows in how they hold together.
Slow cooked meat tacos
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Cavita
Why we pick itCavita is chef Adriana Cavita's tribute to her grandmother's roadside stall in Mexico City, and the tacos here are only part of a wider menu that runs to mole and a mezcal bar downstairs. It is the smartest room on this list, with prices to match.
Worth knowingIndividual small plates look reasonable until you order enough to fill a table, at which point the bill climbs faster than the menu suggests.
Contemporary Central and Southern Mexican
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Homies on Donkeys
Why we pick itHomies on Donkeys does not give you cutlery and does not apologise for it, since the tacos, piled high with slow cooked meats and salsa, are built to be eaten with your hands. It moved from Walthamstow to a bigger site on the High Road in 2023 and the queues followed it.
No cutlery taqueria
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Sonora Taqueria
Why we pick itSonora Taqueria grew out of a stall at Netil Market and now has its own room on Stoke Newington High Street, known locally for flour tortillas made fresh through the day. The carnitas taco alone is worth the trip up from central London.
Taqueria with handmade flour tortillas
Before you book
Weekend evenings get busy at all six, and counter seating at spots like El Pastor means solo diners often get in faster than groups. If you are taking the tube out to Leytonstone or Stoke Newington, check last orders before you set off since several of these kitchens close their pass by 9.30pm.
Common questions
What are the top picks in this guide?
El Pastor is our editor's choice: El Pastor came from the team behind Barrafina and it shows in the discipline, a short menu built around a vertical spit of marinated pork that gets shaved straight onto warm corn tortillas. Sit at the counter under the railway arches and watch the whole operation happen a few feet away. El Pastor, Santo Remedio and Breddos Tacos lead the guide, with 6 places in total, all chosen on merit.
How does Lamplit London choose its recommendations?
Every place is chosen on merit, after first-hand visits where possible, with no pay-for-placement. Read our full method at https://www.lamplitlondon.com/how-we-choose/.
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