Fonda

Extremely difficult to flaw. Mexican food is up there for me, probably my favourite cuisine. Fonda delivered in a way that was unforgettable. This was one of the best meals I've had out in a very long time. The cocktails were exceptional, the tortillas were spot on and so were the flavours. I would probably have exactly what I had all over again with no changes. The baja fish tacos were one of the stars - outstanding. You have to order those. Also, the Mole was VERY good. The staff are extremely helpful and friendly. It was everything you could ask for. Even the seats were very comfortable! We will be back very soon.

Cracking Mexican restaurant in London, on Heddon Street, just off Regent Street. Some of the best Mexican food to be found in the city, courtesy of Santiago Lastra of the Michelin-starred KOL. The menu is designed to be shared, our favourite dishes were the truffle quesadillas, pumpkin mole, fried chicken tacos and the yellowfin tuna crudo. To be honest, youre not going to go far wrong with anything you choose. Cocktails are also great: we spent all night with our faces in Champagne Palomas and Corn Husk Old Fashioneds. Service is friendly, attentive, and full of the little touches you get from fine dining restaurants. Every dish is served with a story. The room is inviting, 'adobe' style, and theres a lovely open kitchen. We were seated at an amazing two top at the window at the back of the restaurant. The bill for three courses and drinks came to around £two hundred and fifty. Totally recommended, either for a special dinner like ours, or a swift and far cheaper lunch when exploring shops nearby. Thank you to the team for looking after us!

Great Mexican food with a fine dining touch and an amazing experience overall. We've been to KOL and wanted to try here too. The indoor space is larger than it looks from outside. They also have very cosy-looking outdoor seating facing a courtyard among other adjacent restaurants. The entrance area is small, not leaving enough space for more than two people. If it's a busy time, you may end up waiting outside while reception is attending others inside. Our experience at the entrance wasn't great as there was another couple who insisted on waiting behind us, inside, making the space even smaller for everyone; staff should probably warn these types of people while they are attending others. Food was great, no complaints there. You may end up having tried more of their original recipes if you opt for multiple starter plates rather than two mains. This is what we did and tried eight different items from the menu. The highlights were baja fish taco, steak and grilled cheese costra, and fig and mezcal rice pudding. Service was good and quick, although it was Valentine's Day and lunchtime was quite busy inside the restaurant. We would definitely come again, at a less popular time, to try the other items on the menu.

The restaurant itself is genuinely beautiful, a lovely candlelit setting with thoughtful details like decorative candles, and a salsa-style presentation that immediately sets the tone. The atmosphere feels warm and considered. Service was one of the best I’ve experienced in a long time: extremely attentive, polite, and knowledgeable without ever feeling intrusive. The menu also reads very well, with some genuinely exciting and creative dishes. We ordered a 700ml margarita, which was enjoyable and quite strong, though it lacked depth of flavour. To start, we shared the guacamole, which was absolutely delicious, and the fondue, pleasant overall, though the cheese was not that hot and therefore quite lumpy which was a shame. The ceviche was a standout for me: incredibly fresh, interesting, and vibrant, although the beetroot flavour was overpowering. Those who prefer a cleaner, more pronounced fish taste might find it disappointing. We skipped the tacos, intrigued instead by the mains — unfortunately, this is where things fell short. The beef short rib with mole was overwhelmed by the sauce, which dominated the dish entirely. The carnitas were bland, and the mushrooms were just not enjoyable, they were dry and the glaze was also quite overpowering. When we mentioned this, the waiter did say that all these dishes are quiet strong in flavour and heavy but then I don't see much other choices. On the sides, the fried beans were fine but served in a very small portion, while the green salad was uninspired; after mentioning this, it was kindly removed from the bill (however after the feedback it seemed interesting that the £7 dish got removed as "gesture of goodwill" which was pointed out again when we paid the bill) For dessert, we had the rice pudding and sorbet, both OK. The final bill came to around £140 per person. While this included a lot of food and drinks, the value didn’t quite align with the overall experience. 15% service charged is also just not quite acceptable to me. In summary, the setting, service, and starters are excellent, but the mains need refinement, and the pricing deserves reconsideration to truly justify the cost.

The portions are small so you do have to get a bunch to share. The food quality was lovely but was awarked to shate different tacos with 5 people. I would recomed getting the large patter cause the meat and sause was lovely.

A Santiago Lastra restaurant on Heddon St, just off Regent Street, little sibling of one-star Michelin rated KOL. Trendy interior.. terracotta walls, tropical plants, dark woods, makings of a happening central London restaurant, and it is. However.. and this is a big HOWEVER, the value for the money just isn’t there and some of the dishes are no better than their more pedestrian cousins. The pumpkin seed dip with tortillas was quite nice, and the crab tostada was also interesting, especially with the butternut squash toppings. Things started to fall apart with the mains-the fish tacos were simply inadequate in every way –the flavours weren’t that unique, the tortilla wasn’t made out of corn, and the piece of fish was barely the size of a pinky finger. At £10 each they were a let down and a rip-off. Something similar could be said about the sides- the refried beans were a minuscule portion, and they had been puréed to a smooth consistency rather than retaining the texture of the beans they were made from, and the gem salad was literally a small gem lettuce with a little bit dressing on the side. Both sides were simply puzzling.. like the interns had made them. The mushroom large plate was quite interesting, the mushrooms were premium, meaty and smoky and the molé sauce was quite nice though a bit too sweet. Bill came out to just about £100 and we didn’t have a single alcoholic beverage between the two of us. I get this is a happening place and there were a few standout flavours but in so many ways this restaurant is emblematic of what dining out in 2025 in London feels like-inconsistent, and notably lacking of value . I must leave high marks for the staff who were warm, hospitable and knowledgable, nothing against them, not in the least bit.

Outstanding from start to finish! The staff were really friendly, helpful with recommendations and explained the dishes that they brought out to us. The interior decor was really lovely and we had some tasty mezcal-based cocktails. Then the food, the food was incredible! They must have been the best tacos that we have ever had. The fondue starter tacos and the beef short rib tacos were phenomenal! The mole with chips to start, the truffle quesadillas, fish tacos and the desserts were also fab. We loved the little table salsas as well. Can’t praise this restaurant enough.

it has become one of my top restaurants in London! Starters were all amazing! Will definitely go back again 😋 I highly recommend the fish taco & the oysters. They were super fresh! Emilie’s service was top notch too!