Chelsea unquestionably has a broader offering in terms of diversity and authenticity of regional cuisines than it ever has done, but it’s no secret that SW3 has always suffered a dearth of quality Mexican food. Until relatively recently, it's been a struggle to come by options that aren't of the kind you construct via a conveyor belt style selection of rubbery cheese and etiolated 'guacamole'.
Gracias a Dios, Chelsea now has an excellent Mexican cantina in the guise of Mezcalito. As its name suggests, the focus here is as much about getting jolly on endless Mezcal and Tequila as it is feasting on Mexican fare. Its co-founder, Oliver Castilla-Tristan, has a specialism in Tequila and Mezcal, and has earned a reputation as one of the UK’s foremost experts on both, having spent eight years as London Prestige Account Manager for Proximo Spirits prior to turning his attention to his co-founded brand in 2022. Indeed, on first impression, you’d be forgiven for thinking, as my friend Clem and I did, when we rocked up one Wednesday night in May, that you’d stumbled across a nightclub in Cabo, not Chelsea. After a brief wait, the amiable bouncer checks us off his list, and we are ushered in past a buzzing bar, through a cozy dining room strewn with sombreros and twinkling fairy lights, into a covered garden patio area festooned with bamboo and wicker, barrel style tables. The place is packed with hip young things and the music is booming, but not obtrusive.
We order a couple of cocktails from the extensive menu (a Jalisco for my husband and an Acapulco for me). The Jalisco arrives in a hand-painted clay cup, and is sharp and citrusy, but not acidic. My Acapulco (Mezcalito’s signature take on the classic pina colada) is fruity and creamy in equal measure – the first sip transported me straight to the shores of sunny Tulum.
The food menu is short but sweet – and helpfully segmented into three main sections. We ordered esquite (a colorful street corn salad, with chipotle mayo, tangy chilli powder and parmesan), nachos and guacamole with chicharron to start from Botanas & Antijitos. From Platos Fuertes we picked Enchiladas and from the Tacos section Camaron – juicy king prawns flamed with chipotle, garlic, and spices. We shared delicious veggie tacos, served on soft, pillowy toritillas. enlivened by the acidity and subtle sweetness of salsa verde, and a quesadilla natural from the Quesadilla section, oozing with mouthwatering melted cheese. Stuffed, but indefatigable, we chose churros con dulche de leche for dessert from the Postres section on the recommendation of our waiter, and were glad we did: the churros were delectable – warm, crisp and dangerously moreish.
Tequila, here, is an object of appreciation, rather than a vehicle for oesophagus-scorching intoxication synonymous with thumping dance floors. The list of the quintessentially Mexican spirit, along with that of its trendier, more classic cousin Mezcal, is long, and helpfully split by style and region, enabling aficionados to find their favourite drop with ease.
Mezcalito is food and a fiesta, all in one: just neck a few Mezcals, order a huge plate of nachos, and pretend you’re on spring break on Mexico’s sun-drenched, lime-scented shores with your nearest and dearest.
Mezcalito Chelsea offers a weekly events programme, with Taco Tuesdays seeing the taco menu reduced to £8 all evening alongside 2-4-1 frozen margaritas, on Wednesdays a live Mariachi band parties throughout the restaurant and hosted DJ nights every Saturday from 8pm.
On Saturdays and Sundays from 12pm - 4:30pm guests can enjoy Mezcalito’s Tulum Bottomless Brunch, offering 2 courses and 90 minutes of bottomless frozen margaritas, prosecco and corona for £55, with the menu including Taquitos Dorados, Equite or Hosomaki to start, an option of Tacos or Quesadillas as a main course and crisp Churros or Chocoflan Impossible Cake for dessert. Guests can also upgrade to Whispering Angel for £10.
Mezcalito Chelsea offers a cigar menu with a selection of cigars imported from Cuba by Hunters and Frankau, the UK's finest importer and distributor of Habanos. They are stamped by English Market Selection, known around the world for the highest quality of cuban tobacco.
Mezcalito Chelsea
119 Sydney St, London SW3 6NR
Tel. 020 7993 5248
TikTok: @mezcalitochelsea
Mezcalito Brompton, which opened in December 2023, offers a brand-new, stylish, late-night offering on South Kensington’s Old Brompton Road on the site that formerly housed Eclipse, a highlight of the area’s nightlife for decades. The chic venue boasts a 40-cover cosmopolitan cocktail bar on the ground floor and a club in the basement, providing bottle-to-table service, a VIP area and a roster of DJs playing soundtracks from Latin house to Reggaeton. There is an impressive collection of classic spirits and Agave spirits on offer, alongside an extensive cocktail menu.
