MEXICAN FOOD IN LONDON?!

Is it totally garbage??? Not quite!

Being a native Californian and half-Mexican makes me quite the expert (snob) on Mexican food as I've been spoiled rotten by all the incredible Mexican cuisine available to me at home.

I went to uni in the Bay Area, where the Mission Burrito was invented in the 1960's. These burritos, borne in the SF's Mission District, were larger than ever before and fit in way more ingredients, preceding the California burrito of the 1980's (it has french fries in it). Mission quesadillas are also ginormous and I have partaken of both more times than I care to count.

In southern California, sunny San Diego is famous for its giant styrofoam containers stuffed with carne asada fries, one of the most important inventions known to mankind. Think french fry base and then mounds of guacamole, pico de gallo, melted cheese, sour cream (crema in Español if you're a real one), and carne asada piled on top! Drooling yet?

The rest of California is equally as abundant in great Mexican food. You can find taco trucks in nearly every city, as well as authentic Mexican family restaurants with tubs of aguas frescas and horchata, my personal fave. You can imagine why everyone that moves from California to London immediately complains about the lack of suitable Mexican food.

However, Mexican food has exploded onto the London food scene in the last few years, which is really exciting! The nachos are still disgusting but it's okay for now. And though Californians can get quite uppity about Mexican food in both London and in general, it's important to remember that there are many different regional kinds of Mexican food, none more legitimate than the rest.

There's American Mexican food, which varies from state to state; Tex-Mex is completely different from California Mexican food, and it's different in New Mexico and Arizona as well. Not to mention the regional differences in Mexico itself! Oaxacan food from the South Pacific coast of the country is worlds away from Bajan fish tacos or the Gulf towns like Tabasco, which has heritage in both indigenous and Creole cultures.

I could go on and on, but for now let's focus on Mexican food in London - the good, the bad, and the ugly!

la tiendita

The only place where I've managed to find real Mexican ingredients in London. La Tiendita is a five minutes walk away from Putney Bridge

station in west London, which to me is quite a random, out of the way location, but I will happily make the journey west to get some real tortillas!

At first glance, La Tiendita looks just like any other normal corner shoppe, but once you turn right and go straight to the back shelf, BAM, you're hit the jackpot. They've got white and blue corn tortillas, all types of salsas, chilis, cans of refried beans (!) and several flavours of Jarritos sodas.

If you're trying to get super authentic, they've got all the tamarindo candies you get in the bodega, nopales, tomatillos, and HOMINY, if you're trying to make some pozole, which is possibly my favourite dish ever.

lupita

Lupita is a Mexico City styled taquería, as well as my favourite restaurant to go for Mexican food, for one main reason. THEY HAVE TAQUITOS!!! For the uncultured peeps out there, taquitos are rolled up tacos filled with beef or chicken and then deep fried for a golden, crispy treat you can dip into guac or salsa. In California, you can get great taquitos anywhere really, but Lupita is the first place in London where I've found them, and they're actually really good too.

Other than taquitos, Lupita has great burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas and even tortas (Mexican sandwiches), which is impressive. Also try their Panuchos de Cochinita Pibil, a traditional dish from the Yucatán Peninsula.

mezcal cantina & bar

Shout out to Mezcal Cantina in Stoke Newington - I went for happy hour margaritas last year on Cinco de Mayo, and though I don't really remember the food, I definitely recall the margaritas! They're served in real margarita glasses and are actually as big as the ones you get back home in California, which was a major plus. I could be biased by the fact that I had four, but two for one is a deal no one should pass on when it comes to quality margs!

Note: Cinco de Mayo isn't a real Mexican holiday and it was the first time I had ever celebrated it, which is funny considering I was in London!

mestizo

I went to Mestizo on Día de los Muertos, and the restaurant was absolutely beautiful, decked out in the traditional calaveras (skulls) and marigolds. I remember thinking the food was just alright, but I think I have to try more of their varied menu (I just looked and I'm salivating) before I form any opinion! They're the only place I've seen so far with tamales on the menu, and I also want to try their take on buñuelos, a fried tortilla or fritter of some sort with tons of cinnamon sugar on top. Also if you have any dietary restrictions, this is the place to go. They've got vegan nut-free, gluten-free, you name it!

benito's hat

I'm always quite cautious of any fast food, Chipotle-style chain restaurant, and especially so in London. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I first tried Benito's Hat last year for work. It's a damn solid burrito! Plus it's pretty cheap, and they often have really great promotions, such as £1 tacos for Taco Tuesday or a percentage off your order on Mexican holidays like Día de los Muertos. They also have a great range of Mexican cocktails on their menu besides the usual margaritas; I was happy to discover that they offer palomas, a simple combo of tequila and grapefruit soda, something I love to drink with my Mexican side of the family.

wahaca

...is technically supposed to be Oaxaca but apparently the owners or brand managers didn't think Londoners would be able to pronounce it correctly and whitewashed the sh*t out of it! I guess if you're forced to go with coworkers or something it's okay, but I steer clear of it on principle alone.

on my list to try