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<\/div>\nMexican food is finally having its long-awaited London<\/a> moment. For years, the capital was teased for its lack of decent tacos \u2013 especially compared to culinary heavyweights like New York<\/a>, LA<\/a>, Miami<\/a>, and even parts of Europe \u2013 but a wave of buzzy openings over the past few years has slowly started to shift that reputation.<\/p>\n The popularity and commercial success of Santiago Lastra\u2019s KOL<\/a> is perhaps the clearest example of how far Mexican food has come in London. The slick, two-Michelin-starred Marylebone<\/a> restaurant serves a tasting menu built around seasonal British produce, interpreted through traditional Mexican flavors and techniques. Last year, thanks to growing demand, it even transformed its downstairs mezcal bar into a dedicated dessert-and-drinks space.<\/p>\n And it\u2019s not just high-end restaurants like KOL that are thriving in the capital. More informal taqueria-type spots like La Chingada<\/a> and Sonora Taquer\u00eda<\/a> have built loyal followings for traditional-style Mexican street cooking, serving everything from slow-cooked birria to nopales, all paired with a glass of homemade horchata, while breakfast spot Bad Manners<\/a> \u2013 a shiny Airstream parked in the front garden of Shoreditch Church \u2013 regularly draws weekend queues for its loaded burritos.<\/p>\n Mexican influence has well and truly spilled into London\u2019s drinking scene, too. This year, tequila overtook gin as the UK\u2019s spirit of choice,<\/a> while margaritas have become a fixture on cocktail menus, and mezcal bars continue to pop up across the city.<\/p>\n Hoping to tap into the Mexican momentum is Los F\u00e9lix, a Michelin-starred restaurant from Grassfed Culture Hospitality led by chef Sebasti\u00e1n Vargas. Hailing from Miami, this June the restaurant will cross the pond for a month-long residency at The Ned<\/a>, popping up at its restaurant Cantina Malibu<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThis felt like the right moment to share that voice outside of Miami,\u201d affirms chef Vargas. \u201cLondon has this incredible openness to global culinary identity while still deeply valuing craftsmanship and authenticity, which aligns beautifully with how we cook.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The residency will bring together Mexican tradition with contemporary fine dining, with a focus on Mesoamerican cuisine. At the heart of the offering is Los F\u00e9lix\u2019s dedication to heirloom corn, with tortillas made by hand on site daily.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople here genuinely care about ingredients, history, technique, and narrative. That excites me because our food carries a lot of intention behind it,\u201d adds Vargas.\u00a0<\/p>\n Chef Sebastian says the collaboration with the Bank-based members\u2019 club felt like a natural fit. \u201cFor our first residency in London, The Ned allowed Los F\u00e9lix to exist honestly without compromising its soul,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe Ned understands hospitality as an experience rather than simply a restaurant transaction. There\u2019s culture, energy, music, design, and emotion woven into the space, and that\u2019s very important to us, \u201d he adds.<\/p>\n As for what London diners can expect, Sebastian hopes to bring the vibrancy of the restaurant\u2019s Miami base to the capital. \u201cThe spirit of Los F\u00e9lix lives in intention. It\u2019s in the sourcing, the nixtamalization process, the smoke, the music, the pace of service, the warmth of hospitality.\u201d<\/p>\n Guests will be able to order from an \u00e0 la carte menu featuring Los F\u00e9lix\u2019s best-known dishes alongside several London-exclusive additions. While there are a handful of vegetarian options, the menu leans heavily into seafood and meat: catch-of-the-day crudo with melon, pickled pineapple, lime, and avocado; pork cheek carnitas with orange and chile, sesame macha, and the restaurant\u2019s signature fresh heirloom corn tortillas; and lobster esquites with coconut, morita, fresh cheese, and basil.<\/p>\n For a true taste of Los F\u00e9lix, Sebastian encourages diners to try the arepa with wild-caught crab, smoked corn, charred plantain leaves, and coconut oil. \u201cIt’s truly a dish that represents everything we love: sourcing, culture, art, and flavor.\u201d<\/p>\n Dishes will be served alongside a selection of house-made salsas, and to wash it all down, event partner Modelo Especial will be available on draught, as well as a cocktail menu, created by Los F\u00e9lix.<\/p>\n \u201cMore than anything, I want people to leave feeling something,\u201d says Vargas. \u201cI want them to feel warmth, humanity, and craftsmanship in every detail, from the tortillas to the music to the hospitality.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"los](\"https:\/\/elitetraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/05\/los-felix-london-the-ned-chef-2560x1707.jpg\")
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