El Pastor debuts in Soho

El Pastor parent company Harts Group is set to launch a new restaurant for the brand in Soho later this year.

The group’s fifth opening in five years, El Pastor Soho will open in June in the former HIX site on Brewer Street, which closed in late 2019.

The location will include a 86-cover ground floor and 60-cover basement. The former HIX zinc bar will remain in the space, which will include a design scheme inspired by Mexico City.

With a focus on fiery seasonal seafood tostadas, the menu will include Mexican dishes that the brand has become acclaimed for in its existing sites. As with all the Pastor restaurants, the tortillas will be made in-house daily, using heirloom Mexican corn.

The bar will serve a selection of mezcals, tequilas and agave spirits, as well as cocktails, Mexican beers and wine.

Having originally considered Soho for its debut site in 2016, before opting to launch in London Bridge, co-founders Sam and James Hart and Crispin Somerville said that opening in the district has been a long-held goal.

“Soho is our spiritual home in many ways,” said Sam Hart. “It’s where Fino launched, it’s where we have Barrafina and Quo Vadis, and James, Crispin and I spent many long, happy evenings in HIX Soho under Mark’s stewardship.

“We plan to do justice to the legacy of this special, magnetic site with El Pastor Soho and create wonderful experiences for 2021 and beyond.”

The group launched the original El Pastor site on Stoney Street, London Bridge, in December 2016. Tortilleria El Pastor opened in Bermondsey in April 2018, followed by Casa Pastor and Plaza Pastor in Coal Drops Yard in October of the same year.

The three co-founders also own and operate restaurants Barrafina, Quo Vadis, The Drop and Parrillan.