Sam and Eddie Hart, the brothers behind Barrafina and Quo Vadis, will launch a new Mexican taqueria restaurant, El Pastór, in early November in Stoney Street, Borough Market.
The Harts will be joined in the 60-cover project by Crispin Somerville, who with Sam, owned and ran Mexico City nightclub, El Colmillo, in the 1990s and 2000s.
El Pastor is inspired by Sam and Crispin’s collective 15 years in Mexico and their subsequent desire to “create a quality taqueria for London akin to those they enjoyed in Mexico’s capital and beyond”.
The company has dedicated the entirety of the mezzanine floor at the new site to a tortilla factory which will be producing freshly baked corn tortillas, made from scratch, twice daily.
Starring alongside the Al Pastór will be a compact selection of meat, fish and vegetarian tacos, considered to bring out the most joy from the best simple ingredients and authentic techniques.
All will be served with a selection of salsas made freshly and daily in-house. Mexican seafood tostadas, chicharrón de queso and chargrilled esquites will play an important supporting role as snacks.
The drinks list will focus on mezcal (served neat with orange slices), tequila, sangrita, Mexican beers, Micheladas and Margaritas. There will also be an authentic selection of non-alcoholic aguas; such as hibiscus flower, horchata and tamarind.
“El Pastor is something we have been wanting to create ever since Crispin and I left Mexico, sharing some of the great flavours and all-round enjoyment of an authentic taco experience that delighted us so much during our time living there. It feels like the appetite, our team and the site have finally come together at the right time to bring El Pastór to life,” said Sam Hart.
Youngest Hart brother, James, also joins the team, “spirited away from a successful career in finance by a lifelong passion for food and hospitality and an obsessive love of tacos”.
