Mexican Cantinas in the UK
23 verified restaurants.
A Mexican cantina is more than just a restaurant: it's a place to eat at leisure, drink without rushing and, usually, end up singing. It differs from a taquería in format (tables for groups, broader menu, prominent bar) and from a white-tablecloth restaurant in atmosphere: ranchera music in the background, walls covered in photos of Pedro Infante, mezcal posters and plenty of bottles behind the bar.
Across the UK there are 23 verified Mexican cantinas, concentrated in London, Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh. The typical menu combines antojitos to share (totopos with guacamole and salsas, melted cheese with chorizo, esquites, grilled elote, tinga tostadas), mains (mole poblano, cochinita pibil, chiles en nogada in season, tacos al pastor) and traditional puddings (flan napolitano, tres leches cake, churros with cajeta).
The soul of the cantina lives at the bar: artisanal mezcal from Oaxaca (espadín, tobalá, madrecuixe), 100% agave tequila (blanco, reposado, añejo, extra añejo) and classic cocktails (margarita, paloma, mezcal mule, cantarito). The best cantinas keep a mezcal list with denomination of origin and the palenque clearly noted. The average spend per person in the UK is around £40 to £75, bar included.
By city
- Cantinas
1910 Cantina Balham
London
Mexican-owned cantina on a residential street in Balham, opened July 2020. Serves authentic tacos, tequila and mezcal with a focus on traditional flavours and a neighbourhood feel.
3 Ramsden Road, London SW12 8QX, UK
- Cantinas
1910 Cantina Parsons Green
London
Second London outpost of the Mexican-owned 1910 Cantina, on New Kings Road in Parsons Green. Offers the same authentic taco, tequila and mezcal-led menu as the Balham original in a relaxed Fulham setting.
277 New Kings Road, London SW6 4RD, UK
- Cantinas
Cantina
Newcastle upon Tyne
Contemporary neighbourhood Mexican restaurant and bar inspired by favourite Mexico City hangouts, serving tacos, small plates and a strong mezcal and tequila list.
107 Heaton Park Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE6 5HP
- Cantinas
Cantina del Barrio
Cheltenham
Leckhampton Mexican restaurant set inside a converted TSB bank on Bath Road, serving tacos, empanadas and nachos with an unfussy neighbourhood feel.
162-164 Bath Road, Cheltenham GL53 7NF
- Cantinas
Cargo Cantina
Bristol, England
Taco bar at Wapping Wharf inspired by the cantinas of Mexico City. Tacos, burritos and margaritas in converted shipping containers on Bristol's harbourside.
Unit 15, Cargo 2, Wapping Wharf, Bristol BS1 6ZA
- Cantinas
Dos Dedos
Bath, England
Mexican cantina on Bath's cobbled streets serving tacos and over 100 mezcals and tequilas. Walk-ins only for food and drinks in a lively atmosphere.
Edgar Mews, Bartlett Street, Bath BA1 2QZ
- Cantinas
El Jefe's Finnieston
Glasgow, Scotland
Vibrant Mexican restaurant and bar in Finnieston with live mariachi at weekends. Tacos, quesadillas, elote and churros in a party atmosphere.
1166-1170 Argyle Street, Finnieston, Glasgow G3 8TE
- Cantinas
El Santo
Glasgow, Scotland
Latin American restaurant in Glasgow city centre serving Brazilian and Mexican cuisine with a speakeasy cocktail bar. Live music and vibrant atmosphere.
84 Miller Street, Glasgow G1 1DT
- Cantinas
Hacha
London, England
Renowned cocktail bar and Mexican dining in Dalston. Famous for the Mirror Margarita voted 7th best cocktail in the world and London's best by Time Out.
378 Kingsland Road, London E8 4AA
- Cantinas
Jalisco
London
Family-run Brixton Village restaurant serving Californian street-food inspired Mexican dishes since 2011, with burritos, tacos and ceviche prepared fresh to order.
48-49 Granville Arcade, Brixton Village Market, London SW9 8PR
- Cantinas
La Bodega Negra
London, England
Secret subterranean Mexican restaurant in Soho hidden behind a sex shop facade. Sophisticatesd low-lit lounge with bold Mexican classics, freshly made tortilla chips and iconic mezcal cocktails.
9 Old Compton Street, London W1D 5JF
- Cantinas
La Cantina Mexicana
Hull
Mexican street food bar that recently opened on Newland Avenue in Hull. A build-your-own concept letting diners pick a base of tacos, quesadillas, chimichangas or burritos with toppings from adobo beef to birria pork and roasted picante chicken.
183-185 Newland Avenue, Hull HU5 2ND, UK
- Cantinas
La Pantera
Cardiff, Wales
Cardiff's first independent back street cantina dedicated to mezcal, tequila and Mexican street food. Known as the home of the unauthentic taco.
5 Quay Street, Cardiff CF10 1DZ
- Cantinas
Lupe's Cantina Mexicana
Leeds
No-frills, family-run cantina that has been serving authentic Mexican dishes in Headingley for almost a decade, with an atmosphere reminiscent of a bustling Cancun eatery.
204-206 Cardigan Road, Headingley, Leeds LS6 1LF
- Cantinas
Mamacita's
Southampton, England
Authentic Mexican street food restaurant and bar in Southampton. Sizzling tacos, fresh ceviche, handcrafted margaritas and mezcal cocktails in a vibrant atmosphere.
24 Carlton Place, Southampton SO15 2DY
- Cantinas
Mexico 70
Sunderland
World-Mex tacos, small plates and cocktails in Sunderland city centre. Known for an inventive global take on Mexican classics with a strong tequila and mezcal list.
312 High Street West, Sunderland SR1 3ET, UK
- Cantinas
Mezcalito Chelsea
London, England
Tapas-style Mexican food and cocktails in Chelsea with one of Europe's largest collections of tequila and mezcal (500+ bottles). Vibrant dinners, music and culture.
119 Sydney Street, London SW3 6NR
- Cantinas
Neon Cactus
Leeds, England
Mexican restaurant and bar on Call Lane in Leeds city centre. Tacos, burritos, quesadillas and an extensive tequila and cocktail menu in a lively nightlife setting.
35 Call Lane, Leeds LS1 7BT
- Cantinas
Ojo Rojo
Bournemouth
Award-winning contemporary Mexican tapas restaurant and mezcal bar in Bournemouth's Triangle, opened 2016. Top 50 cocktail bar list regular, with an excellent outdoor space called the Rojo Hacienda and an extensive tequila and mezcal list.
37 Exeter Road, Bournemouth BH2 5AG, UK
- Cantinas
Piñatas Burrito Bar
Swansea
Mexican-themed bar inside Socialdice board game cafe on Swansea's Wind Street, opened 2020. Burritos, tacos and signature margaritas served in a lively games-and-drinks setting.
43 Wind Street, Swansea SA1 1EF, UK
- Cantinas
Sandinista
Manchester, England
Established in 2002, this intimate Latin bar offers a huge selection of cocktails and tequilas alongside Mexican-inspired tapas. A Manchester institution off St Ann's Square.
2 Old Bank Street, Manchester M2 7PF
- Cantinas
Santo Remedio Marylebone
London, England
Santo Remedio's plush Marylebone Casona & Cantina. Regional Mexican specialities in an elegant space evoking old colonial Mexican houses, with mezcal and tequila bar.
13-14 Thayer Street, London W1U 3JR
- Cantinas
The Lucky Club Camden
London
Rooftop margarita and taco bar in Camden Market with a 5,600 sq ft terrace, retractable roof and contemporary tacos featuring lobster, lamb birria and oyster mushroom.
North Stables Yard, Camden Market, Chalk Farm Road, London NW1 8AH
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a cantina and a taquería?
**Cantina**: social atmosphere, tables for groups, broader menu with antojitos + mains + puddings, prominent mezcal/tequila bar, ticket £40-£75. **Taquería**: focus on tacos cooked to order, quick service, ticket £15-£25. The cantina is for a long meal; the taquería for a quick but authentic feed.
Which Mexican cocktails should I order in a cantina?
**Classics**: margarita (tequila + triple sec + lime + salt), paloma (tequila + Squirt/grapefruit soda + salt), mezcal mule (mezcal + ginger + lime). **Alcohol-free**: agua de jamaica, horchata, tamarind water. If you want to understand mezcales, order a flight (3-4 tastings) rather than a cocktail.
Do Mexican cantinas offer free botana?
In Mexico, yes — order drinks and free nibbles arrive (peanuts, crisps, small sopes, chicharrón). In the UK it isn't common practice; some cantinas offer complimentary totopos with guacamole. Ask whether they run a "happy hour" — several do 2-for-1 margaritas or mezcal for a short window.
How much does one person spend at a Mexican cantina in the UK?
**Standard**: £40-£60 (3 antojitos to share + 1 main + 2 drinks). **With a mezcal bar**: £70-£110 (add artisanal mezcal tastings at £10-£20 a glass). Premium cantinas with a tasting menu come in at £80-£130.
Directory curated by Edmond Bojalil. Last updated: 2026-06-04.
Founder, Recetas Mexas
Mexican from Puebla, IT professional and foodie. Author of 1000+ authentic Mexican recipes adapted for home kitchens worldwide. Based in Madrid since 2018.
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