Between 2022 and 2026, London has welcomed a steady stream of taco players, including Zapote, Sonora Taquería, Fonda, and more recently Acme Tacos as well as international arrivals like Trejo’s Tacos from Los Angeles, and Coyo Taco from Miami, and Velvet Tacos from Dallas.
Expansion continues this year, with the fourth opening of Two Twins Tacos and a recent refurbishment at Notting Hill favourite Taq.
While central London has seen a rise in premium and international-backed openings, independent taco scene has clustered heavily in East London, representing 70% of the city’s independent taco scene and 58% overall, according to DesignMyNight.
Areas such as Stoke Newington, Dalston, Shoreditch and Walthamstow have become home to some of the city’s most critically acclaimed taquerias. Meanwhile, neighbourhoods like Peckham and Deptford continue to build strong independent scenes in South London.
“Tacos are proving their worth across lots of dining trends and verticals, making it hard to ignore their impact on London’s hospitality scene,” says Katie Kirwan, head of brand at DesignMyNight.
“When you look at the surge in searches on DesignMyNight, the consumer-led hype is clearly there, but operators are helping fan the flame with concepts that touch base across everything from affordable to high-end.”
According to DesignMyNight, in the past 28 days there has been an 42% increase in ‘affordable’ and ‘cheap’ searches in London, with taco joints fulfilling this needs in terms of their price point, quality and accessibility.
This growing interest in tacos has brought about a self-guided taco crawl in Shoreditch and a dedicated festival where the country’s best vendors battle it out for the crown of ‘best taco’. The Tacover, which launched in 2024, welcomes more than 8,500 people across a three-day event in London, and is set to return this summer.