Restaurant in London, United Kingdom
Michelin-recognised Mexican at an accessible price.
Fonda holds a Michelin Plate (2025) and a 4.6 Google rating at the ££ price point — a genuinely rare combination on Heddon Street. Santiago Lastra's share-plate Mexican restaurant across two floors is the right call for groups and food-curious visitors who want serious cooking near Soho without a serious bill. Book one to two weeks out for weekdays; further ahead for weekends.
Fonda holds a 4.6 Google rating across 433 reviews and a 2025 Michelin Plate — and it sits at the ££ price point. That combination is rare enough in central London that booking here is a direct call for anyone who wants serious Mexican cooking without a serious bill. The question isn't whether Fonda is worth it; it's whether the format suits you. If you're after a tasting menu or a quiet intimate dinner, look elsewhere. If you want a lively, share-friendly Mexican spread with credible culinary backing in a well-designed room close to Soho, Fonda earns its place on your shortlist.
Fonda occupies two floors of a Heddon Street address — a pedestrianised strip off Regent Street that already pulls a food-literate crowd. The space leans into natural light, with pale wood finishes, foliage, and colourful ceramic tiles giving it a warm, considered feel. It's visually coherent in a way that many casual-price restaurants in the West End are not: this reads as a designed room, not a fitted-out one. The scale is part of the concept too. A traditional Mexican fonda is a small family-run eating house, typically just a handful of tables. This version has been expanded significantly across two floors, which means the energy skews lively. Don't expect a hushed room , expect the kind of noise level that fits sharing plates and cocktails better than long conversation.
The kitchen is Santiago Lastra's second London project after Pujol-influenced KOL. Lastra brings a similar sensibility here: Mexican cooking grounded in technique rather than Tex-Mex shortcuts, with the stated reference point being the kind of everyday cooking you'd find in Mexico's neighbourhood restaurants. Dishes like slow-cooked carnitas with fresh tortillas and a signature cheesecake to close are the anchors. The cocktail list is extensive , worth working through before you order food.
At ££, Fonda isn't asking for fine-dining service , and that's an important calibration. What the Michelin Plate signals here is culinary quality rather than front-of-house depth. The service style fits the casual-share format: attentive enough, paced around sharing plates, but not the kind of tableside choreography you'd find at a ££££ room. For the price tier, that's exactly appropriate. Where Fonda differs from a direct neighbourhood restaurant is in the level of kitchen ambition behind the plates. That gap , between the informality of the room and the seriousness of the cooking , is a genuine asset, not a compromise. It means you can book this for a group who want a good dinner without the ceremony, and the food will still deliver. Compared to Cavita, which pitches at a similar price and concept space, Fonda's Michelin recognition gives it a marginal edge in kitchen credibility. Against Santo Remedio, the room is larger and more central, but Santo Remedio arguably runs a tighter, more personal operation. Your call depends on whether location and scale or intimacy matter more to you.
Fonda opens from 3pm every day of the week, closing at 10pm. There is no lunch service. That means your window is dinner , and given the Michelin Plate, the central location, and the accessible price, tables move. Book at least one to two weeks ahead for midweek, and further out for weekends. This is a Heddon Street address with Soho-adjacent footfall, which means walk-in chances drop sharply on Friday and Saturday evenings. For the leading experience, aim for an early sitting , the room quietens down before 6pm and fills fast as the evening progresses. If you're planning around a pre-theatre window or a loose schedule, build in the assumption that you'll need a reservation. Booking difficulty is rated easy relative to London's top tier, but easy here means plannable, not spontaneous.
Fonda works well for groups wanting a share-plate dinner with a serious kitchen behind it, couples who want quality Mexican without the formality or price of a destination restaurant, and food-curious visitors who want to eat well near Soho without paying ££££ rates. It also suits explorers who follow chefs: if you've eaten at KOL or tracked Lastra's trajectory, this is the more accessible, lower-stakes expression of the same culinary thinking. If you want a quieter room, a tasting menu format, or a longer chef-driven narrative experience, look at KOL itself. If Mexican cooking in a genuinely destination-level context interests you, Animalón in Valle de Guadalupe represents what that ceiling looks like.
For broader context on where Fonda sits in London's restaurant scene, see our full London restaurants guide. If you're planning around an overnight stay, our London hotels guide covers the full range. For drinks before or after, our London bars guide has the options. If you're exploring further afield, Pearl also covers destination-level UK dining at Waterside Inn in Bray, L'Enclume in Cartmel, Moor Hall in Aughton, Gidleigh Park in Chagford, Hand and Flowers in Marlow, and hide and fox in Saltwood. You can also explore London wineries and London experiences through Pearl.
Fonda does not operate a tasting menu format. The concept is built around sharing plates , the kind of casual, communal eating that a traditional Mexican fonda is known for. If a structured tasting progression is what you're after, KOL (Lastra's other London project) is the right call. At Fonda, you build your own meal from the sharing menu, which suits groups and pairs who want to eat across several dishes rather than follow a set sequence.
Fonda doesn't offer lunch , the kitchen opens at 3pm daily. Dinner is your only option, which makes early evening (3–6pm) the quieter, more relaxed window if you want more space and less noise. Later sittings fill quickly, especially on weekends. For a more conversational dinner, book the first sitting rather than arriving after 7pm.
The database does not include specific dietary policy details for Fonda. Mexican cuisine at this level typically accommodates vegetarian and gluten-aware diners reasonably well given the emphasis on fresh tortillas, vegetables, and protein-forward dishes , but contact the restaurant directly to confirm before booking if you have strict requirements. Don't assume; verify.
At ££, Fonda is one of the stronger value propositions in central London for Michelin-recognised cooking. You get a designed room, a serious kitchen with clear culinary intent, and an extensive cocktail list , without the commitment of a ££££ destination restaurant. Compared to Cavita or Santo Remedio at similar price points, Fonda's 2025 Michelin Plate gives you extra confidence that the kitchen is performing. The answer is yes , for what it is and what it costs.
Smart casual is the right read. The room is thoughtfully designed , light wood, ceramic tiles, foliage , and attracts a food-aware crowd near Soho, but it's a sharing-plate restaurant at ££, not a fine-dining room. Neat, put-together clothes work. There's no suggestion of a formal dress code, and over-dressing would feel out of step with the informal service style.
The two-floor layout and share-plate format make Fonda well-suited to groups. The concept actively encourages communal eating , ordering across the menu and sharing is the intended approach. For larger parties, contact the restaurant directly to discuss table configuration, as the database does not confirm a private dining option. The room has enough scale to handle groups comfortably without the intimacy concerns you'd have at a smaller neighbourhood spot.
Book one to two weeks ahead for midweek evenings. Weekend tables, particularly Friday and Saturday, will go faster given the Heddon Street location and Soho-adjacent footfall. The Michelin Plate and 4.6 Google rating mean demand is consistent. Booking difficulty is rated easy relative to London's most competitive tables, but that means plannable rather than walk-in-friendly. Sort your reservation before your travel plans are fixed rather than after.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fonda | Mexican | ££ | The foodie hotspot of Heddon Street, tucked away on the edge of Soho, is the setting for this busy Mexican restaurant from KOL founder Santiago Lastra. In Mexico, a ‘fonda’ is a family-owned spot usually with just a few tables – here they have supersized the concept, with diners spread across two floors of the bright, airy restaurant decorated with light wood, foliage and colourful ceramic tiles. Kick off with a cocktail from the extensive list before sharing dishes like slow-cooked carnitas with fresh tortillas. Santiago’s signature cheesecake is a great way to finish.; Michelin Plate (2025); The foodie hotspot of Heddon Street, tucked away on the edge of Soho, is the setting for this busy Mexican restaurant from KOL founder Santiago Lastra. In Mexico, a ‘fonda’ is a family-owned spot usually with just a few tables – here they have supersized the concept, with diners spread across two floors of the bright, airy restaurant decorated with light wood, foliage and colourful ceramic tiles. Kick off with a cocktail from the extensive list before sharing dishes like slow-cooked carnitas with fresh tortillas. Santiago’s signature cheesecake is a great way to finish. | Easy | — |
| Restaurant Gordon Ramsay | Contemporary European, French | ££££ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| CORE by Clare Smyth | Modern British | ££££ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| The Ledbury | Modern European, Modern Cuisine | ££££ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Sketch, The Lecture Room and Library | Modern French | ££££ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Dinner by Heston Blumenthal | Modern British, Traditional British | ££££ | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
Side-by-side comparison to help you decide where to book.
Fonda operates as a share-plate restaurant rather than a tasting-menu format, so this is not the right venue if you are looking for a structured multi-course progression. The share-plate approach suits groups and pairs who want to range across the menu. If a chef-led tasting format is your priority, KOL — also from Santiago Lastra — is the more appropriate booking.
Fonda only opens at 3pm, so lunch is not an option. The kitchen runs from 3pm to 10pm every day of the week, which means your only choice is dinner or an early-evening sitting. If afternoon flexibility matters, factor in that 3pm is an easy time to walk in before the dinner rush builds.
The venue data does not specify dietary accommodation policies, so contact Fonda directly at 12 Heddon Street before booking if you have specific requirements. Mexican share-plate menus typically include vegetable-forward dishes alongside meat-centred options, but confirm with the restaurant rather than assume.
At ££, Fonda is one of the more straightforward yes-decisions in London's Michelin-recognised dining. A 2025 Michelin Plate and a 4.6 Google rating across 433 reviews at this price point is an unusual combination. For context, landing a Michelin signal in London more commonly comes with £££ or ££££ pricing.
Fonda's two-floor space with light wood, foliage, and ceramic tiles reads as relaxed and social rather than formal. At ££ with a share-plate format, there is no indication of a dress code — come as you would for a well-regarded neighbourhood restaurant rather than a fine-dining room.
The two-floor layout suggests Fonda can handle larger parties more comfortably than many London restaurants of comparable quality. The share-plate format is well-suited to groups of four or more. check the venue's official channels at 12 Heddon Street to confirm group availability and any private dining options.
Given a 2025 Michelin Plate and consistent 4.6-rated demand on a busy pedestrian strip off Regent Street, booking at least one to two weeks ahead for weekends is advisable. Midweek slots from 3pm are likely more accessible, particularly earlier in the evening window before 7pm.
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