Place of the week: Breddos Tacos, Clerkenwell
26th April 2017
Tacos are definitely having a bit of a moment, they seem to be the latest street food craze and there’s little taquerias popping up all over London city, but I think the very best of them all might just have opened up on our doorstep, right in the very heart of Clerkenwell. I knew these little mouthfuls of Mexican yumminess were good, but I didn’t know they could be quite this good…
I’ve known about Breddos Tacos for a little while now, they always seemed to be all over Instagram and the foodie type blogs and I remember spotting their little stall at Shoreditch’s famous Dinerama street food market. And then when my mum brought my brother the cookery book (which is very lovely) for Christmas, it was the final reminder that we just really, really needed to give this place a go.
Breddos began from very humble beginnings, starting out in 2011 in a little makeshift taco shack in a car park in Hackney. These clever foodies then went on to do residencies and pop-ups all over the place, write their very own cook book and make an appearance at LA’s famous Tacolandia festival (ok, that’s another reason I haveee to visit LA!!). They’ve now found a permanent spot for themselves in our favourite place in London and the home to both of our lovely showrooms, Clerkenwell. A perfect choice I think!
“Our food is influenced by the hundreds of roadside taquerias and restaurants we have encountered on our travels throughout America and Mexico, whilst utilising the best of British produce.”
A Breddos taco is everything you want a taco to be and maybe even a teeny bit more. The little corn tortillas are pillowy and soft, stacked high with fresh and zesty and hot and spicy flavours, a proper taste sensation. Famous for their ‘Baja Fish’ taco, we had to give this one a go. It’s served with pickled cabbage, lime mayo and pico de gallo and the soft, flakey fish is fried in a wonderfully crisp and light batter, it’s just so good and a definite must-try.
Another must-have is the ‘Masa Fried Chicken’ taco, this one is served with roasted habanero and heritage tomato pico de gallo. The chicken has got the best crunch and the salsa has the perfect kick to it. So, so tasty. The menu changes very regularly, but I’m pretty sure these two tacos make a comeback each and every time, they’re just too good to leave out. There’s always a couple of veggie options too, we tried the ‘Smoked Sweet Potato’ with recado rojo (a paste made with lots of Mexican spices), chamomile and pumpkin seeds, it was lovely and there’s pretty much always some kind of delicious slow cooked pork and beef taco options too. The flavours are always full on and I don’t think you can go far wrong with whichever you pick!
We visited in a group of four and decided to order one of each taco, it was great to be able to have a little taste of them all, but they can be pretty tricky to share. With each order you just get one taco and trying to split one between a few people can get a bit messy, not to mention the fact that once you’ve had one mouthful you really don’t want to give the rest away!!! So I’d recommend ordering a few each and keeping them all to yourself. Priced at £3-£5 per taco you could say they’re a little on the pricey side, but if you’re willing to pay for quality ingredients and top notch flavour, then I’d say they’re worth every penny.
Breddos also have a daily selection of tostadas and sharing type plates which are cooked on the grill, so as well as a couple of tacos each, a couple of sharing plates for the table are just perfect. We went for the ‘Pollo Asado’, gorgeous and very buttery little pieces of chicken grilled to utter perfection and served with a tangy guacamole and salad. It sounds kind of boring, but trust me it’s very good. There was also a fish, beef and pork option from the grill too, something for everybody. Oooo and I almost forgot to mention, try the ‘Fundido’, right at the bottom of the menu. Pretty much a bowl of bubbling melted cheese, packed with flavour and served with uber crispy crisps to dip in. Yum.
The decor is pretty hipster with cacti and succulents and houseplants scattered about the place, really cool typography and colourful old vinyls adorning the walls and bric-a-brac that looks like it could have been picked up by the Breddos guys on their travels across Mexico. It gets that mismatched, relaxed vibe spot on.
The atmosphere is buzzy and the whole place just feels full of life. There’s a big old refectory table right in the middle of the small restaurant, a few spots to sit up high at long bar type tables and a few little cosy booths. This place does get really, really busy, so unless you turn up early, do expect a long-ish wait to be seated. Unlike some places in London where you have to queue up outside in the cold, Breddos will take your name and number and then give you a call when your table is ready, giving you time to grab a drink beforehand. If you’re looking for a nice little pub to pass the time in, try The Slaughtered Lamb on Great Sutton Street, just a two minute walk from Breddos.
Breddos offer a small range of wine and beer (the house beer on tap is really good, citrusy and quite different), and a selection of classic cocktails with a Mexican twist. Of course there’s mezcal and tequila aplenty too, although I wasn’t quite brave enough to go for one of these, I’ve heard they’re the perfect accompaniment to any taco and cut through the rich, punchy flavours just perfectly.
So, if you’ve been yearning for a really good, authentic Mexican or are yet to taste the ultimate taco, give this place a go! And if you’ve finished up your design appointment at one of our lovely London showrooms and are feeling a little peckish, this could be the place to try. Breddos are open for lunch and are less than a five minute walk from St. John’s Square and about a twelve minute walk from Tysoe Street.
– You will find Breddos Tacos at 82 Goswell Road, London, EC1V 7DB
– For more info & to view their menus, check out the Breddos website here
– Follow the Breddos Instagram for some mouth wateringly-good taco pics here
All image credits: Breddos Tacos
