Wahaca returns to expansion trail with first opening in six years

The Mexican restaurant group will launch a 150-cover site at the Paddington Square development in London this April.

“Paddington is certainly on the up,” says Gemma Glasson, managing director at Wahaca.

“The new development means it’s becoming a distinct destination in its own right in addition to its status as a major transport hub.

“We couldn’t be happier to be opening our latest restaurant in this evolving and exciting area of London and to be bringing our delicious dishes to residents and visitors alike.”

Led by GM Rafael De Lima and head chef Mirko Emanuele, the new restaurant will serve a menu of Mexican-inspired small plates including tacos, taquitos to quesadillas, with more than 50% of the dishes being meat-free.

In line with the group’s commitment to ‘planet-conscious dining’, the Paddington restaurant will be designed with ‘sustainability in mind’ and is set to feature an all-green energy, electric-only kitchen.

Interiors will ‘reflect the vibrancy and style of contemporary Mexican gastronomy’ and channel the colours, craftsmanship and design elements of Oaxaca, the city in southern Mexico that served as the original inspiration for co-founders Thomasina Miers and Mark Selby when they first launched Wahaca in Covent Garden back in 2007.

Wahaca Paddington will be the group’s first opening since it underwent a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) back in 2020​​ that saw it close 10 sites and secure an agreement from creditors to write off debts worth £25m.

Wahaca was later acquired in a rescue deal by the billionaire owner of Nando’s Dick Enthoven​​, who provided £4m in fresh investment through Luxembourg holding company Yellowwoods.

The addition of the Paddington restaurant will take the group’s estate to 14 sites in total.