Margarita cocktail contest comes to London’s Mexican restaurants

Set to take place at The Yard in Shoreditch on Sunday 30 April, the event will pitch 15 bars and restaurants against each other in a bid to create the best margarita cocktail for the voting public.

The competitors are: Wahaca, DF / Mexico, The Alchemist, Tonteria, Cafe Pacifico, El Patron, Cielo Blanco, GEM Bar, Tequila Mockingbird, Flight Club, Mestizo, Be At One and Barrio Bars.

Members of the public will receive a token each upon arrival, which they will then use to vote for their favourite drink of the night.

The overall winner will be chosen in the last 15 minutes of the final session. Tickets to the event are bookable online at £35 for general admission, and £55 for VIP early access.

Food and bar snacks will come from chef James Cochran, of ‘speakeasy’ B.Y.O.C. in Soho, and his eponymous, recently-opened EC3 restaurant in Aldgate.

Entertainment will include a traditional Mexican mariachi band, dancing ‘Day of the Dead’-style skeletons, and tequila masterclasses from sponsors José Cuervo.

Margarita Rumble is organised by New York-based Craft Hospitality.  

Mexican food ‒ especially tacos and the spirit mezcal ‒ is experiencing a surge in popularity in London at the moment (check out our Restaurant Eats Out tacos tour, here​​) with brands such as El Pastor, Breddos Tacos, and Temper joining early trend-setters Wahaca and DF/Mexico in standing up for proper Mexican cuisine.