London has always been known for its ambitious openings, but now there’s a new restaurant in town. Cometa is a Mexican-inspired seafood restaurant and is now open for bookings.
Mexican Food is Seeing a Resurgence
Mexican cuisine is no longer being viewed as niche. In 2026, it is one of the fastest-growing food trends, with the market set to exceed $35 billion by 2032. Social media buzz regarding Mexican cuisine has also spiked by 13.79%. Modern media has had a part to play here, with the 2026 FIFA World Cup helping to spike visibility regarding Mexican culture. TV shows on Netflix, like Man on Fire, which came out in 2026, are also set in Mexico.
We are also seeing a spike in Mexican aesthetics across iGaming. You don’t have to look far to discover Vegas slots like 4 Chilli Amigos: Hold & Win and 3 Blazing Chilli’s Hold & Win, which are heavily into Mexican street imagery, with motifs that symbolise Mexican cuisine. The slots also embrace the classic Vegas slot format, showing how far-reaching Mexico’s influence is. Chipotle also has a huge UK presence in 2026, and Uber Eats is making burritos, tacos, and even quesadillas more accessible. All of this information shows that London is very much primed for a new Mexican restaurant, which opened up earlier this year.
Cometa officially opened for business on the 20th of February, 2026, and has been busy ever since. Those who want to be in with a chance of securing a booking will need to book up to a week ahead. Bookings can be made through the official website, and due to high demand, the restaurant is often packed to the brim.
Cometa Operates in Carousel’s Former Wine Bar’s Space
The restaurant overtakes the former wine bar in Fitzrovia and has a very warm interior. The menu is very seafood-led but blends contemporary Mexican flavours. The restaurant does a great job at not leaning too much into the stereotypical idea of Mexican food. Cometa is run by brothers, Ollie and Ed Templeton, with them using Mexico City’s Roma Norte as their source of inspiration.
Inside the restaurant, you will see plenty of earthy tones, as well as woven seating, oak tables, and soft textiles. There’s also a lot of artwork by Todd Bienvenu, a renowned American artist. The venue is stylish yet intimate, with some of the top dishes served, including lobster with a smoked butter sauce, ceviche, and aguachile.
When you consider the fact that Britain has such a strong seafood scene, taking local products and elevating them with Mexican flavours is a smart move. Dishes like crab chilpachole rice and lobster with Oaxacan chintextle both show how quickly fusion food is evolving, and how it’s possible to turn premium dining spaces into a relaxed experience for all. The best thing that Cometa does is that it’s not overly polished, and the fact that it embraces warmth and flexibility is one of the reasons why it’s becoming such a hotspot in London.
Bold Approach
Cometa has a very strong and dynamic approach, with bold flavours. The restaurants also pride themselves on partnering with various suppliers to make sure that the food is always of the highest standard of quality. Some of the suppliers confirmed to be working with include The Fin & Flounder, The Sea and the Sea, as well as Flying Fish.
The chefs themselves are Mexican and have helped shape the menu, with esteemed chef José Lizarralde Serralde and Alejandra Juarez leading the kitchen. Both chefs have experience working in highly regarded Mexican restaurants, which include Meroma, Nicos, and Estela. When dining at the restaurant, you can expect the platings to begin with raw food, including ceviche and aguachiles, before moving on to more sharing dishes. The restaurant puts a strong focus on sharing dishes, also with a number of sweet desserts to finish.
The entire menu has been designed by Ed and Ollie Templeton, with the space designed to put a focus on intimate dining experiences and bringing people together through the power of food and luxury dining.
This is certainly one of the more interesting recent openings in the city, but as the year goes on, we can expect to see many more, given the success of Cometa.
