Melanie Symonds, Mezcal expert & founder of Quiquirqui and co-founder of London Mezcal Week shares with U her top 5 places in London to drink Mezcal.

Temper - Soho 

Amazing mezcal selection and cocktail list with a focus all on the wonders of Mezcal - the food is also perfect paired with mezcal, neat or in a cocktail - its so dramatic down there with a huge open kitchen so you can watch all the action while sipping on the good stuff.

Discount Suit Company

Tiny basement cocktail bar so get there early. This is my favourite cocktail bar in London - the bartenders are really creative and if you tell them you like mezcal they can serve up endless off-menu cocktails - they always have at least two on the menu though which are always delicious. Weekend nights they have great DJ's too. 

Ray’s Bar

Super stylish and always fun. Dave knows how to make excellent mezcal cocktails and always has another one for me to try every time I go there, and you can order pizza from Voodoo Ray’s, whats not to like?

El Pastor

The best taco’s in London, hands down, so its a no brainer for me because they also have a great mezcal list too.

Cafe Pacifico

The largest agave selection in London and one of the first Mexican restaurants to open in London - Tomas Estes is an agave legend so this place is a must for anyone wanting to drink mezcal.

Melanie is one of the leading voices in the UK Mezcal Industry. After a ten year career in TV production, focusing on food and drink programmes, a work trip to Oaxaca in Mexico founded Melanie's fascination for Mezcal. She began to work extensively in the industry, exploring the traditions in production as well as understanding the market. Until recently, she has run an agave specialist off-licence in East London but, identifying a gap in the market for an affordable but still traditionally made Mezcal, she decided to focus on creating her own brand, Quiquirqui, as well as setting up London's first Mezcal Week, which champions the diversity of Mexican Mezcal in a series of tasting events, dinners and parties.  

Ideal For

Marvellous Mexican mezcal