Last Updated on January 8, 2025
A restaurant with a view at a reasonable price – Wahaca Southbank
4.5 out of 5.0 stars
Fine dining has charm, but there are moments when less truly is more in the restaurant world. For a casual lunch with friends, a pre-theatre meal, a group celebration, or simply a break from cooking at home, many occasions call for something simpler. Whether it’s an everyday excursion or a special event, good food at sensible prices, stunning views, and an inviting atmosphere is a winning formula. Founded in 2007 by MasterChef winner Thomasina Miers and Mark Selby, Wahaca ticks all the boxes, bringing the bold, fresh flavours of Mexico to all. There are branches across the UK but the Southbank restaurant has the added bonus of one of the best views in London, without the premium price tag you might find elsewhere along the river.
Visiting for a post-Christmas lunch, we lucked out with one of those perfectly clear, crisp winter days. Some of the festive decorations were still in place along the Southbank making for a vibrant, sparkling experience. Wahaca Southbank is in between the Southbank Centre and the National Theatre but, unlike many of the restaurants, it’s set back a little and the entrance is up a level. Had there not been ice on the tables, the terrace there would have been a fabulous option. Instead, once we were inside, we made our way up to the second floor where the views were truly superb.
The interior of Wahaca Southbank is Mexican-inspired with bright coloured decorations on the windows and stripped-back warehouse-style seating and counters. There are a few nooks, perfect for larger groups, and plenty of tables looking out over the river. Arriving at the start of lunch service we had our pick of where to sit and found the perfect spot for what turned out to be the perfect Mexican-inspired feast.
My companion has a soft spot for crisps of all types so we ordered corn tacos with guacamole to start. And, because we are trying to keep our January on the dry side (despite the rain) we ordered a couple of non-alcoholic cocktails to enjoy.
The corn tacos were fabulous and quite a step up from the ones I buy in bags from the supermarket. With chunky and well-balanced guacamole to dip, we were happy to spend some time working our way through the menu at Wahaca Southbank
My companion’s passion fruit and pineapple picante was a mouthwateringly creamy, fruity mix with just a hint of a kick from the fresh chilli and vegetal notes from the coriander. Elegant and refined, this was a perfect aperitif.
By comparison, the Pentire margarita I ordered worked best with the food. I’m a huge fan of Pentire spirits and the Wahaca Southbank one is made from their ‘Adrift’, with fresh lime, agave and jalapeno pepper. I nearly didn’t miss the alcohol;)
After much procrastination, we decided to order the ‘Favourites’ Discovery set menu which is £50 for two people. It offers a selection of 7 dishes and works out cheaper than ordering from the main menu. The veggie option is just a little cheaper at £47 and sounds just as good – our own favourites from the selection were a mix of veggie and carnivorous.
First to arrive on the table was the sweet potato and feta taquito, a rolled-up blue corn tortilla filled with fragrant, spiced sweet potato with caramelised onion and served on a bed of lettuce and feta cheese with salsa and chipotle mayo. Utterly moreish, I loved the contrast in texture of the soft sweet potato mix and the crisp taquito and the whole plate was good enough to want to lick it clean.
Buttermilk chicken tacos were tender and moist inside, with a crisp buttermilk shell wrapped in light, soft tortillas. Served with lightly pickled pink onion and spiced mayo, at £7.95 on the main menu, these are so worth trying (and ordering again in my case now).
The beef gringa tacos were filled with super tender pulled beef mixed with grilled cheese and salsa fresca and served in soft corn tortillas. Full of meaty flavour, for me, they didn’t quite match the deliciousness of the buttermilk chicken but that may be because I am trying to avoid too much red meat in my diet.
Grilled halloumi al pastor tacos with tomatillo and pineapple salsas and dressed slaw turned out to be my least favourite, though I suspect that’s partly because I spent too long taking photos. Eat these immediately, my friends, because the cheese becomes a little chewy as it cools down.
The beet tartare tostadas was the most surprising dish of the afternoon, largely because I’d misread the menu and thought it was a beef tartare. So much better, the crisp tostadas made a fabulous carrier for the fragrant herb-laced beetroot served with Mexican salsa macha, fresh horseradish and avocado cream. Another one for the ‘I want to try this again list’.
We both loved the spicy grilled Brindisa chorizo quesadilla – a lovely toasted tortilla filled with veggies, melted cheese and warm chorizo for that spicy kick.
And, for just a little bit of goodness, the grilled tenderstem broccoli came tossed in a light garlic herb oil, with toasted nuts and seeds that we kept nibbling even after the veg was all gone. How healthy is that!
Of course going out for a meal should include at least a little naughtiness and our final indulgence was to order the churros (my companion had never tried them before) with dulce de leche and chocolate sauces. A fitting end to an excellent meal and delicious with our coffees.
The bill at Wahaca Southbank, including service, came to a little over £90 and even my super frugal companion from Scotland agreed it was excellent value. We ordered two extra dishes on top of the ‘Discovery’ menu and really couldn’t eat everything we’d chosen (though we did manage all the churros). Highly recommended for the view alone, we were suitably impressed by the food, friendly staff and great prices and will definitely be back.
Wahaca Southbank
020 3951 9746
