Harden's says
Taking over the site of St Leonards, chef Yahir Gonzalez, formerly of Aqua Nueva, and co-founder Tony Geary promise an "accessible neighbourhood restaurant serving exceptional Mexican cuisine".
Harden's survey result
Summary
“Superb elevated Mexican food” – “verging on fine dining” – is served at chef Yahir Gonzalez and former Sketch manager Tony Geary’s Shoreditch yearling that “deserves more recognition”. The Latino fare is “not the usual stuff”, with “interesting dishes” showcasing “sensational flavours, often gently spiced but some more so for those who want it hot”. “Knowledgeable and approachable staff” ensure a “very well-paced meal, with plates brought out in a thoughtful order (not whenever they’re ready, like so many other supposedly top small-plates places)”. Any sniping is generally reserved for the “industrial vibe” dining room, which some see as “far too noisy”: “they could do with creating some nooks and a bit more privacy for some of the tables”.
Summary
“Bringing an affordable higher-end Mexican experience to London, with inventive cuisine” – chef Yahir Gonzalez and co-founder Tony Geary have taken over the Shoreditch site that was St Leonards (RIP) to open this colourfully decorated and attractive 60-seater. It has received some up-and-down reports in the media (The Guardian’s Grace Dent, a fan, thought it “a date-night kind of place, or for dinner with a client you’d actually like to talk to”; but it’s “a modern Mexican muddle” according to the FT’s Tim Hayward; or with “basic errors” in the view of online restaurant maven, Andy Hayler). But we’ve rated it positively on our initial reports of “knockout Latino food with imaginative and perfectly judged sharing plates”, “interesting cocktails and wines” and “warm and attentive service”.
For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at Zapote?
70 Leonard Street, London, EC2A 4QX
Restaurant details
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £20.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £3.50 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Service | 12.50% |
70 Leonard Street, London, EC2A 4QX
Opening hours
| Monday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5:30 pm‑10 pm |
| Tuesday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5:30 pm‑10 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5:30 pm‑10 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5:30 pm‑10 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5:30 pm‑10:30 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5:30 pm‑10:30 pm |
| Sunday | CLOSED |
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