At a glance, KOL is a beautifully presented Mexican restaurant, brimming with authenticity, in the heart of Marylebone. The main restaurant is hued a rich terracotta, while latte-coloured cafe curtains, plush leather booths and wooden details add to the rustic - yet curated - feel. But, behind the scenes, thought, there's a whole story to tell.
KOL is the brainchild of Mexican-born chef Santiago Lastra, whose career spans stints at Mugaritz in San Sebastian and with the Noma team on their seven-week residency in Mexico. Since opening in 2020, KOL has been named in The World’s 50 Best, La Liste and Michelin. The restaurant's ethos is all about bringing Mexican flavours to the UK, and using the best in British produce to do so.
By now, we reckon you're all but convinced that KOL is a great place to host a special occasion. So, you'll be thrilled to hear that the restaurant welcomes private dining bookings and has two spaces available. The Chef's Table is an elegant space with one, long dining table with capacity for up to 20 guests, seated. This option is inspired by a traditional Oaxacan home and looks out to the kitchen, with a behind the scenes feel.
Here, two of the three private dining menus are served: PLATA and ORO. Five and seven course tasting menu respectively, expect plates like langoustine taco with smoked chilli and sea buckthorn, alongside scallop ceviche with pear, hemp, pine, piquin and codium, with brown butter corn steamed cake for dessert.
The second space is called Mezcaleria, which has room for up to 35 people and features its own agave bar. Mezcaleria is best enjoyed as part of the Chef's Table, either for drinks before or after, but it's also perfect for more casual affairs. The team are happy to serve the ANTOJITOS menu, here, which is focused on smaller bites.