Cartel Battersea

Cartel is a new late-night tequila bar & taqueria that boasts an extensive tequila-based cocktail menu and specialises in authentic, hand-pressed tacos. The venue was inspired by the traditional taqueria: a street food stall offering inexpensive tacos and other Mexican dishes, served without pomp and ceremony but packed with flavour.  It’s also set to be a buzzing live music and DJ venue, with bands playing in the evening from Thursday to Saturday guaranteed to keep guests dancing until dawn. 

Cartel’s star dish is of course, tacos. Inventive fillings have a global feel, ranging from pulled chicken cooked in Mezcal and lemon to slow-cooked beef brisket with chorizo, radish and coriander. Vegetarians and vegans are well looked after too, with options like a tofu, black bean and roasted tomato in chipotle sauce taco. 

Former El Camion bartender Josh Rooms is heading up the bar team and has designed a cocktail list that celebrates tequila and Mezcal, with creative twists on old favorites and new creations like the Orendain using Arette Blanco, Creme de Cacao, Dry Vermouth and bitters or a Palenque a Mezcal based drink with a guava balsamic reduction.