Santiago Lastra, the chef patron renowned for his Michelin-starred Mexican restaurant Kol in London's Marylebone, is set to launch a second venue in the city's West End.
Continuing his partnership with MJMK Restaurants, the group responsible for Kol, Nuno Mendes' Lisboeta, and Casa do Frango, Santiago Lastra will introduce another Mexican restaurant named Fonda at 12 Heddon Street in Mayfair.
Named after the family-owned eateries renowned for serving traditional dishes in an informal setting in Mexico, Fonda will serve as a platform for Lastra to showcase his interpretation of regional Mexican cooking.
The restaurant will further develop the traditional concept by presenting recipes from various regions across the country, with a particular emphasis on classic dishes.
Fonda's design will reflect Mexico's rich artistic heritage. At its heart will be the comal, a traditional clay griddle used for cooking corn masa.
This year, Lastra has appointed Rey Lopez as Kol's new head chef. Lopez brings previous experience as sous chef at Daniel Humm's renowned three-Michelin-starred New York restaurant, Eleven Madison Park, where he played a pivotal role in its relaunch as a vegan concept in June 2021.
Lastra founded Kol in 2020 after several years of development, and the restaurant achieved its first Michelin star in 2022.