London now drinks more mezcal than anywhere else in Europe, and the whole thing happened in under a decade. Where 2015 offered a single dusty shelf, Time Out now maps a proper agave circuit from Dalston to Marylebone.

Four rooms define it. Work through them north to west, then widen out with our London cocktail bars guide.

The Anchor

KOL Mezcaleria

Marylebone$$$$The Cellar

Beneath Santiago Lastra's KOL restaurant, the Mezcaleria keeps one of Europe's largest agave selections in a dim concrete bunker, every bottle from an independent Mexican producer. The World's 50 Best Discovery list flags it as the serious destination, and the fig leaf and pear martini is the unlikely signature. Book the late sitting and stay.

The Rooms That Back It Up

Hacha

Dalston$$The Agaveria

Hacha calls itself London's first agaveria and earned the title, taking UK Specialist Bar of the Year in both 2022 and 2023. The Mirror Margarita, clear as water and twice as dangerous, remains the single most copied drink in London agave. Tacos handle the rest; cocktails hold under 12 pounds.

Doña

Dalston$$The Party

Doña stacks mezcal negronis and hibiscus cocktails inside a pink and red room of candles and cacti, with live music most nights. DesignMyNight calls it the scene's loudest corner, and the dance floor agrees by 23:00. Go late, after the studied pours elsewhere.

Side Hustle

Covent Garden$$$$The Hotel Bar

Inside the NoMad on Bow Street, Side Hustle runs an agave led list with hotel bar polish and magistrates' court bones. It is the West End's strongest answer to the East End's agave energy. Pre theater hours are quietest; cocktails run 16 to 18 pounds.

"Ten years ago London mezcal meant one dusty shelf behind the tequila. Now it means a circuit."

Why Agave Works Here

London's cocktail establishment adopted mezcal the way it once adopted gin: as a category worth its own rooms rather than a garnish on someone else's list. The import pipeline from small Oaxacan producers now runs deeper here than anywhere in Europe.

Expect 11 to 18 pounds for an agave cocktail depending on postcode, with neat pours of good espadin from 9 pounds. The east does it cheaper and louder; the west does it deeper and quieter.

Practicalities

The circuit splits cleanly: Dalston for Hacha and Doña, ten minutes apart on foot, and the West End for KOL and Side Hustle. The Overground at Dalston Junction and the Central line at Bond Street anchor each end.

Weeknights favor the west; weekends favor the east. Nobody books Dalston, everybody books Marylebone.

Running the Night

Start with the education at KOL Mezcaleria, cross town for the Mirror Margarita at Hacha, and let Doña close things loudly. The wider city lives in our London bar guide and the London top 10.

For the global picture, our world mezcal guide maps where the smoke leads next, and the London cocktail pillar covers the scene beyond agave.

The Verdict

KOL Mezcaleria for the cellar, Hacha for the margarita, Doña for the hours after, Side Hustle for the polish. London built Europe's best agave scene in a decade flat.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was London's first dedicated agave bar?

Hacha in Dalston, which calls itself London's first agaveria and took UK Specialist Bar of the Year in 2022 and 2023. Its clear Mirror Margarita is the signature.

Which London bar has the biggest mezcal selection?

KOL Mezcaleria in Marylebone keeps one of Europe's largest agave collections, every bottle sourced from independent Mexican producers.

How much does mezcal cost in London?

Expect 11 to 12 pounds for agave cocktails in Dalston and 16 to 18 pounds in the West End, with neat pours of good espadin starting around 9 pounds.