As proof that London's Mexican food scene is getting better by the day, comes a new opening in Peckham that genuinely sounds worth crossing town for. Maíz's USP is that it's the city's first Mexican restaurant to specialise in pozole. We're not going to pretend we're experts in this particular Mexican dish, but according to them, it's a "slow-cooked hominy corn broth infused with over five spices and simmered for many hours".
The duo behind the opening also sound like they know a thing or two about good Mexican food. Dany Vázquez is a chef and culinary consultant who's worked in top restaurants, including Eleven Madison Park as well as under the wing of all-around good egg José Andrés. She's teamed up with London-based chef Erick, who used to run the Los Ilegales food truck in Greenwich before opening Maíz.
Alongside the pozole, the pair are serving up tacos inspired by the taquerias of Mexico City - think 24-hour birria and 12-hour cochinita - paired with mezcal and margaritas. As Erick explained to us, the Peckham restaurant is "somewhere between a diner and a ramen bar, where people can sit around the counter, share food, and discover the depth of Mexican cooking beyond what’s usually seen in London."
They opened their first place, a stall in Peckham Levels, back at the end of the summer with a standalone restaurant on Peckham Rye being unveiled this week.
More about Maíz
Where is it? 58 Peckham Rye, London SE15 4JR
When does it open? Opened 14 November 2025
Find out more: Follow them on Instagram @maizgroup
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