El Siete is a complete relaunch of the bar under Soho's El Pastor, including ice-cold margaritas in flasks

If you've been to El Pastor in Soho, you'll have noticed that their basement bar is closed for a complete overhaul. When it's finished, they'll be unveiling it as their new cocktail bar, El Siete.

The new look of the bar will be going for a brutalist and modernist approach, inspired by the same kind of architecture in Mexico City. It has a new entrance too, no longer tied to the entrance of El Pastor. You'll be able to track the bar down by the "discreet pink door" on Brewer Street and apparently that pink aesthetic will continue on the walls in the bar below.

Down there, things will be changing a lot, mainly because the bar will have moved to a central Island with a "terrazzo top and volcanic stone cladding". The layout here had remained more or less the same going back to its days as Hix, so this should be quite a striking difference if you're familiar with the space. 

As for the drinks, they're being created by the Soulshakers team (also behind Glastonbury’s San Remo bar) and the theme for the menu is seven - split into seven margaritas, seven agave-based cocktails and seven updated classics. The main margarita is the 777 Margarita, served in a stainless steel flask (to keep it ice cold), but we also like the sound of the Trio of Spicy Margaritas. That's a trio of cocktails in escalating heat levels (which is handily indicated by the colour of the drinks). You can also expect a decent selection of tequilas and mezcals. 

As far as food is concerned, that number seven is back again. There will be seven mini tostadas, which include a yellowfin tuna tostada with chipotle mayo and a caramelised banana & dulce de leche tostada with Chantilly orange cream. They'll also have chile de árbol popcorn (popcorn has been a big thing in this bar right back to the Hix days). 

It all sounds like a pretty thorough relaunch of the space, and if you haven't been down here in a while, it will be well worth revisiting.