Harts Group takes on former Hix site for latest El Pastor

Harts Group has taken on the former Hix site in London’s Brewer Street with plans to relaunch it as El Pastor Soho in June.

The venue will offer similar Mexican dishes to those served at the group’s original London Bridge site with a new focus on seasonal seafood tostadas and the addition of a crispy duck taco sharing plate.

The bar will serve a selection of mezcals, tequilas and agave spirits, as well as cocktails, Mexican beers and a short list of wines.

James Hart has led the design for the 86-cover ground floor and 60-cover basement, working with Concord BBV. The ground floor will reference the faded grandeur of the official buildings of downtown Mexico City, with terrazzo tiles, muted walls, chandeliers and hanging plants, while retaining the Hix zinc bar.

The lower ground floor will be styled as ‘Mezcaleria El Colmillo,’ named after the nightclub Sam Hart and Crispin Somerville ran in Mexico City, with a programme of music events in the basement.

Sam Hart said: “Soho is our spiritual home in many ways. It’s where Fino launched, it’s where we have Barrafina and Quo Vadis, and James, Crispin and I spent many long, happy evenings in Hix Soho under Mark’s stewardship. We plan to do justice to the legacy of this special, magnetic site with El Pastor Soho and create wonderful experiences for 2021 and beyond.”

Harts Group opened the original El Pastor on Stoney Street just off Borough Market in December 2016. Tortilleria El Pastor, a small taqueria and production site for freshly made tortillas, opened in Bermondsey in April 2018, followed by Casa Pastor and Plaza Pastor in King’s Cross’ Coal Drops Yard in October of the same year. The Pastors focus on tacos, tostadas, ceviches and sharing plates using Mexican flavours and ingredients.

Sam and James Hart and Crispin Somerville also own and operate Barrafina, Quo Vadis, the Drop and Parrillan.