Pretty Boy Tacos began a residency at Shoreditch mezcal bar and hi-fi lounge Little Fires on Friday 2 October, with the takeover set to run until January 2027 — the London duo's first residency in East London.

The two founders, chefs and best friends with more than a decade of hospitality experience between them, built Pretty Boy Tacos around Mexican-inspired cooking after travelling through Mexico. The concept has since operated beyond the capital, with stops in Amsterdam, Lisbon, Bali and New York.

What does the Shoreditch menu include?

Tacos anchor the menu. The lineup runs to four builds, each built around a distinct protein and acid profile:

• Mole Mutton — slow cooked, with spiced chimichurri, pickled red onion, crispy shallots and mango & habanero
• Baja Fish — crispy, topped with chipotle mayo, pickled cabbage slaw and jalapeños
• Achiote Grilled Chicken — smoky and tangy, with spring onion, sweet onion and pineapple salsa verde
• Cochinita Pibil — traditional Yucatecan slow roasted pork, with habanero, pickled red onion and coriander

Small and large plates extend the offer beyond tacos: Prawn Ceviche with lime, coriander and red onion; Seared Scallop Aguachile with chorizo oil and tomatillos; Chile Relleno stuffed with adobo minced beef and cheese; and a Carne Asada built on grass-fed aged onglet with grilled onions, cabbage, tortillas and mole ketchup.

How does the drinks programme pair with the food?

Little Fires supplies an agave-led bar that the operators position as the food's counterpart. The list includes Margaritas, Palomas, tequila and mezcal cocktails and a selection of mezcal flights. Signature serves include the Mango Unchained — passion fruit purée, mango brine, tequila, Ancho Reyes and lime — and the Añejo y Ploma, the bar's Old Fashioned variation made with añejo tequila, joven mezcal and house bitters.

The format plays across two floors: Pretty Boy Tacos runs an open kitchen upstairs alongside the agave bar, while The Listening Lounge operates downstairs late into the night.

Why a residency rather than a standalone site?

The residency model lets the pair — described as "born in London but built to travel" — plug a proven menu into an existing bar operation rather than open a fixed location, with the Little Fires run adding East London to a list of markets that already spans four countries abroad plus sites across the capital.

The four-month engagement gives Shoreditch a defined window: Pretty Boy Tacos is in residence at Little Fires until January 2027, having started on 2 October.