The word fonda originally described hostel-style set-ups where the Spanish stayed and ate when they occupied Mexico in the seventeenth century, Santiago says. After Mexico gained independence, fondas remained and came to mean the family-run trattorias or bistros we know today. Though plenty are loved mainly by locals, others feature on tourist itineraries – take Fonda Margarita and its frijoles negro con huevos, which is often cited as a go-to for an authentic Mexico City breakfast experience. While Santiago’s take will sit at the more refined end of the scale, he is keen to transport the fonda mindset to London, via a laid-back atmosphere, interior design that evokes a Mexican kitchen and dining room, and the team culture, which opening prep has revolved around (Santiago has taken his managers to Mexico, and Netflix’s Taco Chronicles has been the team show of choice). It will, ultimately, be KOL’s fun little sister. ‘Having lived outside Mexico for fourteen years and in the UK for seven, I feel that this style of food and dining is missing,’ he says. ‘We want to promote fondas and bring them back to life. When we started to promote the restaurant, Mexican people were the most excited.’ 

Fonda’s menu will reflect Mexico’s everyday food, Santiago says, and won’t rely on commonly imported dishes like tacos and burritos – at least not fully. ‘That’s what we want to represent, that there is another side of Mexican food on show in the markets and fondas – but we will have a sprinkling of tacos too,’ he laughs. The ‘beating heart’ of the restaurant will be its comal, a traditional clay griddle, and tables will be dotted with the chef’s take on Mexican salsas, oils and sauces. He’ll relax his approach to only sourcing in the UK when it comes to dry ingredients, but will strive to stay local for fresh – yes, that means avocados and limes still won’t feature. But while at KOL Santiago replicates those flavours with British ingredients, at Fonda he won’t attempt to substitute them like-for-like; a toasted pumpkin seed mousse with pine oil (pictured below) will sit where guacamole might at other restaurants, for example. ‘The more and more I go to Mexico, the more I learn,’ he says. ‘[The cuisine] doesn’t need to rely on those flavours – there are so many recipes that work around them and don’t, for example, use avocado.’ 

The menu will journey through Mexico’s regions, bringing together recipes inspired by fondas, markets and Santiago’s upbringing and travels. There’s costra, rib-eye topped with a layer of melted Swaledale on a large, crisp tortilla; gringa, a type of quesadilla, with lobster al pastor and Spenwood cheese; and a charred monkfish main (pictured above) with spicy kelp butter and ratte potato. And then there’s Santiago’s take on fish tacos, with the moreish addition of Marmite to the batter and a pistachio salsa. ‘With Mexican food, there is a big excuse that we can’t do it because we can’t get the ingredients here – when I moved to Spain I used to say that,’ he says, ‘but now because of all the research we want to get rid of that excuse. You don’t have to be focused on Mexican ingredients, you can cook with a Mexican philosophy.’ 

While the cuisine has long been loved in the UK, for some time it was synonymous with at-home meal kits, sizzling fajitas and Tex-Mex loaded nachos. It’s only recently that chefs like Santiago and Adriana Cavita have shown its full potential, introducing us to new dishes and viewing menus through a refined lens, a movement that has also included a newfound appreciation for Mexico’s agave spirits tequila and mezcal. With Fonda, Santiago aims to drive that forward in a casual setting, showing that quality isn't only possible at a fine dining level. ‘Perceptions of Mexican food are in a better place, for sure,’ Santiago says. ‘The quality is improving – one of the most amazing things about London is that Londoners give you a chance. There’s a big love between Mexico and Britain and the culture is in a really special place – Mexico is having a moment.’