El Pollote

El Pollote came to Soho after years of testing its ideas in public. The team describes a 15-year London journey that started as Petare and later became El Pollote, led by founders Rotsen and Katherine. Before taking a permanent space it built momentum through market trading and word of mouth. In June 2023 the brand opened its first brick-and-mortar restaurant on Carnaby Street, and it has run in Soho since then. It sits in a part of London known for fashion, music and late nights, and the room is bright and informal.

The kitchen centres on Latino fried chicken, from crisp pieces and saucy chicken wings to burgers and sharing plates, with house sauces that run from guava sweetness to proper chilli heat. The signature buffalo and habanero wings bring the heat; sweeter glazes and tangy pickled sides sit at the other end. There is a full drinks offer too, with cocktails, beer and wine, so a visit can move from lunch to an early evening stop, with counter seating and tables to suit quick bites or longer conversations. The business lists gluten-free and vegan options, plus takeaway and delivery. It appears on major booking and review platforms, where guests often pick out the sauces and the easygoing buzz, and it presents itself as a Wingfest winner.