If March’s national lockdown had happened just a few days later, we would have been reviewing Decimo back in March – but it wasn’t to be, becoming one of many cancelled reservations as restaurants and pretty much everything else was forced to close. Decimo was then one of the last London restaurants to re-open, so by the time we visited on a recent Friday night, we had quite literally been eagerly waiting for this one for months.
Decimo’s original launch, back in October 2019, was a glitzy affair, helped by its position on the rooftop of The Standard Hotel and the presence of Michelin-starred chef Peter Sanchez-Iglesias taking charge in the kitchen. Having won a lot of fans for his Bristol restaurants Casamia and Paco Tapas, Decimo is Peter’s first restaurant in London.
The restaurant, which is accessed by the awesome red capsule lift on the outside of the building, has a bit of a Mexican / Spanish theme going on, with bright patterned fabrics, lots of warm red and orange colours, and the odd green cactus thrown in for good measure. It’s a fun vibey space, with a big separate bar area, and DJ booth too.
The menu has a mix of and Spanish and Mexican dishes too, and has been stripped back a little for the re-opening, as well as doing away with the tasting menu options (fair enough). We recommend going heavy on the snacks and starters – Jamon croquetas are as good as any we’ve had before, filled with bechamel sauce and salty pieces of ham. Then there’s the super oozy Spanish tortilla, which was all over Insta last year, although there’s no longer the option to have it topped with caviar – even without, this is a winning dish. Finally, you should definitely order the marinated peppers, a beautiful circle of chopped red peppers that’s the perfect match with the tortilla.
Then for the main, it’s all about sharing the Mangalitza pork. This beautiful fatty breed of pig, is sometimes called the ‘Wagyu of the pork world’ due to its smooth, buttery texture. To go with it, the fried potatoes with aioli are incredibly good, with super crunchy coatings.
The drinks list stays with the Spanish and Mexican realm, with mezcals and agave spirits featuring alongside a predominantly Spanish and Latin American wine list.
Check out which other King’s Cross spots we rate right here.
The Standard London, 10 Argyle Street, London, WC1H 8EG
decimo.london