The yearly Mexican fiesta is a positive celebration of life, with friends and family gathering to cherish and remember their dearly-departed, and between 26th October and 8th November, visitors to Wahaca’s restaurants can enjoy a celebratory feasting menu and specially-created cocktail as well as the chance to pick up a limited edition Day of the Dead face mask, designed to mark the occasion and with all profits going to charity. To round off the joyful vibe, each restaurant will be soundtracked by a special Day of the Dead playlist, as well as being decked out in traditional papel picado, with specially-created altars inspired by the traditional ofrendas set up each year in homes across Mexico to honour loved ones.
Faces decorated with colourful flowers, hearts and skulls are a mainstay of Day of the Dead festivities, but if they decide not to go for full-on face painting, visitors to Wahaca can still get the look as well as doing some good by picking up a reusable, limited edition face mask (£3). Adorned with a bold, colourful design that reflects the feel of the upbeat celebrations, all profits from sales of the masks will go to EDNICA, a charity helping to support vulnerable children in Mexico City.
It wouldn’t be Day of the Dead without an abundance of great food, and Wahaca’s special Feasting menu for two (£19.50 per person) has it all. Long-standing street food favourites such as Pork Pibil tacos and Grilled chicken & avocado tacos, both now made using free range British meat, are joined by Organic squash & crumbled feta tostadas – created especially by Wahaca co-founder Thomasina Miers for Day of the Dead 2020. There’s also a Trealy Farm chorizo quesadilla, Grilled tenderstem broccoli and Roast garden veg tacos, with a trio of fresh, zingy salsas served on the side to add extra bursts of flavour. And sweet teeth will be satisfied by the irresistible Chocolate & pecan brownie to finish.
Raise a glass to the dearly departed with La Ofrenda (£8.25), a limited edition cocktail created to accompany the feasting menu in partnership with top notch tequila Gran Centenario. Inspired by (and named after) the colourfully-decorated altars where offerings are made in honour of those that have passed, La Ofrenda is freshly shaken with pomegranate, lime, triple sec, Gran Centenario Blanco and finished with a volcanic lava salt rim and edible flowers.
Thomasina Miers said: “While it is gutting that we can’t celebrate in quite the usual Wahaca style for Day of the Dead 2020, we couldn’t let our favourite party fall by the wayside. We can’t wait to kick off our fortnight of fun and feasting; we’ll be raising glasses to toast and celebrate the lives of those no longer with us but also to look forward positively to whatever the future brings, knowing we can tackle anything if we tackle it together. Feliz Día de los Muertos!”
Grab your table now at www.wahaca.co.uk/dayofthedead
Find Wahaca at 160-161 North Street
