About Dead Pedro's: Mexican Street Food from Bow
How a month-long trip became a year cooking and eating across Mexico, and how that turned into birria tacos at The Bow Bells.
From Guadalajara to Bow Road
My first venture into Mexico was a month long trip in 2019, from Nuevo Leon, through Sinaloa and Jalisco, finishing in Mexico City and on to Colombia. I had no idea I’d be back in Mexico so soon but after the events of the 2020 pandemic, after honing my Spanish in Colombia I ended up back in Mexico for a whole year.
During this longer stay I got to visit more towns along the Pacific coast, and sample the seafood on offer, from aguachiles and shrimp cocktails to the ever present Baja style fish tacos. I moved on to Guadalajara, the home of Guillermo del Toro, Mariachi, and of course Birria! To be honest, all of the tacos stood out to me, compared to the Old El Paso style ‘Tex-Mex’ Mexican food that we’re used to in the UK. The variety of flavours and presentations are never-ending. And even the most unassuming little stands on the street can be selling unbelievable produce. I also spent some time in the Yucatan peninsula and had the pleasure of sampling the authentic flavours of the Mayans. Something I’d love to explore more when I have the capacity.
Flavours from across Mexico
Everything we cook comes from somewhere I ate along the way.
Jalisco: birria
Slow-cooked, chilli-marinated beef from the home of mariachi and Guillermo del Toro. Served with consomé for dipping.
Baja & the Pacific coast
Battered fish tacos, the way they do them on the coast, alongside aguachiles and shrimp cocktails.
Yucatán: cochinita
Slow-roasted achiote pork from the Mayan Yucatán peninsula. Something I’d love to explore more.
Where to find Dead Pedro's
The Bow Bells, Bow
116 Bow Road, London E3 3AA. Food 5pm–10pm Mon–Fri, 3pm–10pm Sat–Sun.
Meet the crew
The people behind the tacos, every night at The Bow Bells.
Pete Walker
The founder. An Essex boy who spent a year and a half travelling and cooking his way across Mexico, then came home and started Dead Pedro’s in 2024. He’s behind the recipes, the menu and the catering.
Akhil
Akhil runs the kitchen. He’s from Hyderabad in India and cooked at Taqueria before joining us. You’ll see him running round the pub faster than the speed of sound, or catch him dancing in the kitchen to Bollywood classics.
Erick Martinez
When he’s not on the griddle, Erick is working on a PhD in Machine Learning. His kitchen playlist runs from metal to Drum and Bass, and his favourite: “Chicken Banana”.
Come and eat
Find us every night at The Bow Bells, or get us to cook at your next event.