Last Updated on March 6, 2026
Hispanic Heat and Glamour in King’s Cross
5.0 out of 5.0 stars
I first visited Decimo in 2019. There was a lot of buzz ahead of its opening, with Michelin-starred Chef Peter Sanchez-Iglesias bringing a fusion of his family’s Spanish culinary heritage and upscale Mexican cuisine. The food zinged with flavour, the space was sexy, and the restaurant was full of glamorous young things.
Decimo sits on the 10th floor of the modish Standard hotel in King’s Cross. It has terrific views across the Euston Rd onto the Victorian Gothic architecture of the station area and the new developments behind. So, having been asked back to review the new £30 pp Menu del Dia lunch menu, I was keen to see how the restaurant was faring and what the new head chef, Paola Meléndez from Mexico City, was up to.
The first thing I noticed when I entered was that Decimo’s interior still looked fabulous. It’s a sea of vibrant Hispanic colours and textures. The floor-length windows have plaited rope curtains, there’s a dramatic open fire, lots of reds and blacks, and a rattan ceiling feature shaped like a sun. If you like cacti, you won’t be disappointed.
There’s an interesting-looking agave-based cocktail list. The Tardeo (afternoon) Aperitif is a blend of Vault Forest Red Vermouth, Raventós Blanc de Blanc, Tio Pepe En Rama Sherry, with some Orange Bitters for added citric bite. With the herbal notes of the vermouth to the fore, this fizz certainly improved my afternoon.
The Pimentón Paloma, as its name suggests, is a peppery Paloma featuring raspberry and white pepper, smoked paprika, lime and grapefruit soda. It’s spicy, full of citrus notes and refreshing.
From the Para Picar section of the Menu del Dia lunch menu, we soaked up the cocktails with some excellent griddled sourdough slathered with olive oil and an intense (in a good way) dish of marinated red peppers.
From the à la carte menu, we loved the Trout Aguachile (similar to a ceviche) with Guajillo chilli and citrus. Chunks of meaty raw trout and grapefruit sat in a lime-and-chilli-infused liquid that left a long-lasting burn.
It would have been rude not to have a couple of tacos. Suckling pig carnitas were topped with shards of melt-in-the-mouth crackling. The seasoning of the pork was beautifully balanced, with the meat being chewy in the right way.
The Baja Newlyn Cod taco was loaded with crisp cod and cabbage, and the dish’s gentle spicing was a delicious contrast to the pork.
Post cocktails, we moved on to the creamy minerality of a 2019 Vinas de Gain, Artadi Rioja, Spain. It was a beautiful match with our fish main dish, a thick fillet of sweet-fleshed wild bream offset by the char of its blistered skin, and accompanied by a warm, rich pistachio mole.
From the Menu del Dia lunch menu, the black bean tortilla with fried kale and crispy Tortilla strips was a masterclass in lightness and flavour, the richness of beans not weighed down by lots of carbs.
A side dish of burnt leek romesco also impressed, with a plate of ripe, marinated tomatoes being beautifully dressed and full of the promise of summer.
Head chef at Decimo, Paola Meléndez, came to our table for a chat, explaining that she was bringing in more Mexican regional dishes to the menu. She served our 70% cacao chocolate mousse dessert at the table, adding sea salt and olive oil. The mousse was light and eggy, lifted by the salt and richly lubricated by the olive oil.
Paola, who is charming, has created a menu that is sophisticated but gutsy and beautifully realised. The new Menu del Dia at £30 per person offers terrific value for the quality of produce and cooking, and combined with the restaurant’s interiors and views, as well as the quality of the service, it makes for an exciting lunch offer. But Decimo is more than a lunch venue, and I will be returning when I need a glamorous night out with some exciting food.
Decimo at The Standard
10 Argyle St,
London
WC1H 8EG
+44 (0)20 3981 8888
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