Cometa, a contemporary Mexican seafood restaurant from Carousel co-founders Ed and Ollie Templeton, has opened its doors, bringing a fresh perspective to Charlotte Street with a menu that celebrates the best of British fish and seafood through a distinctly modern Mexican lens. Taking over Carousel’s former Wine Bar, the new concept builds on more than a decade of collaboration with leading Mexican chefs, and reflects the brothers’ long-standing admiration for the country’s culinary traditions.
Named after the Spanish word for comet — a reference to the celestial guides once relied upon by sailors — Cometa charts its own course under the direction of chef patron Ollie Templeton, working alongside head chef José Lizarralde Serralde and sous chef Alejandra Juarez. Both hail from Mexico City, and their influence runs deep throughout a menu shaped by technical precision, and a shared creative vision.
“It feels so great to finally get Cometa out there into the world,” says Templeton. “We’ve been working on this menu for a long, long time. It’s been a super fun creative process with José and Ale, and I’m really proud of where the menu has landed. There are ideas in there from all three of us, but it has a very distinct personality of its own.”
British day-boat seafood takes centre stage, sourced from trusted suppliers including Fin & Flounder and Flying Fish. The opening selection of raw and cured dishes features prawn ceviche with burnt mandarin and ginger, alongside Maldon oysters served with Mexican mignonette and petróleo, a fermented house hot sauce. Sharing plates include lobster tail flautas with black bean purée and xnipec salsa, and a deeply flavoured chilpachole rice layered with crab butter, chipotle bisque, and smoked eel cream. Larger dishes continue the theme, from sea bass with mole verde to lobster finished with smoked butter and chintextle. A concise dessert offering includes dulce de leche crème caramel, buñuelos with chocolate mousse, and the Citrus Bonanza, a vibrant composition of seasonal citrus, sorbet, and bergamot curd.
The drinks programme follows suit, presenting classic Mexican serves alongside original creations. Margaritas appear in several forms, including a house version with mezcal and tamarind, while Micheladas, aguas frescas, and house soft drinks provide refreshing counterpoints.
With the redesign carried out by the Templeton brothers, Cometa features bespoke furniture from carpenter Herb Palmer, and the dining room introduces a warmer, more refined atmosphere. Oak tables, woven-seat chairs, linen café curtains handmade by Tess Faria, and artwork by Todd Bienvenu create an elegant yet informal setting. On the design, co-founder Ed Templeton reflects, “Cometa is a Mexican restaurant, but we didn’t want it to feel overtly ‘Mexican’. We wanted to create a space that would feel at home in Roma Norte, yes, but also Pigalle, Chueca or the Lower East Side. We were happy to leave the classical Mexican tropes to the many London restaurants that do it incredibly well, and instead focus on making a really lovely dining room where you’d want to spend time losing yourself in the menu.”
A thoughtful evolution of the original space, Cometa is a fascinating addition to London’s dining landscape.
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Cometa London Photography, William Page-Brown.
