El Pollote is a Latin American fried chicken restaurant at 13 Ganton Street in Soho, just off Carnaby Street. Venezuelan founders Rotsen and Katherine first introduced their cooking through Petare in 2014 before creating El Pollote after their guava glazed chicken became a street food favourite. The permanent Soho restaurant opened in 2023 and serves a completely gluten free food menu with bold, playful flavours.
Small plates draw clearly on Venezuelan and wider Latin American traditions. Mini arepitas arrive with queso fresco dip, guacamole is served with fresh corn tortillas, and beef shin empanadas add slow cooked richness. Wings can be coated in buffalo and habanero sauce or a sweet dulce de leche glaze with Parmesan, chicken skin and chilli dust.
Fried chicken is the centre of the menu. The guava glazed version balances sweetness with habanero mayonnaise and can be ordered as boneless chicken, a quarter or a half bird, while the Buffanero combines buffalo sauce, habanero and queso fresco. Lunch combinations add fries, slaw and pickles, and the Choriburger and Milanesa provide substantial alternatives in bun or plated form.
Yuca fries with avocado and coriander sauce, street corn with cheese and chilli salt, cheesy fries and chorizo macaroni cheese make the side selection almost as distinctive as the chicken. House dips let diners adjust the heat and richness, from guava glaze to habanero mayonnaise and smoky cheese. Churros provide a simple sweet finish, with beer, cider, wine and soft drinks available alongside.
Address: 13 Ganton Street, Soho, London W1F 9BL, United Kingdom
El Pollote Menu
Starters
Mini Arepitas
5 mini arepas, queso fresco dip
Guacamole
served with fresh crispy corn tortillas
Small Plates
Dulce de Leche Wings
caramel sauce, parmesan cheese, chicken skin, chilli dust
Dulce de leche wings
caramel sauce, parmesan cheese, chicken skin, chilli dust
Buffanero Wings
buffanero and habanero sauce, queso fresco
Buffanero Wings
5 x buffalo and habanero sauce, queso fresco
Empanadas
2 pieces – slow cooked braised beef shin, spring onion dip
Empanadas
2 empanadas filled with braised beef shin
Tequeños
three venezuelan cheese sticks, guava sauce dip
Tequeños
three venezuelan cheese sticks, guava sauce
Chicken avocado Arepa
fried chicken thigh mixed with avocado salad served in three mini venezuelan cornbread
Salad
Chicken Avocado Salad
fried chicken, lettuce, sweetcorn, crispy chicken skin, chunky avocado, tomato, coriander, parmesan, house dressing
Vegan option available
Kids Meal
fried chicken pieces, skinny fries, soft drink
Mains
All served with corn salad and soft corn tortillas
Boneless Thigh
Boneless fried chicken coated in sweet guava glazed sauce topped with habanero mayo
Boneless Guava Glazed
Fried chicken coated in sweet guava glazed sauce, topped with spicy habanero mayo, served with soft corn tortillas and corn salad
Half Fried Chicken
glazed in beef dripping chilli oil, spring onion mayo
Half Chicken – Hot chilli pepper
Fried chicken coated in sweet guava glazed sauce, topped with spicy habanero mayo and served with house pickles
Chicharron
pork belly, tamarind glazed, spring onion mayo, chilli salt
Chicharron
pork belly, tamarind glazed, spring onion and chilli lime salt
Chick’n Pieces
vegan chick’n coated in sweet guava glazed sauce topped with vegan habanero mayo
Vegan chick’n pieces
Whole fried chicken – hot chilli pepper
Fried Chicken Burgers
Dulce de Leche Doughnut
crispy chicken thigh, dulce de leche sauce, parmesan cheese, chicken skin, chilli dust, pickles in a vanilla glazed doughnut
Dulce de leche Doughnut
chicken thigh, dulce de leche sauce, parmesan cheese, chicken skin, chilli dust, pickles in a vanilla glazed doughnut
Choriburger
crispy chicken thigh, grilled chorizo, smoky cheese, habanero mayo, lettuce, pickles in a glazed bun
Choriburger
Peligrosa
crispy chicken thigh in beef dripping hot chilli pepper, spring onion mayo, coleslaw, pickles in a glazed bun
Peligrosa
chicken thigh dipped in hot chilli pepper, spring onion mayo, coleslaw, pickles in an American glazed bun
Clasica
crispy chicken thigh, house seasoning, tropical mayo, lettuce, pickles in a glazed bun
Clasica
chicken thigh, tropical mayo, lettuce, pickles in an American glazed bun
Chick’n Burger
vegan chick’n, guava sauce, vegan habanero mayo, lettuce, pickles, coleslaw in a glazed bun
Vegan Chick'n burger
chicken thigh, grilled chorizo, smoky cheese sauce, habanero mayo, lettuce, pickles in an American glazed bun
Buffanero
chicken thigh,buωalo & habanero sauce, queso fresco, lettuce, pickles in an American glazed bun
Sides
Skinny Fries
add smoky cheese sauce
Skinny Fries
Fresh and crispy
Yuca Fries
cassava chips, avocado and coriander sauce, feta
Yuca Fries
cassava chips, avocado and coriander sauce, feta cheese
Corn & Cheese
grilled corn, smoky cheese sauce, mozzarella
Corn & cheese
Queso fresco, feta, chilli salt
House Slaw
cabbage, apples, herbs, agave and lime dressing
House Slaw
cabbage, apples, herbs, cider vinegar and mustard dressing
Five Dips
Guava glazed, Buffanero, Dulce de leche, Habanero mayo, Queso fresco
Cheesy fries
Avocado Salad
chunky avocado salad, tomato, coriander
Potato salad
Dessert
Deconstructed Cheesecake
Hot Brownie
vanilla ice cream
Churros
cinnamon sugar, dulce de leche dip
Churros
cinnamon sugar, dulce de leche dip
Gelato
Choice of vanilla, chocolate or sorbet