Miami's Coyo Taco plans first UK restaurant

Miami’s Coyo Taco restaurant brand is set to launch in the UK after signing a franchise agreement with investment firm Kuvi Hospitality.

The group is in advanced negotiations to secure a flagship London site, which is expected to open in early 2026 and will serve as a launchpad for wider expansion into the UK.

Coyo Taco was founded in 2015 in Miami’s Wynwood Arts District by Alan Drummond, Sven Vogtland and Chef Scott Linquist.

Known for its menu of fresh tacos, salsas and Mexican street food, it has attracted celebrity fans including Will Smith, David Beckham and Barack Obama, who stopped by in 2018 and reportedly left a $40, 100% tip.

Coyo Taco has expanded internationally and has11 locations worldwide including six in the US and restaurants in Panama, Portugal, Columbia and the Dominican Republic.

Its London launch will by led by Kuvi Hospitality, the investment platform designed to bring US brands to the UK market. The firm is led by Shereen Ritchie, former managing director at Leon and chief executive at Buns from Home.

Ritchie said: “Coyo Taco is more than a restaurant — it’s a cultural experience. The freshness of the food, the vibrancy of the speakeasy and the authenticity of its Mexican roots make it stand out from anything else in the UK market. It’s soulful, fun and full of energy. We believe Coyo Taco will strike a powerful chord with Londoners and has the potential to thrive nationwide.”

Coyo Taco co-founder Sven Vogtland said Kuvi Hospitality had “ambition and a strong financial backing” to grow the brand in the UK.

The group is the latest in a series of US brands planning UK openings in the next year, including Velvet Taco, Raising Cane’s, Chick-fil-A and Which Wich.

Ritchie is also co-founder of Boardwalk, a mentoring programme created with leading hospitality figures Ann Elliott and Christine Martin to help women in hospitality into their first board positions.