We recently checked out the newly opened Pachangas Mexican restaurant in Newbury. If you love fresh Mexican flavour and a restaurant with a festival atmosphere then this could be the place for you! Here’s what we made of our visit.
My seven year old and I popped along to Pachangas shortly after it opened (June 2024) Firstly, we loved the décor inside the restaurant which is inspired by El Dia del Muertos (Day of the Dead). There’s something to look at from every angle, from bunting across the ceiling to neon artwork. It’s such a fantastic space and it felt like a real treat to be eating there.
Pachangas offers a kids and main menu, both which you can view online. On the main menu you’ll find all the Mexican classics you might expect, like Fajitas, Burritos, Chimichangas and Tacos. Each option comes with a choice of different meats like pulled pork, braised beef and el pastor chicken so you can build your own meal as you’d like it. There are also veggie alternatives like butternut squash and halloumi.
The kid’s menu was similar with a good range of different options all drawn from the main menu. Everything on offer is fresh and authentic Mexican food so don’t expect any chicken nuggets or burgers on this menu! I love a kid’s menu that exposes kids to new tastes and often find kids menus a bit bland and uninspiring, but Pachangas is definitely not that! This being said, it might not be the place for you if you have a picky eater in the family.
We tried the pulled pork nachos, braised beef burrito and chicken al pastor tacos – all of which were absolutely delicious. Everything tasted incredibly fresh and my son loved trying all the different flavours. The nachos, for example, were freshly fried and bore no resemblance to anything you might find in a packet in the supermarket. The food was incredibly flavourful and at times really packed a punch, so if you are eating with kids that struggle with spice then it might be worth asking them to hold back on the chillies!
We finished off our meal with churros to share which came with both chocolate and salted caramel sauce. As well as the diverse menu, I also loved that there was a full 0% alcohol drinks menu. When I’m eating out with the kids I usually prefer to go alcohol free but its nice to have the option of something more fancy than a coke. Pachangas offers a wide range of 0% beers, wines and mocktails, which I loved.
Pachangas was a brilliant place for a meal with my eldest and to spend some quality time together. We both declared the chicken taco with guacamole and caramelised pineapple to be the best taco either of us have ever eaten. We thought it was great value and a really fun place to eat out as a family- we’ll definitely be back!
Find more great Berkshire restaurant reviews
