Sunday 21 June 2026 — UK Father's Day. While most of London queues for Sunday roast or carvery, Frida Camden has a different proposition: theatrical fajitas sizzling at the table, a sharing platter loud enough to start a conversation, and a margarita that survives the second toast.
Here's how to build a Father's Day at Frida — three courses, one strong drink, four weeks of booking runway.
Why Mexican for Father's Day
British Father's Day defaults to a roast. The carving, the gravy, the Yorkshire pudding — a meal British men have been eating on Sundays for the better part of a century. There's nothing wrong with it. But there's nothing surprising about it either.
A Mexican Father's Day works differently. The plates are shared, the volume is higher, the drinks are stronger, the service is theatrical. A sizzling fajita lands at the table with a sound and a smell that pulls every head in the room. The food keeps coming in small waves rather than one big plate. The drinks pour through three courses instead of stopping at the wine list. It's a meal that gives a dad — any dad — a story to take home, not just a stomach to fill.
That's the case for swapping the roast. Below, the plate-by-plate build.
The three-course Father's Day build
Starter: the sharing platter
Dads order for the table, so we start with a plate built for sharing. Three options work best, ordered for the centre of the table while the cocktails arrive:
- Nachos Grande (£14.95, designed for 2-3 people) — corn tortilla chips loaded with smoked honey BBQ chicken, sour cream, guacamole, Pico de Gallo and jalapeños. Pick the protein: chicken, beef, chorizo or vegetable.
- Honey BBQ Smoked Ribs (£13.95) — half rack of baby pork ribs, char-grilled, glossy with our honey BBQ sauce. The dad-magnet plate.
- BBQ Chicken Wings (£11.95) — fire-roasted, served with salad and potato wedges. Easier to eat than ribs; works for the dad who came in light.
One of these for a table of three; two for four or more. The sharing platter starts the meal at the centre of the table rather than the edge of each plate, which is the whole idea.
Main: Famous Mexican Fajitas
The main course should be the one with the show. Our Famous Mexican Fajitas come to the table sizzling — actually sizzling, on the smoked onions and peppers, with the sound carrying across the dining room. Sides of rice, refried beans, Pico de Gallo, guacamole, sour cream, warm tortillas.
Two builds to choose between:
- Steak Fajitas (£21.95) — marinated rump steak, char-grilled, sliced thin. The classic Father's Day order.
- Combo Fajitas (£23.95) — chicken, steak and king prawns on the same plate. For the dad who can't decide.
If the table is mixed — some meat, some vegan — Frida pours a vegan fajita variant alongside the meat ones. Same sizzle. Same plate aesthetic. No separate meal experience.
Dessert and drink: margarita and churros
End on a margarita and churros. The House Margarita — tequila blanco from Jalisco, fresh lime, dry triple sec, half-rim of salt, on the rocks — is the right cocktail to close a Mexican meal. Pour the second one for the dad if the first one went too fast.
Plate the churros next to it: deep-fried Spanish dough sticks, dusted with cinnamon sugar, served with a hot chocolate dipping pot. The combination — bitter chocolate, warm dough, cold drink — is the way a Mexican meal ends in Mexico City. It works just as well in Camden.
Booking — when and how
Sunday 21 June books out faster than any other Sunday at Frida. The peak hours are 12:30–14:00 and 17:00–19:00. The quieter windows are 11:30 (just at opening) and around 15:30 (between services). If you can move off peak, you'll get the table easier and the staff has more time at the table.
Four weeks of runway gets you any table. Two weeks gets you most. Father's Day morning of: there's usually a 19:30 slot somewhere, but no guarantees on size. Book online, or call us on +44 207 383 3733 — phone bookings work better for parties of six or more, where we can hold a longer table.
For the dad who skips meat
Mexican cooking covers the vegan and vegetarian Father's Day better than most cuisines. The vegan fajita (£16.95) lands with the same sizzle as the meat version — same plancha, same onions and peppers, just plant protein in place of steak. The Veggie Mexico Burger (£12.95) is a substantial alternative if your dad's more of a burger man. The Avocado & Halloumi Salad (£10.95) works as a lighter main for a vegetarian dad who's saving room for churros.
For the full vegan menu walkthrough, see our piece on plant-based dining at Frida — published last week, and built around exactly this kind of question.
The lighter version (two courses)
Not every dad wants three courses. The two-course version skips either the starter or the dessert. Most tables skip the dessert (the margarita is dessert enough) and order a starter-main; some skip the starter and treat the Combo Fajitas as the centre of the meal, with churros to finish. Either works. Just tell us when you book so we time the kitchen accordingly.
The brunch menu is also open on Sunday 21 June from 11am to 4pm if you'd rather a daytime Father's Day with chilaquiles and a michelada instead of a sit-down dinner.
"Father's Day doesn't need to be a roast just because Britain says so. A sizzling plate at the table makes a better photograph."
Frequently asked questions
When is UK Father's Day 2026?
Sunday 21 June 2026. UK Father's Day always falls on the third Sunday of June — different from the US (also third Sunday of June) but distinct from many European countries (Italy and Spain mark it on 19 March; Germany ties it to Ascension Day in May).
Do you have a fixed Father's Day menu?
No fixed menu — the full Frida menu is available, and we recommend the three-course build above (sharing platter, fajitas, margarita + churros). Some London restaurants do fixed-price Father's Day menus; we keep the menu open so each table can match the dad. If you'd like a fixed pre-order to streamline service for a larger group, call us a week ahead and we'll build one.
What's the vegan or vegetarian option for Father's Day?
Vegan Mexican Fajitas (£16.95) replace the meat with grilled vegetables, beans and the same sizzling onions and peppers — same plate aesthetic as the meat version. The Veggie Mexico Burger (£12.95) and the Avocado & Halloumi Salad (£10.95) are alternatives for vegetarian dads. Most of our starters menu is vegan by default. See our vegan Mexican guide for the full plant-based menu.
How early should I book Father's Day at Frida?
Four weeks ahead (now, in late May) for any table at any time. Two weeks ahead for off-peak slots (11:30 or 15:30). One week ahead for parties of two-three with flexibility on time. Father's Day same-day: we'll try, but no guarantees, especially for groups of four or more. Online booking is at fridacamden.com/reservation; phone bookings (+44 207 383 3733) are easier for groups of six or more.
Can I bring more than one dad — a multi-generation family?
Yes — and Father's Day is the day we see the most multi-generation tables. Granddad, dad, sometimes a son who's now a dad too. The sharing-platter format works especially well for these; everyone gets a piece of the same plate. For tables of seven or more, we recommend phone booking so we can hold the longer table format and pace the kitchen for a slower, more relaxed service.
Save your table
Frida Camden, 40 Camden High Street, London NW1 0JH. Between Mornington Crescent and Camden Town tube. Open Sun–Thu 10:30–22:00 (last food orders 21:30), Fri–Sat 10:00–23:00 (last food orders 22:30). Book your Father's Day table online or call us on +44 207 383 3733. ¡Feliz Día del Padre!
