15 Best Indian Restaurants in London
![Roti Chai indian Restaurant London exterior](https://media.cntraveler.com/photos/5a78cdcc4332805bf105f686/16:9/w_320%2Cc_limit/Roti-Chai__2018_Roti-Chai---Entrance-.jpg)
Brits love a curry more than they love their traditional fish and chips—it sells out the latter two-to-one in the U.K.—and Londoners are spoiled for choice when it comes to fine Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Indian, and Pakistani restaurants. From chic Michelin-starred jobs to hip street-food spots, narrowing it down to just 15 was no easy task, but someone had to do it. Here are our picks of London’s best South Asian eateries.
- Courtesy Dishoomrestaurant
Dishoom (King's Cross)
$$Dishoom is spread over two levels with plenty of open and secluded seating options, and it’s all about the Bombay cafe-style atmosphere. The restaurant is decorated in colonial-period fans, lots of rattan and wood, sturdy tables, and original portraits of Parsi bodybuilders and Indian stars from the Bombay jazz age. Come for an atmospheric cocktail, a selection of arty small plates (don’t miss the bhelpuri, spicy lamb chops, keema, or deeply flavored black dal), and a good catch-up with your mates.
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Tayyabs
$Most nights you’ll be waiting for at least half an hour before entering this famous, BYOB Punjabi diner in Whitechapel. Tayyabs is loud (and no one’s on a romantic date) but what you’re there for are the sizzling plates of meat. The main attraction is the lamb chops, served up spicy and marinated in a kadai masala with coriander, sliced onions, and chillies, and everything must be paired with freshly baked rotis, parathas, and naans. It’s a great spot for meat eaters and large groups looking for an affordable way to dine on exceptional Punjabi food.
- Courtesy Gunpowderrestaurant
Gunpowder
$$Small and always crowded, this former run-of-the-mill curry house is fresh, modern, and enticing. The kitchen is run by former Tamarind chef Nirmal Save and it's very much about tapas-style small sharing plates, packed with strong flavours taking their inspiration from all across India. Come for a romantic date night and don’t miss the Chettinad pulled duck with homemade oothappam, or the rasam ke bomb.
- Gymkanarestaurant
Gymkhana
$$$Gymkhana is posh, sophisticated, and Michelin star-rated—and it earns its distinction. You'll want to come here twice to try as many of the dishes as possible, it’s really that good. The tasting menus are all a great choice, taking curry and spices to an extraordinary new level; the drinks are heavenly (sometimes too heavenly); and the service is attentive and friendly. Bring anyone—coworker, lover, mother—and they will be impressed.
- Courtesy Calcutta Streetrestaurant
Calcutta Street
$$Calcutta Street is bustling, lovely, and informal. The lunch and dinner menus are big on authentic taste, if small on choice. The veggie shukto bathed in cashew nut and melon seed sauce is delicious, as is the whole crab curry, the meat flavours coming through. Fancy, fruity Shortbots (long soft drinks that you can opt to add a shot of rum or tequila to) are the stars of the drink menu, joining selections of Indian whisky as well as London craft beer. It’s relaxed and tasty, perfect for a pre-night out dinner with friends.
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Akash Tandoori
$$A restaurant that's been around for over 30 years in the same place, as Akash Tandoori has, is clearly doing something right. Here, that means both full-flavored food and amazingly friendly service. Order a bunch of starters (you won't taste better onion bhajis anywhere else in London), and, for mains, go for the Tandoor dishes. Come for a Sunday night family meal, as the regulars do. It's a perfect way to round off a long week.
- Paul Winch-Furnessrestaurant
Kricket
$$Kricket is quite stunning, with lighting that glows as if to compliment the warmth of the food, and its patrons are a mix of cool cats, Instagram food hunters, and out-of-towners. Cocktails are done very well, and the wine list offers enough variety to please most palates. The menu is Indian fusion—more artfully designed plates than lamb curries dripping in thick sauce—and will win over even those who don’t usually like Indian food.
- Paul Winch-Furnessrestaurant
Roti Chai
$$$Roti Chai is a two-tiered modern Indian joint with a bright, uncomplicated vibe: casual up top and more serious down below. Waiters are keen to describe what Roti Chai offers as modern Indian soul food, and the small plates in particular, based on street food recipes from across India's many regions, are indeed delightfully comforting. Your best bet is to come with a crew of mates and order a sharing menu to try all the little bites and plates together.
- Courtesy Amayarestaurant
Amaya
$$$The lighting is low and the polished wood tables are widely spaced at Amaya, which can feel more like an art gallery than a low-key restaurant. It’s a smart crowd—all suits and business—here for a taste of India in central London. The menu (each dish designed for the table to share) changes regularly, and there's enough good vegetarian options for those uninterested in the meat and fish. It’s great for working lunch, a big group outing, or any time you’d like some good food prepared with care.
- @_hungrygirlrestaurant
Apollo Banana Leaf
$Apollo Banana Leaf is a beloved institution in this part of south London, partly because of its shabby-chic decor and so-uncool-it’s-cool vibe, and partly because of its mouthwatering food. If you're on a budget and want good South Indian or Sri Lankan cuisine, this is absolutely where you're going to get it. Come with your spice-appreciating friends and order the mutton vindaloo and the deviled mutton marinated in Sri Lankan spices and vinegar.
- James Byrnerestaurant
Benares
$$$Benares is big, bold and modern, and as much of a destination to be seen as it is to eat. The tasting menu, featuring modern Indian food using predominantly British ingredients, is expensive, but perfectly presented and worth every penny. The wine list is extensive and helpfully navigated by the Sommelier. Come for a major celebration, or if you just have some money to burn.
- Courtesy Delhi grillrestaurant
Delhi Grill
$$Delhi Grill is a little burst of color in the otherwise dreary street that is Chapel Market in Islington, north London. It’s the sort of place where beer should be drunk, cold and strong. The food, from the relishes and chutneys to the samosas and lamb chops, is good, cheap, and a joy. Come for lunch or dinner with a few mates; it's a vibrant pocket-sized stomper of a restaurant and great fun.
- Courtesy The India Clubrestaurant
The India Club
$The India Club has been here since 1946 and is an institution, as well as a popular tourist destination. The decor hasn’t changed, with fading photos of Mahatma Gandhi on the mustard-hued walls and Formica-topped tables polished by lugubrious waiters. Come here for the scene and to feel out of place in London rather than the food, which, though hearty, is not particularly transcendent.
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Lahore Kebab House
$When it comes to looks, there's nothing fancy about this East End curry house, but the food is a different story. It’s unpretentious—think spicy lamb cutlets, fine roti, saucy kebabs, and rich, creamy curries. (Lahore Kebab House is a favourite of Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar, and for good reason.) It’s a BYOB spot, so grab a bottle before you come. It’s a great place to meet friends on a Saturday night before heading out the nearby nightlife, and everyone's happy to share the bill.
- Courtesy Trishna/David Loftusrestaurant
Trishna
$$Trishna, sister restaurant of the exceptional Gymkhana, is modern and spacious chic with a reasonably priced tasting menu that’s light, fresh, and never too heavy. (The paneer is good, as is the aloo with ginger, fenugreek, and chili for starters.) Plus the house cocktails are great, named for the various regions of India and made with pride. Come for a solid meal in an organised and serious environment.
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