Buckhurst Hill, Indian, Southern Restaurant Guide

Still regarded as a “benchmark” for vegetarian cuisine – not just of the south Indian variety – Das Sreedharan’s bright pink Stoke Newington fixture has for 30 years showcased the Keralan home cooking he grew up with. At one stage the flagship of a small group, these days the fleet is limited to here and its new ‘Rasa Street’ spin-off across the, er, street.

“Cyrus and Pervin Todiwala have done it again, with the new incarnation of their bastion of Indian and Parsee food”, on the Royal Docks “just moments from London Excel and City Airport”. “After 26 years, they moved from the fringe of the City in E1 to Royal Albert Wharf E16” and “the food and the personal service remain of the highest nature”. “It’s just such original and delicious cuisine”, “especially on nights when Cyrus cooks Parsee (but it’s always good anyway)”. Unless you happen to live out that way, though, the new spot could be mistaken for “the middle of nowhere”: “we travel over two hours to dine here: the new menu is delicious, the themed evenings a joy… but I wish they were back in Prescott Street!”.

“A stalwart on London’s cheap-eats itinerary for decades” – this canteen in the ‘Little India’ enclave behind Euston station “has moved a smidgen upmarket since the pandemic”. Top Tip – the “lovely fixed-price vegetarian buffet” – a “longstanding favourite” – remains in place at lunchtime.

The “absolutely delicious” South Indian vegan and vegetarian food at this quintet of low-key cafés – stretching from Harrow to Covent Garden – is “good enough to keep carnivores quiet”: in particular “the dosas, which are just what you want from a dosa: crispy, tender, flavourful”. The formula is “simple but it works, even if the menu is always the same”; and it helps that the experience comes at “very reasonable prices”.

The “absolutely delicious” South Indian vegan and vegetarian food at this quintet of low-key cafés – stretching from Harrow to Covent Garden – is “good enough to keep carnivores quiet”: in particular “the dosas, which are just what you want from a dosa: crispy, tender, flavourful”. The formula is “simple but it works, even if the menu is always the same”; and it helps that the experience comes at “very reasonable prices”.

“The rather cramped interior isn’t great but Keralan food is exceptional” at this “really good local independent Indian”, near the Telecom Tower, which has delivered “very decent value for money” for four decades. (“More than a quarter of a century after my first visit, the dosas are still worth the trip. I think it’s been redecorated as well!”)

“Delicate flavours” from dishes rooted in southwest Indian coastal cuisine establish this blandly luxurious hotel venue, near Buckingham Palace, as “the most interesting of London’s Indians” for some of its fans. You wouldn’t go there for riotous ambience though, particularly in the “gloomy back of the dining room”. Top Tip – “the set lunch menu is great value considering its location” and there’s also a “great weekend brunch”.

“A true neighbourhood go-to” – in her 20th anniversary year, Peckham food pioneer Clare Fisher is “still doing things with South Indian flavours that make the heart sing”. Top Tip – “don’t forget to buy a jar of homemade garlic or beetroot pickle to take home”.

This “well-established” Kilburn curry house – purportedly the first to offer South Indian cuisine in the UK – celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. Little has changed since it opened, with its “plain good cooking”, “authentic recipes” including dishes not found elsewhere and “lovely vegetarian meals” pleasing happy locals as well as a string of celeb visitors ranging from the late Michael Winner to Diana Ross, Harrison Ford and the Indian cricket team.

“Super southern Indian dishes at reasonable prices too” win a following for this family run Keralan in Kilburn. It’s either “brilliant and low key” or “very good but with slightly disappointing surroundings” depending on your tastes.

Within glorious Somerset House, Dipna Anand (part of the family who founded the famous Brilliant Restaurant in Southall) took over this stately, traditional chamber last year, and mostly earned recommendations for its Indian cuisine. Not all reports were 100% positive, though, and in summer 2023 it underwent a temporary closure (with re-opening slated for early September 2023).