Westminster, Indian Restaurant Guide

2023 Review: “In an old Fire station near Victoria”, Atul Kochhar’s October 2021 newcomer is “a massive undertaking (with over 170 covers)”. It inspires a wide range of reactions, none of them terrible, some of them rapturous, but many of them mixed. The “unusual” food has “amazing spicing, with a focus on fish”, but some dishes can appear “too ordinary” or “needing a rethink” and even fans note they are “expensive”. In a similar vein, the “friendly” service can be “iffy” in its efficiency; and “ambience can be lacking” despite the “stylish conversion”. Still, it’s an ambitious venture still finding its feet, and perhaps the fairest overall verdict at this stage is: “enjoyable rather than brilliant”.

Handily tucked away off Trafalgar Square, this popular venture presents an Indian restaurant in the style of a wood-panelled London chophouse. Rated well all-round, fans say it’s “worth the journey just for the crispy lamb chops” (and “the chicken is a highlight, too”).

2021 Review: In the heart of the West End, this decidedly glam yearling scored better in our survey than the mixed rep it received in press reviews. The first UK outpost of a 30-strong international chain hailing from India and the Gulf, its repertoire of tapas-y offerings are very much of the funky, evolved school of Indian cuisine, and reporters salivate over “an amazing choice of inventive dishes” that are “far better than you would expect” in this touristy locale.

“You get the whole deal” at this superb Indian all-rounder in St James’s: the venture which – when it was first located in SW10 – formed the first link in the restaurant chain owned by Ranjit & Namita Mathrani and the latter’s sister, Camellia Panjab (which nowadays, as MW Eats, also encompasses the Masala Zone chain, plus Veeraswamy and Amaya). The “amazing” cuisine features “a deliciously innovative mix of regional Indian dishes”; service is “impeccable (especially from the manager, Kanwal”); and the “glamorous dining room” is well-suited to any occasion.

2021 Review: Near Leicester Square tube and need a quick bite? – maybe grab a meal at this simple two-year-old: the first London outpost of Japan’s largest (1,000-strong) chain specialising in kare raisu dishes – curry and rice: over 40 different rice toppings are available, including hamburgers, scrambled eggs and fried oysters.

“You nearly always have to queue for a table – often for at least an hour – but the atmosphere is amazing and the food is worth the wait” at Shamil & Kavi Thakrar’s unbelievably successful chain: again, the most commented-on business in our annual diners’ poll, which has stormed the capital since it first opened in Covent Garden in 2010. Outlets in Canary Wharf and Battersea Power Station opened in late 2024, bringing the total in London to seven, and each branch has its own intriguing character, with the unifying theme being a homage to the Irani cafés of post-war Bombay. “Very much a well-oiled machine, there is little sign of any drop-off in quality as the group expands”, while “for such large places the brilliant service is remarkably friendly and efficient”. Meanwhile, the “deeply flavoursome and satisfying” menu has introduced Londoners to “authentic and delicious dishes that aren’t just another copycat Indian selection”, with such “zingy and exciting flavours”. And morning-time in London will never be the same again, since the advent of their “great Anglo-Indian breakfasts”. All-in-all, “the whole approach is inclusive and exciting”, “it’s always buzzy and fun too”; and “overall and for the price point you can’t go wrong!”. Top Menu Tips: “the black dal is to die for!”; “superb okra fries”; “the roomali roti is sublime”; “the lamb chops are excellent”; “Chicken Ruby is dreamy”. In the mornings, “the unfailing Bacon naan is a thing of poetry”; “chilli cheese toast hits the spot every time”, and “drink the lemon ginger and honey chai”.

“Brilliant, innovative and constantly changing” – Will Bowlby & Rik Campbell’s “unfailingly interesting” street-food cafés provide “real Indian food… cooked by Brits” and inspire a large army of fans for this small group, which added a fourth Canary Wharf outlet in early 2024 (and has announced a fifth branch will be coming to Shoreditch at the end of the year). They have achieved an all-round success story: “super-friendly service” scores incredibly highly as does the “buzzy environment”. And in Soho, “the restaurant is now supplemented by the Soma Bar next door” with an array of funky cocktails.

“It may be the oldest Indian restaurant in London” (est. 1926), but this first-floor operation, “looking down on Regent Street”, has “definitely kept up with the times” and its “attractive” verging on “funky” interior is thoroughly contemporary. Nowadays part of the excellent MW Eats group (with siblings including Chutney Mary and Amaya), its “colourful food is beautifully presented” and “well spiced”; “meat is succulent and tender” and there are “superior and delicate curries”. “The cocktails are good too”.

2023 Review: “Good scruffy fun with a side order of nostalgia” is to be had at this “hidden gem” in the Strand (a favourite with staff at the Indian High Commission opposite). “An almost anonymous doorway leads you up some stairs” where you “step back in time, not to a cheesy incarnation of the British Raj, but to the early days of independence”. Founded in 1951 (Prime Minister Nehru was among the founding members), the ‘club’ is open to the public and serves food that can be (but is not invariably) “excellent” at a “great price”, in an authentically “slightly chaotic atmosphere”. It’s been under siege for the past five years from a landlord itching to redevelop, but it’s “an institution that deserves to survive, and an oasis of good value in central London”. Top Tip – it’s unlicensed – “pause for a drink in the bar downstairs before or after eating” or carry your pint to the table.

2024 Review: In the heart of Theatreland, this Indian street-food operation is focused on dishes served with ‘hankies’ – hand-spun roti folded around the dish – and still receives good marks (if from a limited number of reports). There used to be offshoots in Marble Arch and Paddington, but both have closed over the last couple of years.

It was this “top-tier” Mayfair Indian – opened in 2013 – that started to show London that the Sethi family of all-conquering JKS Restaurants fame were not a one-hit wonder (having founded Trishna five years before). “Inventive and exciting, whilst ticking all the boxes that make Indian ‘curry houses’ so appealing”, it inspires nothing but praise for its “consistently superb” culinary alchemy, which is served in a colonial-inspired wood-panelled interior decorated with prints and the odd stuffed animal head. If you follow Michelin’s recommendations however, the elevation of chef Sid Ahuja’s cuisine as London’s first Indian restaurant to receive a second Michelin star is a bit puzzling. Diners express views for and against in our annual diners’ poll, but most noticeably, despite its high ratings the destination doesn’t inspire many nominations as diners’ top meal of the year (as would be expected for such a luminary); there are other Indian restaurants in our poll that out-score it; and the contrast with the level of adulation received by A Wong (London’s first Chinese two star), is stark. Perhaps we are just so spoilt for Indian cuisine in London that we don’t always fully appreciate it? Top Menu Tips – “The muntjac biryani is fantastic”; “it is worth going for the lobster claw in scrambled duck egg alone”; and “the pork cheek vindaloo is a standout!”