At time of typing the UK is slowly making its way out of the haze of Covid-19 induced lockdown, and with restaurants and bars reopening and, in most cases, in desperate need of support after months of inactivity, I wanted to share some of my favourite spots for a post-lockdown meal (if it is safe for you to do so, of course!). London has so many great restaurants that this list could easily become endless, but I decided to whittle it down to five great Indian restaurants in London.
Indian dining in the capital has been through something of an evolution in the past few years, giving the cuisine best associated with greasy late night takeouts a hip new facelift. Think innovative fusions, unusual takes on classic dishes, and elevated fine dining options that'll have you putting down the takeaway menu for good. There were countless strong contenders for this list, and many more places no doubt worthy of a spot that I have yet to try, but I hope you'll enjoy my suggestions - let me know if you've visited any of these, or if you have any other great dining recommendations!
Indian Restaurants in London
Fatt Pundit, Soho
The well-loved but not particularly innovative Indian restaurant menu of yesteryear is no more (except maybe down the local takeout, but that's not what this blog is about). The likes of chicken tikka and jalfreezi, reliable, but hardly thrilling, are being replaced by inventive new takes on Indian cuisine, highlighting the versatility of the region and challenging the institution through small plates and fusion dishes.
Fatt Pundit, a newcomer to London's buzzy Soho district, arguably the epicentre of the London dining scene, is one such restaurant. Essentially Indian-Chinese, the menu comprises small plates inspired by the cuisine of Tangra in Kolkata. Chinese immigrants migrated to Tangra from Canton, bringing with them traditional cooking techniques which were soon fused with Indian ingredients (particularly the inevitable spices integral to Indian cooking).
The result is not traditionally Indian in the slightest (there isn't a tandoori curry in sight), nor is it necessarily what you'd associate with Chinese cooking, but a playful reimagining of the two. To start are Fatt Pundit's signature Momos - steamed dumplings served alongside chutney. There's the usual flavours, but most interesting is the kid goat with garam masala, cardamom and ginger.
The rest of the dishes are split into veg, seafood, and meat, game and poultry, as well as sides. You can come here as a vegetarian and have a perfectly pleasant meal (though not a huge amount of choice), however the real stars are within the meat and seafood. That said, the Crackling Spinach is a surprising must order. The spinach is served crispy with yoghurt and pomegranate, a mix of crunch and creamy that tastes not at all like eating your greens.
Of the seafood, my top choice is the Bombay Chilli Prawns. Be warned: they do not scrimp on the chilli. In fact, this is one of Fatt Pundit's major draws - they've made no attempt to cater to the British palate by dulling down the heat, and after a few prawns you'll be feeling it!
My very favourite dish though is the Barrah Lamb Chops, a hefty portion of two chops charred in a masala rub. These chops are meaty, tender, and loaded with flavour, so much so that you'll probably want the whole portion to yourself (I don't blame you!).
I don't usually go in for Indian desserts (it's not really a dessert-oriented cuisine), however Fatt Pundit happens to serve up one dessert I cannot resist - a Sizzling Brownie. It's a dessert I always gorge on when I visit India at Cafe Coffee Day (India's Starbucks), so to find somewhere in London that does it is pretty mega. No need to fly half way around the world for my brownie fix! The brownie comes warm, and a gooey chocolate sauce is poured over (causing the aforementioned sizzle). It's completely decadent, probably has far more calories than a human should reasonably consume in one sitting, but my gosh is it worth it.
Price-wise, a meal for two with dessert and drinks will set you back about £80. Individual dishes average around the £10 mark, and you could probably have 3-5 plus momos between two.
Fatt Pundit may not be the traditional Indian you're used to, but when you've tried their lamb chops, you won't care.
Kahani, Chelsea
Tucked away behind Cadogan Hall off Sloane Square is a truly special dining experience. Kahani (meaning 'Story' in Urdu) is a fine dining Indian restaurant helmed by ex-Tamarind Michelin-starred Peter Joseph, so my expectations were pretty high before we'd even had a morsel.
The venue is chic, with subtle lighting, tasseled gold chandeliers and plush blue velvet chairs. Chic is not a description oft attributed to an Indian restaurant, but Kahani manages to find a balance between pared back design and Indian opulence. There's a private dining room, and the main space is divided into several areas. We were sat next to the bar in a cosy nook furnished with a fake fireplace - a homely touch, but still elegant.
We started things off with cocktails. I chose the gulab martini (I'm not sure what made it gulab, it was largely lychee flavoured, but I'm not complaining), and my partner went for an Old Fashioned. He's a bit of an Old Fashioned snob (one large ice cube, garnish must be just so, etc), but proclaimed that Kahani's serve was "the perfect Old Fashioned". High praise indeed.
The menu is made up largely of small plates and sharing dishes, with the intention being that you work through from small courses, to kebabs and chargrilled on to curries and biryanis (and dessert, if you aren't comatose from overindulgence by that point). Overwhelmed by the choice, we handed control over to the chef to curate our meal, with accompanying wines.
Whilst I'd love to take you through dish by dish (and trust me, each dish deserves the attention), this review would go on endlessly, so I'll stick to the highlights. We were pleasantly surprised by the spiced chickpeas with sweetened yoghurt - not something that stood out on the menu, but a beautifully fresh, light dish, a mix of creamy yoghurt streaked with mint and tamarind chutney, and the unexpected crunchiness of the chickpeas.
The next round of dishes served up were from the Chargrilled selection, and were possibly the standouts of the whole meal. We tried the Somerset lamb chops, lightly spiced with a low heat from Kashmiri chillies, the smoked Malabar prawns, delicately spiced without masking the flavour of the seafood, and the chicken tikka, so tender you barely needed a knife.
By this point I was already starting to struggle, but fuelled by greed (and the lure of some truly wonderful aromas), I found room for our next round, the curries. The fish curry (made with halibut) had me reminiscing about my grandma's cooking, and the lamb shank was like the man your mother always hoped you'd marry - rich and powerful.
What Kahani manages to master is creating food that works for a British palate (the heat is definitely turned down a notch) whilst retaining the rich, complex flavours of Indian cuisine. It's by no means cheap - the appetisers average around £10 with the Indian menu staple, butter chicken, coming in at an eye-watering £22 (and don't even ask about the lobster). But this is not your standard Friday night takeaway. It's a big claim, but the food is worth it.
Kanishka, Mayfair
Kanishka in Mayfair is a recent addition to London’s Indian food scene. And it fulfils your expectation of contemporary fine dining– creativity with an ample helping of the je ne sais quoi surprise element.
The decor at Kanishka is quasi industrial, with its metal grill ceiling interlaced with rope, and open pipe work in the entrance. The walls are quirky, turquoise blue padded panels with monochrome stencilled pictures. The Indian touch comes in the form of ornate double doors at the entrance, and carved sandstone tea light holders on all the tables.
Gone are the days when flock wallpaper, piped flute music, Indian artefacts, Bangladeshi waiters and greasy food were the clichés of Indian dining. With travel becoming affordable, and travellers well versed in global foods, restaurants can no longer get away with claims to authenticity while delivering mediocre fare.
The reality is that authentic Indian food, especially in South India, is particularly fiery, with heavy flavours, sometimes bitter or pungent, that rarely suit the western palate. The way round this has been to anglicise the food, toning down the flavours by several notches. Waiters often offer to ramp up the heat when I request it. For the real McCoy (or McKumar) go to East Ham or Southall.
Meanwhile today’s Asian fusion continues to excite foodies looking for something different. Kanishka, with its Michelin star chef, Atul Kulchar, achieves this beautifully. Its inspiration is North East India with its Chinese influences. And while chilis feature generously, don’t expect heavy lashings of spices, as food is generally milder in the North.
Our two cocktails were certainly a visual and appetising entry point. The Floral, embellished with delicate violas, is a combination of elderflower, lychee, orange flower and prosecco. Certainly, subtle and exquisite. My Baked Apple Rum Sour was Christmas come early with its mulled, creamy smoked hues of spices and lemon.
Starters were equally exciting with their nuances of colour and texture. The Bhalla papdi chat acquired new dimensions with its sprinklings of pomegranate seeds and gram dhal vermicelli. The lentil dumplings sat in a sauce so well melded that it was difficult to guess the ingredients - tamarind, dried ginger, mint chutney and frozen yoghurt. While I abhor salty food, there is no denying that the right amount of salt can take a dish from bland to divine. Here, a tad more salt would have enhanced this dish.
The Kurkure Soft Shell Crab with julienne raw green papaya salad and fruit chutney was an audacious combination which was not only arty in its creation but also worked superbly. You could taste the crab and it maintained its moisture - not always the case when it is fried.
My succulent, medium chops were certainly a Western twist. They don’t serve rare or medium chops in India! They were well scorched and juicy with an uplifting chilli sauce.
My mother’s vegetable biriyani came sealed with dough, or dum, that allows the rice to breath. Now, biriyani is traditionally a luxury dish for special occasions. The Hyderabadis and Lucknowis both claim to make the best biriyani in India. If you have tasted a delicious biriyani, it’s a sensual treat. The tender, marinated meat, garlic, onion, rose water, ghee and a plethora of other ingredients have earned this dish the rightful title as India’s favourite rice dish.
Kanisha’s biriyani, although cooked to perfection, sadly did not reach new heights. Since the vegetarian version was a bracketed option, the range of flavours one expects with this dish was sadly lacking. I couldn’t pick up the hint of ghee or butter that gives it its naughty but nice top note.
The creamy, black dal side did not fail to deliver. Since the lentils are generally slow cooked for hours, they miraculously manage to retain their texture but are suffused with the glories of all the spices. Again, a bit more salt would have boosted its confidence.
Overall, the food was delicious, good portions that left us feeling too full for desserts. Sadly, we shook our heads at the Kulfis but left hugely satisfied.
Kricket, Soho and Brixton
Kricket, originally of Brixton fame and more recently opened in Soho, is one of those hip, eternally "hot right now" (and no, I'm not talking about the spice levels), restaurants name-dropped by in-the-know Londoners. Its compact Brixton flagship in shipping container dining and drinking hub Pop grew to fame for it's innovative small plates, which the Soho restaurant - generously spread over two floors and equipped with a tandoor oven - has expanded on.
The decor is "industrial chic", a world away from anything you would normally expect of an Indian restaurant, but oh so Soho. The open ground floor kitchen, sleek in chrome, is enclosed by pink velvet bar stools where one can enjoy watching as the food is prepared. The downstairs hosts communal picnic-style tables with wooden benches reminiscent of the school dining hall (sans the garish yellow walls, plastic tables, and sad lukewarm baked potatoes, that is), alongside the bar which also offers seating available to those looking to dine or enjoy one of their signature cocktails.
The menu is concise - a short but not limited offering of small plates organised by veg, meat and fish alongside their kulcha breads and some simple sides and condiments. From what I tried, my favourite was easily the Keralan fried chicken, five chunky deep fried chicken pieces that were decadently moreish without any of the typical greasiness. As a Keralan I've never had Keralan fried chicken in my life (South Indian cuisine is more vegetarian leaning, and being on the coast Kerala is known for seafood) so I'm not completely convinced about the authenticity of the dish, but hey, if it's tasty I ain't gonna nit-pick!
Other standouts included the scallops, the melt in the mouth morsels offset by crispy “scraps” and spiced up with madras curry butter, and the butternut squash, served in a rich, creamy makhani sauce with hints of cardamom and clove. The only dish that didn't quite live up to expectations was the seekh beef kebab, which was a tad salty, and felt out of sorts on an Indian menu.
It may not be what you'd expect of an Indian restaurant, but nonetheless Kricket has become a main-stay in the Indian dining scene for it's inventive take on the cuisine. And quite frankly, it's just cool.
Dishoom, Various Locations
Considering I go on about it so much, I couldn't really not include Dishoom, could I? Sure, it's hardly a secret (as the hour+ long queues almost perpetually parked outside will tell), but it's earned itself a spot on this list thanks largely to the several tonnes of their house black daal that I've consumed over the years.
In case you're somehow uninitiated, London's favourite Indian spans several branches (including Carnaby, Kings Cross and Shoreditch), serving up all-day dining from breakfast bacon naans to late night cocktails and curries. There's a loose colonial India concept with nostalgic decor reminiscent of Bombay's Irani cafes. My favourite branch is Kings Cross, a converted Victorian warehouse with industrial fittings and the basement Permit Room cocktail bar.
As for food? You can't really go wrong, but there are a few dishes I order every time I visit. Indian is best when it's shared and Dishoom's menu is designed with this in mind, with small dishes and grills that can be mixed and matched. The Prawn Koliwada is my must-order - a bowl of crispy prawns that pack some serious heat, served with chutney to counteract the spice. Then there's the Murgh Malai, tender morsels of creamy garlic and ginger marinated chicken, or the grill-charred lamb chops, flavoured with a blend of spices and lime juice that's hot without taking your head off. Oh, and you have to get the black dahl. Left to simmer for 24 hours, the result is an indulgently creamy, complexly flavoured dish that pairs perfectly with a garlic naan or three.
From the breakfast menu, the bacon naan roll has gathered cult status as an iconic London breakfast dish - definitely double up on the bacon!
Traditionally you were unable to book for Dishoom however an unexpected upside of Covid is that they are now taking bookings of up to 6 people - so no more endless queues, hurray!
Let me know if you've tried any of these, or if you have any other suggestions for great Indian restaurants in London that I need to try!
Hi Anoushka
I am Harishankar a chef from birmingham
Starting a dark kitchen called Golisoda
In birmingham, when you find time please try our food and review it
Potential start date is September 1st
Thanks
Harishankar