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Summary
“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.
Summary
“So special and deserving to be saved” – this truly “iconic venue for a meal”, up a flight of stairs in the Strand, has barely changed since its foundation in 1951, when Prime Minister Nehru and Lady Mountabatten were among the members. Fans say the “food is reliably amazing”, but it’s as a “cheap” venue for a meal in a distinctively grungy setting that it wins such loyalty. For several years now it has been under threat of closure from a landlord who wants to develop the site as a new hotel, and in 2021 a crowdfunding campaign raised £50,000 towards legal fees to fight against eviction. The club and its bar have been run by three generations of the same family since launch. BYO from the hotel bar.
Summary
“Step back in time with shades of the 1950s” – “you could imagine Nehru walking through the door” – at this “atmospheric all-Indian” curry house on the Strand, close to the Indian High Commission, that was recently saved from redevelopment. “The food is decent value at a remarkably low price” – although it’s “not really the point”. “After lunch in the rather bleak dining room, coffee in the cocktail bar seems positively luxurious”. Top Tip – BYO from the hotel bar.
For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at India Club, Strand Continental Hotel?
143 Strand, London, WC2R 1JA
Restaurant details
Prices
| Availability | 2 courses | 3 courses |  |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Always | £22.00 |  |
|
|
| Starter | Main | Pudding |
|---|---|---|
| £3.50 | £11.00 | £4.50 |
| Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £15.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £2.00 |
| Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Bread | £0.00 |
| Service | 10.00% |
143 Strand, London, WC2R 1JA
Opening hours
| Monday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6 pm‑11 pm |
| Tuesday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6 pm‑11 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6 pm‑11 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6 pm‑11 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6 pm‑11 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6 pm‑11 pm |
| Sunday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6 pm‑11 pm |
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