Harden's survey result
Summary
This Honor Oak Park institution “celebrated its well-deserved 40th anniversary” over the last year and “continues to provide some of the best Indian cooking in London” – it “looks and to an extent feels like a neighbourhood curry house, but the food is in another league”, with diners travelling from beyond southeast London to sample chef Jiwan Lal’s cuisine. They get a warm welcome, too (“I’ve been a regular customer for over 25 years and am greeted like an old friend”). Top Tips – “the good-value Sunday lunch buffet is well worth a trek”; “Swordfish tikka with a well-balanced radish pickle; Champaran mutton curry with excellent quality meat; Mango creme brulee with a very delicate crust”.
Summary
“Love having such a unique Indian locally” – this “culinary stalwart of South East London is still going strong after nearly 40 years”. “Staff welcome you like an old friend” and chef Jiwan Lal’s cuisine is “at least as good as that of the West End’s fine dining establishments”, in the view of many locals; and “magnificent value for this level of cooking”. Top Tip – “good value buffet on the weekends”.
Summary
To its many fans, this “small place” off the gastronomic track in Honor Oak Park “remains the best Indian in South London”, and its “engaging staff” delivering “very different food with panache and skill”, “after almost 40 years”. “Unless you’re local, it’s not entirely easy to get to, but it’s well worthy of a journey.”
Summary
“The deft flavours of fine Indian dining” at this “Honor Oak stalwart” have induced discerning diners to “make the awkward trip” to SE23 for almost 40 years now. “The place maintains its standards” and has a credible claim on being “the best Indian in southeast London” thanks to its “exciting” dishes, “excellent” service and “elegant” interior.
For 35 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 Babur?
119 Brockley Rise, London, SE23 1JP
Restaurant details
Babur Restaurant Diner Reviews
"Incredible layers of spice and flavour"
"Attended the 40th anniversary month. Clearly a big thing. They narrowed down 38 special recipes over 40 years in business to 8 for a 4 or 5-course tasting menu. It was flawless, creative, delicious, and thoughtfully structured. One helping of Onion Badji per table for the 1985 price of 85p. Delhi beer (White Rhino) to drink. A memorable experience in a city of memorable Indian restaurants. Worth the short train journey from the center of town."
Prices
| Availability | 2 courses | 3 courses |  |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lunch | £23.95 |  |
|
 |
| Cost | Availability | Courses | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Menu1 | 63.95 | Always available | 5 |
| Starter | Main | Pudding |
|---|---|---|
| £8.10 | £21.20 | £6.95 |
| Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £31.50 |
| Filter Coffee | £3.95 |
| Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Bread | £3.25 |
| Service | 12.50% |
119 Brockley Rise, London, SE23 1JP
Opening hours
| Monday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5:30 pm‑11 pm |
| Tuesday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5:30 pm‑11 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5:30 pm‑11 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5:30 pm‑11 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5:30 pm‑11 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5:30 pm‑11 pm |
| Sunday | 12 pm‑4 pm, 5:30 pm‑10:30 pm |
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