Harden's survey result
Summary
“Great-value dosas” and other south Indian vegetarian dishes are a big draw at this outpost of an international chain which bills itself as the ‘World’s No. 1 Indian Vegetarian Restaurant’ and which reporters say is “just the job for a quick, satisfying bite to eat”. There are actually seven in and around London (including in Leicester Square), but this is the one on which we receive most reports. The chain was founded in Madras (now Chennai) in the late 1970s by P Rajagopal, known in the Indian press as ‘the dosa king’. He was convicted of the 2001 murder of a man whose wife he wanted to marry, and died five years ago.
Summary
“If feels like being transported to SB in Chennai”, according to well-travelled fans of the Wembley branch of this global vegetarian chain offering “reasonably priced South Indian food”, who say that “if you’re hankering for a masala dosa, this is the place”. There are actually seven branches around the capital (including Leicester Square and Tooting), but this is the most commented-on. (Historical footnote: P Rajagopal, who founded SB in 1981, died five years ago after being imprisoned for the murder of an employee whose wife he wanted to marry.)
Summary
A “massive range of dosas” and other “very authentic, traditional South Asian options” ensure that this Chennai-based vegetarian chain’s London branches are “very popular with the local Asian community”. It’s “not fancy”, but there are “lots of dishes that don’t make it on to many English Indian menus”. Founded in 1981, the chain now operates in 23 countries. Founder P Rajagopal was imprisoned for the murder of an employee whose wife he wanted to marry, and died behind bars four years ago.
Summary
“Dosa vegetarian heaven” – “great vadas and idlis”, too – wins the veggie vote for this Wembley outfit with seven branches across the capital (Croydon, East Ham, Harrow, Ilford, Leicester Square, Southall and Tooting). “Everything is totally on point and you’ll be hard-pressed to pay more than £15 for more food than you can really eat”. The Chennai-based franchise has expanded around the world in the past 20 years; founder, P Rajagopal, died of a heart attack in 2019 after being imprisoned for the murder of an employee whose wife he wanted to marry.
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Have you eaten at Saravanaa Bhavan?
531-533 High Rd, Wembley, HA0 2DJ
Restaurant details
Prices
| Availability | 2 courses | 3 courses |  |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lunch | £7.95 |  |
|
|
| Starter | Main | Veggies | Pudding |
|---|---|---|---|
| £3.25 | £8.00 | £4.00 | £4.00 |
| Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £17.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £1.25 |
| Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Service | 10.00% |
531-533 High Rd, Wembley, HA0 2DJ
Opening hours
| Monday | 9:30 am‑10:30 pm |
| Tuesday | 9:30 am‑10:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 9:30 am‑10:30 pm |
| Thursday | 9:30 am‑10:30 pm |
| Friday | 9:30 am‑10:30 pm |
| Saturday | 9:30 am‑10:30 pm |
| Sunday | 9:30 am‑10:30 pm |
