Banstead, Indian Restaurant Guide

“Such a shame not more people recognise this as a top Indian” – so say fans of Roop Partap Choudhary’s lavishly decorated venue in Holborn’s spectacular old town hall. “They seem to have observed the leading groups and copied the best bits” and the result is “really well-executed food” (if perhaps “with few surprises”). Last year, he also debuted in the large space off Trafalgar Square that was formerly Jones Family Project (RIP): “a well-designed if cavernous space” but sometimes “a little raucous due to its seeming popularity with big work groups”.

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”.

Ignore the “average curry house” looks: this place “turns out adventurous and seductive dishes as good as many of the Michelin-starred Indians”, offering “West End flavours at suburban prices”. It’s owner-operated by “lovely people” – chef Shilpa Dandekar, who trained under both Raymond Blanc and Quilon’s Sriram Aylur, and her husband Faheem Vanoo (although “now without their own day-to-day personal attention with the opening of their new restaurant in South Kensington, Pravaas”, see also). Top Menu Tip – “the best black daal”.

“Bustling, noisy and delicious” – Vivek Singh’s City spinoff from his flagship Cinnamon Club provides a “fun” opportunity to sample some superior Indian cooking. Its newer Battersea stablemate is less commented on and a little tamer – but fans say the food is “every bit as good”, while both branches have outdoor terraces for al-fresco dining. A third Cinnamon Kitchen opened in Leeds in summer 2025 – the chef’s first foray ’up North.

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This modern, family-run Indian restaurant is a “very useful venue for the area”, delivering food of a “good consistent standard” from a “menu with a bit of thought behind it” – and which includes such unusual dishes as tandoori ostrich fillet and wild boar curry.

“Still setting the standard for Indian food” – this leading Mayfair subcontinental emerged from a major refit in January 2025 and has gone from good to great as a result. A sprawling modern space, up stairs from Berkeley Square, it’s always been a stylish destination that has sometimes struggled to generate much electricity ambience-wise. No longer: its new decor looks and feels “superb” and chef Sameer Taneja’s “incredible” cuisine is going from strength to strength with an “amazing new menu”. “Top of the line” in all respects.

2022 Review: Worth knowing about near Gloucester Road tube – this large hotel dining room has been serving Indian cuisine since 1984. Too few reports for a rating, but promising feedback and worth bearing in mind if you are in the vicinity.

There’s no name outside so look for the carved stone lintel reading ‘Westminster Library’ when you visit this “fabulous institution” sitting “in the shadow of Westminster Abbey”. “Still great after all these years – Vivek Singh’s “posh Indian” remains one of the Top-40 most commented-on entries in our annual diners’ poll, and is also one of the most popular. The building provides a “very original setting” – complete with wood-panelling, leaded glass and book-lined walls – while transporting you to the subcontinent!”. It’s a “sophisticated” combination, with “classy” and “luxurious” cuisine providing “a paradise of fabulous flavours”, while “the buzz of happy diners gives a nice, comforting backdrop to one of the best meals you can have in central London”. (That is provided you don’t mind sharing the wonderful space with miscellaneous politicos and union leaders… “amusingly, it turns out that the new breed of MPs are just as keen to be fed here as the recently deposed mob!)”. Top Tip – “strong wine list, including a number of wines from India itself”.

“Deliciously-spiced food with friendly and attentive service” inspires very high and consistent praise for Atul Kochhar’s accomplished venue, which is one of the brighter sparks in this thinly provided area of SE London’s outer ’burbs. Breaking news: according to the restaurant’s website and Insta in October 2025, an upgrade is in progress – ‘We’re thrilled to announce that Indian Essence is about to embark on a bold new chapter, transforming your dining experience. We’re blending style, comfort, and innovation to create a space as unforgettable as the food we serve, so expect a fresh look, a reimagined interior, and a few surprises on the menu’.

“A delightful find” that’s “a brilliant option close to the museums and the Royal Albert Hall”. “Not your standard curry house cooking by any means”, Shilpa Dandekar’s cuisine wins nothing but applause at this year-old modern Indian restaurant in South Kensington, in particular for “beautifully executed food that’s aromatic and full of flavour… and prettily presented too!”.

“A fun place – great for a meal before a show… and the food is imaginative and good too” – Vivek Singh’s spin-off from the famous Cinnamon Club is well-supported for its “solid modern Indian cooking” at “relatively good value” prices for the West End. On the downside, service can be “disorganised” and the (“noisy” and “really packed in”) dining room “doesn’t really inspire” although “as it fills, it becomes animated with a buzz of excitement”.

“Such a shame not more people recognise this as a top Indian” – so say fans of Roop Partap Choudhary’s lavishly decorated venue in Holborn’s spectacular old town hall. “They seem to have observed the leading groups and copied the best bits” and the result is “really well-executed food” (if perhaps “with few surprises”). Last year, he also debuted in the large space off Trafalgar Square that was formerly Jones Family Project (RIP): “a well-designed if cavernous space” but sometimes “a little raucous due to its seeming popularity with big work groups”.