Bloomsbury, Indian Restaurant Guide

A “low-key South Indian with welcoming, gracious staff”, this Bloomsbury Keralan serves “great meals full of good flavours”, from a “well-composed menu” with “a lot of vegetarian choices”.

“Great-value South Indian vegetarian food at its best” is served at this long-running group with venues in Covent Garden, Fitzrovia, Hammersmith and Harrow. “Not at all your typical Indian restaurants”, they serve “food to convince that vegetarian and vegan cooking is good”, made with “fresh ingredients, lightly spiced and producing great flavours” – so “don’t let the decor put you off!”. Top Tip: “the dosas are a must”.

2021 Review: “Simply delicious south Indian cuisine” from the state of Tamil Nadu – including “the best dosas ever” – means this “justly popular independent” in Fitzrovia “is very different from your usual curry house”. “I’m slowly working my way through the menu and have yet to find something I don’t like”.

Will this Autumn 2021 newcomer finally dispel the curse of Holborn Town Hall? It’s a potentially magnificent but serial graveyard site that’s so far seen off Shanghai Blues, Burger & Lobster and most recently Gezellig (RIP). This ‘progressive Indian Restaurant’ is the first London venture of entrepreneur Roop Partap Choudhary, and culinary inspiration will come from his property Hotel Noor Mahal in Karnal (north of Delhi).

Chef Krishna Negi (who first made his name when he launched Tangawizi in Richmond in 2004) opened this Fitzrovian basement spot in October 2019, with a menu featuring ‘nano plates’ (small plates and sharing bowls) inspired by 1947’s partition of India. Some initial reviews on its cuisine have been very upbeat.

This Covent Garden institution lays claim to being the oldest north Indian restaurant in London, est. 1946, and is now run by the great-grandson of the founder. It owes its staying power to the “great Punjabi regional dishes” on the menu – “a friend was so impressed, he said it was nearly as good as his grandmother’s cooking” – and these days there are also “interesting vegan and vegetarian options”.

For a “really delicious” curry in the vicinity of Russell Square, head to Sabbir Karim’s affordable Indian fixture.