St James's, Indian Restaurant Guide

It was this “top-tier” Mayfair Indian – opened in 2013 – that started to show London that the Sethi family of all-conquering JKS Restaurants fame were not a one-hit wonder (having founded Trishna five years before). “Inventive and exciting, whilst ticking all the boxes that make Indian ‘curry houses’ so appealing”, it inspires nothing but praise for its “consistently superb” culinary alchemy, which is served in a colonial-inspired wood-panelled interior decorated with prints and the odd stuffed animal head. If you follow Michelin’s recommendations however, the elevation of chef Sid Ahuja’s cuisine as London’s first Indian restaurant to receive a second Michelin star is a bit puzzling. Diners express views for and against in our annual diners’ poll, but most noticeably, despite its high ratings the destination doesn’t inspire many nominations as diners’ top meal of the year (as would be expected for such a luminary); there are other Indian restaurants in our poll that out-score it; and the contrast with the level of adulation received by A Wong (London’s first Chinese two star), is stark. Perhaps we are just so spoilt for Indian cuisine in London that we don’t always fully appreciate it? Top Menu Tips – “The muntjac biryani is fantastic”; “it is worth going for the lobster claw in scrambled duck egg alone”; and “the pork cheek vindaloo is a standout!”

“It may be the oldest Indian restaurant in London” (est. 1926), but this first-floor operation, “looking down on Regent Street”, has “definitely kept up with the times” and its “attractive” verging on “funky” interior is thoroughly contemporary. Nowadays part of the excellent MW Eats group (with siblings including Chutney Mary and Amaya), its “colourful food is beautifully presented” and “well spiced”; “meat is succulent and tender” and there are “superior and delicate curries”. “The cocktails are good too”.

“You get the whole deal” at this superb Indian all-rounder in St James’s: the venture which – when it was first located in SW10 – formed the first link in the restaurant chain owned by Ranjit & Namita Mathrani and the latter’s sister, Camellia Panjab (which nowadays, as MW Eats, also encompasses the Masala Zone chain, plus Veeraswamy and Amaya). The “amazing” cuisine features “a deliciously innovative mix of regional Indian dishes”; service is “impeccable (especially from the manager, Kanwal”); and the “glamorous dining room” is well-suited to any occasion.

“Brilliant, innovative and constantly changing” – Will Bowlby & Rik Campbell’s “unfailingly interesting” street-food cafés provide “real Indian food… cooked by Brits” and inspire a large army of fans for this small group, which added a fourth Canary Wharf outlet in early 2024 (and has announced a fifth branch will be coming to Shoreditch at the end of the year). They have achieved an all-round success story: “super-friendly service” scores incredibly highly as does the “buzzy environment”. And in Soho, “the restaurant is now supplemented by the Soma Bar next door” with an array of funky cocktails.

2021 Review: In the heart of the West End, this decidedly glam yearling scored better in our survey than the mixed rep it received in press reviews. The first UK outpost of a 30-strong international chain hailing from India and the Gulf, its repertoire of tapas-y offerings are very much of the funky, evolved school of Indian cuisine, and reporters salivate over “an amazing choice of inventive dishes” that are “far better than you would expect” in this touristy locale.

Back in Carnaby’s Kingly Court, where it began in 2017, this former supper club wins praise for “excellent” Indian dishes cooked by an all-female brigade of ‘housewives’. High-profile founder Asma Khan was one of Time magazine’s ‘100 most influential people’ of 2024, and “it’s great to see her still walking the tables”. The setting, though, can seem a bit “canteen-like”; and a disappointed minority are just not sold on its performance generally (“I simply do not understand the enduring hype around this utterly mediocre restaurant. The food is simplistic, basic and just not especially good”).

“You nearly always have to queue for a table – often for at least an hour – but the atmosphere is amazing and the food is worth the wait” at Shamil & Kavi Thakrar’s unbelievably successful chain: again, the most commented-on business in our annual diners’ poll, which has stormed the capital since it first opened in Covent Garden in 2010. Outlets in Canary Wharf and Battersea Power Station opened in late 2024, bringing the total in London to seven, and each branch has its own intriguing character, with the unifying theme being a homage to the Irani cafés of post-war Bombay. “Very much a well-oiled machine, there is little sign of any drop-off in quality as the group expands”, while “for such large places the brilliant service is remarkably friendly and efficient”. Meanwhile, the “deeply flavoursome and satisfying” menu has introduced Londoners to “authentic and delicious dishes that aren’t just another copycat Indian selection”, with such “zingy and exciting flavours”. And morning-time in London will never be the same again, since the advent of their “great Anglo-Indian breakfasts”. All-in-all, “the whole approach is inclusive and exciting”, “it’s always buzzy and fun too”; and “overall and for the price point you can’t go wrong!”. Top Menu Tips: “the black dal is to die for!”; “superb okra fries”; “the roomali roti is sublime”; “the lamb chops are excellent”; “Chicken Ruby is dreamy”. In the mornings, “the unfailing Bacon naan is a thing of poetry”; “chilli cheese toast hits the spot every time”, and “drink the lemon ginger and honey chai”.

“Carefully spiced and beautifully cooked Indian food” takes centre-stage at the more casual little sister of Jamavar from Mayfair-based restaurateur Samyukta Nair. Everything on the menu is “interesting and tasty”, and “the express menu is a bargain” for this part of town.

Famous more than 20 years ago as the first Indian restaurant in London to bag a Michelin star, this Mayfair stalwart still wins fans with “brilliantly cooked and presented” cuisine that plays second fiddle to few places in the capital. “A table upstairs is the more pleasant choice” than in the basement. Top Menu Tips – “signature char-grilled lamb chops with crispy pistachio nut crumb – so tender and flavourful – and the Hyderabadi Lamb Biryani served in a pot with pastry crust… definitely melt-in-the-mouth”.

“Great-tasting food with perfect flavours means Kanishka is a place to return”, according to the many fans of Atul Kochhar’s Mayfair venture, not far from Regent’s Street. Pan-Indian in its culinary approach, his chef Ashok Kumar caters to a wide variety of budgets with menus that range from brunch and set deals, through a wide à la carte selection, to a tasting menu at £105 per person. On the downside, some reporters said their meal was “not bad, but not as good as hoped for at the prices charged”.

2024 Review: In the heart of Theatreland, this Indian street-food operation is focused on dishes served with ‘hankies’ – hand-spun roti folded around the dish – and still receives good marks (if from a limited number of reports). There used to be offshoots in Marble Arch and Paddington, but both have closed over the last couple of years.

This Soho outpost from the upscale Tamarind group serves some “lovely” Indian food in a simpler mould than its famous namesake: kebabs, curries and dishes from the tandoor. For the interior, they’ve gone for a funky café-style space, although at night the room can be “rather dark”.

“A high class of Indian food and a smart interior” has helped propel Samyukta & Dinesh Nair’s grand venue in the heart of Mayfair into the top rank of London’s subcontinental restaurants. Many of our reports agree that the food here can be “exceptional”, but even some fans feel its reputation, accolades and prices are overblown. Even more sceptical souls just have “no idea why this has a Michelin star”.

An “interesting menu” – with “the spicing just right” – is offered at this “great concept”, serving the cuisine developed by the historic Hakka Chinese community in Kolkata. The only complaint relates to the “very cramped tables” at its two venues, in Soho and Covent Garden.

“A favourite curry house for many years” – this stalwart Soho venue opened in 1988 and is a well-preserved time capsule of what the curry experience looked like when nobody dreamt of an Indian restaurant ever winning a Michelin star. “Everything is always high-quality and really tasty and the price is super-competitive for the area; and the staff are lovely too”.

From the phenomenal JKS restaurant group, this large (140 cover) summer 2024 launch is located just off Regent Street and is focused on all things Punjabi. The menu highlights classic papads, chaats, kebabs, curries, pilaus, biryanis, tandoor-roasted breads, and desserts. The 140-cover restaurant spans two floors with a 40-cover outdoor verandah and three private dining spaces. A dedicated music series will launch from September.

“What a stunning location!” – the year-old operation on the huge, historical site of ‘The Criterion’ (built in 1873) has brought new prominence to this long-established, budget Indian street-food chain (part of the formidable MW Eats business). It dominates feedback on the group, which has soared into the Top-40 brands mentioned in our annual diners’ poll: “they have created an intoxicating venue using the wonderful 19th-century decor to great effect”. “All their branches are well decorated but the new restaurant is spectacular, with the gold ceiling of the old Criterion Brasserie and lots of mirrors lightening the room”. “And considering its location (right on Piccadilly Circus) the price is very reasonable” (“perfect for a pre-theatre meal”). At all locations, the menu “is almost completely unlike your standard suburban curry house and invites experimentation”: “there are many and varied street-food choices”; and “thalis are especially delicious and extremely filling”. That said, diners reported a few “ordinary” meals at the chain this year – the pressure of incorporating such a demanding new site? Top Tip – “They now do breakfast! My new favourite for visitors and treating the family!”

“If you like dosas, idlis and uttapams”, these “cheap and cheerful” but “spotless and well-run” canteens in the West End (plus Hammersmith and Harrow) are “an excellent choice for very good South Indian vegetarian food” – they’re also “a top option to take a crowd because they’re not fazed by large tables”, and “even carnivores don’t complain” when they try the “tasty food”.

Prolific chef Rohit Ghai’s Mayfair three-year-old offers dishes inspired by the home cooking he grew up with in Madhya Pradesh. There’s a “very small menu” by Indian standards, but that is no bad thing. Top Menu Tip – “best ever lamb chops”.