Hyde Park Corner, Indian Restaurant Guide

2023 Review: Tucked away in a mews townhouse, this “dependable” Belgravia haunt has served upscale Pakistani cuisine to a wealthy crowd for 45 years. It particularly hits the spot for “meat-lovers” – “the lamb chops are seriously loveable” – while “the friendliness of the staff makes up for the rather boring Gulf and Russian clientele”.

“Consistently superb food over many years” is regularly reported at MW Eats group’s “very stylish and interesting” Indian, next to a small arcade in the heart of picture-book Belgravia. When it opened in 2004, it was way ahead of its time in the use of an open grill to provide small ‘tapas’ style dishes and “it’s still grilling and spicing in a super and innovative way”. If it was not in a quiet corner of a posh postcode, it would be much better known.

“Tamarind never disappoints”, with the “consistently fabulous food” that made it one of the earliest of the new wave of modern upscale Indians in London when it opened 30 years ago (and the first to bag a star from the French tyre men six years later). It remains “a real find for quality Indian food among its plutocratic competitors in Mayfair” – with “an innovative and wide selection of wonderful dishes, always getting the balance between spice and flavour just right”. Top Tip – “very reasonably priced lunch set menu”.