Source: Flickr.com

Best Indian Restaurants In London

London is one of the most visited and iconic cities in the world. London has a lot to offer everyone from history and culture to good music and extraordinary cuisines. The city is deeply multicultural and diverse. So many cultures have infused it, that one can sense the culinary aromas around the streets of London. The Cuisines that you get to eat in London, like the Italian, Mexican, Indian, French, etcetera, are simply impeccable. Indian food is the most loved food in the UK Capital. We all know Britain’s love for Indian Spices and Curries. The first-ever curry house in London was opened in 1809. It was called The Hindoostane Coffee House. The people in Britain knew nothing about Indian Cuisine beyond curry. The Indian Cuisine was only restricted to curries in the beginning, but the field widened with new restaurants that came up post 80’s, the British were introduced to a more intricate Indian Cuisine with the introduction of regional delicacies and gradually got the taste of Indo-British fusion food.

Indian Restaurants in London are no more confined to the ubiquitous curries of Brick lane. They have come a long way, some of the Top Chefs and Restaurateurs have Michelined their names among the Top Fine-Dines in the city. No one does the best Indian Food in the west the way London does it. It’s particularly very tricky to pick the Best Indian Restaurants, as many of them are at par. Keeping in mind the taste and popularity here are a list of the Best Indian Restaurants in London.

Benares

Benares is an upscale and exclusive Michelin Starred restaurant in the Mayfair area of central London, owned and managed by Chef Atul Kochhar. He is the first Indian Chef to be awarded the highly coveted Michelin Star (Twice). The Interiors are nicely done; the food is exquisite and really unique. Benares is quite expensive, but a favourite among food lovers. Benares is all about modern Indian cuisine with a contemporary British twist. It has been rightly raising the culinary bar to extraordinary heights. Check their website benaresrestaurant.com to get a 360-degree view of their restaurant.

Where: 12 A, Berkeley Square House, London, W1J 6BS

Amaya

If you have a penchant for fine dining then Amaya is the place to be. With Stunning interiors, an open grill kitchen and sophisticated grilled Indian cuisine, Amaya, is one of the best Indian Restaurants in London. Their menu is not fixed as it keeps on changing with the Chef’s Innovations. Amaya serves Indian food with an Oriental or Pan-Asian twist, thus making it very unique.

Where: Halkin Arcade, Motcomb Street, London, SW1 8JT

Source: Flickr.com

Dishoom (Various Locations)

Dishoom is an ode to Bombay’s fading elegance of Irani Cafes. It’s a bustling restaurant with vintage decor, its interiors are very similar to the Bombay cafes- the bentwood chairs, sepia portraits, a big clock- resembling the one that is on the tower of Chattrapati Shivaji Terminus. (CST station, Bombay). With a unique name and sumptuous food menu, Dishoom has grown very popular in London. It has four branches at Kings Cross, Shoreditch, Covent Garden, and Carnaby. You may visit Dishoom any time of the day either for Breakfast, Lunch, Evening Snacks or Dinner. Bun Maska, Chaijito, Bhelpuri, Pau Bhaji, deep flavoured House black daal, Lamb Raan Bun, Bacon & Egg Naan Roll and Keema Per Eedu, are signatures worth trying, when at Dishoom.

Where: 7 Boundary Street, Shoreditch, London, E27 JE

Source: Flickr.com The very famous and Delicious Keema Pau at Dishoom, London

Gymkhana

Gymkhana is a restaurant designed with the Indian clubs/Gymkhanas concept, with British- Raj Colonial-style interiors. It’s a Michelin Starred since 2014 Restaurant that serves classic and contemporary Indian cuisine. The food is cooked using Tandoor and Sigri charcoal grill. The food here is rightly spiced and also reasonably priced. The restaurant is very nicely designed. Throughout the restaurant, the interiors are elevated by an array of original Gymkhana features including hunting trophies from the Maharaja of Jodhpur and Grandmother Sethi’s barometer.

Where: 42 Albemarle Street, London, W1S 4JH

Source: Flickr.com

Zaika

If you would like to experience royal cuisine and something that is a fusion of two traditional cooking techniques, then Zaika in Kensington is the place you should head to. Zaika offers Awadhi style cuisine; they use Mughlai and Nawabi cooking techniques. Zaika has a majestic dining room overlooking Hyde Park. Great value for money and also it’s a sister concern restaurant of Michelin Starred Restaurant Tamarind which also makes it to this list.

Where: 1 Kensington High Street, London, W8 5NP

The Cinnamon Club

Cinnamon Club is set in grade II old Victorian Westminster library; it serves Indo-British fusion cuisine. The Cinnamon Club is a fine-Dining Indian Restaurant. The food is intricately spiced with high-quality ingredients. The updated food menu by head Chef Rakesh Nair, the subtle way of food presentation/plating and the terrific wine list, truly make it an epicurean experience. Chef Vivek Singh is the Executive Chef and CEO of the restaurant. He owns two other restaurants under the name Cinnamon Kitchen and Cinnamon Soho. (Carnaby).

Where: The Old Westminster Library, 30-32, Great Smith Street, London, SW1P 3BU

Source: Flickr.com

Tamarind

Tamarind opened its doors first in 1995, as the first Indian fine-dining Restaurant in London. It is also the first Indian Restaurant in the world to win a Michelin Star in 2001. Tamarind serves traditional North Indian Cuisine. It is as welcoming as ever with refined interiors, service and carefully spiced food. The prices are quite high as most of the other Michelin restaurants.

Where: 20, Queen Street, London, W1J 5PR

Chutney Mary

Chutney Mary was established in 1990 in Chelsea by the Panjabi sisters Namita and Camellia Panjabi; they have added a contemporary touch to the unique and exceptional Indian recipes. They relocated to St. James Street in 2015. The restaurant is glamorously decked and the stylish Pukka Bar the restaurant offers all-day dining from a lighter menu. Dining here is expensive, but the food is delicious, you get to choose from a la carte or a tasting menu inclusive of seafood, game and meat to a host of scrumptious vegetarian dishes.

Where: 73 St. James Street, London, SW1A 1PH

Quilon

Quilon was established in 1999 and is popular with Lords, Ladies and Ministers of Parliament. Quilon is another Michelin starred restaurant specialising in South-West Coastal Indian Cuisine. Quilon offers progressive delicacies. Seafood is the main peculiarity, dishes like Goan fish curry with appams, baked black cod are popular with sea-food lovers and then they also serve meat, poultry and vegetarian dishes. The restaurant also offers a private dining area where you can watch the Chef create your favourite savouries- Indeed a unique culinary experience.

Where: 41 Buckingham Gate, London, SW1E 6AF

Source: Flickr.com

Masala Zone (Various Locations)

Another chain of restaurants owned by the Panjabi sisters, the Masala zone is not just another curry house. All the Masala Zone branches are visually unique with interesting art and decor. Masala zone’s menu has an array of street food starters or Grazing as they have named it, and then they have the Thalis (A large platter with several bowls of different food). Indian street foods like Gol Gappas, Dahi Puri and Pav Bhaji are very tasty and reasonably priced.

Where: Masala Zone Soho, 9 Marshall Street, London, W1F 7ER,

Other Outlets are at Fulham Road, Earls Court Road, Covent Garden, Islington, Bayswater and Camden town.

These were the round-up of the best Indian Restaurants in London. We are sure these restaurants will definitely make it to your bucket list. To check out the mouth-watering food tours in London click here: Food Tours