London is one of the best cities in the world to enjoy the endless variety of food from the Indian subcontinent and its neighbours. We asked the City A.M. team to nominate their favourites from across the capital – here’s the definitive list of the best curries in the city.
1) Ganapati, Peckham
A colourful, cheerful little local in the ‘posh’ bit of Peckham serving up canteen-style South Indian specialities. The parathas are legendary in the postcode and there’s a great kids’ menu much appreciated by the local yummy mummies.
2) Jai Krishna, Finsbury Park
Along Stroud Green road, Jai Krishna is authentic vegetarian Indian grub at its cheerful best. This cash-only, bring-your-own-beer no-nonsense joint is a tight squeeze, but that’s part of the charm. Its vast menu means you could keep going back and never get bored.
3) Babur, Brockley
Babur in Brockley has an amazing high-end menu featuring scallops, quail and venison. Inspiration is drawn from across the subcontinent, leading to a restaurant that always has something surprising to offer. It’s all available for eating in or takeaway and delivery.
4) Tayyabs, Whitechapel
No list of London curry houses would be complete without a mention of the Tayyabs, a frenetic, buzzing, cheap-as-chips Punjabi restaurant that attracts daily queues. Every dish is a hit here but the grilled lamb chops are perhaps the most famous and something you have to try at least once.
5) Shiuli, Twickenham
Curry and rugby go together like lager and vindaloo so it’s no surprise Twickenham is known for its great selection of South Asian restaurants. Shiuli is our pick of the bunch, with its laid-back atmosphere and focus on healthy – but still delicious – food, that ranges from salad bowls to traditional street food.
Apollo Banana Leaf is a Tooting institution serving Sri Lankan curries
6) Apollo Banana Leaf, Tooting
This Sri Lankan and South Indian restaurant in Tooting is an institution, serving excellent, authentic curries for prices so low they make you wonder if you’re still in London. Expect big crowds and a lively atmosphere. Don’t miss the crab masala.
7) Yatri, King’s Cross/Euston
Wedged between Euston and King’s Cross, Yatri’s menu is rich with paneer, veg and meat dishes, with a street food slant. It is a small and intimate but popular spot, so booking is a must. Yatri is perfect for ordering lots of smaller dishes for sharing and don’t forget the mango lassi.
8) Gymkhana in Mayfair
This two-Michelin star Mayfair restaurant is at the forefront of the haute cuisine revolution in Indian dining. With a dining room and menu inspired by colonial gentlemen’s clubs, it’s unlike anything else in the capital. Book far in advance.
9) Lahore Kebab House, Whitechapel
Competing with Tayyabs for the title of “most hyped restaurant in Whitechapel”, this award-winning former diner is a great destination for anyone in the market for an authentic Pakistani kebab. Great food at great prices.
10) Veeraswamy, Regent Street
This Indian restaurant is a solid reminder to never give up! Approaching their centenary, chefs were awarded a Michelin star in 2016 – 90 years after they first opened. Expect indulgent spins on Indian classics and a setting so regal you’ll feel as if you’ve broken into a right royal piss up.
Yak & Yeti is serves Nepalese curries in Crystal Palace
11) Indian Veg, Angel
The lights are blindingly bright and the outside walls have a load of chaotic capitalised words written on them, but get past that and you’ll see how this cafe-style venue in Angel became a real institution. Everything’s fresh and vegetarian, and it’s eat as much as you like for £7.95. With the BYOB you can stuff your face on good Indian food and sink a beer for under a tenner. Can’t say fairer than that.
12) Cinnamon Club, Westminster
Located at the historic Grade II-listed Old Westminster Library, The Cinnamon Club was one of the first London restaurants to really elevate the curry house experience into something more akin to fine dining. It remains one of the finest in London.
13) Brigadiers, City of London
Inspired by the army mess bars of India, Brigadiers is an experience as much as it is a restaurant. With huge screens dotted around showing sporting events, the drinks are every bit as important here as the Indian barbecue menu.
14) Khan’s of Brixton, Brixton
Plonked between an enormous Sainsbury’s and one of Brixton’s liveliest live music venues, Khan’s beauty lies in resisting the temptation to over-think. Well-spiced and portioned chicken, lamb and vegetarian curries at affordable prices are turned out speedily alongside with hearty mixed grills.
15) Cafe Spice Namaste, Docklands
Found at the edge of Royal Albert Wharf, Cafe Spice Namaste is a buzzy Indian restaurant specialising in street food. Relocated from its former home in the City, it feels like a vibrant neighbourhood restaurant, serving dishes that are varied and surprising.
16) Pahli Hill, Fitzrovia
Fitzrovia is now a dining hotspot to rival Mayfair so it’s fitting it has an Indian restaurant to rival any in the city. Pahli Hill Bandra Bhai specialises in small plates, with a laid back dining room and a retro “Indian smuggler’s den” located downstairs.
17) Mirch Masala, Tooting
Mirch Masala in Tooting isn’t just any curry house – it’s London mayor Sadiq Khan’s favourite curry house. It’s a great value, cafe-style restaurant that specialises in nihari, slow-cooked lamb on the bone.
18) Tamarind, Mayfair
Another of the restaurants that helped usher in the current crop of Indian fine dining restaurants, this classy Mayfair staple is a guaranteed hit, bringing together flavours from across the country and serving them with style and verve.
19) Blue Junction, Morden
This is your local curry house done properly. Opened in 2015, Blue Junction prides itself on making every dish from scratch. There’s a great grill menu and a lively atmosphere, with TV screens showing everything from live sport to Indian music.
20) Yak and Yeti, Crystal Palace
With its authentic Nepalese, Indian and Tibetan cooking and it’s extremely reasonable prices, this is a great example of a local restaurant that offers something different enough to make it worth a trip.
21) Gunpowder, Tower Bridge
Skewing towards the higher end of the market, Gunpowder is a three-strong family-run chain serving excellent, punchy curries in intimate restaurants that manage to feel squirrelled away despite being in some of the busiest areas of the city.