19 of the best Indian restaurants and curry houses in London

1 Bibi, Mayfair

A sublime restaurant plating up dishes that come with a lot of finesse, the North Audley Street venueserves one single tasting menu for dinner, and for lunch, diners can either go for a compact set menu or pick a dish a la carte – the malai cauliflower with wild mushrooms of the Native lobster salan for example.

Address: 2 North Audley Street, Mayfair W1K 6ZP

Website: bibirestaurants.com

2 Empire Empire, Notting Hill

Empire Empire brings the nostalgic glam of 70s Indian disco to a classic curry house-style restaurant to create a  venue that is fresh and modern and thoroughly delicious. Not far from Portobello Road Market, it comes with a custom made dukebox playing 70s Bollywood disco bangers, smart, slightly nostoligic interiors and aromatic, flavoursome dishes. 

Address: 16 All Saint Road, Notting Hill, W11 1HH

Website: empire-empire.restaurant

3 Tamil Prince, Islington

This Michelin Guide recommended joint is a classic British pub with a Tamil Nadu kitchen helmed by chef Prince Durairaj (ex-Roti King). Housed in a back-street 19th century pub with outdoor seating, you’ve got well-known cocktails with a south Indian twist to go with a vibrant array of small and large plates. There’s also a strong selection of crisp Indian and British beers to wash down your grilled king prawns, okra fries and dhal makhani. 

Address: 115 Hemingford Road, N1 1BZ

Website: thetamilprince.com

4 Bombay Bustle, Mayfair

A Mumabi inspired affair, Bombay Bustle pays homage to the modern mega-city and its melting pot roots. Alongside the a la carte menu, a weekend brunch menu will put pep in your step, or there’s a three or four course set menu on weekdays. 

Address: 29 Maddox Street, Mayfair W1S 2PA

Website: bombaybustle.com

5 Gunpowder, Soho, Spitalfields & Tower Bridge

Michelin Bib Gourmand Gunpowder serves up a quality feast without any fuss or pretension. The creative and homespun menu traverses the subcontinent with bold, flavoursome dishes. Watch out for brunches, and try an afternoon tea at the Tower Bridge location (book in advance).

Address: 20 Greek Street, Soho W1D 4DU;11 White’s Row E1 7NF; 4 Duchess Walk, Tower Bridge, SE1 2SD

Website: gunpowderrestaurants.com

6 Hoppers, Soho, Marylebone, King’s Cross

While many people think of Hoppers as a Sri Lankan restaurant, the fragrant, flavoursome dishes cross into south Indian cuisine as well. Feast on sharing plates of devilled paneer or bone marrow varuval and mop up punchy sauces with a dosa or two. For anyone who’s spent time in the island nation, take yourself back to those languid hot days with string hoppers, delicious dishes of hot kothu and boozy herbacious crushed ice drinks in a buzzy, convivial atmosphere filled with the hubbub of diners and aromatic wafts from the kitchen.

Address: Unit 3, 4 Pancras Square, King’s Cross, N1C 4AG; 49 Frith Street, W1D 4SG;  77 Wigmore Street, Marylebone, W1U 1QE

Website: hopperslondon.com

7 Chutney Mary, St James’s

Chutney Mary, a mould-breaking restaurant that redefined and raised the bar of Indian cuisine in London when it opened in Chelsea in 1990, specialises in Anglo-Indian cuisine. Originally, the restaurant served home comforts like Bangalore bangers and mash, salmon kedgeree and rogan josh. Gradually, they came to specialise in regional and coastal Indian cuisine, then unknown in London restaurants, with plenty of seafood (sauteed Cornish crab in garlic butter), grills and fish options from Dover Sole to lobster cooked on the tandoor.

Address: 73 St James’s Street, SW1H 1PH

Website: chutneymary.com

8 Veeraswamy, Mayfair

After 90 years of serving high-quality Indian cuisine to curry-loving Londoners as the UK’s oldest Indian restaurant, Veeraswamy gained a highly coveted Michelin star. This Mayfair establishment has welcomed royalty and elevated curry night to a fine art. While dishes are very much rooted in classical Indian cuisine, they have been adapted and refined to for today’s tastes.

Address: Victory House, 99 Regent Street, Mayfair W1B 4EZ

Website: veeraswamy.com

9 Gymkhana, Mayfair

Karam Sethi opened Gymkhana in Mayfair back in 2013, and he’s won just about every food award going since, including a Michelin star. His innovative take on luxury Indian food is worth the hefty price tag that comes with it, and has pulled in celebrity diners from Miley Cyrus to Oprah Winfrey and Reese Witherspoon.

Address: 42 Albemarle Street, Mayfair W1S 4JH

Website: gymkhanalondon.com

10 Brigadiers, the City

Inspired by the army mess bars of India, where regiments go to eat, drink and play, Indian BBQ restaurant Brigadiers encourages socialising and camaraderie as much as it does the enjoyment of a good meal. Live sport is shown on demand in selected rooms, and you can play pool or cards while dining. The menu focuses on the differing Indian BBQ styles, from tandoors, charcoal grills and rotisseries to wood ovens and classic Indian smokers.

Address: 1-5 Bloomberg Arcade EC4N 8AR

Website: brigadierslondon.com

11 Kricket, Brixton, Soho & White City

Kricket started life at Pop Brixton and such was the success of its clever concoctions that it now has resturants in three locations. There’s pumpkin served with makhani sauce; fresh paneer; hazelnut crumble and puffed wild rice and kid goat raan. Drink-wise, you can gulp on Paxton IPA from south London’s London Beer Factory or Reliance Pale Ale from the Brixton Brewery.

Address: 41-43 Atlantic Road, SW9 8JL; 12 Denman Street, W1D 7HH; 2 Television Centre, 101 Wood Lane W12 7FR

Website: kricket.co.uk

12 Benares, Mayfair

Michelin-starred Benares restaurant in Mayfair’s Berkeley Square is definitely one to tick off the list. From the à la carte menu, you can choose between dishes such as crispy soft shell crab and chickpeas with curry leaf and coconut with tamarind dressing or guinea fowl tikka with sweet and sour beetroot dressing.

Address: 12a Berkeley Square, Mayfair W1J 6BS

Website: benaresrestaurant.com

13 Babur, Forest Hill

This popular south east London neighbourhood restaurant celebrated 30 years in 2015. It’s one of the area’s favourite special occasion restaurants, and rightly so – its contemporary representations of India’s many cuisines have drawn much praise, and the cocktails are fun and seasonal too. Feast on gurkhali ostrich tikka and rabbit soweta in a contemporary brick interior and keep an eye out for special tasting menus.

Address: 119 Brockley Rise, Forest Hill SE23 1JP

Website: babur.info

14 Everest Inn, Blackheath 

The award-winning Everest Inn in Blackheath offers contemporary, beautifully styled Nepalese and Indian cuisine. The chefs prepare everything on site, using the best, freshest ingredients and unique blends of spices for flavoursome dishes. Try a fish dish like the Machha Modi Khola – marinated white fish cooked in mustard, ginger, fresh herbs and spices and a touch of yoghurt.

Address: 41 Montpelier Vale, Blackheath SE3 0TJ

Website: everestinn.co.uk

15 Dishoom, King’s Cross, Carnaby Street, Covent Garden, Kensington, Shoreditch, Canary Wharf

No guide to London’s top destinations for Indian spice would be complete without mention of Dishoom. Dining here used to start at the back of the que and while many tables are saved for walk-ins, you can now book ahead regardless of the size of your crew. Food is inspired by the Irani cafes of Bombay and is served amid a buzzy atmosphere where vintage decor meet upscale touches. They also do some cracking breakfasts – the egg naan roll is a winner – but either get up early or book ahead.

Address: 5 Stable Street, N1C 4AB; 12 Upper Street, St. Marin’s Lane, WC2H 9FB; 7 Boundary Street, E2 7JE; 22 Kingly Street, W1B 5QP; 4 Derry Street, W8 5SE

Website: dishoom.com

16 Chai Thali, Camden & Fulham

Chai Thali offers a riotously flavoursome menu featuring street food and kerb-side eats from across the continent – taking hungry diners on a journey from Old Delhi to Mumbai via the coast of Kerala. Grab a quick bite with a turmeric latte, or go the whole hog and order a feast to share between friends. Unusual offerings include Bombay roadside scrambled egg masala served with a buttered brioche bun and the famous South Indian dish ‘uttapam’. To drink, try the Star Chaitini – a riff on the Porn Star Martini with vodka, passion fruit liqueur and Prosecco – or the Chai Spiced Mojito with star anise.

Address: Centro 3, 19 Mandela Street, NW1 0DU; 146 Wandsworth Bridge Road, SW6 2UH

Website: chaithali.com

17 Amaya, Belgravia 

Amaya, which opened in Belgravia in 2004 to immediate acclaim, offers a unique cuisine based on contemporary Indian food with a hint of the Orient. With a theatrical open grill kitchen, Amaya is – literally – one of London’s hottest restaurants, with a Michelin star to boot. The menu offers sophisticated Indian-style grills infused with subtly complex flavours. Highlights include a wild venison seekh kebab and duck tikka with tandoori plum chutney.

Address: Halkin Arcade, 19 Motcomb Street, Belgravia SW1X 8LB

Website: amaya.biz

18 The Cinnamon Collection, Westminster, the City & Battersea, Covent Garden

The Cinnamon Collection group covers several venues across the capital, each with their own style yet all plating up creative and exceptional dishes. The chic, contemporary Cinnamon Kitchen is known for its innovative dishes influenced by classic British traditions, while Vivek Singh’s flagship venue, The Cinnamon Club in Westminster is a grandiose venue housed in the historic Grade II listed former Westminster Library. Look out for brunches across the restuarants, as well as collabs and special tasting menu events. 

Address: 9 Devonshire Square EC2M 4YL; 4 Arches Lane SW11 8AB; 30-32 Great Smith Street SW1P 3BU; 28 Maiden Lane, WC2E 7JS

Website: thecinnamoncollection.com

19 Trishna, Marylebone

Trishna in Marylebone Village serves up a contemporary taste of Indian coastal cuisine, inspired chiefly by the south-west coast. Awarded a Michelin star in 2012, Trishna continues to offer old favourites like Hariyali Bream, Chicken Pepper Fry and Seafood Biryani. There’s also an extensive wine list focusing on emerging regions and fine wines from niche producers and boutique wineries the world over. Plus, terrace doors opening out onto Blandford Street and a smattering of terrace tables offer both semi and fully alfresco dining options.

Address: 15-17 Blandford Street, Marylebone Village W1U 3DG

Website: trishnalondon.com