Two more London restaurants added to the Michelin Guide

The venues, Darjeeling Express in Covent Garden and Mæne in Spitalfields, were amongst the 15 restaurants across the UK that were selected for inclusion.

You’ll find Indian restaurant Darjeeling Express in Kingsley Court on Carnaby Street, right in the throng of Soho. It started out life as a dinner for 12, made up of home-cooked family recipes passed down through the generations.

The kitchen is run by an all woman team (as it always has been), and these “housewives” whip up homely, comforting dishes that are created to make you feel good and are influenced by the flavours of Calcutta street food and Mughlai-style dishes from Persia and northern India.

The Michelin Guide recommends it for its “bright and breezy” atmosphere, and for its personal touch – chef owner Asma Khan can often be found chatting to diners. The team also praised the restaurant’s “authentic, vibrant dishes” and the kitchen team’s “careful spicing”.

Come for an a la carte lunch or a dinner thali.

Newish to the area, Mæne opened on Fashion Street in March and is found perched on top of a colossal yoga and wellness centre housed in a 14,000 square foot, four-story Victorian warehouse.

A modern British bistro, Mæne is overseen by Nick Gilkinson, who also opened Whitechapel Gallery’s Townsend.

The all-day dining restaurant comes with a large rooftop terrace and a menu that uses the seasons’ bounty and British produce; Cornish mussels in a butter sauce, whipped Sussex ricotta and Mersea oysters for example.

Why does the Michelin team like it? Well, it’s interiors for a start- exposed pipes, skimmed concrete walls are a nod to the venue’s former factory life and give the place an industrial feel. The team also praise the “unpretentious quality” of the cooking which allows “prime ingredients to shine”, and that the service is relaxed and friendly.

To see the full list of restaurants added to the guide in September visit guide.michelin.com

Find Darjeeling Express at Kingly Court, Carnaby Street, Soho W1B 5PW and Mæne at 7-9 Fashion Street, Spitalfields E1 6PX.