Best Indian Restaurants London Dining Guide
The best Indian restaurants London offers create a vibrant tapestry of regional cuisines, inventive menus, and inviting venues. No longer confined to curry staples, diners can now experience dining adventures that energise the palate, evoke cultural narratives, and often surprise at every turn.
Best Indian Restaurants London: Bold Flavours in Mayfair & Soho
Manthan (Mayfair) – A Reflective Culinary Journey
Tucked in Mayfair, Manthan – a Sanskrit word meaning “to churn” – was opened in September 2021 by the celebrated chef Rohit Ghai, also the force behind Kutir in Chelsea. Ghai draws from his Madhya Pradesh roots and international experience, and therefore crafts dishes with street-food soul polished for fine dining. Furthermore, with a 4.7 TripAdvisor rating from over 130 reviews, it exemplifies modern Indian dining that balances authenticity and innovation.
The decor is sleek and cinematic – polished marble, deep tones, an ocean-inspired motif complete with shell-topped cutlery – and offers a stylish yet comfortable setting for the inventive menu and cocktails to shine.
Mayfair’s Other Standouts: Tradition Reimagined
- Kanishka offers a seven-course tasting menu (£120) that melds samosas, crab tartlets, turbot in nilgiri korma, lamb Wellington, and a coconut panna cotta finish – an elegant ode to Indian flavour with modern polish.
- Benares, perched on Berkeley Square with a Michelin star, combines British produce – like Scottish scallops – with fragrant Indian cooking in a dining room that exudes sophistication. A seven-course tasting menu is priced at £135, with optional wine pairings.
- Kricket, once a pop-up in a shipping container, now spans Soho, Brixton, Shoreditch and Canary Wharf. It offers small plates such as Keralan fried chicken, claypot cod, and recheado prawns in dynamic, stylish settings.
Chelsea’s Hidden Elegance: The Art of Subtle Grandeur
Kutir (Chelsea) – Refined, Rooted, and Personal
Set within a quiet Chelsea townhouse, Kutir – meaning ‘cottage’ – therefore channels refined serenity wrapped in culinary creativity. Moreover, its ‘Expeditions’ tasting menu (£70-75) guides diners across India’s regional tapestry with personal finesse. In addition, TripAdvisor reviews (4.6 rating) highlight its tranquil charm, thoughtful service, and inventive menu.
Nearby Excellence: Kahani
Just moments away, Kahani meanwhile reinvents Indian dishes with modern flair, such as coconut Mangalorean scallops with caviar. In addition, guinea fowl with smoky pepper and rhubarb relish appears on a six-course tasting menu for £80, or £155 with wine pairings.
Best Indian Restaurants London: Hidden Gems and Icons
BiBi (Mayfair)
A compact yet spirited venue with an open kitchen, BiBi trades on dynamic creativity – say, Wookey-Hole cheese papadam or Devon scallop ceviche in a five-course chef’s selection of about £95.
Babur (Honor Oak Park)
A short journey southerly from central London, Babur delights with Punjabi soul – most notably its 100-hour marinated lamb shoulder with beetroot rice through a five-course tasting (£63.95) with optional wine pairing (£93.95).
Bombay Bustle (Mayfair)
Evoking the energy of India’s railway heritage, Bombay Bustle is therefore warm, inviting, and convivial. Moreover, its menu spans small plates, biryanis, and seasonal tasting sets, making it ideal for sharing and communal dining.
Michelin’s Finest & Historical Icons
- Gymkhana earned a second Michelin star in 2024, making it London’s first Indian two-star restaurant. Its menu celebrates classic North Indian dishes like tandoori lamb chops and wild muntjac biryani in a refined, award-winning setting.
- Quilon, the world’s first South Indian restaurant to win a Michelin star (in 2008), continues to uphold that accolade, offering coastally inspired dishes rooted in tradition.
- Veeraswamy, established in 1926, is the oldest surviving Indian restaurant in the UK. It offers a wide range of regional cuisine – from Punjab to Goa – within a historic Westminster setting.
Atmosphere & Hospitality: More Than a Meal
From the slick energy of Manthan to Kutir’s hushed elegance, these restaurants understand that ambience enhances the dining experience. Thoughtful service, imaginative design, and curricula driven by regional narratives ensure diners are both surprised and comforted. Menus are curated with creativity, and chefs elevate chaat through thoughtful presentation. Moreover, multi-course narratives use modern technique while respecting tradition and ambition.
Final Word: Indian Dining Perfected in London
London’s Indian culinary scene is a flourishing landscape of innovation, tradition, and authenticity. Whether it’s the experimental street-food finesse of Manthan, the refined journey of Kutir, Mastercard-worthy sophistication of Kanishka or Gymkhana, or the timeless heritage of Veeraswamy and Quilon, the city offers an unforgettable dining chapter at every turn.