Asian Eating and Drinking

Amaya (Modern Indian)

One of the best Indian restaurants – not only in the capital, but possibly in the world – Amaya's menu is centred around kebabs and biriyanis, and is designed for sharing.

Amitas (Gujarati)

You will find delicious vegetarian Gujarati thalis, snacks, sweets, savouries, and street food in bright, neat surroundings at Amitas.

Brilliant (Punjabi)

Expect full-on flavours at Brilliant.This popular local Punjabi restaurant certainly lives up to its name.

Chennai Dosa

Authentic south Indian snacks like dosas and idlis are the star attraction at this branch of the superior Indian chain. There are currently 6 Chennai Dosa restaurants in the capital with another coming soon; 2 restaurants are twinned on the corner of High Road and Ealing Road – the former is omnivorous, the latter is vegetarian.

Chutney Mary (Modern Indian)

This has long been one of London's favourite restaurants and was certainly a trail-blazer in bringing quality modern Indian cuisine to the capital. Chutney Mary continues to offer fine food in a welcoming atmosphere. 

Madhu's (Punjabi)

Set over 2 floors, Madhu's is a smart, stylish restaurant which specialises in stridently spiced, East African-style Punjabi dishes. We recommend the breads, dahls, and chargrilled dishes. Curries, such as king prawn masala, are delicious, too; and the traditional Indian puds are worth saving room for. Service from smartly attired young staff is on-the-ball.

Masala Zone

This popular mini-chain now has 3 branches around town. All Masala Zones offer great-value dishes in a laid-back friendly canteen style.

Mobeen (Pakistani)

This neat, bright cafe offers Pakistani food at fair prices. Try charcoal-grilled kebabs, velvety naan breads, spicy lamb tikka, and vibrantly spiced biriyani at Mobeen.

Nauroz (Pakistani)

For scrumptious home-style Pakistani food, head to this inexpensive, compact venue owned by a friendly family who've been in the business for over 2 decades. Hot and spicy lamb curry cooked on the bone, and imaginative vegetarian dishes like butter beans with fenugreek, and Indian baby squash are some of the delights on offer at Nauroz. No alcohol is served, but you can bring your own (there's no corkage).

The Painted Heron (Modern Indian)

One of London's outstanding Indian restaurants, The Painted Heron is an upscale, arty, minimally decorated venue is well worth visiting for such delights as its unique and delicious strawberry curry.

Papaji's Lounge (Punjabi)

Exquisite home-style Punjabi cooking in smart, contemporary surroundings makes Papaji's Lounge, owned by a Sikh musician, a destination that's worth traveling a little further out of town for.

Ram's (Gujarati)

No-frills café, Ram's, offers speciality snacks and curries from Surat, the gourmet heartland located in southern Gujarat. Weekend lunchtimes are the best time to visit.

Sanghamam (South Indian snacks)

This south Indian vegetarian caff attracts local Indian families as well as young backpackers and students from India. Sanghamam's draw is the homely, authentically flavoured food sold at rock bottom prices. There's no alcohol served, but a juice bar turns out freshly produced juices made from watermelon, pomegranate and other fresh fruit. 

Sekara (Sri Lankan)

Polite service and old-school décor characterise the marvellous Sekara restaurant – one of the best of its kind in London. Curries – we particularly recommend the ones made with seafood – are cooked with an abundance of fresh coconut and aromatic spices, and served with Sri Lankan rice noodles and pancake-like hoppers.

Sitaaray

Popular with visiting Indian film stars, this newly opened Bollywood-themed venue has a fun atmosphere and bright red décor that's just the right side of kitsch. The set menu at Sitaaray has an endless variety of excellent kebabs; and drinks include alcoholic lassis – the first of their kind in the UK.

Veeraswamy (pan-Indian)

Established in 1926, this smart venue is said to be the oldest surviving Indian restaurant in the capital. You'll find mouth-watering regional specialities at Veeraswamy such as Rajasthani raj kachori, and Bengali chingri malai prawns on the pan-Indian menu.

Drinking

Aanya Wine Lounge

Smartly decked out in earthy hues, this Indian wine bar, with red leather seating and Indian-style chandeliers, is a relaxing place to hang out. The menu at Aanya Wine Lounge lists wines and north Indian snack food that you would find in India's smart cocktail parties; there are no curries served.

Akbar

Located beneath the acclaimed Red Fort restaurant, Akbar is a classy bar with its own separate entrance, and is decorated with Rajasthani sandstone and colourful rugs. The dimly lit alcoves are a good place for local TV, media, film and music crowds to gather and gossip. Cocktails are made from exotic ingredients like mango, lemongrass, dates, watermelon, and palm sugar; and bar snacks include poshed-up kebabs.

Decorated in warm spice colours with splashes of colourful sari fabric, this comfy, relaxing bar sells wines, beers, Asian-themed cocktails, champagnes, and Indian snacks. On the first Saturday of every month, Bar Saaqi hosts 'Jhoom' – a popular and vibrant Bollywood karaoke evening and club night from 8pm (£12 on the door).

Glassy Junction

Something of a Southall institution, this garish pub boasts an eccentric gold and velvet décor, a display of colourful jewels and pictures of Bollywood celebrities. Indian beers, such as Lal Toofan, are served at Glassy Junction alongside a basic menu of curries, and the pub claims to be the only one in the UK to accept Indian currency.

Mint Leaf

The dimly lit bar in the basement of this glamorous, stunningly designed Indian bar and restaurant attracts a mixed young crowd, and offers live jazz on Friday evenings. You'll find it hard to choose from Mint Leaf's long list of expertly made Asian-themed cocktails.