London has an abundance of Indian restaurants – a testament to the capital's love of a spicy curry, fresh naan or crispy samosa.
On the menu you'll find traditional Indian dishes sitting alongside recipes created right here in London. With so much variety, there's something for everyone – whether your spice tolerance is hot, medium or mild!
1. Kricket
Grab a stool around the sleek counter at Kricket and watch the open kitchen turn British ingredients into innovative plates of modern Indian food. The menu changes with the seasons, but you can usually expect to find treats such as the signature Keralan fried chicken with curry leaf mayonnaise, the moreish bhel puri and crispy samphire pakoras.
Where: Soho (12 Denman Street, W1D 7HH), Brixton (41-43 Atlantic Road, SW9 8JL) and White City (2 Television Centre, W12 7FR)
2. Amaya
Tuck into scrumptious contemporary Indian dishes cooked using traditional techniques at acclaimed London Indian restaurant, Amaya. Enjoy the theatrical open kitchen as you savour dishes including flamed venison kebab and own-made paneer at this swish Michelin-starred spot in Belgravia.
Where: Belgravia (Halkin Arcade, SW1X 8JT)
3. The Cinnamon Club
Head to Vivek Singh's fine-dining Westminster flagship, The Cinnamon Club, for beautiful modern Indian cuisine, an inspired wine list and seamless service. An institution on the London Indian restaurants scene, it’s housed in the former Westminster Library, a historic Grade II-listed building still adorned with books on the walls.
Where: Westminster (The Old Westminster Library, SW1P 3BU)
4. Gymkhana
Treat yourself to indulgent Michelin-starred Indian fare at Gymkhana in Mayfair. The menu is modern Indian with a focus on the tandoor oven and sigri charcoal grill. Signature dishes include club-style nashtas (Indian all-day snack fare). Dishes such as Achari roe deer chops, pickling spices, clove smoke, mustard mooli are served roasted from the tandoor.
Where: Mayfair (42 Albemarle St, W1S 4JH)
5. Dishoom
Enjoy the ambiance of the old Irani cafés of Bombay at Dishoom in Covent Garden. Savour Indian street-food staples including lamb or vegetables samosas, okra fries, black daal, roomali roti, paneer rolls and more, washed down with a great cup of house chai. You’ll also find Dishoom offshoots in King’s Cross, Shoreditch and Carnaby.
Where: Covent Garden (12 Upper St Martin's Ln, WC2H 9FB), King's Cross (5 Stable St, N1C 4AB), Shoreditch (7 Boundary St, E2 7JE) and Carnaby (22 Kingly St, W1B 5QP)
6. Tayyabs
Started by Mohammad Tayyab in 1972, this beloved family-run restaurant in Whitechapel has grown in size and reputation over the years. Originally a daytime café for locals, Tayyabs eventually opened an evening restaurant in an adjoining Victorian pub. Definitely try the fiery grilled lamb chops, still one of London’s best Indian dishes.
Where: Whitechapel (83-89 Fieldgate St, E1 1JU)
7. Gunpowder
Try local south Indian delights, including maa’s kashmiri lamb chops and chettinad pulled duck served with homemade oothappam, at Gunpowder, a tiny, homey Indian restaurant set in trendy Spitalfields. Here, traditional family recipes are given a modern twist using responsibly sourced ingredients.
Where: Spitalfields (11 White's Row, E1 7NF), Tower Bridge (4 Duchess Walk, SE1 2SD) and Soho (20 Greek Street, W1D 4DU)
8. Tamarind
Another fixture on the London Indian restaurants scene, Michelin-starred Tamarind offers a sophisticated fine dining experience in Mayfair, with effortlessly charming staff, discreet service and tantalising Indian food that few can compete with. Think stunning regional curries, tandoor grills, biryanis, succulent creamy desserts and more.
Where: Mayfair (20 Queen St, W1J 5PR)
9. Jamavar
Become immersed in Indian grandeur at Jamavar in Mayfair. Named after colourful Kashmiri shawls of the 16th century, this top London Indian restaurant exudes opulence through its delicious pan-Indian cuisine and colonial-style decor. The menu combines traditional recipes from the Himalayan foothills with unique flavours from the south.
Where: Mayfair (8 Mount St, W1K 3NF)
10. Trishna
Discover the coastal cuisine of southwest India at Michelin-starred Trishna in Marylebone. The chefs at this top-class London Indian restaurant make use of seasonal British ingredients with flair, resulting in fresh, fragrant dishes such as aloo tokri chat, Dorset brown crab, tandoori mustard prawns and seafood pilau.
Where: Marylebone (15-17 Blandford St, W1U 3DG)