My Top 3 Indian Restaurants in London
Tried and tested.
My Search For The Most Authentic
Moving to London more than a year ago after living in India for over 21 years definitely led to a bit of a shock to my tastebuds, since the food here is quite different to what I was used to eating back home.
However, London is extremely multi-cultural and you can find almost any cuisine here. I tried (if I say so myself) almost hundreds of Indian restaurants in the city and while many were not as impressive, there are some places that I go back to again and again, and have even recommended them to friends! Here are my top 3:
1. Gunpowder
The best of the best in my opinion. I have been here multiple times and it’s always a very authentic and lovely experience. They have 3 branches in London, but I suggest visiting only the Tower Bridge branch as that’s where you would get the true experience.
They do Indian food in the most aesthetic, delicious, authentic yet comforting way. It’s a place I would recommend for a casual meal with friends, celebrations, date nights or even by yourself. If my parents were to visit London, I’d take them here, it’s that good.
My favourite things to get: Tandoori Chicken for starters, Egg curry with rice, the Lamb (MUST GET). They also do an amazing chocolate brownie and vanilla ice-cream for dessert.
2. Brigadiers
The fact that I celebrated my birthday here last year is enough proof that I love this place. Based in Bloomberg Arcade, it’s very modern, giving off good vibes. But the food is absolutely delicious and tastes extremely authentic. The do a modern twist on some dishes, but they taste divine, and exactly how I would find in local restaurants in Delhi.
My favourite things to get: Butter Chicken Wings, Dal and the Bread Basket, Hyderabadi Biryani, Vada Pav.
3. Mowgli: Street Food
This was a random find. My friend and I were looking to find a good Indian place to eat while walking near the Oxford Street-Soho-Covent Garden area, you know — typical central London. We came across Mowgli and the vibe was nothing but immaculate. It looks like a gorgeous little restaurant, perfect for date nights or celebrations, they even have tables with swings as chairs (so Indian)!
We were recommended the Butter Chicken and the rotis. 10/10 to both of them! This is one of the more affordable places with some of the curry options being much less than £10! The taste is as authentic it can get and the atmosphere is cosy, modern and beautiful! I would definitely recommend you check it out!
Some Honourable Mentions
- Dishoom
This place has my heart. Some might say it’s not as authentic but every visit of mine has been absolutely amazing. It’s also perhaps the most famous Indian restaurant in London with multiple branches.
My favourite things to get: Chili Chicken and Vada Pav for starters, Chicken Ruby, Chicken Biryani, Garlic Naan for main. I sometimes get the Keema Pav or Pav Bhaji if I’m too hungry. Their Black daal is amazing and tastes delicious with some naan!
- Mango Indian
This little hidden gem near London Bridge and the Borough market was an interesting find. I was looking for newer Indian restaurants near my previous workplace and this popped up. The menu had all the usual Indian dishes, a VERY good variety and invited one of my freinds to try it out with me!
We ordered a lamb curry, a starter with a mix of kebabs, and a full naan/bread basket. Everything tasted really good, and super authentic. It reminded me of eating in Indian resturants like Gulati’s back in Delhi. The place is also quite affordable with it costing less than £20 per person for our meal! I’d definitely be visiting again.
The only part I didn’t like was that they take your credit card details while booking and the cancellation fee is hefty!
- Hichki
Snuggled on one of the streets in the Whitechapel area is this little gem. I’ve been here multiple times and have ordered takeaway/delivery food from here even more number of times as I used to live just a few mins walk away from this place!
This isn’t as modern as the other options, but it has an authentic taste in *some* of it’s dishes. I won’t recommend everything here, but what I do recommend is worth having!
Must gets: Momos, Chole Bhature, Chicken Manchurian, Veg Schezuan Noodles (and honestly any of the Indo-Chinese dishes), Seekh Kebab!
It’s a great find, and very tasty food for not a high price, 100% worth checking it out!
I will obviously not stop trying out more places that serve Indian cuisine in London, so this list is just what I’ve been able to gather in the past year. Maybe there is a place that does Mutton Seekh Kebab with Green Chutney just the way I am used to, or maybe there’s a place that has the perfect texture of naan bread. We will have to find out. Till then, I’m going to be frequently visiting the above…
