The best Indian food in London: 10 places to visit

Mayfair is the epicentre of the city’s Michelin-starred Indian dining. At Benares, one of the best Indian restaurants in Central London, British ingredients like Scottish lobster and scallops, Welsh lamb, and English chicken and clams are taken on a short culinary tour of the subcontinent, before landing well-rested and content on your plate. The à la carte and tasting menus read beautifully well, you can almost taste the words – go on, take a look – and everything just abounds with flavour and warmth at Benares.

Located in Peckham, South London, this popular neighbourhood restaurant focuses on simple South Indian cooking. There’s a lightness here, across a menu that takes in Indian street food and curries, and traditional thalis at lunchtime. At the helm is Claire Fisher, a self-taught British chef who has managed to create an authentic South Indian experience, south of the river. She fell in love with India on her travels and that love is palpable when you eat at Ganapati.

Such is the wealth of quality Indian food in London that a Michelin star is hardly a guarantee of or a necessity for an unforgettable meal. Gymkhana, however, is a name that triggers fervour amongst those in the know. Inspired by the elite clubs of India, where high society would meet to eat, drink, socialise, play sport and hatch money-making plans, the kitchen here elevates classic dishes like butter chicken and biryani to Michelin grade, with fabulous cocktails, all in a smart Mayfair location.

_{Photo courtesy @gymkhanalondon}

With restaurants in various major Indian cities (the brand was launched there in the 1990s) it’s fitting that the menu at the London outpost of Jamavar covers the length and breadth of the country’s cuisine. It’s all very elegant, with lots of dark wood and brass, and pretty plating. The fish and seafood dishes sing beautifully here, with nods to Indian royal cuisine, and any of the restaurant’s regular punters will tell you it’s no surprise it recently regained its Michelin star. Jamavar has to be one of the top spots for Indian fine dining in London.

This huge, 100% vegetarian South Indian restaurant chain has branches in over 20 countries around the world, including seven in the UK, all in London. That doesn’t mean this is generic chain restaurant food however, far from it. The plentiful thalis and enormous dosas are the stars, and it’s amazing how one can suddenly find room in one’s distended belly for another round when staff comes round to top up the former. With a low price point, Saravanaa Bhavan is a great spot for an inexpensive Indian lunch in London. [Various locations].

_{Photo courtesy @saravanaabhavanlondon}