Table of Contents
1 Fancy a curry in London’s Mayfair.
Indian food has become one of the UK’s favourite foods, and Mayfair has some of the finest & original Indian restaurants in the UK. In this article, we look at the many Indian restaurants in Mayfair and see what this part of London has to offer, so if you are like me & love a good curry, you will not be disappointed.
We look at the UK’s oldest Indian restaurant, four restaurants with Michelin stars, and amongst the others are restaurants delivering truly exceptional Indian food. There is something for every Indian food lover or a must-read for those looking to experience the magic of Indian cuisine for the first time. Lets go and look at top Indin restaurants in Mayfair.
2 Veeraswamy
We start with the UK’s oldest Indian restaurant -97 years young. Veeraswamy is the first of four Indian restaurants in Mayfair with a Michelin star.
Veeraswamy has been at the same location in Regent Street for 97 years. However, the food constantly evolving, using good quality local food with delicate spicing.
Chefs are brought in from various regions in India to replicate the spicing of the region. We recently reviewed Veraswamy, so to find out what makes this an exceptional restaurant, click here.
There are two dishes from the original menu: Mulligatawny soup and Hyderabad biriani. From my recent visit, I can recommend the Scottish King Scallops, Tandoori King Prawns from the starters & the Devon crab biryani were sublime & the not-to-be-missed signature Welsh Lamb shank cooked for six hours in pastry. I could go on as the menu is packed with gems, I was very impressed with my meal at Veeraswamy.
Address Victory House, 99 Regent St., London W1B 4RS.
3 Jamavar
Jamavar is the first London restaurant from the luxurious Indian hotel group, The Leela. Located on Mount Street, the restaurant boasts a beautiful dark-wood-panelled space with a colonial-era gentlemen’s club decor. But this Indian fine dining spot is more than just style. The food is exceptional and lives up to the reputation it has built over time. Leela’s Lobster Nerulli is a Jamavar signature dish made with Southern spiced coconut milk, pearl onions and kal dosa.
Jamavar is our second Mayfair restaurant to receive a Michelin Star, a testament to its outstanding cuisine.
Address 8 Mount St, London W1K 3NF
4 Gymkhana
Gymkhana opened in 2013. The restaurant is spread over two floors. The dark chocolate oak floor is lacquered and mirrors the wood ceiling. The room is flanked by a handsome marble bar, and the furniture and booths are made of heavy wood and leather. Ceiling fans and wall lamps are cut glass from Jaipur. The food has received many accolades from the very highest echelon of reviewers. Most rave over the famed wild muntjac biryani, I’m not going to disagree with them as the food is excellent and well deserving of their Michelin star.
Address: 42 Albemarle St, London W1S 4JH
5 Benares
Benares is a Michelin-starred Indian restaurant in London’s Mayfair district. It was previously owned by celebrity chef Atul Kochhar. The restaurant is spread over two floors. The ground floor has a large bar area and a dining room with dark wood furniture and chandeliers. The upper floor has a more intimate dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows.
The menu at Benares features a wide variety of Indian dishes, from traditional curries to more innovative creations. The ingredients are sourced from all over India, and the dishes are cooked with precision and attention to detail.
Some of the signature dishes at Benares include the baked scallop Malabar, Smoked Chilli Marinated Tandoori Lamb, Channa Puri Halwa. Benares received a Michelin star in 2007 and has retained it ever since.
Address 12a Berkeley Square, London W1J 6BS
6 Kanishka
Kanishka is a contemporary Indian restaurant located in London’s Mayfair district. It is chef Atul Kochhar’s new venture, who is renowned for his inventive approach to Indian cuisine. The restaurant is named after Kanishka, the second emperor of the Kushan Empire, which ruled over a vast area in the 1st century CE.
Kanishka, a destination restaurant in London’s Mayfair, renowned for its authentic Indian flavours, has launched a brand new menu. Building on the previous menu, the new menu continues to focus on Pan-Indian food, embracing the styles of India’s various regions.
Kanishka’s skilled kitchen team, led by chef Atul Kochhar, have curated a symphony of new dishes representing the diverse and distinct flavours of India’s various regions, from Punjab to Kerala, Kolkata to Delhi and everywhere in between. New dishes on the menu include the likes of South Indian bonda, comprising a Cromer crab fritter with grilled corn, apple salad, kimchi and chilli-tamarind chutney; Tamil podi masala with pan-seared hand-dived Orkney scallop; Bihari Ahuna lamb curry rife with chilli, fennel and stone flowers; Ajwaini jhinga, a dish of tandoor grilled prawns with ajwain, smoked aubergine baba ghanoush and citrus chutney and one of Kanishka’s new specials is Lagusta Xec Xec, Lobster curry with Goa xec xec gravy, apple pickle and wild rice bhel.
Like the sound of Kanishka, read our in depth review here.
Address 17-19 Maddox St, London W1S 2QH
7 BiBi
Bibi is a sister restaurant of Gymkhana (part of the JKS Group). Chef Parton Chet Sharma has created an interesting menu drawn from his experience working at some of the world’s top restaurants.
Some highlights from the menu, Aged Swaledale lamb Kebab, Galloway Beef Pepper fry, Devon Scallop Nimbu Pani, and Okra Salan, all indicate this is no ordinary Indian restaurant.
Address: 42 North Audley St, London W1K 6ZP
8 Tamarind
Tamarind is renowned for serving high-quality Indian food who’s head chef back in the day was non other Atol Kochhar (not the first Atiol has been mentioned in this feature). It lost its Michelin star in 2019, which it held since 2001.
Tamarind Mayfair offers a tasting menu and a Gourmet menu.
9 Bombay Bustle
Bombay Bustle Mayfair is a casual Indian restaurant in Maddox Street. It is known for its modern take on Indian cuisine, with dishes inspired by the bustling streets of Mumbai.
The restaurant is spread over two floors. The ground floor has a large bar area and a dining room with dark wood furniture and chandeliers. The upper floor has a more intimate dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows.
The menu at Bombay Bustle Mayfair features a wide variety of Indian dishes, from street food to more traditional curries. The ingredients are sourced from all over India, and the dishes are cooked with care and attention to detail.
Some of the signature dishes at Bombay Bustle Mayfair include the Rarah Keema Pao, Malabar Lamb Curry, and Bustle Tandoor Platter.
Address 29 Maddox St, London W1S 2PA.
10 Manthan
Chef Rohit Ghai has drawn on his culinary experiences in kitchens all over the world, as well as his childhood in Madhya Pradesh, to create a menu that fuses home-style cooking with expertly honed techniques in dishes that are bursting with flavour and personality.
With sleek interiors, a central statement bar, and a beautiful dining room, Manthan provides the perfect backdrop for convivial dining, drinking, and snacking. Highlights on the menu include Osso Buco (lamb curry) and paneer Makhani. I was pleased to see they had an express Thali lunch menu starting at £18 for the three-course veggie option & £20 for the meat version.
Address: 42 Maddox Street, London, W1S 2PQ
11 Madhu’s of Mayfair
Madhu’s of Mayfair is a Punjabi restaurant in the Dilly Hotel in Piccadilly, well-known for its authentic Punjabi cuisine influenced by Indian and Kenyan flavours. The restaurant is named after Madhu Ahuja, who was born in Kenya to Punjabi parents. In 1988, Madhu founded the restaurant and brought her family’s recipes to London when she moved to the city.
Some menu highlights are tandoori salmon, Madhu’s lamb shank, butter chicken, and Madhu’s Makhani Dal. These are a few Punjabi dishes featured on the menu at Madhu’s of Mayfair. The ingredients used are sourced from different regions of India. The flavours are bold and rich, and the presentation is elegant and sophisticated.
Address: The Dilly Hotel, 21 Piccadilly, London W1J 0BH
I hope you enjoyed, and I think you will agree, even by looking at the pictures, that Mayfair has some spectacular Indian Restaurants. If you have or are planning to visit any of the above, please send your feedback, as we rely on your input. If you want to keep up to date with all the news from Mayfair’s busy hospitality scene, sign up to our newsletter. Will will update you on any new Indian restaurants in Mayfair.
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If we have satisfied your craving for curry, why not take a look at our reviews on seafood and Italian restaurants in Mayfair.
