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Chef Asma Khan's guide to Indian food in London8 days agoShareSaveRituparna RoyShareSaveFran Gomez de Villaboa(Credit: Fran Gomez de Villaboa)The loteria federal 12 01 2019chef-owner of Darjeeling Express shares her favourite Indian restaurants in London – from dosa joints to fine dining – and why she wants you to embrace her culture.When chef and restaurateur Asma Khan moved to Cambridge from Kolkata in the early 1990s, she longed for the flavours of home. She wound up at a curry house – one of the ubiquitous Bangladeshi-or Pakistani-run restaurants that catered largely to British tastes.The SpeciaListKolkata-born Asma Khan opened Darjeeling Express in Kingly Court in 2017. She is the first British chef to be featured in the Netflix series Chef's Table season 6. In 2024, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Her latest cookbook Monsoon: Delicious Indian Recipes for Every Day and Season was published in March 2025 and is a celebration of India's seasonal cooking.(Credit: Fran Gomez de Villaboa)"We were served shahi pulao, a rice dish traditionally prepared with spices and dry fruits," recalls Khan. "It was nowhere close to the pulao I was used to eating. The rice came in green, orange and even blue colours!"By 1996, Khan had settled in London. Homesickness nudged her to start a supper club from her apartment in 2012, and following its massive success, she opened Darjeeling Express in 2017, the world's only Indian restaurant run entirely by women. Over the years, Khan has remained vocal about women's rights and racism in the culinary world: "I am brown. My food is brown. I want you to embrace my culture. I encourage you to eat with your hands," she says. Khan believes the UK's Indian food scene has undergone a remarkable shift. "Diners now understand that there are regional variations," she says. "They're also moving away from generic chicken tikka masala and saag paneer." Here are Khan's top eight Indian food experiences in London.Nandit DesaiBenares reinterprets traditional Indian dishes using British ingredients (Credit: Nandit Desai)1. Best modern Indian: Benares, MayfairThe Michelin-starred Benares is helmed by chef Sameer Taneja, known for reinterpreting traditional dishes using seasonal British produce. Taneja's classical French training, says Khan, is evident in every dish.She recommends the hiran boti tikka: "a dish made of deer meat marinated with moringa leaves and creme fraiche. What's interesting is that moringa is very traditional for us while creme fraiche is Western." Another standout is the beetroot hash brown prepared like kofta in a glorious korma (yoghurt-based) sauce with notes of fennel. The seafood thali (large platter containing many small plates) is inspired by India's rich coastal flavours and prepared with local catch. Khan marvels at the novelty of preparing chaat with fish. "Try the oyster and sea bream chaat," she urges. Website: benaresrestaurant.com/Address: 12a Berkeley Square, London, W1J 6BSPhone: (0) 20 7629 8886Instagram: @benaresofficialCourtesy of the Cinnamon ClubThe Cinnamon Club is an opulent Indian eatery housed in the former Westminster Library (Credit: Courtesy of the Cinnamon Club)2. Best historic setting: The Cinnamon Club, WestminsterHoused within the impressive former Westminster Library, The Cinnamon Club has been serving contemporary Indian food for more than two decades.Insider tip:Khan recommends booking in advance. "If you are on a strict budget but you still want to eat at The Cinnamon Club, you can book from Monday to Saturday, between 17:30 and 18:00 for a three-course meal at ￡38."The opulent menu crafted by chef Vivek Singh features a selection of homestyle and royalty-inspired offerings. Khan orders the chicken rezala, a delicately spiced dish with poppy seeds, yoghurt and finished with a hint of saffron and kewra water (pandan leaf essence)."London has Indian restaurants which may seem fancy, but you will get to try a very regional dish here, and this one is from Bengal," says Khan. Website: cinnamonclub.com/Address: 30-32 Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BUPhone: (0) 20 7222 2555Instagram: @thecinnamoncollectionCourtesy of Roti Chai Street KitchenBi-level Roti Chai serves hearty, shareable Indian snacks (Credit: Courtesy of Roti Chai Street Kitchen)3. Best street food: Roti Chai, Marble ArchRoti Chai is divided into two levels – Street Kitchen on the ground floor, which offers a selection of Indian chaat, and the downstairs Dining Room that serves regional Indian specialties. "If you're not up for a proper meal and are in the mood for Indian food, this is where you should go. Most of the dishes come in small, shareable portions so you can practically fill yourself with just two dishes," says Khan. "Go for the samosa chaat, which is a fried triangular pastry stuffed with spiced potatoes served with sweet and spicy tamarind chutney, creamy yoghurt and lots of crunch from sev [deep-fried noodle-like strands made of chickpea flour paste]."Khan also recommends the chilli chicken buns, papri chaat (crisp fried dough loaded with chutneys and toppings) and pani puri (spiced stuffed spheres). "If you're hungry, say at 16:00 or looking for a late lunch option, this is your spot," she says. Website: rotichai.com/Address: 3 Portman Mews South, London W1H 6HSPhone: (0) 20 7408 0101Instagram: @rotichaiAlamyKhan travels all the way to East Ham just for their authentic dosas (Credit: Alamy)4. Best dosa: Taste of India, East HamTaste of India in outer east London is Khan's go-to spot for dosa – thin, savoury crepes made of fermented rice and lentil batter.Insider tip:Khan suggests visiting the Indian supermarkets in East Ham to buy spices, chillies, sweets and papadums from South India. "There is a Hindu temple as well, and jasmine to tie in your hair."This South Indian breakfast staple is usually eaten with a filling of spiced potatoes tempered with curry leaves and sambhar, a hearty lentil and vegetable stew."If you don't mind travelling, it's worth making the journey [to East Ham]; you will find an array of restaurants serving dosa, biryani, vegetable curries and seafood specifically from the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala," says Khan, who happily makes the 40-minute trek just for the dosa. "It's hot, fast and can be eaten while standing. The fermentation of the batter is just right". Website: tasteofindia.asia/uk/Address: 293-295 High St N, London E12 6SLPhone: (0) 20 8472 9779Instagram: @tasteofindia_vegCourtesy of QuilonQuilon serves unique southern Indian coastal dishes (Credit: Courtesy of Quilon)5. Best coastal specialties: Quilon, WestminsterChef Sriram Aylur serves unique southern Indian dishes at his Michelin-starred restaurant Quilon, using seasonal catch and hand-ground spices. "Chef Sriram's food is fabulous; quite nuanced. The location is also very central," says Khan. "Definitely try the Cochin lobster broth… it's unique, very distinctive." She also recommends the Malabar biryani, a savoury rice dish made with lamb, flavoured with mace, cinnamon and fennel and cooked in a sealed pot.Website: quilon.co.ukAddress: 41 Buckingham Gate, London, SW1E 6AFPhone: (0) 20 7821 1899Instagram: @thequilonFran Gomez de VillaboaKhan has been a loyal customer at Diwana Bhel Poori House for nearly 30 years (Credit: Fran Gomez de Villaboa)6. Best vegetarian: Diwana Bhel Poori House, EustonA jukebox playing old Hindi film songs, long benches and falooda (a rose-flavoured drink topped with ice cream and nuts) – that's what Khan remembers about her first visits to Diwana Bhel Poori House in the late 1990s. This cheap and cheerful 1971 institution is known for its relaxed setting and serves vegetarian favourites such as bhel poori (puffed rice tossed with spices, fresh onion and chillies with tamarind and coriander chutneys), dosa and thalis heaped with vegetable curries and lentils. "Back in the day, whenever I ordered falooda, they'd tell me I would get diabetes. They are absolutely no-filter. [I've been a regular for] 30 years, and they are still the same," says Khan. "But that's how some of these Indian food joints are. Very much heart and soul."Address: 121, 123 Drummond St, London NW1 2HLPhone: (0) 20 7387 5556Instagram: @diwanabhelpoorihouseCourtesy of Asher's Africana Pure VegetarianAsher's Africana Pure Vegetarian is an under-the-radar haven for Gujarati cuisine (Credit: Courtesy of Asher's Africana Pure Vegetarian)7. Best under-the-radar: Asher's Africana Pure Vegetarian, WembleyThis unpretentious family-run spot caters to the Gujarati diaspora who settled in the UK following a mass exodus from East Africa in the 1960s and '70s. "The kitchen is run by older women, typically Gujarati widows, and the food is delicious, especially the beautiful, soft chapatis (thin wheat flatbreads) and parathas (shallow-fried flatbreads)," Khan said. "The sabzis (vegetables cooked with spices) are perfectly balanced." Khan also loves the restaurant's warm atmosphere. "It is quite heartening to find the staff chat and serve the older generation that probably fled during the exodus with much care." She adds: "It's very local and lesser known [as] it doesn't draw influencers or posts on Instagram. It's more popular among the Gujaratis and people living in the area." Address: 224 Ealing Rd, Wembley HA0 4QLPhone: (0) 20 8795 2455Instagram: @ashers.africanaCourtesy of Café Spice Namaste8. Best for an adventure: Café Spice Namaste, DocklandsLocated in East London's Royal Albert Wharf, Café Spice Namaste is a little off the beaten track. "Getting there is quite exciting – there's a cable car from Customs House," says Khan, noting that it's well worth the trip for "the unusual Parsi cuisine".The restaurant is run by Parsi couple Cyrus and Pervin Todiwalla. "They have the usual samosas and kebabs and all that," says Khan. "But what is most exciting are the Parsi dishes. They have the dhansak (meat and lentils cooked with spices), Parsi prawn curry with red rice and the original vindaloo – not like what is commonly available here.""It's a part of London that most tourists don't see," she adds. "It's quite a beautiful visual journey." Website: cafespice.co.ukAddress: 1-2 Lower Dock Walk, London E16 2GT, United KingdomPhone: (0) 20 7488 9242Instagram: @cafespicenamasteldn BBC Travel's The SpeciaList is a series of guides to popular and emerging destinations around the world, as seen through the eyes of local experts and tastemakers.--If you liked this story, sign up for The Essential List newsletter – a handpicked selection of features, videos and can't-miss news, delivered to your inbox twice a week. For more Travel stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook and Instagram.The SpeciaListFood & DrinkCityFeatures
