Britain’s enduring infatuation with the food of the Indian subcontinent shows no sign of waning. Indian food here has survived eras of stuffy formality and flagrant bastardisation, passed down through families, ever evolving.
What was once homogenous has become nuanced; different regional cuisines and techniques are now recognised. There is much to say about regional Indian food, with London offering some real sit-up-and-pay-attention spots. From the Kerelan and Tamil Nadu food of the south to the Punjabi cuisine of the north west, most of the 28 Indian states are well accounted for here in London. But while a number of Indian restaurants in the capital have veered towards fine dining, now though, there’s a new generation of more casual, so-called “Indian tapas” spots coming through.
The sharing culture of small plates found in southern European eating has collided with the familial and convivial sharing culture so pervasive in Indian cookery. This goes well beyond sharing a group order of a few curries from a traditional curry house; this is elevated attention to smaller, affordable plates of food, specifically designed with communal dining in mind. Experimentation is here too, as is a healthy disregard for the rules imparted by things such as borders.
The shift isn’t a rejection of the fine dining which came before with the likes of Chutney Mary or Veeraswamy, more a plea for accessibility from diners who are still going out, but spending less — these are still hard times. Where £100 would comfortably sate two ravenous eaters at Tamila, it’ll hardly cover the first round of drinks at Gymkhana.
Here then are the new generation of casual, accessible Indian tapas restaurants in London.
Tamila
Tamila launched in Kings Cross following the success of its Clapham outpost, itself a casual iteration of the brilliant Tamil Prince and Tamil Crown. Set up by Prince Durairaj, the former Roti King chef whose flaky rotis took London by storm, the latest spot on Caledonian road represents an expansion of ideas, affordability and access. Diners can easily walk out having been well-fed for under £30-a-head, with some wildly flavourful dishes, not least of which the rich dhal and mutton curry dosa. Chicken lollipops are fun and relaxed, and represent a bit of a disregard for the rules, while the spicing and traditional tandoor oven nod appropriately to heritage.
39 Northcote Road, SW11 1NJ & 8 Caledonian Road, N1 9DU, tamila.uk
Oorja
The soon-to-open Oorja promises informality and comfort food. Unlike Tamila, Oorja will focus on the northwestern region of Hyderabad, alongside a number of other northern Indian-inspired dishes expected too. Palak pakoda, a type of fried pakora and mirchi vada, a Jodhpuri street food snack of stuffed and fried peppers sit on a menu with larger plates of railway lamb curry with black cardamom and warming sufiyani salmon with royal cumin. These are keenly priced dishes, with a spend per head likely to sit close to about £35 for a decent feed.
Opening February, 117 Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2H 8AF, oorja.co.uk
The Great Indian
In Archway, the recently opened Great Indian arrives courtesy founder Surjan Singh, aka “Chef Jolly”, who arrives in London via stints as a judge on MasterChef India. The restaurant, perhaps unfortunately acronymized to “TGI”, serves what it describes as vibrant small plates, which in reality means coastal chilli tamarind prawns dosa, a degh dal makhani made with urad lentils and Goan pork belly pav. Chef Jolly prides himself on a pan-Indian menu, with accessibility and communal dining key.
139 Marlborough Road, N19 4NU, thegreatindian.uk
Bonoo Indian Tapas
Neighbourhood joint Bonoo doubled up lately with a second site in Muswell Hill. A menu of classics is given an accessible, easy slant courtesy the tapas-inspired portions with even the more generous of these coming in between £9 and £15. A spend of £25-£40-a-head will sate most.
4-5 Fortis Green, Muswell Hill, N2 9HP, bonoo.co.uk
Kricket
It’s unlikely that this newer glut of accessible Indian restaurants would be so fervently popular without Kricket. The story is the stuff of London restaurant lore: a small but impactful pop-up in Brixton — the once glorious incubator of ideas, Pop Brixton, now sadly consigned to developers and money men — was followed by quiet investment and small, steady growth. Now the business is more of a “brand” with outposts in Soho, White City, Canary Wharf and in 2018, a return to spiritual home Brixton. The new digs in Shoreditch arrive in March, with breakfasts on offer too, completing the arc from independent haunt to serious player.
Opening March 2025, 36 Charlotte Road, EC2A 3PG, kricket.co.uk
