10 restaurants for a spicy feast to warm up your winter
The perfect way to spice up your winter evenings… we select the best restaurants for a curry
Img credit: J. W. Howard Photography
1
Bombay Delight
Wimbledon
This delicious Wimbledon-based curry house is a delight of Indian cuisine. Their team of expertly-skilled chefs prepare a wide range of dishes, including an absolutely amazing seafood samundri khazana, with salmon, monkfish, tiger prawn’s mousse stuffed in calamari, with garlic tomato sauce and raw mango. Be sure to try their exquisite appetiser of a samosa chat, cooked with chickpeas, fresh onion and tomato in a mint, tamarind sauce.
Credit: J. W. Howard Photography
2
Tampopo
Wimbledon
Tampopo is one to go for if you’re looking for the Far Eastern side of things. This pan-Asian restaurant serves up some delicious Asian curries, from a scrumptious Japanese katsu made with Panko chicken breast, sweet and spice curry sauce, pink ginger and bulldog sauce to a vibrant and flavoursome Thai green curry. You can also enjoy their yummy cocktails at the stylish bar – head to happy hour every day before 7pm and after 9pm.
3
Cinnamon Kitchen
Battersea
This stylish, contemporary restaurant is surrounded by impressive industrial décor, but it’s the food that really blows you away. The restaurant specialises in modern-Indian cuisine with British influences, the stand-outs of which being a gorgeous paneer butter masala and a Lucknowi chicken biryani. Try some of the delicious and unique desserts, like the Bengali sweet coconut rolls, or the Royal Punjabi malai kulfi with cardamom and cinnamon.
Middle image credit: Johnny Stephens Photography
4
Roz Ana
Kingston
Roz Ana – in Hindi it literally means “come every day” – and it is tempting. With a charming and eye-catching exterior, and a cosy, warm interior, the atmosphere is perfect before you’ve already taken your first bite. Highlights of the menu include the appetiser of traditional minced lamb seekh kahabs with green chillies, ginger and cardamom, and an amazing chicken makhani – Tandoori chicken on the bone smothered in a creamy tomato sauce.
5
Kashmir
Putney
Serving divine food from the Kashmiri region, Kashmir elevates your dining experience with the ritual of washing your hands in an ornate vessel known as a Tashtri. The menu offers up singular delights of scrumptious biryanis, chicken dishes and seafood. They also have an extensive vegetarian menu on offer, including an amazing baigan ka bhartha: smoked aubergine mashed and cooked with green peas, onions and tomatoes in a traditional Punjabi style.
6
Daastan
Ewell
Daastan – translation: “a story” – opened in 2016 and quickly became one of the most beloved Indian restaurants in Surrey, and is now Michelin-recommended. Their varied and extensive menu includes a selection of chaat, from pani puri to fish and pink prawn amritsari, and a variety of delicious kebabs and tikkas served as starter portions. Highlights of the main menu include a wonderful chicken chettinad. There is also a separate vegan menu.
7
Swagat
Richmond
Swagat is a cosy and rosy-lit Indian restaurant serving excellent food. They offer a tempting variety of delicious curries, with a hugely extensive selection of prawn and chicken dishes, and the veggie options are stacked too: we recommend the pindi chole, made from chickpeas tempered with ginger, green chilli and raw mango powder.
8
Yaadein
Epsom
Yaadein won the 2022 TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice Award, and it’s easy to see why. You can choose from their selection of biryanis serviced with cucumber raita – the vegetarian jackfruit and peas biryani is a stand out. From their Tandoor selection, the Tandoor murgh tikka, made from boneless chicken pieces in a spicy marinade until slightly charred is a must-try. Be sure to try their authentic desserts too, which include ‘jamun e gul’ – deep fried balls made with khoya, soaked in a sugar syrup flavoured with rose water, cardamom and saffron.
9
Cilantro
Putney
A charming and elegant Indian restaurant in Putney. You can choose form their small plates selection, which includes succulent hand-dived Nariyal scallops in coconut milk and turmeric, and 24-hours marinated Pondicherry lamb chops with mint chutney. Their larger plates selection features a delicious Bengal fisherman’s curry with fresh water prawns, scallops and monkfish. Cilantro is definitely one to add to the list if you’re a fan of seafood curries.
10
Spice Village
Tooting
The menu of Spice Village takes you on a culinary journey throughout the evolution of Pakistani/Punjabi cuisine, with a blend of regional food traditions and diverse cultural heritage. The décor is a jazzy riot of colour, and the menu is a delicious riot of flavour: a must-try is the Village Special tarka dhal.
