London has been eating Indian food for over two centuries, and the competition has never been fiercer. The story starts at 34 Goodge Street, where Sake Dean Mahomed — a former captain in the Bengal Army of the East India Company — opened the Hindoostane Coffee House in 1810, giving Fitzrovia its first hit of subcontinental spice. That restaurant didn't survive, but the city's appetite did.
The oldest survivor is Veeraswamy, trading off Regent Street since 1926 and still going strong. Around it, the capital now offers something close to a full tour of India without leaving the M25: Tamil Nadu's rice and lentil dishes from the far south, mountain flavours from the north, Portuguese-influenced coastal cooking, and the classic curried staples Brits have loved for generations.
The range of experiences is the real headline. Want a tasting menu worth its stars? Michelin-recognised kitchens like Benares and Ambassadors Clubhouse deliver. Feeding a big, chatty group? Dishoom's hearty all-day menu is built for it. After the old-school pairing of poppadoms and a pint? The Tamil Prince has that covered.
As for where to eat: Brick Lane remains the most famous stretch of Indian restaurants in the city. Post-war immigration from India and Bangladesh turned this corner of East London into a curry heartland, and a meal here is still a rite of passage for travelling foodies. But the centre of gravity has shifted — Soho and Mayfair now pack in the densest concentration of seriously good Indian cooking, with a choice that can feel almost overwhelming. That's where the newer, slicker end of the scene lives, alongside the heritage names.
For a visitor, this is one of London's easiest wins. You can eat your way through the list on a long weekend — a lunch at Dishoom, dinner at Veeraswamy for the history, something regional in Soho, and a brick-lane-style curry for the full nostalgia trip. Book ahead for the Michelin end; the big-group spots are easier but still busy at weekends.
