Every year, the UK witnessed a huge in-pour of applications from students all across the globe. Among those international students, there is a substantial chunk of Indian students who are living and studying in the UK. As we all know, the UK cuisine is very much influenced by the Indian culture, so much so that the national dish in England is the chicken tikka masala, which is a traditional Indian dish. This has given rise to an Anglo-Indian culinary experience in the UK over the last century which has culminated in some of the best Indian restaurants in the world being in the UK.
This article aims to put forward some of the Indian restaurants in the UK, especially for the Indian students there.
- Quilon, London
Located right in the heart of the city, this restaurant is a must-go among both the Indians and the local people. This classic Indian-themed restaurant may just be the best one on this list, as it is a Michelin Star restaurant. Not only that, but it is also the only restaurant of its kind which has successfully retained its Michelin Star since 2008, which is a record in itself. Therefore, there should not be any doubts about the quality of the food here! The second record of this restaurant is that it is the restaurant that imports the largest collection of spices from India to the UK! On this basis alone, this restaurant is worth a visit for all the Indian students in the UK.
Talking about the dishes in this restaurant, it primarily offers Konkan and the Malabar flavors of the Indian coastal region in the midst of the British capital! The spices are carefully packed and imported and then further ground in-home cooking methods. The only drawback of this beautiful restaurant is its price. Indian students studying in the UK may not be able to afford it every day. But the authentic Indian flavors are still worth visiting once a week or two!
- The Ambrette, Kent
This restaurant easily qualifies for being the best Indian-themed restaurant but at a very pocket-friendly price. The value for the cost spent here is just mind-boggling! This restaurant is widely known for its ambiance and its traditional Indian dishes. For starters, it has everyone’s favorite – masala vada pav. This restaurant primarily focuses on the use of authentic Indian spices to amp up the flavors of typical Latin American dishes. This Indo Latin fusion is something that you should try out if you are an Indian student studying in the UK.
For the main course, it has its signature dish – Mutton Gravy! This dish is particularly popular among UK locals due to the burst of flavors it offers when it goes into your mouth! And finally, for the dessert, the Gulab Jamun always takes the cake as the fan-favorite among all Indian deserts currently on their menu. Indian students studying in the UK should try out dining at such a pocket-friendly cost in such an amazing restaurant.
- Dishoom, Soho
This restaurant is widely known in its local area as one of the closest resemblances to an actual Indian restaurant due to its focus on maintaining the traditional Indian culture. Even during the drink offering, the waiters dress in traditional Indian outfits and even the drinks are typical Indian drinks such as lassi and sharbat. There are other drinks available as well, but if you plan to visit this restaurant, be prepared. Because even the typical UK drinks have a slight Indian twist to them added by the restaurant chefs. It is said that you can’t get a table in this restaurant just by walking in. A reservation has to be made days before getting a table in this restaurant. This tells you how popular it exactly is among the foodies of the UK!
As for the menu, everything here screams Indian. This place is famous for cooking up the most traditional Indian dishes in the UK and people even say they can taste India through these dishes! Indian students in the UK should try out this restaurant if they miss their homemade foods.
- Gymkhana, London
This one is also located in the British capital and regularly takes away the top prize when it comes to innovation in food. The dishes in this restaurant are a mixture of three different cuisines: Indian, Pakistani and French. The head chef here, Karan Sethi is known all over the place to reproduce some of the best Indian-themed foods in a Western manner while still keeping the tradition alive in the food.
Awarded the prestigious National Restaurant Of The Year 2014, this place is known in its locality to cook the best chicken tikka ever! Not only that, but this restaurant is a favorite among die-hard Indian cuisine fans. This is due to their naan and chicken tikka masala combo meal which has left even the British people wanting more. Thus, it would be a must-visit for any Indian student studying in the UK.
- Lasan, Birmingham
This restaurant may just be the most prestigious, in terms of awards, among all on this list. It was rewarded and recognized as The Best Indian Restaurant in the TV show- The F Word! This place is famous for catering to thousands of people with the delicious taste of the Himalayan region of India. Even the traditional Indian food lovers admit that there they can find a certain taste of the “Mountains” in these dishes. Truly, the culinary brilliance of this place is otherworldly and takes you through a whole new world of flavors and spices that only Indian foods can do. It has a several-course menu along with its fine ambiance which together forms a duo that attracts people from even miles away coming through the busy traffic of Birmingham just to get this great dining experience. Indian students in the UK right now should add this place to their must-visit restaurants!
- The Cinnamon Club, London
This restaurant not only takes care of the Indian traditional values through its meals but also makes an effort to be religiously inclusive just like the Indian culture. Even the portions are large-sized to indicate that Indians are not holding back when it comes to food. The menu of this place is as diverse as it can get. Just like the population of India, the menu consists of several different types of items depending on the regional diversity of India. There is a separate section solely for vegetarians as India has the largest population of vegetarians in the world! In the non-veg section, you can find anything from various types of fish to chicken and mutton. But the real punch is in the taste of these dishes. The spices here are top-notch and world-class for sure! And as for the finishing, they have Indian desserts but with a slight twist that you never saw coming. If you are an Indian student studying in the UK, consider this restaurant as your next destination in your local food adventure tour!
- Prashad, Drighlington
This is one of those rarest rare restaurants in the UK that serve exclusive vegetarian dishes throughout its entire menu, so no non-veg is allowed here. One of the major attractions here is the way the head chef has managed to successfully blend traditional Gujarati dishes with the Western culinary culture. This is the second-best restaurant after Lasan, which Gordon Ramsay himself promoted in his list of featured Indian restaurants in the UK.
Adding to this marvelous achievement, the ambiance of this place is calm and serene, making the dining experience a thing to remember for its customers. The staff is particularly well catering to the customers so much so that, this restaurant boasts of one of the highest customer retention rates in the entire country! As for the menu, although it is vegetarian, you would not miss non-veg here as the taste of each of the dishes is top-notch and worth every penny. The must-try items in this restaurant are said to be the samosa chat and the all-time classic – poori masala! Indian students living in the UK must give this one a shot.
- Veeraswamy, London
This restaurant is located in the middle of Regent Street, London. This place is often credited as the birthplace of the Anglo-Indian cuisine that made the classic chicken tikka masala the national food of the UK! This was the first restaurant in the UK that started serving Indian domestic dishes to the western population that adored the typical fish and chips of the British cuisine. Soon after, the restaurant became synonymous with India and lots of Indians flocked it every evening to get a taste of their homeland at the dinner table.
The menu consists of traditional dishes from all over India, including vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. The veg options are varied enough. Malai Kofta and mixed veg take the prize away with their delicious taste while in the non-veg category, butter chicken and chicken tikka are the champions due to their spicy nature and the juicy chicken that comes off the bone the moment you bite into the meat! Adding to all the excitement, this restaurant even has a separate section for the South Indian delicacies such as masala dosa, paper dosa, idli vada. Just like India, this restaurant is also very diverse in its food items.
- Trishna, London
This restaurant serves the most authentic Indian dishes without sacrificing the food values. And unlike any other restaurant, this place is particularly known for its starters. The most famous of them is the potato bhel which is called so at any street style restaurant in the UK serving Western street food. Other starters such as the golgappa are known among the locals as being one of the signature dishes of this restaurant. The golgappa is typically served with potato stuffing and a hint of salty imli water but you will have the option of choosing the water like Dahi water or even lime juice. Next comes the chole kulche which falls among the main course attractions of this restaurant. This is a typical Indian flatbread server with a combination of lentils and other vegetables. To top it all, the desserts are a special attraction as well. The one and only Gulab Jamun make a special appearance among other options like aam chutney and tomato chutney as well. Indian students studying in the UK must visit the place for making their taste buds go wild with the different flavors of India.
- Benares, London
This restaurant is both famous for its deliciously tasting food as well as its MasterChef owner Atul Kochhar. Benares was one of the earliest restaurants in the entire UK to prepare and serve traditional Indian cuisine to the Western civilization. This restaurant is different from the other ones in the fact that this place serves dishes of India but in a royal style. That is why the names of these dishes and even a few recipes have been modified to suit the royal style of this restaurant. One of the special items on their menu is the Famous Smoked Trout and another one is the Tandoori chicken. Apart from them, there are many other items to choose from. As evident from its style alone, the price of this restaurant is a little higher than others, but the authentic flavors and the superb taste surely make this place worth a visit for all Indians abroad staying in the UK. At the dessert table, you will find the delicious rasgulla and many different varieties of it like the gur or jaggery one and even some others. However, most Indians favor the classic all-time favorite Gulab Jamun as the last bite!
If you’re an Indian student living in the UK, keeping this list of restaurants that serve your homely food can be a great idea, if you’re looking to eat out now and then.
