Where to get a curry in London, from Indian to Caribbean

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Ailis Brennan27 April 2020

Us Brits hold the curry dear in our foodie affections, but we are also creatures of habit so before you order a chicken tikka masala tonight for the 27th time this year, think outside the box a bit.

The nation first fell in love with the curry in its Indian form, and while hoovering up a vindaloo on a Friday night is still an infinitely pleasurable pastime, the globetrotting history of the dish means there are versions to be found in London from all around the world.

From sour Thai yellow curries to warming mutton versions from the Caribbean islands, Japanese kare raisu to vegan and vegetarian options, these are the best spots in the capital to find a proper curry.

Where to get an Indian, Sri Lankan or Pakistani curry

It is the cuisine that first ignited British tastebuds with a fiery passion for spice, and after years of being the nation’s guilty pleasure, Indian cooking is now a fine dining favourite.

The Sethi family knows what makes a good Indian restaurant. Siblings Jyotin, Karam and Sunaina (JKS Restaurants) are proprietors of a number of the capital’s best curry spots and Trishna has held a Michelin star since 2013. Celebrating the coastal cuisine of southwest India, a must-try here is the meen manga curry made with hake. Similarly, one-starred Gymkhana in Mayfair offers an upmarket take on the vindaloo by using pork cheek meat, as well as a rogan josh made with lamb shank. Hoppers, one of the group’s most popular offerings, provides a Sri Lankan take on curry, with crab and black pork “karis” ready to be mopped up with their signature hopper pancakes.

Elsewhere, at Jamavar and Bombay Bustle chef Surender Mohan is concocting innovative Indian small plates. Former Jamavar chef Rohit Ghai now has new digs in Chelsea: Kutir offers venison steeped in a silky green peppercorn sauce, as well as an unexpected dish for high-end Indian restaurants these days: a chicken tikka masala. Brave the queues for Dishoom and you’ll be rewarded with a chicken ruby – sumptuous but still overshadowed by the excellent black daal.

Veeraswamy is the UK’s very first Indian restaurant, opening its doors more than 90 years ago. It finally earned a Michelin star in 2016, having raised its game in the face of a remarkable influx of competition.

Over in east London – and a stone’s throw from curry boulevard Brick Lane – is Gunpowder. Chef Nirmal Save’s cooking was recognised with a Bib Gourmand in 2018, which the restaurant has maintained since. The egg curry masala is the one to try here, with all dishes embracing a home-cooked feel. On the cheaper end, Whitechapel’s well-loved Pakistani eatery Lahore Kebab House in continues to be a legend among curry houses.

For more tips, check out our round-up of the best Indian restaurants in London.

Where to get a Caribbean curry

(Chiron Cole)

While both parts of the world were under European colonial rule, the Indian curry made its way to the West Indies, where it met its match in the form of the suitably mind-blowing Scotch Bonnet chilli pepper. Rum Kitchen slow braises its mutton for a heartwarming curry that comes with roti and rice and peas, while Dalston favourite Rudie’s wraps its goat curry in a split pea roti and serves it with “Rude Sexy Sauce”. Island Social Club’s 24-hour marinated mutton curry and spiced-up Colombo de Poulet are almost a match for its superlative bussup shot roti, while Fish, Wings and Tings’s coconut curry prawns are a sunshine-soaked, lighter alternative.

For more island-style curries, check out our round-up of the best Caribbean restaurants in London.

Where to get a Thai curry

Fans of the fragrant flavours of Thailand have been in for a treat in recent years with an influx of new openings aiming to expand our horizons beyond the Thai green staple. Spitalfields’s Som Saa sprightly menu includes a massaman curry with Cornish duck leg and quince, as well as a gaeng gung sap – a southern style curry with minced prawns and aubergine.

Soho spot Kiln was named the best restaurant in the country at the 2018 National Restaurant awards, and is continuing to enliven tastebuds with a sour turmeric curry with turbot and a jungle curry made with grey mullet. Over in Highbury, Seb Holmes’s Farang offers a braised Yorkshire beef shin red curry with apple aubergine or a minced tiger prawn yellow curry with samphire and brown crab.

Where to get a South East Asian curry

King's Cross' Roti King is a cheap eats legend. An authentic Malaysian favourite, its curry dhall costs just £5 and is served with two pieces of excellent roti. You can also get the same dish at its sibling spot Gopal’s Corner in Market Halls Victoria, but it’ll cost you a couple of quid more. Over in London Bridge, Champoor Champoor’s menu boasts a selection of fragrant Malay curries covering meat, fish, vegan and vegetarian - not to mention it’s an incredibly Instagrammable spot, so don’t forget to snap. Filipino food is having a real moment in London right now – to try it out street food style, track down My Million Pound Menu winners BBQ Dreamz and tuck into lavishly garnished curries of sweet and sour chicken adobo and grilled aubergine satay.

Where to get a Japanese curry

Courtesy of CoCo Ichibanya

Japanese cuisine isn’t all clean eating. If you’re in the mood to shun the sashimi, a Japanese curry – most frequently enjoyed with panko-breadcrumbed and deep fried chicken katsu – is soul-warming comfort food. The end of 2018 saw Japanese chain Curry House Coco Ichibanya open its first UK outlet in the West End – specialising in curry, its sauce comes in a variety of heats, with unexpected toppings including scrambled egg and frankfurters.

Cocoro now boasts three locations including a Highgate deli, all of which serve up lashings of the national favourite. Japanese cuisine doesn’t tend to lend itself too well to herbivores, but vegetarians are well served at Islington’s Tanakatsu with the option of topping their curry with a pumpkin croquette accompaniment. Mini-chain Japanese Canteen serves its pocket-friendly curries either with chicken katsu or a mix of tofu and vegetables.

Where to get a vegetarian or vegan curry

Most London curry hotspots now offer meat-free options on their menus, but real treats can be found in restaurants that take vegetarian and vegan food seriously. Finsbury Park favourite Jai Krishna offers an all-vegetarian menu, with highlights including a tastebud tingling chilli paneer. Sagar is another meat-free spot with multiple curries ready to take on its acclaimed – and frankly massive – dosas, with dishes including brinjal bhajee and a cashew-packed kurma. Soho favourite Kricket also has a way with vegetables: its hazelnut and puffed rice-sprinkled butternut squash makhani is just as much a treat for meat-eaters.

For full list of meat-free recommendations, check out our round-up of the best vegan and vegetarian restaurants in London.

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