How many curry houses in london

Home cooked curries, however, were most definitely on the menu! It would take a true Indian heart to show the British the way forward. Hindoostanee Coffee House, the brainchild of Sake Dean Mahomed, opened its doors in at what is George Street today, and if you're ever curious you can take a stroll- takeaway curry in hand, of course- to view the Green Plaque the location was awarded.

His wasn't the very first restaurant to serve 'Indian' food, as the Muslim Museum Initiative hastens to tell us, but his was the first authentic Indian dining experience in the U. K run by an Indian themselves. Norris Street Coffee House in Haymarket has, in fact, the first recorded menu to feature a London curry [almost 37 years earlier], with curry and rice taking root as a firm British favourite a few years later.

While today finding Indian takeaway in our local Kingsway, or in fact anywhere in London, is a simple matter, the Mistress of Norris House can probably be credited with the idea. A quaint advert from promises those who buy from her only the best authentic curry pastes, and fully dressed curry and rice [or pilau] delivered hot and fresh to your door. But back to the Hindoostanee Coffee House we go.

Sake Dean Mahomed was an intriguing character in himself. An entrepreneur, surgeon and Captain with the British East India Company, speaking immaculate English and with an Irish wife, he surrounded himself with fashionable and wealth 'nabobs', former employees of the company with a worldly view and palate- and plenty of money to burn.

He offered a place for a fine dinner, and accompanying shisha lounge, with coffee really nowhere to be seen on the menu. It was simply convention at the time to indicate your stylish manner by being associated with this ever-more popular imported drink.

Not unlike Carlton Lounge today, he offered elegant surroundings, tasty dishes and the allure of glamour and style. They even offered takeouts too! Sadly, he missed the market a little, selling the restaurant on after only a year.

The Hindoostanee Coffee House would remain open for 23 years at the location, though, scraping by. Inspired by the street food of southern India, Ganapati excels in strong-flavoured dishes that match the colourful, bohemian surrounds of this unique, off-the-beaten-track restaurant.

Vibrant fish curries laced with coconut milk and stuffed dosas are strong points, while even the requisite poppadoms are enlivened by homemade chutneys and pickles. Lime, coriander, ginger, tamarind and garlic take starring roles in place of too many dried spices, in dishes to be eaten at large communal tables: think English country kitchen goes to India.

Gymkhana is a tongue-in-cheek but seriously slick operation. It kicks off with Indian punches and cleverly spiced cocktails at the bar and keeps running through to a decadent orange and cardamom caramel custard. Prices are less eye-watering than you might think, given the quality and location. Home-cooked curries, biryanis, dals and all manner of sundries are plonked with little ceremony on your plate, then taken back to formica tables to devour under strip lighting. No fusion cuisine or gastronomic surprises — just simple, plentiful food that's jam-packed with flavour.

Who's complaining? It was a nephew of Mohammad Tayyab who founded Tayyabs restaurant in Whitechapel who was responsible for bringing us this similarly-minded outpost around the corner more than 40 years ago. As at Tayyabs, the grilled lamb chops are legendary and an absolute must-try: charred on the outside, gently spiced and a tender pink within.

Stick with lamb in the form of juicy minced kebabs or a dark, richly-spiced dry curry. This BYO Punjabi spot just around the corner from Tayyabs see below was opened in by a former manager there.

The lamb chops in particular are beautifully succulent and tantalisingly spiced, and anything grilled or meaty tends to be a good bet. The haleem here is also exemplary and the naans are fluffy and light. Lucky, lucky Southall. Not content with already having one of the best places for Indian food in London see Brilliant, above , they also have a second. As the name suggests, Raunka Punjab Diyan serves up top-notch Punjabi fare like fabulously rich dal makhani lentils stewed in spices, butter and cream and Amritsari fish pieces so tender they fall apart the moment they hit your mouth.

The pride for their region extends to the decor, and you'll dine surrounded by hand-painted murals of rural Punjab. Spiced and steamed chickpea cakes, tikka potato burgers, and oh-so-crunchy bhel puris with a tangy tamarind kick all cry out to be shared among friends.

But if it's a little something special you're after, the downstairs dining room offers specialities from varying regions, all intricately spiced, carefully cooked and prettily presented. Try a regal lamb gosht, slow-cooked to perfection and served with cumin-infused spinach, or tuck into a creamy paneer and fenugreek dish that makes all your comfort eating dreams come true.

This popular mini-chain specialises in vegetarian food from Udupi, a small town in the coastal region of the Western Ghats mountain range, close to Bangalore. There are lots of South Indian classics here like dosa and idli, but try the Udupi thali for a more distinct regional taste. A vast all-you-can-eat buffet is the mainstay of this vegetarian South Indian and Gujarati restaurant where loud Indian music sets a fun tone.

A full a la carte menu is also available, offering excellent dahi vada dumplings and richly flavoured dhal alongside all manner of curries.

The Indo-Chinese dishes on the menu may come as something of a surprise, but look around and you'll notice half the other diners merrily tucking into plates of chilli paneer. Queen Victoria and the Munshi in By the early 20th century, Britain had become home to around 70, South Asians, mainly servants, students and ex-seamen.

In , Veeraswamy opened at 99 Regent Street, the first high-end Indian restaurant in the capital. Curry was yet to establish itself firmly in British cuisine. In the s and s, most major Indian restaurants in London employed ex-seamen from Bangladesh, particularly from Syhlet. Many of these seamen aspired to open a restaurant of their own. After the Second World War , they bought bombed-out chippies and cafes selling curry and rice alongside fish, pies, and chips.

They stayed open after 11 pm to catch the after-pub trade. Eating hot curry after a night out in the pub became a tradition. As customers became increasingly fond of curry, these restaurants discarded British dishes and turned into inexpensive Indian takeaways and eateries.

After , there was an influx of Bangladeshi immigrants into Britain. Many entered the catering business. By Debabrata Mukherjee. Bored with mundane corporate life, I have resorted to my first love, History. Through my writing, I want to make history fun and enjoyable to others as well. British food from the Romans to Sunday roast dinners, fish and chips and the great British curry!

English coffee houses of the 17th and 18th century were meeting places of ideas, science, politics, commerce, known as penny…. Food in Britain changed tremendously in the 15 years from the end of rationing to the start of the s….