Hakkasan © Thomas Skovesende
London's top 50 restaurants
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By Time Out Food & Drink editors
Updated: Thu Jan 29 2009 -
Time Out asked its food critics to come up with a list of the 50 best places to eat in London. And here it is: from capital curries to great gastropubs, as well as suggestions for where to eat on the cheap, if you want to impress, or are just looking for great service and value
Indian | Oriental | Italian | Cheap eats | British | Vegetarian | Gastropubs | Best service | Best to impress | Best for grazing
Best Indian restaurants
Amaya
Much of the menu at this chic bar and grill is grilled on the tawa (a thick iron plate), sigri (coal grill) or in the more familiar tandoor (hot clay oven) right in front of diners, which adds a great sense of theatre to the sparkling surrounds. The biryanis are first rate; and if you’ve ever wanted to try proper ‘Awadhi’ dishes, from the height of the Moghul empire in Lucknow, this is the place to try them. Amaya’s relatively expensive, but it’s outstanding value nonetheless.
When to go When you crave Indian food, but are tired of ‘curry’.
What to have Biryanis, or ask for any of the Awadhi dishes.
Amaya, 15 Motcomb St, Halkin Arcade, SW1X 8JT (7823 1166/www.realindianfood.com). Knightsbridge tube.
Moti Mahal
This top-end Indian restaurant hasn’t got the ‘wow’ factor that stunningly designed Indian restaurants such as London's Amaya, Red Fort, Tamarind or Benares have; instead, the owners appear to be putting their faith in the cooking to attract custom. The style of cooking is distinctly new-wave Indian, but the accent with all these dishes is still as much on careful spicing and masalas (spice mixtures) as looks. It’s not cheap for dinner, but the set lunch menu is a steal at £13.50 for three courses.
When to go To explore Indian food beyond the usual Ruby Murrays.
What to have Any of the tandoor-cooked meats, the breads, and the dahls.
Moti Mahal, 45 Great Queen St, WC2B 5AA (7240 9329/www.motimahal-uk.com). Covent Garden or Holborn tube. Feature continuesAdvertisementSagar
Sagar is a humble Indian vegetarian restaurant in Hammersmith which charges very modest prices for exemplary cooking. It showcases the dishes of the southern state of Karnataka, and the coastal, temple town of Udipi in particular. It cleverly recreates the layered, delicate flavours of the area from the excellent, crisp dosais which are ideal for dipping into soupy sambar (made from lentils sharpened with perky tamarind and softened aubergine). Spicing tends to be mellow rather than fiery, seasoned with curry leaves and peppy mustard seeds.
When to go After visiting The Lyric.
What to have The thali set meals, or the dosais are all reliably good.
Sagar, 157 King St, W6 9JT (8741 8563). Hammersmith tube.
Indian | Oriental | Italian | Cheap eats | British | Vegetarian | Gastropubs | Best service | Best to impress | Best for grazing
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48 comments
this is so cool i wish my parents had money to go there .
this is so cool i wish my parents had money to go there .
chandni west dulwich is best indian rastaurent in town
I think time out is becoming a slagging site.
I live in Eastcote and have tasted the food it is great and is cheap.
Yes place is not great but so what.
If you dont like the place then try V5 yes you will pay double the price maybe more but place looksgood.
Maybe food is good but place completely lacks atmoshere. Had booked a table there but walked out after seeing the place. Was not impressed. A bit silly how this place write own reviews..... Agree with Blue cold Chillie - just so obvious.
Hmm Hot Red Chillies is the best! I took my whole family and they loved it. Yes, thats right, Hot Red Chillies in Eastcote, great food for the whole family!
PS. Get a 2 for 1 deal on food if you leave a nice comment on the TimeOut website.
It Is very nasty food! don't go!
Can red hot chillis stop writing comments about their own restaurant please! It's very ovbvious!
Hot red chillies in eastcote best karahi food reminds me of home cooked food not sweet and creamy like you get in most of the resturants. Value for money ,good service what else can you ask for.
I think Matt you'll find that vegetarians and vegans DO know that most of London is not vegetarian or vegan!
We just like to know where we can go to eat with omnivorous friends, where everybody will get what they want and we (the veggies) are not lumped with the "heavily salty goats cheese something with "sun" dried vegetable" option that seems to be at every restaurant possible.
We do like food you know, we don't enjoy chomping on rocket salad for every single meal.
And in response to your comment on culling livestock, the answer is not to suddenly kill all of them, it's to reduce the demand for meat, which in turn reduces the need for so much wheat, land and water which humans (who can't afford to eat meat) CAN use. For more info, read Tommo's wonderfully articulated post.
I went to Hot Red Chillies in Eastcote and I must say that food was A- class . Any one who wants to eat home real home cooked food I suggest you visit Hot red chillies next to Eastcote station.
Well, this is my answer to that seemingly impertinent question. ,
Real Karahi Food - Hot Red Chillies in Eastcote all the way
the best turkish and meze to be found is i Olives and Figs restauarant in a small alley way in Spitalfields.I found the food is great value for money. Bring your own booze near Liverpool Street is just amazing. I am surprised there is no mention of the place.
??? no mention of Tayyab's? the most popular restaurant with the pakistani and bangladeshi community in London - always huge queues for a tabel - and unbeatable home cooked - on Fieldgate street