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People love to make fun of British food. Sure, some of our dishes might be bland, beige and relying on salt for flavour, but one thing we do excellently is Indian food. So it’s always welcome news when another Indian restaurant is added to the mix – and this new venue in west London will bring something new to the capital’s offering.
The Talli Queen will open on Tuesday October 27 in Shepherd’s Bush, taking over the former Queen Adelaide pub on Uxbridge Road. At the helm is Avi Shashidhara who is a former chef at the Michelin-starred River Café and featured on Great British Menu in 2023. He also opened the Fitzrovia restaurant Pahli Hill which was awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand. In other words, Avi, who travels frequently to India, knows what he’s doing.
The new gastropub has a menu that’s ‘designed to be ordered freely’, rather than in traditional course format. It takes inspo from ‘Kerala's toddy shops, Bangalore's neighbourhood pubs and bars, the military canteens of southern India’. Standout dishes include Toddy shop clams, Bangalore-inspired dosas and chicken and liver pepper fry.
With all that spice, you'll be needing a pint of refreshing lager to wash it down with. There’s plenty of that to choose from, with 18 beers on tap and an array of Indian spirits, including the rare Mahua. The clue is in the name: Talli is Hindu for ‘tipsy’.
The interior is in harmony with the building’s 120-year-old history, and the renovation will keep the original wood panelling, fireplaces and skylights. Outside there’s a terraced beer garden, framed by jasmine, for the warmer months.
Avi said: ‘The inspiration for Talli Queen comes from the places I love spending time in across India.
‘Toddy shops, military canteens and neighbourhood bars are where eating and drinking naturally go hand in hand, and where some of the country's most memorable food is found. We've taken that spirit and brought it into a proper London pub.
‘Somewhere people can drop in for a pint, stay for dinner, bring the family on a Sunday or simply spend an afternoon with friends. That's exactly the sort of place I've always wanted to create.’
You can find The Talli Queen at 412 Uxbridge Road, London W12 0NR. The pub opens Tuesday October 27 and is can be booked now.
Read Time Out’s guide to the best Indian restaurants in London right now.
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