Taste the Best of South Indian Cuisine: The 25 Must-Try Restaurants in London

By Alex Brickmen | Updated on

South India includes Karnataka and Kerala on India's southwest coast, as well as Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana (the capital of which is Hyderabad) in the southeast. All of these cuisines may be found in London.

South Indian food is quickly becoming a favorite among many people in Western countries due to its lightness in comparison to the thick gravies of North Indian dishes. Its emphasis on vegetables, beans, and grains; and its rapid sautés give the meals freshness, vibrancy, and a better-looking. All the dishes are matched with contemporary flavors.

When you walk into a South Indian restaurant, you will most likely remember dosas and idlis. People have long assumed that vegetarian food dominated Southern cuisine. To some extent, this may be true. Specifically, since breakfast dishes like dosas and idlis are vegetarian. And these are the dishes that everyone remembers when they speak of the food of south India.

"Rice" is the key ingredient in these meals. Furthermore, most south Indian cuisines include a variety of vegetables and fish. Numerous famous south Indian restaurants in London solely serve classic South Indian breakfast dishes. Apart from its core rice-based breakfast foods, South Indian food is associated with sambar and chutneys.

Apart from tantalizing our taste receptors, South Indian cuisine has long dominated our food habits, thanks to its basic yet unique flavor and, of course, health advantages. Due to the national and global reach, hundreds of thousands of people around the world are craving genuine south Indian food.

25 Best South Indian Restaurant in London

Here is a list of the 25 best South Indian restaurants in London:

01. Chennai Srilalitha Veg Restaurant

This restaurant is worth a visit if you enjoy Indian and vegetarian cuisine. Spend some time here with your friends and share some wonderful sambar, vada, and idli. Try the delicious pancakes that Chennai Srilalitha has to offer. This location is well-known for its wonderful wine. This establishment has excellent coffee, tea, and mango lassi.

Its significant features are its wonderful service and courteous employees. You might be surprised by the low costs at this place. The elegant décor and welcoming atmosphere make travelers feel at ease.
Address: 196 Kenton Rd, Harrow HA3 8BX, United Kingdom

02. Anjanaas

Explore outstanding dishes including Indian cuisine in the coziness of this restaurant. The chefs serve delectable roast meat, seafood curry, and lamb masala. Try the delicious payasam, vanilla ice cream, and kulfi. You will be served fine wine or delectable beer. Order the excellent lassi on offer here.

Anjanaas' pleasant atmosphere helps guests feel calm and at ease. All year long, you will be greeted by a welcoming team. These restaurant owners are concerned about providing pleasant service. You will appreciate the reasonable costs. Guests love the opportunity to experience the lovely design.
Address: 57-59 Willesden Ln, North Maida Vale, London NW6 7RL, United Kingdom

03. Vijay India Restaurant

Vijay India Restaurant was the first South Indian eatery to operate in England in 1964. Vijay India Restaurant invites you to enjoy the most genuine South Indian food available, with a combination of the freshest ingredients and expert chefs making great dishes. Their chefs have around 25 years of expertise and are extremely passionate about their work.
Address: 49 Willesden Ln, North Maida Vale, London NW6 7RF, United Kingdom

04. Thattukada Restaurant

Since its humble beginnings as a simple Keralite restaurant in 2007, Thattukada Restaurant has evolved to become one of the most acclaimed restaurants in the UK, a testimony to the unwavering pursuit of service quality and Keralite culinary experience. They provide traditional Keralite delicacies, making the restaurant a must-visit for anybody looking to experience Kerala cuisine. They have been offering the greatest quality meals with sanitary standards in a peaceful atmosphere with traditional traditions.
Address: 229 High St N, London E6 1JG, United Kingdom

05. Udaya Kerala Restaurant

Udaya, located in East Ham, London, first opened its doors in September 1999. The chefs are from Kerala, a tiny state in southern India, and are well-known for their traditional Keralan cuisine. Udaya is a restaurant known for creating a new standard in the presentation of Kerala delicacies, including those that are exclusive to this nation.

They prefer to make their customers feel original; they endeavor to exceed their guests' expectations and make each dining experience unforgettable. The staff at Udaya looks forward to satisfying you and extends a heartfelt welcome.
Address: 105 Katherine Rd, London E6 1ES, United Kingdom

06. Radha Krishna Bhavan

Radha Krishna Bhavan is a brand - new Indian Restaurant on Grosvenor Way in Tooting, London. It serves all traditional meals freshly made and cooked by their cooks from Tooting's famed Curry Mile. Their cooks have many years of expertise and can accommodate any requirement. So come enjoy one of the wonderful dishes with family or friends while resting in a calm yet modern dining space.
Address: 86 Tooting High St, London SW17 0RN, United Kingdom

07. Ooty

Ooty on Baker Street offers a lavish South Indian cuisine experience unlike anything else the city has seen - or eaten. This restaurant embodies the sense of the old British Raj blended with the luxurious contemporary finish of present-day London, with a name going back to the roots of an exquisite hill station in Tamil Nadu.

Ooty begins the weekend with a vegan and unlimited Prosecco-fueled Indian breakfast on Saturdays, and lunch. The supper menus are loaded with delights from all around South India. There is a lot of variety!
Address: 45 Dorset St, London W1U 7DJ, United Kingdom

08. Quilon

Quilon was founded in 1999 and immediately put South Indian cuisine on the map for worldwide foodies, obtaining a Michelin star in 2008, which they have kept ever since. The menu is a unique combination of ethnic and modern meals, with seafood at its center but also providing pork, poultry, and vegetarian options, most of which are meant to be shared.

Their philosophy at Quilon is straightforward. Through the pursuit of optimal ingredients and techniques, they hope to transmit their enthusiasm for South Indian food.
Address: 41 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6AF, United Kingdom

09. Sagar Vegan & Vegetarian Restaurant

Sagar is a restaurant known for setting new standards in the preparation of South Indian vegan foods, some of which are unique to this nation. Its cooks are from Udupi, a tiny town in the Western Ghats coastal area, around 60 kilometers from Bangalore in Karnataka. The town is a hotspot for traditional South Indian cuisine.

Udupi chefs are well-known for their preparation of South Indian vegan cuisine. They prefer to make their customers feel unique. They try to transcend our guests' expectations and make each dining experience remarkable.
Address: 31 Catherine St, London WC2B 5JS, United Kingdom

10. Ragam

Ragam is an eatery and takeaway in W1 London's Fitzrovia neighborhood. Ragam is the only restaurant in the neighborhood that provides delicious South Indian food to visitors from all over the world.

Ragam was the area's first Indian restaurant, opening in 1985. The proprietor has over 30 years of culinary expertise and operates over 10 restaurants in the London region. The chef is pretty proud of the Malabar Dishes, Kerala Mutton Curry, and the Seafood, which are all prepared in a unique South Indian manner.
Address: 57 Cleveland Street, London, W1T 4JN, UK

11. Saravanaa Bhavan Wembley

The restaurant's menu is as extensive as its worldwide ambitions, with a dizzying array of idli, dosa, and vada options, as well as noodles, rice dishes, curries, bread, and a Jain menu. Kara dosa is cooked with raw rice, toor dal, coconut, and spices like dried red chilies and is packed with a mild potato-onion masala.

Idlis are available in normal and tiny sizes, steamed and fried, coated with ghee, or dipped in sambar. To drink, there's a diverse collection of freshly squeezed juices, including a particularly pleasant blend of grape, pineapple, and ginger.
Address: 22, 22A Ealing Rd, Wembley HA0 4TL, United Kingdom

12. Murugan Idli Shop

Murugan Idli Shop was founded to provide delectable vegetarian South Indian food. They are the only restaurant in town where you can have real South Indian tiffin dishes. The flavor of South India packed with highly rich nutrition given here is a true joy for everyone, not just foodies. Every dish reflects the genuineness of South India.

As the name implies, they serve delectable idli and steaming hot dosas complimented by an array of chutneys, side dishes, and podis. Murugan Idli Shop serves breakfast, lunch, evening snacks, and dinner. Its signature drink, 'Jigarthanda,' will revitalize your taste senses.
Address: 315 High St N, London E12 6SL, United Kingdom

13. Hyderabadi Spice

Eastham, London's Hyderabadi Spice restaurant launched in 2008. Started with an aim to provide Asian, non-Asian, and other ethnicities of people residing in the UK with authentic Hyderabadi cuisine, particularly Hyderabadi Biryani comparable to Nizam's Kitchen.

With a small committed team of individuals, the primary goal is to provide the greatest flavor and pleasure with the sensation of home away from home.
Address: 309 High St N, London E12 6SL, United Kingdom

14. Taste of India Pure Vegetarian Branch

East Ham's South Indian cafés are usually simple, with ordinary décor, but this branch of a global chain is comparatively sleek and well-organized, with clued-up service from employees who are kept constantly on their toes by the hordes of families that throng the place.
Address: 293-295 High St N, London E12 6SL, United Kingdom

15. Ananthapuram

Visitors to this eatery can enjoy South Indian food. Ananthapuram's formula for success is its well-prepared fish curry, pork, and shellfish. The attractive personnel works hard, keeps happy, and contributes to the success of this restaurant.

At this place, the expert service is of great quality. Your lunch will cost around average. Customers of this establishment are mesmerized by the attractive decor.
Address: 241A High St N, London E12 6SJ, United Kingdom

16. Apollo Banana Leaf

Though its humble facade and Tooting setting keep Apollo Banana Leaf off the beaten path, it is unquestionably one of London's top South Indian eateries. The restaurant's highly flavored cookery is matched by its brilliantly quirky décor, which focuses on Tamil cuisine with Sri Lankan dishes. Both the croquette-style mutton roll and the chili-laced crab masala are highly recommended.
Address: Tooting 190 Tooting High Street, London SW17 0S, UK

17. Chettinad

Chettinad, named after an area in Tamil Nadu famed for its rich culinary legacy, is a wonderfully affordable destination to settle down for a South Indian banquet. Many foods are presented on banana leaves, as it would be in the old Chettinad, and the dosas are reputed to be among the best in the city.
Address: 16 Percy St, London W1T 1DT, United Kingdom

18. Dosa n Chutny

Dosa n Chutny's specialty is apparent: the modest South London restaurant has mastered the technique of the dosa and chutneys. The crispy, crêpe-style spicy pancakes are served in the same way as they are in Chennai.
Address: 68 Tooting High St, London SW17 0RN, United Kingdom

19. Trishna

Trishna's dishes stand out against the backdrop of an exquisite, open white dining room, with their vibrant colors and equally vibrant tastes. The Michelin-starred restaurant serves coastal South Indian meals with locally produced British ingredients. Sunaina Sethi, the chef, has a talent for mixing these complicated meals with complementary wines. Make an order to experience the best.
Address: 15-17 Blandford St, London W1U 3DG, United Kingdom

20. Vijaya Krishna

This restaurant has a diverse menu centered on South Indian cuisines. At Vijaya Krishna, don't forget to try the excellently prepared Goan fish curry, green chicken, and king prawns. Delicious kulfi and pancakes. Don't pass up the chance to taste some tasty beer or fine wine.

This restaurant is recommended by certain guests for its excellent lattes. This takeaway restaurant is ideal for guests who want to eat their meals quickly.
Address: 114 Mitcham Rd, London SW17 9NG, United Kingdom

21. Kolamba

This Soho restaurant is a must-visit for anybody wishing to enjoy authentic South Indian and Sri Lankan food. The cuisine here, run by two native Sri Lankans, harkens back to the childhood recipes that once filled their home kitchens. Kolamba caters to vegetarian and vegan customers, while there are lots of meat and fish options as well.
Address: 21 Kingly St, Carnaby, London W1B 5QA, United Kingdom

22. Malabar Junction

Malabar Junction is a South Indian restaurant in London's Bloomsbury neighborhood. It serves Malabar, Cochin, and Travancore food in the exhilarating and true Keralian heritage. The staff is known to be friendly. It is the country's first high-end South Indian restaurant.
Address: 107 Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London, WC1B 3NA, UK

23. Woodlands Restaurant

The Woodlands Restaurant has a long history that dates back to 1938 when Chennai's first drive-through restaurant debuted. Over time, the brand developed nationally and became well-known throughout India for offering great south Indian cuisine.

They moved to London after years of success in India. In 1980, Mr. Ranjit Sood and Mr. H.S. Nagaraj established this restaurant in London.
Address: 37 Panton Street, London SW1Y 4EA, UK

24. Sarashwathy Bavans

Sarashwathy Bavans, located at notable locations around London, creates the ideal ambiance for a pleasant South Indian lunch out in town. It is the center of true South Indian cuisine. Delicious delicacies based on old South Indian gastronomy are served there.
Address: 549 High Rd, Wembley HA0 2DJ, United Kingdom

25. Sangeetha Vegetarian Restaurant

Sangeetha Vegetarian Restaurant is a paradise for South Indian cuisine loved by many for its true touch on Indian subcontinent specialties. It is not only one of the greatest places to dine in Hounslow, but it is also a well-known Indian catering, takeout, and delivery service. Spicy Indian cuisines will tantalize your taste senses.
Address: 320 Bath Rd, Hounslow TW4 7HW, United Kingdom

Final Words

South India has unique age-old traditions. They have their culinary heritage. In London, you will find hundreds of South Indian restaurants.

In this article, we have compiled a list of the best 25 South Indian eateries in London. If you are looking for authentic South Indian food in London, this post might be helpful for you.