Guide to the best Indian restaurants in Covent Garden

Tandoor Chop House combines Indian cuisine and British chophouse traditions. In elegant surroundings, you can enjoy prime cuts of meat doused in spices and marinades before being roasted in the tandoor. This place is also known for its elevated coronation chicken salad, made with naan croutons and mango and paneer mayo.

Open since 1985, Shapur is an award-winning restaurant specialising in fiery curries and traditional Indian recipes. The setting is classic and elegant and there's a spacious private dining room too. The vibrant food menu offers lots of choice, ranging from biryani or Bengali fish curries to thalis and tandoori dishes.

At Dishoom you’ll find stylish pastel furnishings, cocktails and non-alcoholic mixes, and a fresh take on Indian street food that lifts it up to fine dining level. There are favourites like biryani and the restaurant’s signature black daal. Although the chain has multiple sites, you can also sample a location-specific special.

Check out Fatt Pundit for memorable Indo-Chinese cooking. The Covent Garden restaurant is cool and compact, reflecting this combination of cultures. There are various mouthwatering morsels to try ranging from steamed dumplings to Bombay chilli prawns and sticky sesame vegetables. Vegan and halal options are available, and the restaurant has a pre-theatre menu.

Colonel Saab is a modern Indian eatery that finds its inspiration in the globetrotting tales of the owner's parents. Adorned with keepsakes from the owner's youth, including plates, intricate carpets, and the precious love letters shared between his parents, the venue serves a creative spin on Indian dishes, with highlights like the Anglo-Indian chicken chop and Falahari Kofta curry. Cocktails, afternoon tea, desserts, and other delights are available as well.

Eat your favourite Indian dishes in a simple setting at Royals India. This well-established restaurant is popular for pre- and post-theatre meals, with a special menu on offer. The dining room has a modern look but the menu is traditional - think tandoori meats, veggie-friendly recipes, fish curry, and authentic desserts.

The interior of Masala Zone is bright and colourful, with traditional puppets from Rajasthan hanging from the ceiling. This family-friendly restaurant serves recipes from across India, from streetfood bites to curries, grills, and thali meals. Everything is prepared with quality spices and ingredients. There's a special menu for younger diners too.

Vegan and vegetarian diners can enjoy an Indian feast at Sagar. This place focuses on traditional regional cuisine, served in a simple but elegant setting. There’s plenty of choice from thalis and curries to puri, lentil pizzas, and appetisers like samosas and idli. The drinks list, including wine, is also veggie-friendly.

Acclaimed restaurant Cinnamon Bazaar combines traditional and contemporary flavours to give London diners lively Indian cuisine. The interior is bold and colourful, making it the ideal match for the vibrant menu. Start with streetfood plates before main dishes that include a seriously popular shepherd’s pie. Expertly-mixed cocktails complete the experience here.

Having opened in the 1940s, Punjab is the UK's oldest restaurant specialising in Punjabi dishes. The vibrant blue exterior will immediately catch your eye, whilst the interior is a little more subdued. Sample Punjabi specialities and classic Indian recipes, and you can even try out Indian wine with a meal here.

Strand Tandoori's location next to the Royal Opera House makes it ideal for a meal before a show. Open since the 1970s, the restaurant interior remains classic and simple. The menu is all about traditional recipes and diners can expect accessible favourites like curries, tandoori, balti, and biryani dishes.

A short distance from Covent Garden in Leicester Square there's Apna Adda. This compact and modern eatery is ideal for takeaways, and serves Indian recipes that go way beyond curry. This is authentic street food like Indo-Chinese noodles, chat, thalis, and Indian-style grilled cheese sandwiches for a new experience of this cuisine.