The Chilli Pickle, Brighton
Bursts of vivid pinks, blues and yellows at Alun and Dawn Sperring's eatery (shared with Myhotel and a coffee shop) recall the vibrancy of Holi, the Hindu festival of colours, which celebrates the victory of good over evil. Good has certainly won out here, where regional Indian dishes are elevated to a higher plain by distinct spicing...Read more
Dishoom, London, Manchester and Edinburgh
Dishoom is a delightfully idiosyncratic chain with, even after a decade, just seven sites split between London, Edinburgh and Manchester. Each one has its own character but all have queues in common (seats on the verandah at this east London outpost are searingly hot property)...Read more
Purple Poppadom, Cardiff
Tucked up a flight of stairs on busy Cowbridge Road East, the restaurant is suitably purple inside, from lighting to walls. The menu covers the expected Indian favourites and a few lesser-known creations, all freshly cooked and bursting with flavour...Read more
Exotic Dining, Kettering
You could order a 'golden oldie' (lamb pasanda, chicken tikka masala, rogan josh), but why play safe when the menu at this highly unusual 'fusion Indian' also promises the likes of hot-and-sour 'moja moja' rabbit, partridge dhansak and exquisitely plated seafood specialities such as tandoori piri-piri lobster with smoked tomato relish?...Read more
Montaz, Newmarket
Friday night Indian takeaway? The chefs in this family-run restaurant will happily pack you up a korma to go, but next time book a table, the better to explore the contemporary, seasonal, pan-Indian food they do so well...Read more
Tharavadu, Leeds
The name translates as 'ancestral home', and it is the culinary traditions and aromatic flavours of Kerala that are explored at this Mill Hill eatery. The expansive dining room is adorned with natural wood and regional artefacts while the kitchen is very much at home when it comes to vegetarian and seafood cooking...Read more
Bombay to Mumbai, Stockport
'Everything you want from a neighbourhood restaurant,' notes a reader who loves everything about this hospitable, reasonably priced Indian. At weekends, you can lunch on Mumbai-style 'breakfast' snacks such as medu vada (spiced lentil doughnuts), but there are ample riches on the main menu too...Read more
Dastaan, Epsom
Dastaan brings a splash of vivid colour to sedate Epsom, firstly in a room done in fairground pink and yellow, but also in the form of a vibrant approach to classic Indian cooking. There are samosas, vindaloo and rogan josh for traditionalists, but explore the interstices of the menu and you will find...Read more
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The beginner's guide to Indian food | 30 PLACES TO EAT FOR £30 AND UNDER | The TOP 50 Restaurants 2020
Published October 2019
