LONDON'S BEST INDIAN RESTAURANTS

The best Indian Restaurants in our capital, as nominated by YOU, our loyal readers

There's nothing more quintessentially British than going out for a good Indian. And while there's plenty of curry houses on offer in our capital city, some stand head and shoulders above the rest. Here, we salute the nominees for London's Best Indian Restaurants, as chosen by our readers. Congratulations to all who made the list, there are Naan better than you.

Dishoom

Various locations

First there were the cheap curry houses. Thousands of them. All serving up bland, beige sauces over unidentifiable meat. Then came the high-end experiences, taking the stories and spices of India and crafting them into wallet-bothering adventures through the subcontinent. Then came Dishoom. Somehow it sat in the middle of it all, offering top-class Indian food at a price that sat just on the right side of affordable. For a while, it became the benchmark for modern Indian restaurants and boasted queues around the block thanks to its genius (and infuriating) no-reservations policy. Is it still the best? You can decide that, but it's certainly a trailblazer.

Locations in Battersea, Canary Wharf, Carnaby, Covent Garden, Kensington, King's Cross, Shoreditch

Chourangi

Marble Arch

Celebrating the flavours of Calcutta, Chourangi is named after one of the Bengal city's ancient districts and promises "unexplored flavours of India." It certainly delivers on that claim, with a menu that pulls from the port City's centuries of trade and the remnants of Colonial rule to offer dishes influenced by Europe, China and India itself.

Traditional Calcuttan dishes aren't all that's on offer, but they're the highlights of the menu and every one is worth your attention. 3 Old Quebec St, London W1H 7AF

Colonel saab

Holborn and Trafalgar Square

Created by Roop Partap Choudhary as a "love letter" to his father (the original Colonel Saab), the Holborn branch of this restaurant burst onto the scene in an explosion of family artefacts, priceless antiques and a lot of chandeliers. The menu closely follows the restaurant's theme, too, exploring the many different postings Colonel Saab and his family enjoyed during his illustrious career, cherry-picking the flavours, recipes and techniques from each region of India as a result. It's a wonderfully well thought-out restaurant offering top-class dishes, and the newer, Trafalgar Square location builds on the success of Holborn with a larger and more ambitious venue.

193-197 High Holborn / 40, 42 William IV St

Bibi

Mayfair

Part of a new tribe of contemporary Indian restaurants, Chef-Patron Chet Sharma draws on years spent cooking and sourcing ingredients for Michelin-starred restaurants to create the award-winning Bibi. You won't be overwhelmed by the menu here, as onlhy two set menus are on offer at lunchtime, with a further two Chef Selection Tasting Menus available in the evenings. Sit back, place your dining experience in the capable hands of Chet Sharma and bask in the rich flavours of India.

42 North Audley Street, Mayfair, London W1K 6ZP

Veeraswamy

Regent Street

If practice makes perfect, then you won't get closer to perfection than Veeraswamy - London's oldest surviving Indian restaurant. The opulent interiors might bear little resemblance to the eatery that opened 99 years ago, but the same attention to detail and passion for the rich flavours of the Indian continent still remain strong. The decor still nods towards the Art Deco splendour of the 1920s and the menu, too, still offers glimpses of the past: Try the Mulligatawny soup and Hyderabad biriani, which are salwarts of the original menu. If it's good enough for Winston Churchill and King Edward III, it'll do for us. Victory House, 99 Regent St., London W1B 4RS

Pahli Hill

Fitzrovia

Technically, this venue is called Pahli Hill Bandra Bhai, but it's the upstairs dining room named after the Pali Hill neighbourhood in Mumbai that's made this list (the Bandra Bai cocktail bar is worth a visit, too). Like many of the restaurants on this list, it's difficult to pinpoint the exact location of influences - such is the way with India's nomadic culinary culture - but Head Chef Avinash Shashidhara hails from Bangalore, so that's a good place to start. The menu is divided into small and large plates, all of which are joyous concoctions of fresh ingredients, vibrant spices and playful flavour combinations - all served up in a delightfully laid back atmosphere.

79-81 Mortimer St, W1W 7SJ London

Kricket

Various Locations

There's nothing traditional about Kricket, London's chain of small-but-powerful Indian restaurants. With exposed brick walls and polished brass furniture, Kricket could just as easily pass as a modern bistro until the menu arrives at your table. Mind you, there's no Chicken Jalfrezi on offer either - think Karnakatan Port Neck and Claypot Baked Cod with Burnt Garlic Tarka Dal.

Spaces are limited at all locations, with around 15 reservations available at each, allowing for a handful of walkups.

Locations in Brixton, Soho, Canary Wharf, Shoreditch

Gymkhana

Mayfair

Two Michelin Stars and a claim to be inspired by the "elite clubs of India where members of high society socialise, eat, drink, and play sport" should tell you all you need to know about Gymkhana. It's high-end, luxury dining in the heart of Mayfair. Set menus are the order of the day here, but each come with plenty of choice and as those coveted stars suggest, every dish is a punchy winner.

42 Albemarle Street, London W1

Tamarind

Mayfair

Mayfair has its fair share of high-end Indian restaurants, but none manage the laid-back feel of Tamarind. Perhaps it's the open kitchens or the banging playlist (90s R&B, anyone?), but there's something about this basement venue that just begs you to settle down and lose an evening in its warm bosom. The prices are reasonable enough that you could make that happen without the subsequent regrets, too - sure, it's still Mayfair prices, but a sub £30 Spicy Chargrilled Jumbo Prawn or Tandoori Octopus in these parts should be celebrated.

20 Queen Street, London W1J 5PR

Darjeeling Express

Carnaby

Darjeeling Express was created by Chef, cookbook author and all-round female champion, Asma Khan. It kicked off as a dinner at home for 12 guests and, when word spread and the idea of a restaurant formed, Asma stuck by what she calls her "all women team of housewives" to create an all-female kitchen.

The atmosphere is cosy and homely, with earthy colours and cafe-style seating, but the food - a nod towards the Calcuttan street food of her home city - is out of this world.

Darjeeling Express is for the social eaters, offering platters of dishes boasting texture and flavours that complement each other, encouraging you to gather and share in the style of the traditional 'daawat' (feast).

Top Floor, Kingly Ct, Carnaby, London W1B 5PW