7 amazing Michelin star Indian restaurants in London 

If you’re looking for a Michelin Indian restaurant in London, prepare to be spoiled for choice. From the oldest Indian eatery in the city to a modern venue with an open kitchen and a menu featuring spicy tapas, there’s a Michelin-starred Indian restaurant to suit you. 

The list commences with my personal favourite, which cannot be recommended highly enough.

If you’ve been there or cannot get a table, though, there’s half a dozen other great Indian eateries with Michelin-star status to choose from. 

Whether you prefer dishes from the tandoor oven, a brown crab signature dish, food from the Malabar Coast, Regent Street views, or even a Raj era interior, read on.

For discerning diners with a penchant for spice, here are the seven best Michelin starred Indian restaurants in London.  

1. Benares

Michelin accolade: One Star

Best for: Overall experience

Address: 12a Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London W1J 6BS

I’ve been to Benares twice now and the entire experience is always absolutely amazing.

That’s why I know it deserves the number one spot among Michelin star Indian restaurants in London. If that’s not enough, it boasts a prestigious Mayfair location on Berkeley Square.

Winston Churchill once lived there, and the square was also immortalised in the Vera Lynn song, A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square. 

There’s a pretty bold ethos at Benares: to change diners’ perceptions of Indian cuisine. This boundary-pushing approach has resulted in the restaurant being awarded a Michelin star.

With a spacious lounge, private dining rooms, and an intimate feel, it’s the ideal venue for any occasion. 

Confident cooking, clever techniques and a contemporary approach ensure a most memorable meal.

The main ingredient of each dish is unfailingly high quality. Produce is sourced from the British Isles where possible, though you can of course expect swoon-worthy combinations of exotic spices. 

On our most recent visit we had the tasting menu and what an incredible delight it was. From mouth-watering appetisers accompanied by handwritten notes to the unforgettable flavours of the various dishes, I cannot recommend it highly enough. 

Plus, the staff were all knowledgeable, friendly and attentive – from the waiting staff and sommelier to the executive chef who popped over to welcome us.

2. Trishna

Michelin rating: One star

Best for: Brown crab

Address: 15-17 Blandford Street, Marylebone, London W1U 3DG

If you prefer Indian fare from the southwest coast, then you’ll be in heaven at Trishna in Marylebone.

Modern, elegant takes on Indian dishes are the name of the game here. Fish, seafood, and coconut feature heavily on the menu. 

Trishna occupies a compact, stylish space in the heart of fashionable Marylebone village, giving the eatery a cosy, convivial vibe.

The tasting menus showcase the colourful, fresh, flavoursome creations to perfection, and the wines enhance the food beautifully. 

Trishna in Mumbai first made the signature brown crab with butter and chilli famous. It’s deliciously rich, and a must-try for your first visit if you are a fan of crab. 

3. Gymkhana

Michelin rating: Two Stars

Best for: A colonial interior

Address: 42 Albemarle St, Piccadilly, London W1S 4JH

Gymkhana between Piccadilly and Green Park is one of the best known London Michelin star restaurants where Indian food is the speciality.

Step inside the colonial interior, featuring lots of rich, dark wood, and it’s like entering the Raj era, which ran from the mid 19th to the 20th century. 

Menus at Gymkhana feature seasonal curries, charcoal grills, and roasted meats from the tandoor oven.

North India provides most of the inspiration. Dishes tend to be based on classics, but rounded flavours and perfect presentation have earned Gymkhana two Michelin stars.  

When booking, I’d recommend stating if you’d prefer to be seated in the cosier red basement or the laid-back booths on the ground floor.

4. Quilon

Michelin rating: One Star

Best for: Coastal fare

Address: St James’s Court, 41 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6AF

Head to the edge of St James’s Park, close to Buckingham Palace, to tuck into an Indian feast fit for royalty.

Quilon has a long-established head chef at the helm, and has boasted a Michelin star since 2008. 

Like Trishna, Quilon specialises in food from India’s southwest coast, so expect seafood, fish, and fragrant fare.

You can choose from the list of a la carte dishes, or sample the seasonal tasting menus. 

The cuisine typically involves contemporary takes on classics from the Malabar Coast.

High quality ingredients, subtle flair, flavourful sauces, and a consistency borne of experience elevates Quilon to Michelin star standard. 

5. Amaya

Michelin rating: One Star

Best for: Modern flair

Address: Halkin Arcade, Lowndes Street, London SW1X 8JT

Another contender as the best Indian restaurant in London with a Michelin star is Amaya. It’s not at all what you’d expect from a typical, traditional Indian eatery.

Located in Belgravia, Amaya offers a light-filled dining room with colourful wall murals and an open show kitchen. 

The emphasis here is on sharing, with small, tapas-sized dishes to divide between friends. A charcoal grill, a large griddle, and a tandoor oven can all be seen in the kitchen.

Meat, fish, and vegetables are all cooked here after being marinated in regional combinations of Indian spices. 

A highlight of dining at Amaya is the cocktail list, featuring a range of concoctions carefully crafted to complement the fine food. 

6. Veeraswamy

Michelin rating: One Star

Best for: A historic venue

Address: Victory House, 99 Regent Street, London W1B 4RS

Not only does Veeraswamy have a prestigious Regent Street address, it’s also the oldest Indian restaurant in London.

This one’s interior is styled like an opulent Maharaja’s palace, with a contemporary edge. Dating from 1926, you’ll find Michelin star standard fare here. 

Service is slick and seamless at Veeraswamy, and the food draws on both classic and contemporary influences. You can sample dishes from all over the Indian subcontinent, too. 

Prices are pretty reasonable, particularly given the location.

Request a table by the window if you want to watch the world go by while dining on the finest British produce – transformed into plates of unwavering, exotic deliciousness, of course. 

7. Jamavar

Michelin rating: One Star

Best for: Smart interiors

Address: 8 Mount Street, London W1K 3NF

Like Benares, Jamavar is located in swish Mayfair, so add this one to your list if you’ve already been to the former – or cannot secure a table.

It offers smart dining spaces, warm hospitality, and cuisine from all over the country. 

Start with small plates before tucking into mains from the tandoor oven. Or opt for the tasting menu to sample a range of dishes.

Seafood, northern Indian fare, and food that would have been served to royalty all feature on the menus. The Gucchi Lababdar is the restaurant’s highly acclaimed signature dish.

Book a table on the ground floor if you can, which I think is the most pleasant of Jamavar’s two upmarket dining areas.

Have you eaten at any of these Michelin star Indian restaurants in London? Let me know your favourites in the comments below!

Check out more of my Michelin guides for London, Copenhagen and Barcelona. Or find more London inspiration below:

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• 20 best luxury hotels in London
• 5 of my favourite afternoon teas in London
• 9 three-Michelin-star restaurants in the UK