9 London Restaurants Celebrating Diwali

Celebrations for Diwali, an Indian festival which marks the victory of good over evil, have already started across the city. This year Diwali coincides with Halloween on 31st October, so there’s double the reason to dress up, go out and celebrate – (how does a Diwali lunch or dinner followed by a fun Halloween party sound?).
And in true London fashion, restaurants across the capital are showing their support and celebrating with tasting menus, thalis and Indian sweets. We’ve done the research and found out which are the best Diwali celebratory menus in London featuring everything from desi mithai to Malabar lamb.
Gymkhana
Everyone’s favourite Indian restaurant, Gymkhana, is celebrating with a Diwali Tasting Menu for £180.00 with a vegetarian option for £170.00, with the choice of wine pairings, caviar and black truffle to add on. Start your meal with a pappadum selection, shrimp sorpotel and nimbu chari raita plus, enjoy delicious gol guppas with jaljeera, potato and sprouting moong stuffing. The meal just keeps getting better and better, with Amritsari pink shrimps, Goan cafreal salmon tikka, wild muntjac biryani with pomegranate and mint raita and methi malai mutter paneer to look forward to. To end your meal, there’s saffron pistachio kulfi falooda or gold leaf and almond ledikeni, cardamom rabri almond.
where: 42 Albemarle Street, W1S 4JH
website: www.gymkhanalondon.com
Bombay Bustle

Bombay Bustle is hosting a Thali Diwali, an exclusive culinary experience created alongside chef Maunika Gowardhan that offers the best of traditional Indian flavours on your plate. The recipes come from Maunika’s book, Thali: A Joyful Celebration of Indian Home Cooking, alongside special creations by Bombay Bustle’s Executive Chef, Surender Mohan. From a succulent Malabar lamb curry and a flavoursome kodi vepudu to dal tadka served with saffron pulao, missi roti, roomali roti, raita and achar – this is one meal you’ll be thinking about for a long time. Also one to look out for this year is their exquisite Diwali sweet boxes which include classic motichoor ladoos, halwa and more delicous mithai.
where: 29 Maddox Street, Mayfair W1S 2PA
website: www.bombaybustle.com
Jamavar
One of London’s most elite Indian restaurants, Michelin-starred Jamavar also has a Diwali tasting menu this year that’s running till 3rd November. Highlights of the menu include Konkan soft shell crab, Old Delhi butter chicken, Kerala prawn biryani king prawns, sabudana truffle khichdi and aloo bukhara kofta.
One of London’s most elite Indian restaurants, Michelin-starred Jamavar also has a Diwali tasting menu this year.
where: 8 Mount St, London W1K 3NF
website: www.jamavarrestaurants.com
Dishoom

This year, Dishoom is hosting its biggest and brightest Diwali party yet. Held at the Big Penny Social on Wednesday, 30th October, expect a host of South Asian talent including Qazi & Qazi and Jasmine Jethwa, with DJ sets by Rohan Rakhit and Kizzi; and a dance performance by Vidya Patel. In true Dishoom fashion, expect incredible desi food and drink, with plenty of Dishoom favourites on the menu.
When: 30th october
Where: Big Penny Social, 1 Priestley Way, London E17 6AL
Website: www.tickettailor.com

Sopwell House
Sopwell House is once again bringing people together for an unforgettable Diwali celebration. Returning for its second year, the luxury Georgian hotel in St Albans invites guests to a vibrant Diwali buffet feast, complete with entertainment and fireworks, on Friday 8th November. Starting at 7 pm, prepare to be welcomed with sparkling drinks and spiced canapés before dining in the stunning St Alban Suite, where a lavish spread of authentic Indian sharing dishes will blend traditional and modern flavours.
Returning for its second year, the luxury Georgian hotel in St Albans is inviting guests to a vibrant Diwali buffet feast.
when: 8th novembeR
Where: Cottonmill Lane, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL1 2HQ
Website: www.sopwellhouse.co.uk
Kricket
For one day only, Kricket Canary Wharf will be hosting a Diwali special night with delicious traditional food and live music. Artist Natasha Kumar will be creating screen prints for guests to take home – an opportunity to hang a unique piece of Diwali-inspired artwork on your walls. There will also be an autumnal root vegetable biryani, and bottomless chai and nimbu panis for everyone. And of course, Diwali would not be complete without some music. There will be a dhol drummer to welcome guests, and a henna artist too.
when: 2nd November
where: Unit 6 Frobisher Psge, London E14 5HA
website: www.kricket.co.uk
Yaatra
Nestled in the Grade II listed Old Westminster fire station, Yaatra whisks you away to the highways and bylanes of India, with a legendary menu helped by executive chef Amit Bagyal. Especially for Diwali, Yaatra is offering a five-course meal for £70 with a Diwali Bellini on arrival. For vegetarians, there are beetroot and coconut croquettes with berry chutney; chilli lime tofu and peach kebab with mint chutney; black carrot kohlrabi kofta, coconut korma, carrot crisp with toasted lotus seed and more. For the meat eaters, look forward to kasundi mustard prawn with mint yoghurt; venison boti kebab, kachumber salad and berry coulis and sous vide lamb rumb, lamb keema mutter and butternut squash puree with chocolate sauce.
when: served in november
where: Old Westminster Fire Station, 4 Greycoat Place, London SW1P 1SB
website: www.yaatrarestaurant.com
Babur
The famed Forest Hill restaurant will be putting on a show this Diwali, with a five-course candlelit feast and lively performances by the dance crew Bollywood Vibes. On your plate, look forward to aloo tikki chaat, Kandhari chicken tikka, lamb bhuna and malai kofta, and to end on a sweet note, a melt-in-the-mouth saffron milk cake.
On your plate, look forward to aloo tikki chaat, Kandhari chicken tikka, lamb bhuna and malai kofta.
when: 29th October to 3rd November
where: 119 Brockley Rise, Forest Hill, SE23 1JP
website: www.babur.info

Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites and Residences


TH@51 has launched a new India Unveiled weekend brunch, especially for Diwali that’s available until 24th November. Start with a Masala 51 cocktail that’s made with gin, rum, tequila, vodka, orange liqueur and the restaurant’s signature masala tea mix, then nibble on butter garlic prawns, kheema per eedu with bun maska or Goan chorizo pulao. If you like your eggs on toast, don’t miss the akuri on grilled sourdough. To end, don’t leave without trying the gulab jamun cheesecake. There will also be an incredible array of thalis available to try that takes you across the subcontinent from North to South, presenting an array of vibrant flavours on your plate.
WHEN: Available UNTIL 24TH NOVEMBER
WHERE: TH@51, 51 Buckingham Gate, London, United Kingdom SW1E 6AF
WEBSITE: www.th51.co.uk