Vatavaran Review: The Indian Taking London To The Himalayas

Opening a new Indian restaurant in London is a little like rebooting a beloved TV series. Ok, we’re intrigued, but the existing quality is so high you’re going to need to do something special to stand out. Vatavaran is one of the recent brave challengers aiming to disrupt decades of status quo hierarchy-building in the city’s eco-sphere, and arrived with a posh postcode and fresh inspiration.

What sets it apart

Vatavaran has some weight behind it – Executive Chef Rohit Ghai previously headed up the kitchen at the Michelin-starred Jamavar, and its Knightsbridge location suggests some serious financial muscle. Intriguingly, its culinary inspiration draws from the Himalayas, a different scope to the Southern, coastal cuisine of Trishna, or the elite private clubs Gymkhana harkens back to. That means the dishes are deep and rich, based around open-flame Sigri cooking, built to combat harsh mountainous terrain with warming sustenance.

Vatavaran has some weight behind it – Executive Chef Rohit Ghai previously headed up the kitchen at the Michelin-starred Jamavar.

The interiors are also striking. Vatavaran is named after the Hindi word for ‘atmosphere’, and they’ve introduced a different one to each story of the building. From the soft, calming blue of the main dining room to a more clubby, deep green of the second floor, right to the cocktail bar at the top, a kind of ruby-red speakeasy.

What to order

For drinks, there’s a lot of choice, a menu full of wine and spirits from around the world. If you want to stick to the theme, though, I suggest either starting with a beer or one of the signature cocktails. Kingfisher, rather than Cobra, rightly monopolises the beer menu (those who know, know).

Then onto a cocktail, which incorporates Indian flavours and aromatics like cardamom, tamarind and saffron into delicious concoctions. We suggest the Kendra, a gin-based number enhanced by jasmine and saffron, or, if you like your cocktails on the stronger side, the Mihira, a mix of Scotch, cardamom, lemon and jaggery.

Choice is also your friend when it comes to the food. If you want to sample as much of the menu as possible, go big and opt for one of their tasting menus, either the ‘Brook’ for meat eaters or the vegetarian ‘Meadow’, where you can try five courses for £70-75. Helpfully, there’s also a vegan tasting menu, making this a great option for groups with dietary restrictions – avoiding dairy is not always easy with Indian cuisine.

Or, like we did, you can go à la carte. To start, salmon tikka lightly flavoured with coconut, a goat shami kebab with roasted plum and black cardamom, and hispi cabbage with sesame and pomegranate, which were flavourful, aromatic and nicely balanced.

For main, the biryani is well worth it, as are the curries

For the main, the biryani is well worth it, as are the curries – try the lamb barbat, a deep, dark mix of boneless lamb, burnt spices and gravy, and the palak paneer, a great vegetarian classic with spinach and brought to life with fenugreek.

Indian cuisine is not famous for its desserts, but Vatavaran have created a winner that should bookend any meal. A rice pudding flavoured with cardamom contains the perfect amount of sweetness, and is the ideal coolant to the fiery mains.

Verdict

After your meal, head to Shikhar on the top floor, a speakeasy-style lounge ideal for a nightcap. Depending on how liberal you get with the cocktails, a table for two should round to roughly £50 each, which, for seriously good quality upscale Indian in Knightsbridge, represents great value in 2025 London.