Best Chicken Tikka Masala
in London

Verdict: City Spice won Best Indian Restaurant in London 2024 at the Asian Restaurant & Takeaway Awards. The CTM features pomegranate seeds and nut flakes as finishing garnish; a Bengali-trained kitchen with strong vegetarian options including the first vegan menu on Brick Lane. — Brick Lane / Spitalfields

Queue: Aldgate East tube (District/Hammersmith & City lines) is a 10-minute walk.

Go: Daily 12:00–15:00, 18:00–23:00; weekday lunch quieter. No doorman, no touts — distinguishes it from less reputable neighbours on the same street.

Price: $$

Dietary:

Verdict: Sheba has operated from the same Brick Lane address since 1974 under continuous family ownership and has been named East London Restaurant of the Year and Best Curry House in the UK across multiple award cycles. The two-floor dining room handles groups; Indian, Bangladeshi, and Pakistani cooking methods are all represented on the menu. — Brick Lane / Spitalfields

Queue: same Aldgate East tube access as City Spice (adjacent addresses).

Go: Daily 12:00–midnight; weekday lunch 12:00–15:00 quietest; weekend dinner peak 19:00–21:30.

Price: $$

Dietary:

Verdict: Aladin appeared on the BBC's list of the UK's best curry houses and hosted a visit from the Prince of Wales. The CTM is a house staple; a single-floor, no-doorman dining room sets it apart from the tout-heavy neighbours on this stretch of Brick Lane. — Brick Lane / Spitalfields

Queue: same Brick Lane cluster, Aldgate East tube access.

Go: Daily 12:00–midnight (00:30 Fri–Sat); smaller venue than City Spice and Sheba — walk-ins possible at lunch, tighter at dinner.

Price: $$

Dietary:

Verdict: Mirch Masala is one of South London's most consistent budget curry houses and a Tooting institution with a local following built over decades. The CTM and karahi dishes are cooked fresh; mains run under £10 before drinks, complimentary poppadom on arrival. — Tooting

Queue: Tooting Broadway tube (Northern line) is a 5-minute walk.

Go: Daily 12:00–midnight; weekday lunch quieter; dinner peak 18:00–20:00. BYOB (no alcohol licence).

Price: $

Dietary:

Verdict: Gifto's Lahore Karahi is London's largest Pakistani restaurant at 380 seats and the anchor dining venue of Southall's Golden Mile. CTM is available in both British-cream and desi (spicier, less cream) versions; the karahi preparations are the kitchen's principal output and worth comparing. — Southall

Queue: Southall station (Elizabeth line) is a 3-minute walk up South Road to The Broadway.

Go: Mon–Fri 12:00–23:30, Sat–Sun 10:00–23:30; Friday and Saturday dinner peak — book ahead or arrive before 19:00.

Price: $$

Dietary:

Verdict: Haweli has operated from South Road — immediately beside Southall station — for over 22 years. The kitchen offers CTM in both British-cream and authentic desi variations with generous portions; mid-range pricing consistent with the Southall corridor. — Southall

Queue: directly adjacent to Southall station (Elizabeth line), 1-minute walk.

Go: Daily; lunch 12:00–14:30 quieter; dinner 18:00–23:00 busy Fri–Sat. Book weekends. Service can slow during peak hours.

Price: $$

Dietary:

Verdict: Khana Khazana sits on Green Street, one of East London's primary South Asian food corridors with halal certification and a strong local reputation. CTM mains run £9.99–13.99; the restaurant is listed on both Squaremeal and HalalJoints with consistent reviews. — Upton Park / Green Street

Queue: Upton Park tube (District/Hammersmith & City lines) is a 3-minute walk.

Go: Daily; lunch 12:00–15:00, dinner 18:00–23:00. Busier on weekends with local South Asian families; arrive by 12:30 for lunch seats.

Price: $

Dietary:

Verdict: Masala Zone Soho is the most central and accessible budget Indian option for West End visitors. The menu spans regional street food, thalis, and curry-house staples including CTM; quick counter-casual service makes it practical for pre-shopping or pre-theatre meals under £15/head. — Soho

Queue: Oxford Circus tube (Central/Elizabeth/Bakerloo lines) is a 1-minute walk.

Go: Mon–Fri 12:30–14:30, 17:30–22:30; Sat–Sun 11:00–22:30 (Sun closes 22:00). Lunch 12:30–14:30 quietest; weekend dinner peak 19:00–20:30.

Price: $

Dietary:

Verdict: Bengal Tiger was named East London Restaurant of the Year 2022 at the Asian Restaurant & Takeaway Awards and carries a 4.9/5 Tripadvisor rating. The CTM and Indian-Asian fusion menu serve the tech-and-creative district crowd at honest pricing, outside the tourist corridor. — Shoreditch / Old Street

Queue: Old Street tube/rail station (Northern/Circle/District lines) is at street level on Old Street.

Go: Daily 12:00–14:30, 18:00–23:00; weekend dinner peak 19:00–21:00. Walk-in lunch usually possible; book Fri–Sat dinner.

Price: $$

Dietary:

Verdict: Tower Tandoori has served charcoal-tandoor Pakistani and Indian cooking from this Tower Bridge Road address since 1978 under the same family ownership. CTM and tandoori specialities are the signature dishes; 45+ years of continuous operation gives the kitchen a consistency that newer South Bank competitors lack. — Bermondsey / London Bridge

Queue: London Bridge tube/rail (Jubilee/Northern lines) is a 2-minute walk north.

Go: Daily 12:00–14:30, 18:00–midnight (Fri–Sat to 00:00). Weekday lunch quieter; weekend dinner popular with post-Tower Bridge visitors.

Price: $$

Dietary:

Verdict: Royals India has operated from Endell Street for over 30 years, making it one of Covent Garden's longest-standing Indian restaurants. CTM is a permanent fixture on the menu; the location makes it the most accessible pre-theatre Indian option in the West End with reliable mid-range execution. — Covent Garden

Queue: Covent Garden tube (Piccadilly line) is a 1-minute walk.

Go: Daily 12:00–14:30, 17:30–23:00; peak dinner 19:00–20:30 during theatre season (Sep–Apr). Earlier sittings available for pre-theatre.

Price: $$

Dietary:

Verdict: Bombay Bustle is a Michelin-listed Mayfair Indian restaurant built on a train-carriage concept with CTM and standard curry-house plates alongside contemporary Indian sharing dishes. Mid-price point with consistent kitchen quality; a more relaxed atmosphere than Gymkhana or Tamarind at lower cost. — Mayfair

Queue: Oxford Circus tube (Central/Elizabeth/Bakerloo lines) is a 1-minute walk via Maddox Street.

Go: Mon–Sat 12:00–14:30, 17:30–22:30; Sun 12:00–15:00, 17:30–21:30. Off-peak lunch 13:00–14:00; dinner quietest 17:30–18:30.

Price: $$

Dietary:

Verdict: Aromas Tandoori is a Forest Gate curry house with listings on Squaremeal, OpenTable, and Tripadvisor with consistent positive reviews. Budget North Indian cooking including CTM at under £14/head in a well-documented outer East London location. — Forest Gate

Queue: Forest Gate station (Elizabeth line) is approximately an 8-minute walk.

Go: Daily lunch and dinner service. Confirm current hours before visiting — limited confidence on specific time windows.

Price: $

Dietary:

Verdict: Masala Hut is a budget Ilford curry house with a 4.4/5 Google Maps rating and independent listings on Tripadvisor, Yelp, and Restaurant Guru. Standard North Indian CTM at budget pricing for the outer East London corridor. — Ilford

Queue: Ilford station (Elizabeth line) is approximately an 8-minute walk.

Go: Daily lunch and dinner service. Confirm current hours before visiting.

Price: $

Dietary:

Verdict: Samrat Tandoori is a long-established Tooting takeaway and dine-in curry house serving traditional North Indian preparations including CTM and butter chicken. Budget pricing under £12/head; no-frills dining room. — Tooting

Queue: Tooting Broadway or Balham tube stations (Northern line) require a 10–15-minute walk; buses 44 and 77 serve Mitcham Road directly.

Go: Daily 12:00–14:30, 18:00–midnight; weekday lunch quieter. Takeaway and dine-in.

Price: $

Dietary:

Verdict: Massala has operated as a budget Indian takeaway on Stoke Newington High Street since 1997 with collection covering Hackney, Dalston, and Islington postcodes. The CTM is traditional North Indian style — creamy tomato base, balanced spice — at sub-£12 collection pricing. — Stoke Newington

Queue: Stoke Newington Overground station is a 3-minute walk.

Go: Daily 17:00–23:00 (Fri–Sat 15:00–23:00). Collection only — no dine-in.

Price: $

Dietary:

Verdict: Wembley Tandoori has operated from Wembley Park Drive for 30 years with 120 seats across a no-frills Indian and Nepalese dining room. The CTM is standard North Indian preparation; reliable for group bookings before or after Wembley events. — Wembley

Queue: Wembley Park tube (Jubilee line) is a 5-minute walk.

Go: Mon–Fri 12:00–14:30, 17:30–23:00; Sat 17:30–23:00; Sun 17:30–22:30. On event days at Wembley Stadium, arrive before 18:00 or after 20:30 to avoid surge.

Price: $$

Dietary:

Verdict: The Curry Club London is a Punjabi North Indian restaurant on Barkingside High Street with a full bar and private banqueting space. CTM is traditional gravy-style — tender chicken, well-spiced tomato sauce; closed Mondays and Tuesdays, dinner-only (except Sundays). — Barkingside

Queue: Barkingside tube (Central line) is a 10-minute walk.

Go: Wed–Thu 16:00–22:00, Fri–Sat 16:00–23:30, Sun 12:00–23:00; closed Mon–Tue. Dinner-only (except Sunday). Book Fri–Sat evenings.

Price: $$

Dietary:

Verdict: Jashan has served North Indian cooking from this Turnpike Lane address since 1990 and holds a 5-star FHRS food hygiene rating. The CTM is consistently executed — aromatic spice, balanced cream — at mid-range North London pricing with a no-frills local following. — Wood Green

Queue: Wood Green tube (Piccadilly line) is a 3-minute walk.

Go: Daily 12:00–23:00; weekday lunch 12:00–14:30 quieter; weekend dinner peak 19:30–22:00.

Price: $$

Dietary:

Verdict: Tamarind became London's first Michelin-starred Indian restaurant in 1999 and retains one star. The chicken tikka is a signature dish — free-range pieces with a restrained, spice-balanced preparation; expect £80–130 per head with wine in a formal white-tablecloth setting. — Mayfair

Queue: Green Park tube (Piccadilly/Victoria/Jubilee lines) is a 5-minute walk through Mayfair.

Go: Mon–Sat 12:00–14:30, 18:00–23:00; closed Sundays. Book 2–3 weeks ahead for dinner; lunch often available at shorter notice.

Price: $$$

Dietary: