Veeraswamy: Review of the Tasting Menu - Full of History, Flavour, and a Bit of Family Romance

Some restaurants sit quietly on your wish-list for years. Not flashy or faddy, but patiently waiting — the kind of place that feels like it deserves a proper occasion. Veeraswamy has been one of those for me. Tucked away just off Regent Street, it's Britain’s oldest Indian restaurant, serving diners since 1926. It's incredible to think that it's been there for 99 years and is now fighting to stay. To sign the petition to keep it in the current location please visit: https://www.change.org/p/help-save-veeraswamy-to-exist-in-its-99-year-old-location.

And with its history, opulent interiors, and reputation for refined regional cooking, it had long been somewhere I wanted to experience properly — not just pop in for a quick curry, but really savour it.

1945 and set for a life in Australia

But it wasn’t just the food that kept Veeraswamy on my radar. It also holds a rather lovely family story. My aunt always said she knew my uncle was serious about her when he took her to Veeraswamy in 1944, during the war. He was a Lancaster bomber pilot — funny, generous, artistic, and incredibly brave — with an impressive number of missions under his belt. She was young, clever, and adventurous, working in London at the time. That dinner, in the middle of so much uncertainty, was a quiet promise. No wonder she agreed to marry him and return to Australia with him after the war ended. That meal stayed with her for a lifetime — and now, finally, I understand why.

An amuse bouche of one of the signature dishes - the Angle-Indian Mulligatawny soup

We opted for the Tasting Menu, which felt like the right way to honour both the restaurant and the family history. It’s beautifully structured, taking you on a journey through different regions of India, with each dish plated like a little jewel. We were treated to an amuse bouche of a rich mulligatawny soup, one of Veeraswamy's signature dishes. It was just enough to get us excited about what was to come.

That prawn and the chutneys were scrumptious

The tasting menu then started with a Tandoori Green Prawn. This was a succulent and tender as I've ever had, served with coriander, mint and chilli. It turned out to be the star of the meal for me (not that anything else was in any was a disappointment).

Possibly the tenderest piece of chicken

Our second starter was the Murgh Hazrat Mahal, this was quite a sizable piece of chicken, beautifully spiced and incredibly tender. Probably the best piece of chicken I've ever had.

The 4 curries contrasted beautifully

The main course is served in a silver crescent of 4 curries with lemon rice and naan for the table. The curries are: lobster Malabar curry, chicken Makhani masala, Champaran rogan josh, and fresh pineapple curry. These presented contrasting flavours and textures, all with amazing sauces, with the pineapple helping to cut through the richness of the other curries.

That chocolate ganache was very rich

Puddings often feel like an afterthought in Indian restaurants, but not here. We had an indulgent chocolate ganache. I have to say that we were all very full by this point, and didn't really do this justice.

The venue with it's doorman to greet you and the room itself is part of the magic — art deco glamour meets Maharajah elegance. Think soft lighting, ornate details, and a quiet hum of people having proper conversations over proper food. It’s elegant without being stuffy. And the service was exactly what you want on a special evening: warm, unhurried, and quietly attentive.

I left Veeraswamy feeling full — yes, from the food — but also from the sense of occasion. It’s not just the dishes that are layered here; it’s the place itself. The history, the memories, the feeling that you're part of something that’s been quietly happening for nearly a century.

You’ll find Veeraswamy at 99 Regent Street, London W1B 4EZ. Bookings are highly recommended (you can reserve online at www.veeraswamy.com). It’s not somewhere you go every week — but for an evening that’s a bit special, a bit storied, and full of flavour, it’s utterly worth the wait.

It's Michelin star is well deserved. And now I see exactly why my aunt fell for both the man and the meal.

The tasting menu costs £90 and must be ordered for the whole table. Paired wines are available for an additional £60.