Govinda's Soho Street — Attraction in London

The wildly positive reviews are...confusing. Maybe the religious aspect explains them? As a restaurant - nothing to save about. Sagar is nearby and also vegetarian and Indian food. A little pricier but proper restaurant food.

To begin, waited in a long line - which gives the illusion of good tasting food. Got the paneer thali among other stuff - asked for an extra spoon of salad (because i like healthy stuff) and was told I could buy more...which came in another plate I had to carry to my table. Would cost pennies to add another spoon of salad to plate while its being filled... but they want to upsell even that - oh well.

Then - when picking up bread that came with my thali was informed I could have either bread-roll or poppadom but not both (not clear on the menu). This was downright weird - restaurants usually put a basket of bread at your table for free before you've even ordered. Was strange to see them being so stingy with bread rolls - how am I meant to eat paneer curry with poppadom??

Oh yh - had to put plates on wet trays; just rinsed out but not dry.

Anyways - got to my table. Some oil stain from the last person but oh well. Put my tray over it. All of this could easily be ignored if the food was good...if only...

The "chilly paneer" was runny, clearly tasted of tinned tomatoes - left most of mine uneaten. Tasted like something I'd make at home myself in 5mins late at night when I want food fast and don't much care how it tastes. Not inedible...but not something I'd enjoy unless I was already very hungry.

Dhal was okay tasting - a bit bland and simple, like the first dhal you'd learn to cook by yourself. Could do with some spice, lemon and salt. For restaurant food - I'd expect dhal to be a bit more flavoured. Maybe fried or something with fresh tomatoes...

Veg rice - not bad.

Masala chai - excellent. no notes. Good tea, nice potion, good sized mugs.

Chapatti - excellent. no notes. good size and taste. served warm.

Salad & dressing - with a bit of salt, a good tasting...

Govinda's Restaurant, London - A Good Effort, but Missing a Key Element Govinda's offers a commendable pure vegetarian and vegan dining experience in London, known for its wholesome, sattvic food and peaceful canteen-style ambiance. The staff are welcoming, and the commitment to ethical and nourishing meals is evident. I visited with the intention of enjoying an authentic Indian thali, a concept designed to provide a complete and balanced meal on a single platter. The curries offered were flavorful and satisfying, and the inclusion of rice, dal, and salad certainly contributed to a wholesome meal. However, a significant oversight for me was the absence of chapati (or another traditional Indian flatbread like roti) as a standard inclusion in the thali. While I noticed they offer chapatis as a separate item on their "Sundries" menu, a thali, by its very definition and tradition, is meant to be a self-contained meal that includes a staple grain like rice and a flatbread for scooping up the various curries and dishes. Eating Indian curries with just rice, or resorting to a "bread roll" (which is typically Western-style) if a traditional flatbread isn't part of the thali, detracts from the authentic experience. For many, the joy of a thali lies in the interplay of textures and flavors, with the soft, freshly made chapati being an integral part of that. It felt like a crucial piece of the puzzle was missing from the core thali offering. While Govinda's provides a good meal, for those who appreciate the true essence of an Indian thali, the omission of chapati as a standard component is a noticeable detraction. It would greatly enhance the authenticity and completeness of their thali if a traditional Indian flatbread were...

I visited Govinda’s at around 6:30 PM after attending the temple. The place was quite busy, and there was a long queue, so I initially thought I wouldn’t get a table. I was with my mother and father, who had just arrived in the country. My father has been a devoted follower of ISKCON for many years, and I’ve personally visited several ISKCON temples in different cities.

While waiting in line, the first person who greeted me did so very nicely, which was a lovely start. However, what followed was disappointing. Once I reached the counter, I politely asked the lady if I could have everything served in takeaway containers but not fully packed, as I intended to eat there. She began wrapping it anyway, and when I clarified my request, she responded very rudely, saying, “You’re making me do double work.” I was taken aback by her tone and ended up apologizing—even though I truly felt I hadn’t done anything wrong. No one had informed me that a table would be available for sure, so I was just trying to be practical.

What really disturbed me was that she was wearing a tilak, a symbol of devotion to Lord Krishna. It made me reflect—how can someone who represents ISKCON and wears the signs of devotion display such anger and impatience? Krishna is a loving and compassionate deity. As someone who deeply follows Sanatan Dharma, I found this behavior hurtful and concerning.

If you are working in a sacred space representing ISKCON, the values of calmness, respect, and service should be reflected in your actions. This experience made me question how Hinduism is being represented to the world. My humble appeal: please don’t let one person’s harsh behavior misrepresent the loving and peaceful teachings of...