Central Restaurant and Lounge — Restaurant in London

Never in my life I've ever experienced something like this. Me and my colleagues (we were a group of 11 people), booked a table at the lounge for today, Friday 8th August 19:00. As soon as we sat it was only 6 of us, as we were waiting for the others to arrive (they all arrived within 20-25 minutes). In the meanwhile we started to order drinks and food, so my friend was trying to explain that we were still waiting for the other guests, which was fine, but the problem started when my friend tried to order two shishas to start with, since we obviously didn't know what our friends would have wanted. The waitress firmly explained the policy of the lounge, which we were already familiar with, but the issue wasn't her words, the biggest problem was her attitude and her dismissing behaviour, saying things like "you can speak with my manager if you want", a sentence that she repeated numerous times. We tried to move on after this unexpected experience, in the meantime our friends arrived and joined us, we tried to enjoy our food (although the lamb chops and chicken were very chewy, definitely overcooked). There wasn't much opportunity to socialise and talk with each other, as the music was unbearably loud and annoying (the table that we were sitting at was exactly under the speakers, how lucky). After eating I went to politely ask the waiting staff if they could bring the cake that we handed over to the staff when we arrived, with the lit candles for my friend, as it was her birthday. To my absolute shock, a few minutes after my request, a waitress came to our table holding the bag which contained the box with the birthday cake in it. She handed it over to me saying "Is it yours?" to which I completely froze, I was so shocked and disappointed as I just expected the cake to be presented in a proper way, as the staff was notified that it was my friend's birthday. In doing this, all the birthday surprise was ruined. Everybody at the table went really quiet, all of us were appalled and disgusted by this extremely rude gesture. We made a complaint to the manager, who listened to our concerns, and tried to salvage the situation. Kudos to him, but some of the waiting staff needs to be retrained properly and need to learn a thing or two about customer service. I won't ever step foot in this place again, and I would strongly recommend for people to trust me when I say it's not worth spending your money on such a revolting...

This was our second visit here. We order the chicken lollypop again 😍😍😍 Keema loaded fries 😍😍😍 Lamb Karachi - had slight spice which was nice and not too overpowering. The lamb was very tender and went to well with the garlic naan. Vegetable noodles - tasted really nice considering it was vegetables. It had a nice smoky taste to it which made it stand out. Pinacolada - I don’t usually go for pinacolada but I thought we’d be different this time. It was nice, flavourful and refreshing!

Great meal and great service! One of the best Indian restaurants around. Shisha lounge opening in July.

Pictures are from our first visit.

First visit in December 2021

Chicken Lollypop - sweet and spicy with a crispy coating! These were my favourite, the chicken pieces were big as well!

Sticky Lamb Chops - These were so succulent and massive! The flavours were really nice but for me, as a chilli wimp, were sooo spicy! I could manage one only. Spice lovers would love this.

Masala chips - this was nice. It wasn’t saucy yet it wasn’t dry either. I would say it was like a paste.

Butter chicken - the portion looked small, but there was actually soo much in there. We’ve had sweeter butter chicken but this was still a good dish, especially with the fresh garlic naan. We do love our butter chicken.

Dum biriyani - We chose the Lamb one and it was full of spices and flavour. The lamb was soft too. I loved opening the top of the biriyani to unveil the vibrant colours.

Drinks - we chose Passion Peach which was a fizzy, refreshing drink. The other was Ocean Blue (I think) this was a nice lychee drink which was really needed to calm the spiciness of the meal.

Overall, we loved our meal here. The service was amazing and they were all so attentive. Next time, we would make sure to alter the spice levels of the starters so it more bearable. There’s private parking available and single yellow so parking wouldn’t...

If you’re looking for a spot with crazy-good starters, huge portions, and a vibe that feels like home - Central Restaurant & Lounge is the place!

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From the moment we walked in, the vibe was so welcoming, elegant décor, friendly staff, and excellent hospitality that really stood out. The place is spacious with separate dining and lounge areas, making it perfect whether you’re out with family or celebrating with friends. Plus, they offer huge free parking, which is a big win in London! 🚗✨

Now the food is where Central truly shines! 🔥

Starters 🥢 The Chicken Lollipop was crazy good, crispy outside, juicy inside, and packed with flavour. The Indo-Chinese Prawns were bold and tangy with that perfect kick. The Trio Chicken Tikka was tender, smoky, and each marinade had its own unique taste. But the Avocado Chaat stole the show as something refreshing and light to balance it all.

Mains 🍛 The Chicken Madras was spot on,spicy, rich, and full of depth, exactly how a proper Madras should be. The surprise star for me was the Methi Corn, creamy, fragrant, and such a unique dish, it instantly became a favourite.

Desserts 🍰 The cakes were indulgent but the Lotus Biscoff Milk Cake really stood out soft, rich, and absolutely delicious. The portion sizes were huge across all dishes, which I really appreciate you definitely get value for money here.

Extras 💨 To finish, we tried their Special Shisha smooth, flavoursome, and the perfect way to end a fantastic evening.

Overall, Central Restaurant & Lounge offers the full experience welcoming vibes, amazing food with generous portions, and excellent service. 100% recommend this place if you’re looking for quality food with great...