Kahani Restaurant — Restaurant in London

An unforgettable dining experience at Kahani – bold flavours, live jazz & award-winning service

Kahani in Chelsea is a real gem for anyone who appreciates fine Indian cuisine with a modern twist.

Led by Chef Peter Joseph—formerly head chef at Tamarind, the first Indian restaurant in the UK to receive a Michelin star—Kahani blends traditional Indian spices with contemporary British style beautifully.

The restaurant has recently scooped up three major awards in 2024: Asian Restaurant of the Year (Asian Curry Awards) Best Restaurant Of The Year (Curry Life Magazine Awards) Fine Dining Restaurant Of The Year (Asian Restaurant Awards)

I visited on a Thursday, when they host their weekly Live Jazz Nights, and we were lucky to be serenaded by the talented Jazz Dynamos. The combination of smooth live music, elegant interiors, and outstanding food made for a fantastic night out.

We started with the Berry Papdi Chaat, a playful and refreshing starter with crunchy textures and sweet-sour berry chutney.

The Grilled Scallops were beautifully cooked and served with Andhra spices and a rich coconut-turmeric sauce.

The Nilgiri Chicken Chop was another highlight—smoky, herby, and perfectly complemented by a spicy pepper chutney.

From the Kahani Klaasik Chargrilled menu, we went for the Tandoori Peshawari Lamb Chops—highly recommended and for good reason. Juicy, bold with Kashmiri chillies and cloves, and grilled just right. One of the best lamb dishes I’ve had in London.

For mains, the Hyderabadi Lamb Biryani really stood out. Aromatic, well-spiced, and packed with tender lamb—hands down one of the best biryanis in town. We also tried the Mirch Ghost, a slow-cooked lamb curry that delivered deep, warming heat, and the Kerala Prawn Masala, rich with shallots, tomatoes, and curry leaves—perfectly balanced and full of coastal flavour.

Dessert was a showstopper: Heritage Carrot Halwa Tiramisu with Espresso Bubble Tea. A creative, elegant fusion that was sweet, spiced, and light all at once.

To drink, I chose the Saicho Darjeeling Sparkling Tea, a refined non-alcoholic option with delicate notes of yellow plum, golden apple skin, and blonde tobacco. Its subtle tannins and bubbles made it a great pairing with the richness of the food.

Service was excellent throughout. Shahrukh and his team were welcoming, friendly, and incredibly attentive, striking the perfect balance between professional and warm.

If you’re looking for an exceptional Indian dining experience in London, with a touch of live jazz magic on Thursdays, Kahani is a must-visit. Great food, great atmosphere, top-tier service, and a Michelin-level pedigree that...

Went to celebrate my wife's birthday here today with her parents for lunch. While I have absolutely no complaint about the quality of food and authenticity of flavours, must say was extremely disappointed to find two..not one, but TWO instances of hair present in/around food. This is NOT expected of a fine dining establishment or any restaurant for that matter and left a bad impression.

The first strand of hair was found on the side of one of the three bowls of chutneys accompanying the poppadums. So not in direct contact with the food.

The second was found resting on the side of one of the 3 pieces of kulfi (served as a trio) for dessert, and was pointed out the minute the dish was placed on our table.

We had pointed the first instance out and had moved on to enjoy our lunch, but the same issue in the end was disturbing and disgusting to say the least.

While I must mention the staff went out of their way to try and remediate the situation (our entire meal was comped), a complimentary round of drinks were offered at the end (which we politely refused as we were quite full) and there were apologies all around, I really hope that service standards are stepped up in the kitchen/on the pass, as this just will not fly.

Quick lines about the food - the doughnuts ( Dahi chaat in essence ) was underwhelming.

My whiskey cocktail was outstanding - I did ask the waitress to mention this to the bartender.

The chutneys accompanying the poppadums were very good.

The soft shell crab was quite good.

The daals were very good - this is the hallmark of any really good Indian place. I mentioned this to Taran Singh (who was the manager and was excellent btw) before said incident, as we were enjoying our mains.

Lamb chops were really good and well cooked. Had a bit of a strong ajwain flavour. It's good for digestion anyway.

Prawn Biryani was great - succulent prawns and flavourful rice.

The choc chilli mousse was also good with the sorbet. Presentation was good, but our experience here was interrupted by the kulfi episode.

Flavours are spot on. And I understand and appreciate quality Indian food.

If/when I return, I shall certainly keep my eyes peeled.

Oh and the restaurant management needs to do something about the sheet metal large flat lamps - I counted 5 instances when the servers and customers knocked their heads against them. They're not installed well. Needs to be higher OR not encompassing (almost) the diameter of the...

This was absolutely one of the best meals I had in London. Think elevated South Asian cuisine, good enough to merit a Michelin star. Ya, I said it. We took our kiddo with us, and they were incredibly welcoming and accommodating. Our waiter, Dave Raj, was so knowledgeable, kind, and accommodating.

Ambiance was chill, and warm, and we were luckily tucked away in a corner booth for a private and relaxing dining experience.

We shared a bunch of small dishes, and it was perfection:

-Berry papdi chaat, spiced chickpeas with sweetened yogurt, wild berry & tamarind chutney. Crunchy, sweet, and spicy.

Samosa platter, Punjabi Aloo, kolhapuri chicken, Madras lamb. These were some of the flakiest samosas I've ever had. So buttery, and the veggie and chicken samosa legit made my mouth expode.

My husband ordered the scallops and crab, and his taste buds blew up. Epic, he proclaimed.

For our mains, we tried several items, sides, and naans:

My husband enjoyed the smoked Malabar prawns and lamb chops, and called them otherworldly.

The trio of chicken tikka tandoor grilled chicken supreme with cream cheese, pickling spices & Rajasthani chops was solid, and sauce was bangin', I wouldn't order this again, but I'd ask for a bowl of the red pepper sauce. Yes, it was that good.

-The Hydrabadi Biryani was packed with veggies, mint, coriander, and other magical spices. I really enjoyed this.

Saag Paneer was disappointingly bland, and the paneer wasn't melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

-Chicken Makhani, a tender and buttery chicken dish dressed in creamy tomato sauce was also bangin', and honestly delightful with buttery naan.

Jeera aloo was an interesting take. The potatoes appeared to be roasted and dressed with rich spices. It was a creative and inventive take.

Garlic naan & Cheese chilli naan-do yourself a favor and ordered these two for dipping and scooping. My fave was the garlic naan.

-To wrap things up, we enjoyed two desserts: raspberry couli (baked berry cheesecake) and chocolate delight which was a chocolate torte with mandarin ice cream. Both offered a delightful finish to our dining adventure.

-As far as mocktails, ask for the mango, passion fruit, mint, and lime libation. It's the best on the menu, trust me.

I would def return, and I hope they get their star soon....