Hip restaurant that presents Indian food like you've never seen it and in some cases never tasted but overall it didn't live up to expectations. The most annoying part of the dining experience was that they wouldn't let you get the tasting menu unless you had 2 or more people. I understand why you can't do it if the whole table doesn't do it but if you're a lone diner, it feels unfair you can't get the tasting menu -- maybe doubly unfair because normally you rely on the tasting menu to get a little taste of everything. Because of this, maybe I just couldn't sample enough to really find the hidden gems. The best dishes were the sea bass and the chicken with peanut sauce starters. The seabass had an incredible sauce and the chicken was super tender and juicy yet nicely charred. Those did blow my mind. It went downhill from there. The eggplant (aubergine) was a disappointment. It was half a thin eggplant that wasn't particularly transformed into anything that marvelous or at least delicious. The venison ended up being much more tubular than I had imagined with an interesting sauce shoved inside. It was okay. The naan was perfectly cooked so I'll give them that. The lamb curry though was good but not great -- but had been built up a lot by the waiter to be the best thing to finish with. I felt a bit nickel and dimed by having to pay for rice and the chutney sauces. The service was great -- fast, attentive, and friendly. I just think it could have indeed been the best (or among the best at least) Indian food I've ever had (in London, NYC or SF which are my comparison set), but it didn't overall transform my impression of good Indian food the way I expected it -- plus the price was way higher, which I understand as a michelin restaurant it can justify on prestige alone, but I just didn't think it was good value. Maybe I'm just bitter I couldn't get it all on the tasting menu for less! But, please don't think me a complainer just cause of costs as I've had Noma, Joel Robuchon, etc. and I found those worth the price. I just think this was okay for a Michelin experience and good Indian food, but not something I'd look to repeat again. read more

I had another great meal at Amaya last month. The only downside to being a party of one is that you cannot get the tasting menu which is fantastic. So I try to mix in an old favorite and try some new things with a few ala carte dishes instead. This time I went with a single scallop to start, the spiced chicken chops, chaat and monkfish tikka. This was about the right amount of food for one which can be hard to sort. Everything tasted amazing as it always does. The only thing I wish they would do is space the dishes a little better timewise. But literally I am nitpicking at that. If you like Indian food, you need to go to Amaya. read more

This place was absolutely amazing! The service was perfect; everyone was very polite and friendly. The food was delicious; I had the Amaya platter with the coconut curry sea bass which was absolutely to die for. I also recommend the strawberry granita which comes with the Amaya platter. It is like a classy snow cone and was refreshing to have after a Indian meal. read more

Amaya - Indian Near Me - London, XGL

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This review, albeit a couple of years late, is a meaningful one. My husband and I celebrated our one year anniversary in London and Amaya was one of the places we were fortunate to enjoy. It was so delicious, that we still remember it fondly. The drinks were fantastic and service was excellent. Not sure if server, Leslie, is still there but he took great care of us that evening. I wish I could transport Amaya to NYC. Highly recommend if you are in London, dress up and enjoy a fancy night out! read more

Definitely not your run of the mill Indian local...far from it... It's an upmarket restaurant in every sense; prices, decor, setting, location and food presentation all reflect this. If you want to limit a potentially high bill try lunching here. You can opt for a set meal with lots of enticing smaller portions of taste-bud-tingling fare. Or if you want something light and different I highly recommend the radicchio salad with goat cheese and mandarin - not traditionally Indian but certainly delicious. Many dishes are available in two sizes. There's a creative and varied choice of non-alcoholic cocktails. The service is very attentive and responsive. read more

Amaya - Indian Near Me - London, XGL

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We were so excited to try our first Michelin starred restaurant in London and it did not disappoint! First off, it is very expensive. A 6 course meal for 2 came out to £140 pounds. They recommend you order 6 dishes because it is family style and meant to be shared. Don't be alarmed if you are not full with the first few plates. If you ordered rice and curry, you will leave stuffed. Trust me. We ordered: -Chicken Parcels (lettuce wraps basically) -Chicken Tikka -Spicy Prawns -Broccoli -Naan -Chicken Curry -Chicken Biryani -Rose Kulfi -Lime Tart Everything was so delicious and clean tasting. This was definitely a modern Indian restaurant. We ordered too much food before the rice and curry dishes arrived so that was a mistake. But everything was so delicious it was unbelievable. We recommend doing the same thing by ordering a bunch of different plates but keeping in mind the rice will fill you up so much. But definitely worth the try. Our waitress was a bit monotone and pushy but that could be the atmosphere there. Overall, everything was outstanding. The rose kulfi was the best dessert and the shrimp and chicken parcels were the standouts. It is rather trendy so dress for a nice dinner out. read more

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High class service at a nice location with great ambiance. The tapas style menu allowed for tasting a variety of dishes and each was very good to excellent. All chicken dishes had great flavors and vegetables weren't to be missed. The biryani is some of the best I've had at a restaurant, brussel sprouts and aubergine were excellent too. Definitely a nice find in London. read more

"Outstanding Food, Service and ambiance. Will Definitely return and it will be on our short list of 'go to' restaurants when we visit London. Will certainly recommend to our friends." read more

Absolutely amazing experience from start to finish! I had to change my reservation time twice, just two hours from dinner, and the host & hostess were completely accommodating, including offering to waive the deposit if necessary. Service: so helpful and attentive. And the food...wow! Everything was delicious and gorgeously presented. Portions were large. I highly recommend the sea bass; the skin is crispy and the fish melts in your mouth. Enjoy! read more

Very good food but they cannot respect their regular customers. The food is nice and I've been there multiple times though. read more

I went to Amaya for lunch one day, pretty much as a fluke, and I was absolutely delighted. It's a large restaurant, with a nice warm bar by the door, lots of natural light and cooking happening on the far walls. There is also an extensive specialty drink list, both alcoholic and non--I'll have to go back to try some out--and everything on the menu looked so good, I ended up getting a veritable veggie feast. My meal started with a slightly spicy green mango and papaya salad, which I really enjoyed. Once I was done with the salad, though, it seemed like the dishes just kept coming out! There was some paneer tikka, which is always one of my favorites, and a great fig and vegetable patty and some sweet potatoes with sauce. There was also some broccoli with a yogurt sauce, which was my least favorite dish the broccoli was a bit overcooked and it was a much larger quantity than any of the other dishes, which was just incongruous and unappetizing to look at. There were some stuffed little chilies that I really liked, which were surprisingly sweet, no hot, and there was a veggie roll of some sort. The dishes were all served with a side of chutneys--one rhubarb and one tomato, which were both really delicious, and a peanutty spice powder and a rose and lavender powder, which was wonderful. All the dishes were presented really beautifully as well, on plates of various shapes in white ceramic and glass. There was also some grilled mango and a sort of passionfruit smoothie for dessert, which were nice and refreshing. Overall, a very extravagant lunch, but a fantastic, relaxing experience. It was nice to feel welcomed and taken care of as a single diner. I can't wait to go back for dinner and to bring friends along to share. read more

Amaya - mango papaya salad - Indian Near Me - London, XGL

Well, What can I say?!? This was maybe the best meal of my complete life!!! And I'm eating out every day. But ever single dish was to die for, plus the service was so far the best in London. Really looking forward to my next dinner here! read more

Amaya - Every piece a bit of heaven! - Indian Near Me - London, XGL

A Saturday lunch for 4. They offer a special weekend menu, an A carte option, tasting menu and platters. We opted for two veggie platters, a non-veg platter and one of our party ordered the chicken biryani. One watermelon and citrus salad with tamarind dressing starter which was star of the show. Biryani with good use of cashew paste was superb, I dislike biryanis but this was great. Super moist chicken and fragrant rice served in a clay pot with lid sealed with pastry. No veg plater I ate had a superb sea bass, possibly cooked in coconut milk and a fantastic Rating 4 star was for food. We all felt service was poor. Although reasonably timely it was arrogant and no connection with diners. read more

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Our concierge suggested this restaurant for our Christmas dining experience. Although he secured a reservation for us at the communal table because they said they were fully booked. Which is fine if you are ok with paying fine dining prices perched in a precariously high stool bar with no back support Ave leg room. A couple arrived a few minutes later and led to sit next to us at the communal table and asked to be seated at a table and was granted. When we asked the same the response was, "oh sorry we don't have any more tables". Mind you, there were at least 6 empty tables. We ordered the seabass and chicken for early arrival and it was tasty but quite pricy for the amount. I'm from LA and I used to paying high prices but seriously; 2 bites for £16/19 a dish? Atmosphere was super pretentious and stuffy. Staff was pleasant but in a snooty way. Needless to say, £187 pounds later, we left hungry, disappointed with aching backs from sitting on a their stools. Ps. There was an empty table the whole we dined there. read more

One of the best places The sweet potatoes The grilled chicken with black pepper done with perfection The tiger spicy prawns and the daal were all excellent Love their Rita and NaaN It's one of the must places read more

This is one of those difficult reviews to write. Our family of 4 were referred to this restaurant by several US and England friends. It's Michelin star sealed the deal and we went Dec 23, 2018. Everything is served tapas style which means you have small plates and share what is served. We shared about 8 small plates and everything was delicious including the dessert bowl. Now the fun starts-- within 12 hours of eating this dinner and without eating or drinking anything afterwards-- we all got violently ill. I personally have never had this type of illness that you throw up uncontrollably so many times that your insides hurt. We did report this to the restaurant and they basically denied that we had food poisoning. We spoke to our doctors at home and they confirmed the symptoms of this dreadful event. In an attempt to reach others that ate around the same time we thought we would share our experience. Not sure about food safety issues here, but please speak up if you have had the same result. read more

Amaya is the high end offering of the Masala World group, the owners of Masala Zone and Veeraswamy. The first thing that had struck me about Amaya, even before i had visited it for the first time, was the following line from their website. "Amaya is a casual and joyous restaurant where people can relax and eat with their fingers if they wish" Eat with my fingers !!! In Knightsbridge !!! Are you kidding me ? But i understood, within minutes after walking in,why they could make this statement. Their menu does not have a single dish with gravy. An Indian restaurant totally devoid of curry. How many times have you seen that ? The only liquid item in the menu was dal. This is a grill house par excellence. The kebabs are at least as good as anywhere else in London, and to give Amaya the edge, it has a number of starters in their menu that you won't find anywhere else. Which other Indian restaurant serves venison kebab ? (strongly recommended btw). I tried the ground peanut and rose petal powders with the food ... it really amplified the taste. The wine list is good. Though i am not an expert, but i think i chose something that goes well with dry meat :) The place is expensive, but totally worth every pound of the bill. I could have cut corners and spent £20 less, but then what would have been the point of going to amaya ? read more

Don't you hate reviews that have some random axe to grind with a restaurant, and so give them a bad rating? So do I, but I have finally had an experience that has prompted me to join that lowly fraternity. The food and the service (from our waiter, anyway) at Amaya warrant more than a 1-star rating (probably a 3-4 star level), but the management of Amaya managed to completely knock all of that out of our minds. A quick background - we sometimes make reservations with OpenTable, a service to which Amaya subscribes as well. After (at least) 100 completed reservations, you can get a dining cheque good for £75 at any OpenTable restaurant (and the terms clearly state *any* OpenTable restaurant). We recently redeemed for such a cheque, made our reservation for Amaya through OpenTable, and happily skipped off to dine there, anticipating a smooth and delicious experience. However, when the bill came, the manager absolutely refused to accept the cheque. Moreover, he did so in a completely humiliating manner, implying strongly that we were trying to put one over him, so to speak. He also implied that Amaya wasn't an OpenTable restaurant, despite the fact that we had made our reservation through OpenTable, and I can clearly still see them listed on that website. I don't think that I can adequately convey how upsetting this experience was. I was embarrassed in front of my guest, stared at by other patrons in the restaurant, and, frankly, had to end up spending £75 more than I had planned. Not really the level of service that I expect from a 1-star Michelin restaurant, to say the least, especially considering that they had our credit card for the remaining £60+ of the bill (above the £75), and could have charged us the balance if there had been a problem. I left the restaurant with a very bad taste in my mouth (so to speak!), and will urge my friends and family not to go there. Yummy food is one thing, but bad management can easily take all of that away. If I want Michelin-quality Indian food, I will take my business to Rasoi or Tamarind in the future, where I have experienced good food, good service, and competent management. Bleah. read more

Finally, back in London after a 3 year stretch in the states, and I can enjoy the incredible restaurants here again!! Amaya is the balls!! I typically insist on having the tasting menus at new restaurants just to be able to get in as many of the specialities as I can and taste their range of dishes. Amaya makes this possible by serving most of the dishes tapas style. I went with a regular to Amaya who wasn't a very big eater. We chose 8 plates, 1 piece of naan each, and no rice, which turned out to be suitably filling. Had it just been my wife and I, we probably would have been satisfied with 10 dishes. We're fairly voluminous eaters (when no one else is around, then we scale in back a teeny bit!) The most memorable dishes were the Venison Seekh kebab (succulent, beautifully spiced, the guy I was with hadn't eaten meat in 10 years, but he still tried it and loved it), the Scallops on the half shell (in an absolutely delicious green curry), the pepper chicken tikka, the grilled jumbo prawns with I think a marsala marinade, the aubergine grilled with a tamarind type marinade (I may have got that wrong, but it tasted delicious) and the chicken joint. The green mango and raw papaya salad was also very very good. Followed by another couple of their martinis made for a superb lunch. I didn't pay so I can't comment on the prices but I can't wait to go back with my wife and really tackle the menu! read more

The food was excellent but service was poor. Beautiful environment and was fun to see them cook the food. We had the broccoli which was surprisingly delicious for broccoli, delicious tikka paneer, great biryani, chicken lollipops, grilled eggplant, lamb chops, and decent curry. However we were a table of 4 co-workers including my female boss with only one male, and the waiter only asked our male colleague how everything was and ignored the rest of us. Shocked in modern London seeing this behavior. AMAYA MANAGEMENT: I hope you read this review and address as the food was great and the service should match. read more

This is not a curry house. This is an elegant Indian dining experience, which is worth every penny -if you can get in. Trying to book a table here is near impossible, and for the life of me I don't know why. It is popular but not in that way that everyone knows about it. I feel that they hold a lot of tables back because when I have been able to book a table, it is always at times I didn't want -6:45pm or 9:30pm! And there are many available tables before and after my arrival. But whoever the hostess is taking bookings, her attitude is very much a Little Britain: 'the computer says nawoooo...' Whatever it is and whoever she is, I have yet to be be able to get a table at at a 7:30pm/8pm time even a couple weeks in advance. Though should you manage to get a table, this is very exciting Indian cuisine. The decor is a very posh oasis, and the cuisine is cosmopolitan while still maintaining the flavors of all that one loves about Indian food. Many of the dishes are served tapas size so it makes it nice to mix and share at the table, or to try a variety of dishes. I personally love anything they make with their green curry, and the most amazing starter of a fig mixture that has been diced and slightly spiced so you have the sweetness of the fruit mixed with the heat of the spice. Really, really tasty. I have never had anything I did not like here. One important note here is that the space is noisy and makes it difficult for conversation. Don't go on a romantic dinner here, and don't go if you want to catch up chatting with a mate as at some point during the course of the evening, trying to hear the person across from you is very difficult over the roar of the room. Now if only I could bypass the velvet rope... I'd go there much more often... read more

Undeniably tasty (exquisite!) food. Be prepared, however, to pay the price for it. For a Michelin experience I'd say it was worth it. read more

Great restaurant. It's in a brilliant location and the atmosphere is perfect. The food was outstanding as was the drinks menu. The cocktails I tried were nicely balanced and subtle. The only criticism and the reason it doesn't get five starts is because the service isn't up to scratch. I had a waiter almost elbow me in the face and one of our party had to wait twenty minutes and ask four times for their drink. read more

Food was amazing, and we had good service. Lots of options on the menu and it can be as healthy as you want it to be. I loved the prawns, grilled chicken, asparagus, lamp chops, and the grilled eggplant. Also, the lemongrass and ginger drink was delicious!! I would definitely recommend. read more

Wow, Amaya really delivers with flavorful and well executed dishes. The small plates concepts really allows you to explore the menu. Highlights were the lambs chops, chicken curry, truffle naan and spinach. The one Michelin Star is well deserved, we've been here a few times and will happily return. read more

I was told by many that I must try Indian food in London. Armed with some recs (Mint Leaf was another top choice, to be saved for the next trip), we eventually decided on Amaya. Best Indian restaurant ever. Here is why: 1. The food was amazing-from the lamb to chicken tikka to the paneer to the fish dishes, nothing disappointed. Well, except my poor choice in insisting that I needed to order rice (at 4 quid a bowl, no less). Full disclosure: Despite being a desi, I can't handle very spicy Indian food. So I thought I needed rice to make the spicy food more tolerable for me. And truth be told, I do like rice! I was so wrong-the spice combos in all the dishes were so delectable, as were the powders. 2. No curry, even in the dishes that traditionally have curries. 2. Indian tapas! Second generation Indian at its most sophisticated. 3. Elegant, sleek interior and fun atmosphere-still crowded at 10:30 pm on a weekday night. I want to come back and try the vegetarian and meat tasting menus. Or just to have one more dish. read more

My mother was in town visiting me and wanted good Indian food. Off of the growing reputation of Amaya, I decided it was the place to take her for this. After ordering our wine, we decided on a couple small plates. We got the Tandoori Chicken, Venison Kebab, Grilled Lamb chops, etc. Everything we sampled was extraordinary. We ended up sitting by the open-aired kitchen and got to play the guessing game of what was being cooked - - each dish looking better than the last. Highly recommend this establishment. read more

Crazy good food in an amazingly beautiful restaurant. The service was perfect, everyone was very helpful. It's expensive but it's worth it.

15 words or less: Michelin quality Indian food. Period. Full stop. 15 words or more: This place does not pretend to be a mom-and-pop or zonky Indian restaurant. This place tries to be a a Michelin quality restaurant competing against every high-end restaurant in town regardless of cuisine. And this restaurant delivers with a depth of dishes to match the depth of flavors. When looking for Indian food done at a high level and in a contemporary way, this is the place to go. I have been twice and would keep going back. The concept is simple -- small plates that are meant to be shared. The dishes come out from three different kitchens and come out when ready. As such, the restaurant has smartly divided the menu into groups, so you have a sense of when a dish may come out (sooner, later, much later). On this visit, we (2 of us) had the following (the server recommended 6-8 dishes for 2 people): Tandoori black pepper chicken tikka -- tender lumps of boneless chicken coated in black peppercorns. The chicken is perfectly cooked and the pepper does offer a little kick of spice. Grilled asparagus with onion chutney -- large spears perfectly cooked. The dish offers a nice mix of slightly crunchy with a slightly sweet glaze. A nice vegetable offering on the menu. Tandoori quail with apricot glaze spices and herbs -- the quail was just great. The apricot glaze is of course on the sweeter side. I would recommend using the sauces dabbed on the plate to the side of the quail to provide a great enhancement of spice and flavor. Tandoori monk fish with turmeric and fenugreek -- tremendous chunks of meaty fish that are cooked to tender perfection. This is a great dish and a must. Grilled lamb chops with ginger lime and coriander -- awesome. The chops are so perfectly tender that we were picking them up and eating every last bit of lamb from the bone. Tandoori organic paneer tikka -- holy cow indeed. What a dish. The paneer was just so fluffy and tasty. Warm crispy apple brioche with cinnamon milk foam -- this was the one dish I could have passed on. The foam was out of control good, but the brioche was just okay. read more

Amaya - Indian Near Me - London, XGL

I am so glad i was able to score reservations to this place when i visited in Sept. Holy cow was this place amazing I wouldn't classify it as indian food, it's more like an ecletic fusion. So know that going in. The tasting menu was plenty of food and really a great way to try a great selection of wines and foods. this place by no means is cheap...easily cost us about 200 dollars for two people for dinner. (yes I said dollars, I'm American)...but i will say...splurge a little and go...its worth it the ambiance of this place is trendy and sexy all at once. really loved the area it was located in and the owner coming by to each table and chatting with diners....just a great touch. ps. the jamun cheesecake...just yes...all around. read more

Amaya is the pinnacle of the Holy Trinity of Indian in London (the others being Veeraswamy and Chutney Mary). This is hands-down one of the most amazing restaurants I have ever had the privilege of dining at. Amaya will blow you away with its blend of delicious local, traditional flavors with an upscale touch. Amaya does a brilliant job of giving you the full culinary experience, from overall restaurant decor, to top notch service, to the authentic and brilliantly flavorful food. At this point it's hard to remember exactly what we ordered, and the menu changes regularly, but here are a few items that I could never forget: - The monkfish - I don't remember how it was prepared, nor do I care. That was the single best Indian dish I have ever eaten. If you see it on the menu, order two! - The paneer appetizer. I don't remember the spices, but they were simply grilled paneer cubes, and absolutely delicious. - We also got one of the shrimp dishes in a coconut curry that was amazingly flavorful. You will certainly pay for the experience, but if you are looking for a high-end night out and the best Indian food in London - you absolutely cannot beat Amaya. **Recommendation: visit the Masala Zone website and sign up for their mailing list. There are also random weekday lunch promotions and the occasional discount available at all of the Masala Zone restaurants. You can make your reservation online through the system and they are very good about recognizing repeat customers. read more

This is one hell of a restaurant. It's hidden a little bit behind Sloane Street in a small shopping and residential complex but once you find it you'll want the grid co-ordinates tattooed on your arm, a la Angelina Jolie. It's an Indian Restaurant but ultra modern and the food is consistently creative while never ever loosing touch of its authenticity and heritage. The grilled meats in particular are a fine example of this and they also do one of the best tasting menus I've ever had. There's also a bar in one section of the restaurant and although I'm not a huge fan of the cocktails and curry combination it feels much more natural here. Nothing is done purely for the sake of following trend and the setting does complete the occasion. And most occasions are suited to this place, especially those that fall just after payday - Amaya doesn't come cheap. read more

By far one of the best meals we have ever eaten. Book your table far in advance! Come hungry. Come with a group. Things are family style, so share. Things can be a bit spicy. Awesome for vegetarians!!!!! Dress nicely. read more

I had the pleasure of eating here once a week for almost 6 months during 2010 when I was working in London. The food is spectacular! While it is Indian cuisine, it is nothing like your typical saucy Indian fare. It is best described as Indian if it were prepared by a french chef. The ambiance is great and the scents from the open kitchen are delicious! Service was average but you're really able to look past that. Amaya's a culinary experience that everyone should enjoy. read more

Stunner! This is the most elegant indian dining experience in the world. Very subtle flavorings (no red-hot curry house) diverse menu and a great drink list/wine list. They alway show booked, but I'm usually lucky with early walk-ins. Price is the only thing that holds me back from 5* read more

It's interesting to see the reviews for this restaurant. I think most of the disappointment comes from people who expect traditional Indian cuisine, and also a few have had inconsistent service. Bad service deserves bad ratings for sure. But as for your food expectations, Amaya screams modernity, from its decor to its multi-ethnic staff to its food. If you walk in here expecting the "usual", well, you're not paying attention. it's unfortunate that your rating reflects a longing for mediocrity. Our experience was incredible. Our waitress was knowledgeable, friendly, AND (this is rare) perceptive and intelligent. We discussed wines at length, for example. She was able to recommend wines that we had never had based on our preferences. We started at the bar where we had some wild cocktails. Mine had chile spice and papaya in it, YUM! We had the gourmet tasting menu, several courses. Every single course was inspired by Indian cuisine which is to say that it used some kind of Indian-based spice or herb or flavor, but every single course was beautifully prepared and inventive. I'll try to remember each: 1. Cheese, fruit, herbs in a bitter lettuce cup 2. oysters, scallops, shrimp done 3 different ways, including a lime coriander and a red chile sauce 3.roasted broccoli with a spiced yogurt on top, we mixed it all in 4. chicken skewers with black peppercorns and a dipping sauce 5. lamb chops with minced spiced lamb wrapped in caul fat, this was incredible 6. Canadian lobster with a masala sauce, absolutely incredible, perfectly cooked, not rubbery 7. biranye in a pot with a crust on top 8. 3 desserts My only disappointment with this meal was the lack of vegetables, but that is not uncommon when you order a tasting menu in just about any restaurant. If I had to eat vegetarian for the rest of my life, I would lean heavily on Indian cuisine, because they do such great things with vegetables! read more

This place is awesome. Meals can be Tapas or full. Great place to try some Indian dishes that you've never experienced before. Found this on yelp and wanted to do something off the beaten path while visit. Must get the cabbage salad, goat cheese and yogurt kabob and the sweet potatoes bites. Do it. You won't be disappointed. The ambiance is amazing as well. read more

We did the larger, more expensive chef's tasting menu since the menu was a bit overwhelming (and we figured we weren't like to be back at the restaurant any time soon, living the CA and all). It was worth it. The biryani was heavenly, the lobster masala...not to be missed!! The tandoori was to die for (the moistest I've ever had anywhere). The drinks were also quite unique and delicious. The desserts were not very "Indian" as I'd usually see in the US, they were lighter, but still had the same types of rich and fruity flavors you'd get from Indian desserts. But not the heavy,super sugary taste. I'll be back if I'm back in London, no doubt about it. read more

Amaya was fabulous. It's tucked away within a shopping area in upscale Belgravia. The food was incredibly well prepared and delicious. Service is attentive and helpful. Ambience is hip but not overly trendy. The menu is thoughtful and well organized. You can even order small versions of most dishes in order to try more variety. I highly recommend the biryanis, anything tandoori, lamb kabobs, black pepper chicken, and eggplant. The salads were refreshing and delicate. I had a fabulous pear ginger cocktail as well. I would recommend to anyone visiting London looking for high-end Indian cuisine. read more

I was slightly apprehensive about this place. If you are a curry purest, then this place may offend. See the amaya as an experiment in fine dining in the style of the Indian Sub-continent. Ambiance is first class, which isn't always easy to achieve with large spaces like this old library the restaurant now occupies. Ask to sit on the bench seating along the back for a kingly view of the whole dining area - great for people watching. Yes it is expensive - both times I've been there the bill has come to £84 for three courses including wine & coffee. They do a special set menu for £22, but you have to order before 7:30 or after 9:30 - an absolute bargain in my honest opinion! Can't fault the food or service. Some of the waiters try a little too hard, and would benefit from being more relaxed, but I've never had to wait long for anything. If you come here on your own, you're offered a newspaper to read while you wait! The staff, while initially seeming a little dry are very friendly once you get to know them. I've been twice last week and I'll definitely go back - this will probably become my favourite haunt while I'm working in SW1. read more