There are so many options when you search for Indian food, especially around Oxford Street. We were shopping nearby, around Oxford St, and I googled "Indian food," and found this place. It's not a big restaurant--more on the small side--but it was full of customers. We got a two-seater table near the bar. I wouldn't say I was thrilled about the spot, but hey, at least we got a table! The place has a typical South Indian restaurant vibe and décor. We ordered: * Koli Melagu Varuval (Chicken Pepper) * Aadu Biryani (Mutton Biryani) The food was really good. Or maybe we were just super hungry? Just kidding--every dish was full of flavor and absolutely delicious. The staff were organized and polite. The manager, in particular, was very warm and friendly, making everyone feel genuinely welcome. read more

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Tonight we had the most incredible southern Indian food of my lifetime. It was so perfectly spiced and portioned. The flavors all deep and mysterious. The service was impeccable. I live in Los Angeles and I thought I've had great Indian food there. But I have been mistaken. This was the best. read more

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Disappointing flavorless Chettinad food. The ambience is dull and the service is indifferent. We are visiting from NJ in the US where Indian food is available aplenty. We wanted to eat Chettinad/South Indian cuisine for the richness of flavor. This place was disappointing. The batter for the mysore masala was sour. The vegetarian thali I ordered was flavorless. The mango kulfi was frigid and not rich. read more

So as the restaurant themselves point out, this is southern Indian food so it may not be the typical version that you might be used to. For instance, naan is not on the menu. We ordered the Mysore masala dosa, the chicken biryani, the Chettinad lamb curry, and the saag paneer. The dosa was absolutely amazing and I would order it again 100%. The biryani was also pretty good and aromatic as it should be. Now for the fails. The saag paneer tasted too much like American creamed spinach. And the curry had too much cinnamon in my opinion. And when I asked for something spicy like a hot sauce, literally anything spicy, they were mystified. Then they came back with the standard British hot sauce that tastes like ketchup. An Indian restaurant without anything spicy really blows my mind. The service was mediocre but in line to what I would expect. I would compare it to the service I would receive from Chinese restaurants back in the States. They give you what you want when you can catch their attention. Otherwise you could sit there for hours without someone looking your way. The place is decent and very reasonably priced. It wasn't bad, I just don't think I would come back. read more

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TLDR: great Southern Indian cuisine with quality service. Most Indian restaurants in London serve Northern Indian food. So Southern Indian cuisine, including dosa (thin crepe with fillings) and Kalumbu curry (sharp and slightly sour curry with tamarind), was a fresh experience for me and my three friends. The eggplant kalumbu was superb and I will definitely come again. The restaurant, albeit not spacious, was clean nonetheless and the service was quick. read more

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The food was good but not great. We began with a starter of Eral Poriyal (tiger prawns marinated in South Indian spices and fried). It was the best tasting item we had. Our entree's were Chettinadu Kolli (chicken curry) and Eral Curry (Prawns). The flavors were good and the serving size was small. The rice was a tomato rice. The naan was not the type I am used to as it was more like a thin crepe. The mango lassi was excellent Service was excellent. read more

Chettinad Restaurant - Chettinadu Kolli (chicken curry) - Indian Near Me - London, XGL

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I arrived to this place just fooling around the city at night and craving Indian Food... after reading some of the reviews I thought that it was hard to get a table but I gave it a try. The place was full as expected on a Saturday night but the owner of the restaurant told me to wait 15 minutes... actually I was surprised for the short time because I saw people waiting, but 15 minutes was not bad after a 3 hour walking. When I've got sit, the service was prompt and very friendly. The girl who attended me was helpful and explained to me some items in the menu like the Dosa (actually, this is one of the things that I really wanted to try because I've read about Dosas in London were so good) and the Thalies. I ate the Onion Rava Dosa and a Thengai Kolli Kullambu, both were great and delicious. I asked the Thengai to be spicy hot... it was good, when i start sweating means good choice...ha ha ha :). If you are walking around Piccadilly Circus... you can walk 20 minutes north and get here. I recommend it. PS. It is not "open" network but if you want to connect to their wi-fi, they'll give you the password. Great !!!!!!!!!!!! :) read more

Chettinad Restaurant - Potato Dosa! - Indian Near Me - London, XGL

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Horrible service but decent food. After searching for a place to eat on Yelp we decided to try Chettinad since it was highly rated on Yelp. We came in around pm and it looks like they had 2 waitstaff and a manager that was running around trying to wait on everyone. The food was great , we had some dosa, lamb curry and seafood curry. I wouldn't recommend the seafood curry as much as it's not authentic as it should be. It was very sweet. Portions are very small for the price that you are paying (even when you are in London). Note to the owners. You have to hire more staff to support your growth. While the food is good , the wait for a table , food , drinks and our bill was extremely frustrating. Enough to stop me from coming again. read more

Chettinad Restaurant - Dosa, lamb curry and seafood curry - Indian Near Me - London, XGL

We ate late but got excellent and patient service and a delicious meal. Vegetarians can be happy here with the variety of choices. Nice dining room decor and atmosphere. read more

OMG! Finally an Indian restaurant in London that I can whole heartedly recommend. Until now whenever a non-Indian friend in London has asked me where they can get good Indian food in central London, I answer some version of "an Indian home" Chettinad as their name suggests, focuses on the food from the Chettinad region of Southern India. It's almost 85% there in authenticity. Spices have been subdued from this fiery cuisine, but the complexity of flavours is still present. The staff is very comfortable with their menu and love explaining the subtle differences to non-Indian visitors. From what I could hear at our neighbouring tables, they were quite accurate too. They are very very good with allergies, recommending I avoid the fried fish as it was fried in the same oil as the prawns (which I'm allergic to) The thali is always a great choice in an Indian restaurant, giving you a little bit of everything. We also loved the chicken biryani and the rasam. Let the wait staff know your spice tolerance and protein choices and let them recommend the best combination for you. The food was excellent and I can see us going back here multiple times. read more

Chettinad Restaurant - Indian Near Me - London, XGL

This has to be one of the best value meals in London. The location is not too out of the way and easy to get to - approximately an 8 minute walk from Oxford Circus tube and 2-minutes away from Tottenham Court Road. Once you get there for lunch, don't think much, just get the Lunch Special Thali. You can opt for the Chicken or Goat thali or just the veggie option. I got the chicken one for £7.75 and it comes with a chicken curry, 2 vegetarian curries, pulao, yogurt raita, masala dosa and chutney. That is a lot of food for one person & everything was delicious! In my thali I got the dry chicken curry in a coconut preparation which was medium spicy. My 2 veg curry dishes were the aubergine in a tomato curry (dry) and a mildly tempered coconut curry with carrots, beans and peas. I loved the coconut curry, it went really well with the pulao and the poppadum was the perfect accompaniment. And none of the oily, slimy dishes that seem to be a staple in some Indian restaurants (especially in our part of the world in NJ). However, the star of this meal was the mini masala dosa - the traditional Indian crepe with a yellow potato flavoring. This was one crisp dosa served right with the coconut chutney. Yes - you must be a real coconut lover to enjoy this meal as there were a lot of mouthwatering coconut-y flavors in the thali; typical of Chettinad cuisine from South India. If I had to nitpick I would comment that the curry dishes in the thali were not hot enough - my guess is that they served the curries and then dished out the dosa, which was nice and crisp. The service was quick and efficient, just like it should be during lunch hours. Also must point out that their lunch special for £7.75 is only till pm and I reached at 3.10 pm and put it in my order. After 3 pm it's or £9.99 but they were still nice enough to charge me or £7.75. I also got the nice strong cup of Indian Madras Coffee which was the perfect way to wrap this tasty lunch. read more

Chettinad Restaurant - Madras coffee - Indian Near Me - London, XGL

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We tried 3 new Indian restaurants this month and Chettinad is my favorite! Southern Indian with a deep complexity of flavors in our chettinadu kolli ( chicken curry) which linger a long time on the tongue after each bite. The menu says there are 23 different ingredients making up the spices and flavors of this dish. (-; Reminds me of spicy chocolate. The tomato rice complemented this dish. We enjoyed the masala dosa appetizer as well. It came with 2 tasty sauces. The service was very informative and helpful. The restaurant is pleasant and casual, and is off Tottenham court road, and it's on Percy. read more

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We went here for a change. Most Indian are northern, this southern indian restaurant was the bomb! The staff was great and the food even better! We started with Aadu Chukka paired with Paratha. This was the highlight of the night. Highly recommend if you're into complex flavors. We followed with chettinadu kolli (chicken), and Saag Paneer. The chicken was great but the paneer was sub par. Then again, perhaps that's what we get for ordering a northern food in a southern indian joint. If your looking for your standard chicken Tikka's, this isn't your place. If you love Indian and want to take it a notch higher, look no further. read more

Chettinad Restaurant - Aadu Chukka and Paratha - Indian Near Me - London, XGL

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I found this place by chance when roaming around at lunch time looking for something different. As I have said on other reviews of south Indian restaurants, I'm from Kerala and tend to compare with what I get back home. The decor was pretty good here though they do have pictures of north Indian villages - not south Indian - which confused me. I decided to order a chicken biriyani which is my standard starting dish to measure how good a place is. Also it was the best thing I could get for the £10 limit I was on. The food took a while to come and I've made a mental note not to come for lunch again. But the food itself was pretty damn good. There were plenty of spices and half a boiled egg as well. The chicken was well done as well. All in all to will be going back but not for lunch. read more

Chettinad Restaurant - The ceiling has a saree hung under the window. Interesting - Indian Near Me - London, XGL

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WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER....!!!! I won't recommend this place ever to anyone....!!!!!!!!!! So it was written that the restaurant was open till 11 pm. We went at 10 pm to order food. The waiter there said in a bad tone "no no we won't serve food ". We said "But it said it is open till 11 pm , so we came " Then he said "no no". But then someone said that they will accept orders, and we took our order for take away, as it was already 10 o'clock. At least learn how to talk to customers, then open a business...!!!!!! read more

Sorry, I do not write such reviews however I am.,so anyone who is looking for authentic Chettinad would not go in here. Worst lamb briyani, chicken curry, horrible service. Fish fry, paratha and poori were ok. Chicken fry was awful. Visiting London and have been eating for almost a week and this stands last in the list in terms of taste, service. read more

This place is ! Absolutely loved the service, and the food was exquisite. Had the tiger prawns, long fish curry, chicken curry, daal, coconut rice and appams. Food is flavorful, but a bit on the spicy side. We LOVED it. Highly recommend. read more

Chettinad Restaurant - The flavors and colors. Amazing. - Indian Near Me - London, XGL

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After wandering around in the rain at the Camden Market, our group was starving. We met with a friend and his parents in Chettinad for South Indian cuisine. The restaurant was clean, had fairly modern decor, and was quite roomy by London standards. The servers were very friendly, helpful, and accommodating -- we overstayed (didn't know that the restaurant was closed between lunch and supper hours) and the staff didn't try to shoo us out the door or anything like that. I ordered a refreshing mango lassi and it was deliciously creamy. Our group didn't eat anything too adventurous (for some, it was their first time eating Indian food), so we enjoyed the usual dishes: Chicken samosas: wonderful flavour with a delightfully thin, crunchy wrapper. Kolli Dosa: Chettinad style rice and lentil crepe with chicken and potato filling. This was my first time eating dosa, it's more like a Indian spiced version of Vietnamese banh xeo. I thought that it was a bit bland. Thengai Aadu Kullambu: this mild lamb curry is a recipe from the head chef's grandmother. The lamb was cooked in freshly grated coconut sauce, ginger, garlic, and aromatic curry leaves. The flavour profile was absolutely amazing (the restaurant boasts freshly ground masalas)! Lemon rice: cooked with lemon juice, fresh curry leaves, lentils, and mustard seeds. It was the perfect match for the lamb curry. Coconut rice: Basmati rice mixed with fresh coconut, curry leaves, and black lentils. Saag paneer: spinach and Indian soft cheese with onion, garlic, and spices. This was a very well balanced dish. Overall, I was quite pleasantly surprised. This was definitely a true gem for South Indian food! read more

I read a lot about this restaurant before we walked in, but was disappointed. Not a bad place, but not a great place either. Value for money. Small tables, noisy people, low ceiling, ok decor, but cold beers. Don't ask for spicy as they could make it very very spicy, with your top sweating, so watch out. Friendly staff, but would have liked it more if they spoke English or even Indian for that matter..:( read more

I'm an Indian fishing for some authentic South Indian food in London and I happened to spot this on Yelp and boy am I happy! We ordered the Chettinad Chicken Curry, Poricha Kozhi (Chicken 65), Coconut Rice, and a Mysore Masala Dosa and they were all nothing short of amazing with the Dosa taking away the prize. The service could've been a bit faster although it wasn't particularly slow given the given the size of the crowd they were handling so I'm not taking away stars. Go for this if you need a South Indian feast! read more

Wow! We went to London for a city trip on a budget and wanted to find the best food for no cost. We spotted this on yelp and found out about their lunch take away offer. You can get the vegetarian option for as little as £3.75 and the lamb or chicken option for just £3.95. We got two vegetarian lunches which consisted of bread, rice, an indian yogurth dip, some vegetable fried ball and two curries each. All was really great and they also provided cutlery and napkins. We walked to the closeby Bedford Square and sat on the ground just as everyone else did. This restaurant is a great option for everyone who wants to eat great Indian food, but is looking for an affordable lunch option (but I don't want to say that it was worse or that more expensive indian food would be any better). You can also have lunch in the restaurant for £6.95. The restaurant is very close to Oxford Street and thus perfect for those needing to relax between the shopping madness. read more

This was the first Indian restaurant I tried upon arriving in London... the very first meal in fact after I landed. And sadly it was a disappointing one. Perhaps it was the dishes that I'd ordered... Chettinad lamb + gobi, perhaps it was the day I went... Monday evening. In either event, my lamb was over cooked and not tasty, and the bread I'd ordered came out soggy and limp. I found what I ordered to be over priced for the quality + portion of the food I received. The manager also personally walked over to every other table to check on their experience, offering complimentary desserts and/or other special treats to these other customers, but never once towards mine. Which needless to say does not make a girl feel welcomed. read more

Indian fare which is adequate but unremarkable. They appear to do a brisk take away service as well. The bar was average at best but sufficient and offers some Indian beers as well as a European choice. My chicken curry was good if a little tepid in terms of the sauce. The lamb was overcooked a bit but okay too. For a quick bite near the British Museum its okay if you have a hankering for a curry dish that won't set you back a lot of money. read more

Great restaurant that specializes in South Indian food. Service was a bit slow to start and we had to ask for menus and water after 5-10 minutes of nobody coming (wasn't a very busy night either). It did improve though once our food started coming out. We got the chili prawns, chicken dosa, eggplant curry and lamb curry. Everything was delicious, but I was particularly fond of the chicken dosa, which came in a thin, light wrapper that I could eat by itself. I was also pleasantly surprised at how none of the dishes were greasy, despite being spicy and flavorful. My (limited) experience with Indian restaurants in NYC has been that, especially the meat dishes, there's always a layer of oil floating above the sauce. read more

If you have a dosa craving that needs to be sorted out, this is the place to do it. The aadu dosa (Dosa with lamb) is crispy and packed with delicious lamb and potato masala. The chutneys are all on point. And if you have any space left, wash it all down with their mango lassi. Top marks for South Indian food and exceptional service. They don't temper down the spice as they do in quite a lot of Indian restaurants in London and so the food is as authentic Chettinad as it gets. read more

Delicious and unusual spicy meal. Jey was AMAZINFLY HELPFUL choosing food, as we were trying new dishes! Unfortunately no space for pudding, as we were so full. The dosa was fantastic, if not sure what to try, try that! read more

Lovely little South Indian restaurant in Fitzrovia. The dosa were outstanding - texture, flavor, and weight - everything you wanted from them and even offered for dessert with sweet toppings. The owner was personally overseeing the entire service and overall a lovely meal! read more

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This was so good. We walked in randomly after just looking at the menu on the street. Our first time having any kind of Indian food, and it was absolutely spectacular! Start with the snacks. The curries are great as is the bread. Great service. Btw we aren't super adventurous eaters but this was so good we are going to look for something similar in NYC! read more

Restaurant specializes in South Indian cuisine. Ordered vegetable kurma was very flavorful. Good with paratha bread. Friends ordered chettinad chicken and were also pleased. Possibly the best Indian food I've had. read more

Chettinad Restaurant - Vegetable kurma and paratha bread - Indian Near Me - London, XGL

Pathetic food. Do not let their name deceive you. No way authentic for the price they charge

We were originally thinking of going to one of the vegetarian South Indian places nearby instead, but I'm so glad we tried Chettinad instead! The interior is spacious but very nicely decorated. We had the chilli paneer to start, and it was spicy but not crazy, and only just mildly sweet, so I thought it was great. We ordered an aubergine kuzhambu and avial, with coconut rice and appams. The aubergine dish was sour and oaky and just spicy enough, and the avial was deliciously coconutty. The rice and appams were both great on the side, and we had just the right amount of food for two people. Our water glasses were always full, and the service was prompt and friendly. It was crowded on Saturday evening, but we got a seat in a few minutes without a reservation anyway. read more

Great place and highly recommended!! We arrived early for our reservation and we were made very welcome. The waiter coached us to order several dishes with three differerent degrees of spicyness, from mild to medium to hot. I had the hot signature lamb dish. It was pretty fiery but just fine for me. The medium and mild chicken and prawn dishes were loved by the others. We all very much liked the prawn appetizer. I have to say that everyone thought this was the best Indian restaurant they had ever tried. Again, the waiter was great. The prices were reasonable. read more

Was there recently for lunch and had their south Indian tali and I have to say, it was not too bad. They had a fair amount of dishes, but the trick is not expect too much and you will be fine. Taste of some of their dishes were far from the original but to even find a south Indian restaurant in this part of London is a bonus in itself. Service - excellent. read more

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Love their Masala Dosa! Staff are very friendly. I also really like the Mango Kulfi. I had better curries and the acoustics are a bit odd, so it seems very loud even though the place is not too big. Was my fifth visit and will definitely come back. read more

Loved this place. We made reservations and it sure helped. We were seated promptly and the service was great.

I was in the city of Chettinad a year and a half ago, and so I was excited to try this restaurant and its Chettinad chicken. I had also been introduced to uttapam in Southern India, a kind of delicious savory pancake. I asked the waiter if they served uttapam, and while it wasn't on the menu, he said they would make it for me. So we got the chicken (excellent - just like I remembered from the city of Chettinad) and a custom-made uttapam. At the end of the meal they also offered us complimentary tea. It was a wonderful experience, and I would recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for authentic South Indian cuisine. read more

Great South Indian food I had a Thali and it was loads. Plenty of space. People dining from all nationalities and I think always a good sign native of South India too. read more

Loved it! We took our menu choices from the waiters recommendations. We selected their unique "southern Indian" dishes. The prawns for a starter were amazing! I have no idea what all of the items were called, but the three of us loved everything! Food was fresh and delicious, service was excellent. Restaurant was light and airy... read more

Brilliant, humble South Indian restaurant with good value for money. We were warmly welcomed by the host and attended to with care by the waiter. Tip: the lamb is a real highlight. read more

We were planning to head to Sagar next door, but veered towards Chettinad on a whim. I'm glad we did - the masala dosa and lamb biryani were both excellent, the space is calm and elegant, the service was stellar, and the prices were reasonable. My only regret is that I didn't order the Express Menu, which several people at the table next to us did, and they got huge platters full of delicious-looking stuff. Next time... read more