Authentic southern Indian was good. Howe re the samosa were too heavy on the dough. Value for money. Usually have a buffet style ordering process. All premade in hot plates. FULLY VEGAN read more

I tried the paneer platter and it was good! The salad it came with was kind of odd and not my favorite. The paneer curry was delightful though! It was reasonably priced around 9£ and they have inside and outside seating. The inside of the restaurant was super toasty when I went which was a downside. The ordering process is you order at a counter then sit wherever you'd like. read more

Govinda's Restaurant - Paneer platter - Vegetarian Near Me - London, XGL

This is a great find in London. Especially if you want to cheap authentic veggie food. Located beneath a hari krishna temple this limb serves thali style Indian food. It is cafeteria style, it is simple, and the fact that it is affordable bulbs it from 3 to 4 stars. The staff is friendly and helpful. The food may not be as flavorful as some other London Indian spots, but we must remember this is temple food. It is simple and honest, and I appreciate that. If I was walking through soho and wanted this type of food I would visit again. Had the typical veggie plate and was satisfied. read more

Govinda's Restaurant - Veggie plate - Vegetarian Near Me - London, XGL

What a wonderful gem in bustling London! The food was superb, bursting with flavor. Go!

I've been here twice, both for lunch and really enjoyed the vegan options. Fresh and tasty. Attentive. smiling staff. Planning on another family visit in NOVEMBER Plus Kristi McCall's memorial bench in in front, in Soho Square (Google it if you know the story and the woman she was. read more

I was looking forward to some tasty Indian food. Didn't realize this was a cafeteria style restaurant. That's on me. Which would have been okay if the food had lived up to all the good reviews. But I found that the food was really just average. It was a disappointing last meal in London. Had I known this was a self-serve eatery, I would have gone to a proper Indian restaurant. read more

We r traveling from the USA. We ordered Dosa, Food is very good. Service is best. Do not mind coming again.

The food is spectacular. A great vegan option. The staff happy and busy working to make your dining experience perfect. Very busy but you will know why after you eat! read more

I am biased: I love most Govinda's. But the London Govinda's just has a wonderful Indian style menu with many options for large or small meals. The food was delicious and wonderful portions and prices. They have a temple upstairs and the devotees were chanting when we arrived. Just a lovely experience overall. Please go! read more

Food is great. Staff is friendly except the lady behind the till. Not sure what her problem is but quite an unjustifiable attitude

I love Indian food because (1) I usually have more food options as I follow a pure vegetarian [no onion/garlic] diet and (2) I'm in England where Indian food is said to be awesomely delicious. I had heard about this place and was in the area just in time for dinner. It was a Sunday. I had made a note that it closed at 4 pm (we arrived sometime around 5 or a little past) but forgot and despite the sign displayed that clearly stated it was closed, it was packed. I kid you not. So I was a little iffy on opening the door due to the controversial messages I was receiving (I assume the temple is on the right which was also busy), a young man heading into the temple asked me if I was there for food. I responded positively and he told me to go ahead and open the door on the left... so I did. Almost every table was full and everyone appeared to be of Indian descent other than a handful of Caucasians who appeared to be Indian-influenced by the way they dressed. The line to get food was halfway across the room and Hubby was also iffy. I was reading the menu but the food that was coming out didn't seem to be the same - it was automatic and cafeteria style on sturdy paper trays and wooden spoons. Nearly everyone got the same fare. We finally got to the front and - perhaps due to the touristic camera hung around my neck and my likely disheveled appearance - he asked if we ever had Indian food before. We found out that the food was after a service and was technically free but they asked for a donation, which we gladly gave. There were no free seats so we found a spot in a corner and ate standing up. It was really good and simple and I was glad I didn't have to worry about onion or garlic and the possibility of contamination, which is a constant worry when traveling. I hesitate to give a full 5 stars this time since the food we received wasn't the usual but if I ever find myself in London again, I would definitely visit during normal opening hours to give it a "proper" taste. Thank you for the food and serving it to us! read more

Govinda's Restaurant - Simple but delicious! The liquid in the cup is juice of some sort (Apple based, I think). Note this isn't their normal fare. - Vegetarian Near Me - London, XGL

To be fair, maybe I shouldn't have eaten here lol I'm not a fan of vegetarian food, so maybe I should've gone elsewhere. People live like this? LOL I got the Veggie Thali - 5 items for £7. So not expensive. The portions were small. I like Indian food and had to try it in London, but this isn't what I was expecting. The rice and fried bread were fine, salad was a bit sad looking. I didn't like the flavour/taste/spice of the 2 other veggie items. Sauces are on the side. I did like the mango lassie. It was £2 but small. I was still hungry after ........ read more

Govinda's Restaurant - Vegetarian Near Me - London, XGL

Lukewarm and average Indian diner food. It's all vegetarian but not the quality you would find in many other Indian restaurants. And seating is tight and hard to find at regular meal time hours. read more

Nice place to escape the busyness of London streets for vegetarian Indian food. Cheap and fairly basic (kind of like a cafeteria) but nice place run by Hare Krishnas. Have come back here a few times over the years and would return. read more

Great gluten free, vegan & veg thali. Chiptole concept for thali lovers. I like the creamy paneer; Dahl and mango lassi. Highly recommend for a quick & yummy bite. read more

Govinda's Restaurant - Paneer thali - Vegetarian Near Me - London, XGL

Govinda has REOPENED as of late March 2014 - after a temporary closing in February. So if Yelp tells you the restaurant has closed - Yelp is WRONG. Here is the original review I wrote in January of 2014: AMAZING INDIAN FOOD FOR PRACTICALLY FREE! London is not known for cheap food - although it exists. Some of the cheap food is of the stomach pump variety. Also - a lot of Indian food is quite mediocre - although amazing places exist. (Try going for a place that has the cuisine of one region - or to a heavy Indian neighborhood- to avoid Anglo-Indian meh.) Govinda is neither regional nor in an Indian neighborhood but it is an 11 on a scale from 1 to 10. It is run by the Hare Krishna. (who would have thought Hare Krishna are good cooks?) I am going to guess that Hare Krishna owns the building (i.e. the restaurant does not have to pay rent) and that the restaurant is supposed to provide refection for the believers who travel some distance to worship at the temple upstairs.) Which would make the institution non-profit. Soho rents are expensive as you-know-what - so having free rent, goodwill and a very charitable orientation does AMAZING things for food prices. (Always useful in London where it practically costs two pounds a minute just to breathe air.) How is the food? a) This is a vegetarian place. b) There are a very limited number of items on the menu. c) These items will rock your socks off. Of especial note are paneer (cheese) dishes which are of absolute distinction. Fire-y hot, with great complex taste in the sauce, and cheese with a rich fantastic comforting taste. (Mediocre commercial paneer tastes like cardboard tofu with worse texture. Good paneer is very hard to find.) A terrific thick mango yogurt dessert that is like mango lassi that found godhead just before being put onto your tray. Pappadam with a warm resonant grain-like flavor from the cooked flour itself and not artificially spiked with the spice that was dumped into the batter. Most lesser pappadams are tasteless crackers with spice camouflage. I could have eaten the pappadams alone all night and been happy. Tremendous dals and vegetable curries and an interesting peppered vegetable rice. Six zillion desserts - most Western (but homemade and vegetarian - but some Indian as well. Note that their food is unbelievably filling. I ordered the 13 pound extravaganza because I was hungry. Plus - as the Brazilians say - I am really good with a fork. Taking the standard platter that was half of the size of what I ordered would have filled me up for hours. But the food is not at all heavy - and god, is it tasty. Note that I have not seen this place reviewed in any of the Cheap Eats or published tourist restaurant ratings books - and yet to my mind, this is one of the best cheap food deals in London - and certainly one of the better Indian meals in London. This food is so good, you might even be tempted to join their religion! read more

This restaurant was pretty good, it gives you 5 sides of food. No complaints about anything but I wouldn't consider it spectacular. I got the rice, beans and dry potato (vegan options available). The food is already made when you get there so it's quick to get your food and start eating. Everyone else in the restaurant seemed to be enjoying their food as well. read more

Govinda's Restaurant - Rice, beans, dry potato, salad and their chutneys on the side. - Vegetarian Near Me - London, XGL

Very good food- the first two options on the menu- Small Thali and Large Thali are all you can eat! Yes please. When you go back and ask for a second portion of everything they might say "you are hungry". To which I said "yes". Hahahahha. To be honest I have no idea what the dishes were called- but I loved the variety. A spicy red bean stew, a spinach potato curry option, another cauliflower curry something or other. All very good. Not a fan of the small soup they offered but you get a large variety of food for a very good price. It's in a great location as well. read more

Govinda's Restaurant - Large Thali - Vegetarian Near Me - London, XGL

There's nothing special in still place but I love going there! I got to admit that, at first, the look of the food didn't attracted me at all, also I got a little scared but soon as I had my first bite it all changed, so many flavors and spices! The banana sauce that they have is really good, a combination of chili and sweet. It's great for vegetarians too since this little place is Hare Kristna. Don't forget to try the juices/smoothies that they have and the mango yogurt with pistachio is definitely a to go desert ! read more

Govinda's Restaurant - Vegetarian Near Me - London, XGL

See all

If it's healthy, nutritious vegetarian food your after then look no further. Govindas serves up some superb 100% healthy, Vegetarian food. Here you will find everything is freshly prepared and feels like a new food experience as the food is so wholesome and delicious. There is even a Hare Krishna shop upstairs where you can buy all sorts of things. Situated just off Oxford Street in Soho, the closest tube station is Tottenham Court Road. The decor is simple, orange walls with mirrors and the atmosphere is pretty relaxed. I mainly come here if I'm in that side of the City for a hearty lunch and for a breather. it's open Monday to Saturday 12- 8pm. Price wise I feel it is reasonable for the quality of the food. I usually get the plate which comprises of the soup of the day, a salad, rice and some bread. read more

Govinda's Restaurant - Vegetarian Near Me - London, XGL

This is my third time at a Govinda's and like always, it has always been delicious food that's great for your body and soul. I thought the food here was a bit pricey for the portion size -- maybe I was just too hungry or maybe it's because I live across the pond in Dublin where I'm used to paying a bit lesser? You'll never know. Bottomline: if you're looking for a vegetarian option or simply some food that's good for you in the neighbourhood, look no further and step in here. read more

Govinda's Restaurant - Vegetarian Near Me - London, XGL

Brilliant place : I return over & over AND I love the fact that they travel all over London at night to feed the homeless. Just the best food to keep body & soul together & such good prices! Go Go Go! read more

Govinda's Restaurant - Vegetarian Near Me - London, XGL

See all

+ Very affordable Indian vegetarian restaurant in central London + Buffet option also available Govinda's is a very affordable vegetarian restaurant in Soho, just off Oxford Street. The building belongs to some kind of religious organisation, and sometimes you see people in ethnic costume playing music and stuff outside. But do not worry. The restaurant is safe. They won't try to sell you stuff or something (other than food, of course). The prices are quite reasonable for its central location. The menu is not very easy to work out. But it looks like the main thing they are pushing for is set menu called "thali". Large thali plate is basically a buffet option for under 9 quid. Quality of the food is not mind blowing. But this place is still worth a visit when you are in a need of quick and decent hot food in central London within certain budget. read more

Govinda's Restaurant - Vegetarian Near Me - London, XGL

See all

Known for its link to the Hare Krishna temple next door, this eatery claims to serve food that is "karmically" prepared. All the dishes are vegetarian and there are options for vegans too. I ordered a spinach lasagne, a large portion, tasty but slightly stodgy. I recommend the "Thalie", which is a large plate of various dishes of your choice served with pompadoms or bread. It's great value for money. Because of the canteen style of the restaurant it feels a little soup-kitchenish at times, but don't let that deter you. Lunch and dinner, the place is packed with regulars. read more

Govinda's Restaurant - Vegetarian Near Me - London, XGL

Outstanding food! If you are a vegan or a vegetarian or a foodie for that matter, this place has to be on your list. There is a 'Hare Krishna' temple on top and a restaurant underneath. Food for soul and your tummy! They have such unique items and thankfully none of the generic tikka in sight. The fishes are flavorful and fells fresh! read more

See all

Govinda's is as good as it gets because: 1. You have this little cute cafe/restaurant right in the middle of the zoo area of Soho with reasonable prices 2. Great vegetarian Indian dishes 3. No one bothers you! You pick your food, pay, grab a fork and sit down to do whatever you want to do (read, stare into the space, lick your plate..sky is the limit) Will I be back? You bet! read more

I'm probably being unfair due to it's central London location but I've always found this place to be very expensive for what you get. Was feeling a bit jaded so didn't fancy a sandwich or anything so remembered this place. It was fairly busy but I didn't have to wait too long to get served. All the food looked fresh and tasty despite being in warmers unlike the Chinese places. Decided to go for a large Dahl. Server got what I thought was a small container but he confirmed it was a 'large' and then proceeded to ladle in soup. I again questioned this and was told it was Dahl! Was give a small plastic spoon and napkin and paid the £2.25. Took the food over the road to Soho Square. It was nicely hot and tasty but not overly flavourful. I have to say that this was lentil SOUP not Dahl in my view. This might be nice on a cold winters day but again just came over as expensive. I have had Thali's here and as a treat its o.k but hard not to feel aggrieved at the price once you see what you've got. Places like Chutneys on Drummond Street offer much better value. read more

Hare Krishnas may not taste foodstuffs during preparation, and all finally-prepared foodstuffs are offered to Krishna before serving. Krishna accepts these offerings as devotions of love, thereby absolving the foodstuffs of any karma. Thusly, your meal is free of karma. Since the kitchen cannot taste whilst cooking, it's no surprise the resulting meal is slightly bland in flavour. Krishna has banned some items from the HK diet: mushrooms since they are a product of decaying matter; onions and garlic since they are considered "foods of passion". A spice known as hing is used in place of onions and garlic. Hey, at least it's something. Vegans will not have as many options, most meals contain clarified butter (ghee). I ate at Govinda's before my dairy allergy kicked in and I was grateful for a veg*n haven in a then-otherwise veg*n unfriendly area. With a lot more veg*n establishments open in Soho, Govinda's is better left for all-you-can-eat services if only for the breads. read more

I'm not a Krisha, but I sing the Krisha song and eat the Krishna food here at Govindas. I love to come here and overpay for my soy shake and have a small thali. You can get a choice of brown or white rice with the thali, one curry, one soup, a poppadom, and some salad with oil or dressing. I've come here for the unlimited Thali after 7 to be a pig and I will say that also the Indian cheese (what's it called again) in spicy tomato sauce is really good. I like the staff here especially one Krishna guy that always nods and waves hello as he clears the plates. Hare Krisha, Hare Krisha, Krisha Krishna Hare, Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama, Rama, Hare, Hare- This Matra relaxes me read more

My friend and I were walking to Soho Square with empty stomachs when we found Govinda's. Since it was quite full of customers, we decided to try the restaurant, not knowing what type of "Pure Vegetarian" food it served and not knowing anything about Krisha food. We both ordered the Thali "all you can eat," and I got a mango lasse (lassi). The food was plenty, especially with the free poppadoms and bread, and it was very delicious. I especially loved the potato and the soup (not sure their names). The salad's yellow dressing was a tad bitter, but it was because I honestly had no idea what the waiter was asking me. I later found out he was asking which of the two salad dressings I wanted. The mango lasse was quite good. It wasn't too sweet and tasted very natural. And the amount was enough for its cost. The waiters were very friendly and patient. The cashier smiled the entire time while my friend fumbled with his British bills and coins. The restaurant was fairly crowded with very little space between tables, but it wasn't a big deal, since the customers carried their own food from the counter. Bonus: free WiFi for customers! Overall, my friend and I greatly enjoyed our food and left with a full stomach without refilling our plates. For the price that we paid (under 11 pounds), the meal was definitely worth it. read more

See all

I have definitely found my veggie spot in London! So cheap (for London), great and simple food and setup make me happy. I got the filling spinach roll, burger, small salad (filled with crunchy sprouts, minced veggies and a light vinaigrette) and a DELICIOUS carob ball studied with carob chips for dessert. I even had food leftover, all for £8.25!!! There are delicious- looking lassis in a side fridge when you walk in and I almost got one to go. read more

This place is such a gem. I'm used to trekking off to the east end when I fancy a good daal tarka but at last a west end Indian eatery with east end standards. I may not know a lot about the Hare Krishnas but I know they can cook amazing food. The thali menu is the best deal, it is available after 7p.m and on Sundays which suits my eating routine pretty well. The food is so fresh here and I went with my Indian flat-mate who agreed that it was delicious. And thats a pretty immense compliment. The service was great, although I am sure it helped that my company was in fact Indian. I though poppadoms were the same everywhere you went, crispy and yummy, but these are in a league of their own. I am (in the food sense) a total convert. read more

To be fair, I was expecting greater things, since this place had been hyped up by a visiting friend, and we made a special trip to find it. I would have probably given it more stars if we'd just wandered in off the street by chance. My friend has the Thali (combo plate) which was tasty, but not the best-thing-ever-make-carnivores-swear-off-meat-good. After debating the lasagna (lasagna at a Himalayan/Nepalese restaurant??) I went for a generous slice of the spinach pie. Cant really go wrong with spinach and cheese and pastry dough, but it could have been heated up more, and in hindsight I would have done without the burnt-tasting cup of coffee. Still, nice vibe, quick service, and I believe I support the Hare Krishnas (or at least I don't oppose them). Not worth a special trip, but I might come back if I'm in the neighborhood. read more

I think I might have been expecting more exciting or innovative vegetarian food, and not more of a standard indian/himalayan fare, but that was my own preconception at fault, I guess. Even still, I left feeling rather blah at my Thali plate, which was tasty enough, but just lacking in anything new or exciting. They did have an assortment of pastry type spinach pies, but again, nothing very exciting looking. The place felt rather cafeteria like.. What really happened was that we were choosing between the two vegetarian restaurants literally side by side, and went with the one with the most people inside. Well, I feel maybe the organic one next door might be the more creative one, but again, that's just my ill informed gut talking. Anyway, don't want to put any vegetarians off this place, it was fine enough for your lunch dollars. Just don't expect to be picking your socks off the floor. read more

Hubby and I were wandering Soho and super hungry and a hankering for indian food when we came across Govindas. Hubby ordered the small thali and a buttermilk, with pulao rice, dahl, and aubergine coconut curry. I ordered the brown rice and potato spinach curry. Maybe I was hungry but YUMMMMMM! It was flavorful, light, and so filling for a reasonable price. I definitely will come back for the non indian stuff like the lasagne and spinach pie. :) Next door was the ISCON temple, will check that out when i come back again. read more

A cozy & friendly spot where you can take an authentic rest in a small corner of SOHO. Tried thali(some dishes you can choose on your plate) and left there so satisfied without realising i just had vegetarian dishes! An ideal place if you're dying for something comfy and heart(&body)-warming. At least for me, worked in that way perfectly :) read more

We went to Govinda's on a Sunday afternoon - the restaurant is tied to the Hare Rama Hare Krishna chapter in London. We got in just a little bit before closing and this most of the items in the menu were sold out. We were able to order rose milk, rice with dal and potato sabzi, papad, and bonds. Food tasted and mild and homely. We enjoyed it. The ambience is like a café. It is a quick in and out place. Solid 4* - just get their early read more

Lukewarm large thali dish wasn't spicy as is to expect from real Indian food! Simple looking restaurant guests looked us surprised! Maybe they thought we shouldn't be there! Atmosphere wasn't cool and service was very reserved! Large thali is "as much as you can eat meal version" and cost around 8£. We just ate few and left immediately. It's to mention in that evening we just arrived in London and wanted to eat as quick as possible something warm. read more

Govinda's Restaurant - Vegetarian Near Me - London, XGL

"Pure Vegetarian" I had the small Thali which included: salad, bread/some fried thing (which was good), a soup, a rice, and a "main". See my pictures!! Everything was simple and tasty. You order it up and you pay and you find a place to sit down and do your own thing. After yelping, I had no idea that the small thali was all you can eat. If i had known i would have probably gone for seconds. Nevertheless the small thali was a good portion, filling, and didn't leave you in a food coma. Both the soup and the "main" was light but flavorful. Next time I will go for the white rice instead of the yellow rice. The yellow rice looked old... read more

Govinda's Restaurant - Small thali :) - Vegetarian Near Me - London, XGL

We are tourists in London. After our share of sightseeing of westminster abbey, Parliament etc, we realized that Govinda's was within walking distance of the leicester square tube station. Since one of us is a vegetarian and the other craved Indian food, we decided to walk. It took us less than 10 mins to get to Govinda's in Soho. The location is very nice, close to a park. The outside looked lovely. Inside was squeaky clean. You can choose one of three thalis (difference between them being number of items) or choose a la carte. My husband chose the 5 item thali plus 2 pooris. I chose the 8 item thali plus added a roti. Total cost for both of us together was less than 20 pounds! such great value. Tables were super clean. My thali had veg balls in gravy, red beans, salad, daal soup, rice, papadam, broccoli potato sauted dry curry, a roll plus the roti that I added and paid for. All servings were super generous. I was fully satiated after eating. Everything was nicely spiced but not overly, not oily like other indian restaurants and it was obvious they were lovingly prepared and served. I was grateful for such good food and amazed at the passion of the persons working there. My husband had similar items but less items and he said everything was delicious. Good healthy food, lovingly prepared and served; Great value; If you are a vegetarian or just like Indian food, you will like Govinda. I adored it. so happy I went there to eat. read more