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On our recent trip to London, we decided to look at the Michelin guide to help us in selecting some restaurants. Hopper was on the list and given our proximity to SoHo decided to try that one out. We made reservations for lunch (their website mentions it's not super kid friendly in the evening and we didn't want to take a risk). It is a small location compared to the other locations (from what I've been told) and can probably sit 6-8 small groups only. They have a bar, which takes up a good part of the restaurant (and hence lack of seating) but drinks means . We were promptly seated and given our menus. No coffee or teas...(I wish they had some Sri Lankan tea). We ordered the pineapple lassi, which was not overpowering or too sweet. A good balance. For food we ordered the mutton rolls (apps), plain dosa (for the kid), the tamarind mutton Kari (special), hoppers and one chutney - coconut and spices. The food came out in a jiffy and was consumed at the same pace. OMG so good. The mutton rolls were the right proportion of crunch and spicy. Absolutely delicious. The Mutton Kari was a bit tangy and spicy but the meat tender and so flavorful. It melted in my mouth. The Hopper tamed the spices a bit but I was in bliss. We wanted to try more but we had a big breakfast too and just couldn't squeeze in more food until the server tempted us with a chocolate cookie dessert. IMO this was just ok... but the food made up for it. When I'm in London I'll be back and I recommend you try this place too whenever you can.
This review is for the Kings Cross location which I'm not able to find on Yelp for some reason. There were 7 of us and we were seated outside, which was nice given the weather but also too warm given the sun shining directly in one of my 80 year old aunt's face, so we kept having to move around the table to try to stay out of the sun. We asked to move to another table but there wasn't room. We were grateful we could get seated without a reservation as we came on the early side around 6pm. The food was really good! Fairly authentic Sri Lankan food and we enjoyed the unique cocktails as well. The food came out as it was ready so some people had to wait a bit and we had to flag down wait staff periodically to get an update on status, but overall it was a yummy experience despite the heat outside!
Came here for an early dinner before a show at the west end. With no reservations, our best bet was to get seats by the windows for 45 mins only, which worked out perfectly. We got the Hoppers house beer (amazing), curry leaf peanuts, devilled paneer, peppercorn chicken, veg kothu roti and egg hoppers. Everything we ate was beyond delicious. I'd come here all the time if I lived in London. Please open in NY hoppers!!
A very unique Sri Lankan offering in the SoHo area, which tends more European. Super busy, so best to try for a reservation or ask for an outdoor table. So many great dishes, it's hard to even know where to begin. Bone Marrow Varuval + Roti: Wow, I've never had anything like this. Sure, I've had a lot of bone marrow dishes before but usually it's lightly spiced with garlic and pepper, then spread on toast bread. Here you had very big marrow reservoirs and a great curry. Went perfect with flaky roti. Black Pork Kari: It's rare to find pork curry, so was happy to give this a try. Lots of nice spices against firm yet tender pork. The curry was a pasty, so spread nicely on the hoppers. Hopper: Reminded me a bit of a dosa, but with a spongy bottom. The texture contrast is a lot of fun since sometimes you get crispy and sometimes you get spongy, to pair with your curry. Egg Hopper: Like the regular hopper, but with an egg baked into the bottom. Wasn't a huge fan, a bit too busy, kinda preferred the plain. Pol Sambol: A dry coconut powder, with some spices, to go on top of the your other stuff. Nothing essentially though. Beet + Cabbage + Kale Mallung: Nice to have some veggies to go along with the heavy meat curries. Loved the tender beets against the supple greens. Only issue is that the portion is kinda small. Passionfruit + Elderflower Soda: Really tasty, but kinda small and a bit pricey for the size.
Three words: black pork kari. This kari was flavor city: nicely spiced and with tender, melt in your mouth pork. I paired this with the basmati rice and it was the perfect amount for one person. Food came out quick and the service was nice. Cute restaurant.
Food was good, environment was nice and the service was friendly. We bought different plates and shared and enjoyed everything. This place was in a thriving part of Soho. There are a few other locations in London. [unhappy a 12.5% tip was added AND a 1 pound donation (Donation Not explained on the bill but was on a card provided, and seems for a good cause, but I always like to research organizations before donating to assure they are fiscally responsible.). Forced tipping doesn't even happen in the US except for large groups, the tip capital of the world. Note that All the restaurants in London have been doing this and when you leave the city tips are not added or expected except token or for superb service.]
Food was delicious! We made a reservation ahead of time and were able to get seated quickly. The inside is pretty small, but the tables don't start to get completely filled until after 7pm. We ordered the dosa, lamb kari (curry), coconut chutney, pol sambol, bone marrow varuval + roti, and the hot butter squid. For drinks, we got the guava lassi. Star of the show was definitely the bone marrow which melts in your mouth and goes perfectly with the flakey, soft roti. Guava lassi was absolutely perfect as well to wash everything down. The dosa and lamb were great, the lamb was very flavorful with a bit of a kick (I do wish I had maybe gotten a hopper instead to have more substance to mop up the sauce.) The hot butter squid reminded me a bit of calamari. Overall, a delicious meal in a prime location within SoHo.
Vegan-friendly Sri Lankan place with a bunch of different offerings. They used to have a veggie mushroom kothu (£12) listed on the menu, but not any more apparently; regardless; they were still able to make it for me luckily, and it is default vegan. The food came out in under 10 minutes. Reasonable portion, with a nice chewy texture from the roti, all sorts of mushrooms (including oyster mushrooms, which was nice), and other shredded veggies. Very solid, but not quite at the elite level of vegan kothus I've had. 4/5 They add a £1 optional charity charge to the bill by default, and another 10% for service -- you can wave these if you tell them, but that's still shitty to automatically add both. Not appreciated. All in all, mediocre service and good vegan-friendly Sri Lankan food.
This was one of the best meals I had in London (if not the best). I came on a weekday evening around 7. We didn't have a reservation and were told the wait would be about an hour to an hour half for a party of 4. We waited at a cafe nearby until they texted us. Service here was very good and everything comes out very quickly which is nice. WE ORDERED: fish kari - pretty good! You should definitely order this if you love fish 4/5 black pork kari - amazing amazing option. Robust flavors and unforgettable taste 5/5 butter squid - highly recommend 5/5 dosa - very fun and interesting way to eat curry. Everyone should definitely try it! 5/5 fish rice - flavorful and delicious 4/5 Everything was amazing. There is a restroom. They also serve alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks and there is bar seating as well.
Bone marrow Varuval + Roti 6.21/10- this was good but honestly way too creamy for me and I've come to the conclusion I'm not to keen on bone marrow as I don't really like the texture/consistency. It was very rich in flavor, however I got tired after the first few bites. I was hoping the roti (pictured on slide 5) was more like the consistency and taste of a paratha however it was a bit bland in my opinion. (One of their most popular dishes) Chili Cheese Dosa 7.32/10- this was delicious. Normally not a chili cheese person however the combination was perfect and the breading felt like a thicker, more rich crepe. Incredibly filling though- could only eat a few bites Prawn and green mango Kari 6.45/10- good but not really what I was expecting. Tasted incredibly coconut-y and honestly way to creamy for my liking especially in combination to be served with the chili cheese dosa. (Apparently one of their most popular menu items but I'd suggest getting the chicken/lamb kari) Mutton Rolls with Lankan Ketchup 7.68/10- this was really good the breading reminded me of a mixture between churro and mozzarella sticks (not nearly anywhere as sweet as churros outer layer) the lamb melts in your mouth with a mix of creamy cheese. So filling but worth. (Also one of their most popular dishes) Egg Hopper. 4.87/10- this reminded me of a more bland version of Ethiopian bread but with a coconut flavor to it. The egg yolk in the middle made it taste really good with the curry however this wasn't really my vibe. (Also really popular) This was a cool experience. This is an award winning restaurant that serves Sri Lankan and South Indian dishes. It was a great experience, however incredibly filling and creamy. Their dishes definitely had lots of flavor to them and it is quite popular.
Amazing food. We got the chili garlic broccoli and the lamb roti for starters, both of which had really great flavor and the broccoli was so crispy. The Kari entrees were the star of the show, with the black pork Kari being the best of all. Incredibly unique flavor, will be trying to recreate this at some point.
Amazing dinner! Service was fantastic -- just so friendly, welcoming, and accommodating. There was some miscommunication about what we had ordered, but they let us have the wrong food item (which ended up being one of my favorites!) at no charge. They do not shy away from the spicy heat, and I love it! The beef appetizer was too spicy for my (teen) daughter, but she loved the plain dosa so much that she ordered a second one. The broccoli appetizer was almost too spicy for me, but it was SO good! The chicken kari was actually not spicy, but incredibly flavorful. And the chili cheese dosa was perfection. I loved everything I tasted. The restaurant is tiny and a bit cramped. You'll be right up close against the people next to you, but you'll be so into the food that you won't mind at all! read more
My coworkers suggested we try Hoppers on a recent business trip. None of us had ever had Sri Lankan food, so we opted for the Group Menu. The server was a great help in guiding us through and helping us to order a good sample of items. The food was brought out a good pace. We had ti.e to eat each course and never felt overwhelmed. The food was delicious. There was no item we did not like. The items we ordered offered a balance of heat and cool. read more
7 months ago
I stopped by for lunch around 2pm on a Saturday -- the place was still packed, but I was able to snag a cosy seat at the window since I was dining by myself. In a related and very lovely gesture, the server brought me a complimentary mutton roll (with chilli ketchup) and said they usually send something on the house for solo diners :) The roll was delicious -- savoury mutton without a strong game-y flavour that went really nicely with the mildly spicy ketchup. I decided to have an order of the Lankan chicken kari paired with a hopper. I did not know what a hopper was before then (let alone seen one), so it was an interesting surprise when I was served this unevenly thick, bowl-shaped rice pancake. Fortunately, I did not go wrong with this choice, as the hopper was so delicious. The light rice-based flavour of the hopper paired so nicely with the rich, slightly spicy curry and the tender and savoury chicken, and I really liked the textural variety of the hopper itself (thicker, spongier base and thinner, crispier sides). The ratio of hopper to curry was not quite right, though, so I ended up ordering another roti to enjoy the remaining half of my curry and chicken. The roti was really delicious -- fluffy on the inside and perfectly crispy on the outside -- and similarly paired super well in carrying the curry flavour. All in all, price point was pretty solid for the quality and amount of food. I thought the hopper was pricier than expected, but conversely the curry was less so -- so overall it all seemed quite reasonable. I would love the chance to come visit again and try more of their deliciously fragrant curry options next time. read more
On our recent trip to London, we decided to look at the Michelin guide to help us in selecting some restaurants. Hopper was on the list and given our proximity to SoHo decided to try that one out. We made reservations for lunch (their website mentions it's not super kid friendly in the evening and we didn't want to take a risk). It is a small location compared to the other locations (from what I've been told) and can probably sit 6-8 small groups only. They have a bar, which takes up a good part of the restaurant (and hence lack of seating) but drinks means . We were promptly seated and given our menus. No coffee or teas...(I wish they had some Sri Lankan tea). We ordered the pineapple lassi, which was not overpowering or too sweet. A good balance. For food we ordered the mutton rolls (apps), plain dosa (for the kid), the tamarind mutton Kari (special), hoppers and one chutney - coconut and spices. The food came out in a jiffy and was consumed at the same pace. OMG so good. The mutton rolls were the right proportion of crunch and spicy. Absolutely delicious. The Mutton Kari was a bit tangy and spicy but the meat tender and so flavorful. It melted in my mouth. The Hopper tamed the spices a bit but I was in bliss. We wanted to try more but we had a big breakfast too and just couldn't squeeze in more food until the server tempted us with a chocolate cookie dessert. IMO this was just ok... but the food made up for it. When I'm in London I'll be back and I recommend you try this place too whenever you can. read more
This review is for the Kings Cross location which I'm not able to find on Yelp for some reason. There were 7 of us and we were seated outside, which was nice given the weather but also too warm given the sun shining directly in one of my 80 year old aunt's face, so we kept having to move around the table to try to stay out of the sun. We asked to move to another table but there wasn't room. We were grateful we could get seated without a reservation as we came on the early side around 6pm. The food was really good! Fairly authentic Sri Lankan food and we enjoyed the unique cocktails as well. The food came out as it was ready so some people had to wait a bit and we had to flag down wait staff periodically to get an update on status, but overall it was a yummy experience despite the heat outside! read more
Came here for an early dinner before a show at the west end. With no reservations, our best bet was to get seats by the windows for 45 mins only, which worked out perfectly. We got the Hoppers house beer (amazing), curry leaf peanuts, devilled paneer, peppercorn chicken, veg kothu roti and egg hoppers. Everything we ate was beyond delicious. I'd come here all the time if I lived in London. Please open in NY hoppers!! read more
A very unique Sri Lankan offering in the SoHo area, which tends more European. Super busy, so best to try for a reservation or ask for an outdoor table. So many great dishes, it's hard to even know where to begin. Bone Marrow Varuval + Roti: Wow, I've never had anything like this. Sure, I've had a lot of bone marrow dishes before but usually it's lightly spiced with garlic and pepper, then spread on toast bread. Here you had very big marrow reservoirs and a great curry. Went perfect with flaky roti. Black Pork Kari: It's rare to find pork curry, so was happy to give this a try. Lots of nice spices against firm yet tender pork. The curry was a pasty, so spread nicely on the hoppers. Hopper: Reminded me a bit of a dosa, but with a spongy bottom. The texture contrast is a lot of fun since sometimes you get crispy and sometimes you get spongy, to pair with your curry. Egg Hopper: Like the regular hopper, but with an egg baked into the bottom. Wasn't a huge fan, a bit too busy, kinda preferred the plain. Pol Sambol: A dry coconut powder, with some spices, to go on top of the your other stuff. Nothing essentially though. Beet + Cabbage + Kale Mallung: Nice to have some veggies to go along with the heavy meat curries. Loved the tender beets against the supple greens. Only issue is that the portion is kinda small. Passionfruit + Elderflower Soda: Really tasty, but kinda small and a bit pricey for the size. read more
2 years ago
Three words: black pork kari. This kari was flavor city: nicely spiced and with tender, melt in your mouth pork. I paired this with the basmati rice and it was the perfect amount for one person. Food came out quick and the service was nice. Cute restaurant. read more
Food was good, environment was nice and the service was friendly. We bought different plates and shared and enjoyed everything. This place was in a thriving part of Soho. There are a few other locations in London. [unhappy a 12.5% tip was added AND a 1 pound donation (Donation Not explained on the bill but was on a card provided, and seems for a good cause, but I always like to research organizations before donating to assure they are fiscally responsible.). Forced tipping doesn't even happen in the US except for large groups, the tip capital of the world. Note that All the restaurants in London have been doing this and when you leave the city tips are not added or expected except token or for superb service.] read more
2 years ago
Food was delicious! We made a reservation ahead of time and were able to get seated quickly. The inside is pretty small, but the tables don't start to get completely filled until after 7pm. We ordered the dosa, lamb kari (curry), coconut chutney, pol sambol, bone marrow varuval + roti, and the hot butter squid. For drinks, we got the guava lassi. Star of the show was definitely the bone marrow which melts in your mouth and goes perfectly with the flakey, soft roti. Guava lassi was absolutely perfect as well to wash everything down. The dosa and lamb were great, the lamb was very flavorful with a bit of a kick (I do wish I had maybe gotten a hopper instead to have more substance to mop up the sauce.) The hot butter squid reminded me a bit of calamari. Overall, a delicious meal in a prime location within SoHo. read more
Vegan-friendly Sri Lankan place with a bunch of different offerings. They used to have a veggie mushroom kothu (£12) listed on the menu, but not any more apparently; regardless; they were still able to make it for me luckily, and it is default vegan. The food came out in under 10 minutes. Reasonable portion, with a nice chewy texture from the roti, all sorts of mushrooms (including oyster mushrooms, which was nice), and other shredded veggies. Very solid, but not quite at the elite level of vegan kothus I've had. 4/5 They add a £1 optional charity charge to the bill by default, and another 10% for service -- you can wave these if you tell them, but that's still shitty to automatically add both. Not appreciated. All in all, mediocre service and good vegan-friendly Sri Lankan food. read more
7 months ago
2 years ago
This was one of the best meals I had in London (if not the best). I came on a weekday evening around 7. We didn't have a reservation and were told the wait would be about an hour to an hour half for a party of 4. We waited at a cafe nearby until they texted us. Service here was very good and everything comes out very quickly which is nice. WE ORDERED: fish kari - pretty good! You should definitely order this if you love fish 4/5 black pork kari - amazing amazing option. Robust flavors and unforgettable taste 5/5 butter squid - highly recommend 5/5 dosa - very fun and interesting way to eat curry. Everyone should definitely try it! 5/5 fish rice - flavorful and delicious 4/5 Everything was amazing. There is a restroom. They also serve alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks and there is bar seating as well. read more
1 year ago
Bone marrow Varuval + Roti 6.21/10- this was good but honestly way too creamy for me and I've come to the conclusion I'm not to keen on bone marrow as I don't really like the texture/consistency. It was very rich in flavor, however I got tired after the first few bites. I was hoping the roti (pictured on slide 5) was more like the consistency and taste of a paratha however it was a bit bland in my opinion. (One of their most popular dishes) Chili Cheese Dosa 7.32/10- this was delicious. Normally not a chili cheese person however the combination was perfect and the breading felt like a thicker, more rich crepe. Incredibly filling though- could only eat a few bites Prawn and green mango Kari 6.45/10- good but not really what I was expecting. Tasted incredibly coconut-y and honestly way to creamy for my liking especially in combination to be served with the chili cheese dosa. (Apparently one of their most popular menu items but I'd suggest getting the chicken/lamb kari) Mutton Rolls with Lankan Ketchup 7.68/10- this was really good the breading reminded me of a mixture between churro and mozzarella sticks (not nearly anywhere as sweet as churros outer layer) the lamb melts in your mouth with a mix of creamy cheese. So filling but worth. (Also one of their most popular dishes) Egg Hopper. 4.87/10- this reminded me of a more bland version of Ethiopian bread but with a coconut flavor to it. The egg yolk in the middle made it taste really good with the curry however this wasn't really my vibe. (Also really popular) This was a cool experience. This is an award winning restaurant that serves Sri Lankan and South Indian dishes. It was a great experience, however incredibly filling and creamy. Their dishes definitely had lots of flavor to them and it is quite popular. read more
4 years ago
1 year ago
3 years ago
2 years ago
Amazing food. We got the chili garlic broccoli and the lamb roti for starters, both of which had really great flavor and the broccoli was so crispy. The Kari entrees were the star of the show, with the black pork Kari being the best of all. Incredibly unique flavor, will be trying to recreate this at some point. read more
4 years ago
We came for lunch and ordered the chicken bites, two karis (aubergine and chicken), egg hopper, and masala dosa. The chicken bites were amazing, very juicy and tender, and perfectly marinated. The karis were good, but would have preferred more aubergine in the vegetarian one. The masala dosa was very good - probably our favorite, and perfect for sharing. The egg hopper looked aesthetic, but a rather bland egg white taste. Personally I preferred the coconut chutney to the karis, but good meal overall! read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
The food was delicious with just the right amount of heat. It came really fast. The best meals were the chicken bites and the goat roti. The eggplant Kari turned out way better than the lamb Kari. read more
The best Srilankan food we ever had. We were in London recently for a holiday and visited Hoppers in Soho as it was recommended by so many food and travel bloggers. It was so good that we ended up going one more time just before leaving. We ordered Seafood kothu,mutton rolls,hopper and chicken kari and fish buriani. Everything was so tasty and fresh. read more
Quick review: get the egg hopper with a curry on the side(we chose fish curry). Skip the chutneys (don't think that's necessary unless you're eating masala dosa too) Also, get the bone marrow appetizer!! Sooooo good. I've been wanting to try this place for years. I'm South Indian and we eat something similar to the Egg Hopper but without the egg (pal appam). Good drinks too!! :) read more
3 years ago
They didn't offer reservations so i assumed showing up at 9pm we would never get in... but sure enough 45 minutes last we got a text that our table was ready. Long story short: this was the best meal I had in London!! What an experience. I have to admit when I heard we were going to a Sri Lankan restaurant I assumed the cuisine would be in line with Indian fare i get frequently. Since it was my first Sri Lankan meal i decided to go with the tasting menu. WOW!! The tasting menu comes with green peppercorn chicken wings, bonemarrow, mutton rolls,one hopper, one dosa, and chicken/lamb. It really was more of an experience than a meal and the food was honestly the highlight of this visit to London. Unbelievable quality for the price and service was top notch. I highly recommend the tasting menu to get everything this place has to offer. read more
Must try in London!! Known for their egg hopper (which is a Sri Lanka pancake). Food here is delicious and service is lovely. Small restaurant and there's almost always a wait. What's great is that they will text you when the table is ready so you can walk around. Our wait on a Saturday evening at 8:30 was about 1-1.5 hours. We ordered the egg hopper with a few sauces (sauces and rice are ordered separately) and lamb roti. Egg hopper was delicious! Beautifully presented, fresh, crispy on the outside while soft and tender on the other side. Lamb roti was also good! There were small pieces of roti with the lamb. A bit spicy and meat was tender. Portions are smaller - more tapa sized but still reasonably priced. The restaurant, food and locations provides for a lovely experience. read more
8 years ago
3 years ago
This was my first time having Sri Lankan food & I loved it! This place is a bit dark but still well lit, intimate but also fun! They don't take reservations & it's in a pretty busy area so we had to wait, but trust me, it was well worth the wait! Plus you can always walk around while you wait so it's really not that bad! Tamarind & Ginger Chicken Wings So. much. flavor! A bit small in portion, but I can feel myself drooling as I was chewing. Perfect way to start the meal. Egg Hopper Think of a crispy savory crepe with an egg inside. It was wonderfully presented & also pretty yummy! Lamb Kari We ordered this so we can dip our egg hopper in it. It also came with coriander & pol sambol chutneys - both elevated the dish as a whole because they were so heavy in flavor. Loved it! Lamb Kothu Roti I was kinda worried ordering 2 lamb dishes, but then I was like wth, lamb is fire. Happy to report that it definitely did not disappoint! Seriously wished my tummy was bigger so I can try the other ones :( read more
3 years ago
The decision has been made and it wasn't a hard one... Hoppers is my favourite restaurant in all of London!!! Maybe I'll change my mind, but seriously, I am so blown away by this place. The first visit here was very lucky. It was kind of rainy and we were seated straight away during a normal dinner time. Normally you have to wait for quite a while. Everything we ordered tasted amazing and I think what makes this place stand out from others is their incredible and very unique flavours. Their crab curry was unbelievable. It came in the shell which was a challenge but the sauce and seasoning was out of this world. We also had the egg hopper. It was totally different than anything I'd had before, and it was perfect for dipping in the curry. The vegetable kothu rothi was massive and had so many flavours and textures. All of the food tastes wonderful on its own, but even better when you eat it together. They also have a number of different sides and chutneys to try which are all very different but add their own special touch. My favourite was the beinjal moju- eggplant/aubergine in a killer seasoning. All in all, the food was filled with spices and flavours that I had never had before and made me wanting to come back and have everything again plus all the other things we didn't try. Their drinks were also good! read more
Solid food, fun atmosphere, good service. Overall, I really enjoyed my lunch at Hoppers. I ordered the short rib biryani with a duck egg. For my drink, I ordered the pear and ginger beer. Everything was great. The biryani was well-spiced. A bit too much cardamom for my taste, but not their fault. The duck egg was quite unique and quite delicious. Imagine a Sri Lankan Scottish Egg, without the breading. The waiter kept insisting the dish was too much for one person, but I thought it was the perfect size. (I do tend to eat a lot though) read more
10 years ago
Hoppers is really popular and as far as I can tell always full but they take your number and you can go to a nearby bar (such as Bar Termini) to wait. Late afternoon on Saturday it was about 40 minutes, and I have heard it is about 3 hours at other times, so don't go if you need to eat right away and I also wouldn't recommend it for groups as it's tiny. Of the food we tried, the goat roti really stood out with an outstanding rich flavour, we loved it. I had never tried hoppers before and tbh I am not the biggest dosa fan but it is really well done and the curry (kari) we had (black pork) was very good - obviously you don't often get a pork curry so this is well worth a try. The drinks were also surprisingly awesome - my Sri Lankan twist on a margarita was fantastic - pungent and well mixed - and my friends wattalapa milk was excellent as well - gorgeous flavours of spice and coconut. I'd definitely recommend this place and would like to come back to try more of the appealing menu. Only after reading Yee Gan's review did I click that this is where Koya used to be: RIP. read more
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