Every time we are in London, we go to Punjab. The restaurant has a tasteful and distinctive blue facade that is appealing. The staff are always friendly and inviting. Their masala chai is amazing! We ordered lamb korma, butter chicken with bone in and chicken tikka masala along with buttered naan and rice. The korma was very good and the lamb was prepared well with no gamy taste. The buttered chicken was great but I would get the boneless version next time. The Tikka masala was tasty. The naan was very good. In London, other restaurants like Gymkhana and Dishoom come up when Indian food is mentioned. Punjab is right up there with them. We like Punjab for the wonderful Indian food and atmosphere. If you like authentic great food, this is a restaurant worth trying. read more

Absolutely love the historic vibes this restaurant gives. The pictures on the wall and story in the menu of when the restaurant opened and how it has continued serving Londoners was so nice to see. I ordered the butter chicken with naan, a platter of tandoori chicken and poppadoms. The food was really good! The butter chicken was so creamy and the tandoori chicken was cooked so well. Ended the night with a mango lassi which was perfect. The service was quick and the waiters were helpful. read more

Punjab Restaurant - Decoration - Indian Near Me - London, XGL

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Food was amazing, service was great, staff were friendly. It's cool to eat at a restaurant with so much history!

After a day at the British Museum, we went to Punjab Restaurant for dinner. Founded in 1946, it is the oldest North Indian Punjabi restaurant in the UK. I love Indian food, and Metro Vancouver has a huge Indian population, so Indian food is comfort food. The restaurant's wall was decorated with various historical photographs, and right above our table was a photo of Vancouver, titled "Well-dressed Sikhs walking along the street in Vancouver, Canada c. 1908." Although over 100 years ago, I immediately recognized the location -- the corner of Granville and Hastings. How coincidental is that, to be thousands of miles away from home in a different continent, and to come across a photograph of the very street corner I cross multiple times a week! I don't recall what my husband had (a chicken dish), but I had Acharri Murgha ("chicken curry cooked in a traditional pickling spice mix") and it was delicious! Both my husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our meal -- it was a taste of home! I also had a couple of glasses of wine, but each glass was 250ml, so I was pretty tipsy. In the washroom, a woman, another tourist, started conversing with me, but she only spoke French, and despite being drunk and rarely speaking French, I was able to have a semi-coherent conversation (she was also a bit tipsy). I had a drunken conversation in French inside an Indian restaurant in England! Anyway, Punjab Restaurant is one of the best Indian restaurants I have been to, and it is no surprise that it has been around since 1946. [Yelp collections: Europe 2024; London, England] read more

Punjab Restaurant - "Well-dressed Sikhs walking along the street in Vancouver, Canada, c.1908" (photo in the restaurant). - Indian Near Me - London, XGL

Located in the Covent Garden area. We took recommendation from our taxi driver and so glad we did. Charming restaurant which has extensive following and two other locations. We were greeted and sat quickly. Understand reservations are suggested however we were on the early side. So many choices. Ordered Chicken tikka masala, side of rice. Bullet Naan. Chicken Tikki house special flambé brandy. All came hit, fresh. Great presentation on the flambé at table. The tastes were so good. The flavors stayed and yearned for more. Had green tea and coke zero. They do have wine and beers. Service was good. Would definitely come back. read more

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I was not a fan of Indian food, but I heard that the UK has really good Indian food, so I decided to get out of my comfort zone and give Indian food another try. With recommendations from a friend, I decided on Punjab, which is the oldest North Indian Punjabi restaurant in the UK and is still ran by the same family. I figured a place that has been around for so long has to be good. My boyfriend and I made it to Punjab before the dinner rush and did not have to wait for a table. The restaurant has a lot of pictures and history on the wall. The service was fast, and the staff was polite. We ordered the butter chicken, tandoori mixed grill (tandoori chicken, chicken tikka, seekh kebab, and acharri tikka), and mango lassi. Everything tasted so good, and our plates were cleaned at the end of our meal. The meats were all soft, juicy, and flavorful, but the butter chicken was the best. The sauce was rich and flavorful without being too salty or overbearing, and I almost wanted to drink it like water. The mango lassi was sweet and refreshing, and it was a good balance to the meats. I thought I was not a fan of Indian food, but it turns out that I had not had good Indian food before. I want to go back to the UK just so I can eat delicious Indian food again - especially the butter chicken at Punjab! read more

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Another excellent experience at this authentic punjabi restaurant, that's a true icon in London. Visit this spot every year while visiting London. 3 min walk from Covent Garden underground station. The staff, owners and the menu has remained so authentic, friendly, homely and warm. Enough said, sharing some pics from this trip. read more

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Good food and service but a bit pricey. Large menu. Good location and easy to get to.

Upon recommendation of a good friend we went to Punjab which is very close to the British museum. You ordered the tandoori grilled platter which was more than enough for two people. It contained chicken, lamb chops, sausage, one other type of white chicken that tasted marinated. We also ordered a side of China masala which is called aloo here. Service was on point and extremely attentive with multiple people constantly checking on us. We also ordered an onion naan which was quite flavorful. There is some history with this restaurant and it has been in this location since 1928. There is a lot of photographic timeline pictures walls. The ambience is nice and we were seated right next to a window which led to a very nice view of the street. By the time we finished we were stuffed and could not even try dessert. If you're in this area I want to try some good Indian this is definitely a good place to go. read more

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This place is very good, had such a great meal here and would absolutely return. Their garlic naan specifically is to die for, and the lamb madras was flat out addicting. The mango lassi was also incredibly refreshing. The staff are very kind and the inside is small, intimate and historic with a bunch of cool old pictures on the wall. It's the oldest Indian restaurant in London but I wouldn't be surprised if it's also the best. I'm still craving it months later honestly. read more

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3,5 stars. Overall good food and pleasant service. We started off with 2 orders of plain papadum. The pieces were large but sold as one piece per order. They were good but I should have ordered the spicy. It came with chutneys, chopped onions and carrots. Our meal was plain basmati rice, lamb curry with garlic naan. The garlic naan was delicious. The lamb was tasty with the sauce. I really like the mango lassi. Too bad we didn't order biryani rice. Interior with white table cloth was nice. read more

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Punjab is the oldest Indian restaurant in London, and proudly so! Once seated in the first dining room, you notice the walls are a treasure chest of newspaper clippings, photos and other memorabilia of the restaurant from conception to now. On the last page of the menu is another timeline of Punjab and the hard work they've gone through and appropriate milestones. This set me up for what I anticipated to be a delicious dinner! The beer and cocktail list was sufficient, but we both elected for water after a long afternoon of walking and sightseeing. We started with the Aloo Tika Roll, and it was easily the best dish of the night. The flavor combinations were bright and the tamarind sauce added an extra tang. The delicate nature of the roll allowed for us to savor each bite. Afterwards, I got the chicken korma (mild) and my husband the lamb acharri gosht (medium spice) and a side of rice and roti to share. My korma was a tad sweet which I haven't experienced before, but the turmeric flavor and creamy sauce made up for it. The portion was large and I took half home, allowing for midnight snacks during the rest of our trip. My husband's dish had a much more complex flavor palate and it was the better of the two dishes. We would certainly recommend Punjab to travelers coming to London who want a delicious Indian meal at a long-standing establishment! read more

Good food good customer service nice place inside. My chicken tiki marsala was full of flavor. I would take friends to eat here

The wait staff were all very knowledgeable regarding the menu and were able to help us pick out some favorite dishes to try. Each dish we got was excellent. The other customers were also very friendly and told us about dishes they loved and how they have been coming here for more than 30 years! Would highly recommend to anyone in London! read more

Punjab Restaurant - Garlic naan, matar paneer, cucumber yogurt sauce, chicken tikka masala - Indian Near Me - London, XGL

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Dined here recently. Was superb in every way. Definitely a go to restaurant if visiting London.

Whenever I get to London - this is a NECESSARY stop. The first time I entered this restaurant was 8 years ago and the feeling is just the same today. The food is beyond... I often try new dishes at the suggestion of the waiter. I've yet to be disappointed. Even my very picky eating son has found food happiness here The restaurant is a welcome beacon on the London food scene and it will forever be a stop when I'm across the pond. read more

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Came here to try the oldest punjab restaurant in London and it was delicious! We arrived just before closing and they were kind enough to serve us since we knew right away what we wanted to order. Everything was super tasty and the portions were perfect. We shared three dishes, 3 rices and 1 naan between 3 people and it was plenty. The butter chicken was my favorite read more

Punjab Restaurant - Inside - Indian Near Me - London, XGL

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I went to this place a little over a decade ago and it was one of my must come back to places. It was just as I remember it and the food is even better than I remember. Everyone was super nice and we got our food quick even though we had a bit of a wait on a busy Saturday night. I love the history and the pictures along the wall and in the menu. Every dish I have ever had here has been amazing so please try different things. read more

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Amazing food and friendly service. You have to come to Punjab if you're in the Covent Gardens - London area because it's fantastic. I've been wanting to try this restaurant for years after hearing rave reviews about it and I'm so happy to have finally made it. They live up to the 5 star hype. The restaurant itself is small but welcoming. It looks like this place can have a wait on certain days but when we called ahead we were told usually if you come early enough for dinner you can walk up and be seated within 15 minutes. We lucked out as when we arrived on a Tuesday night we were seated right away by a lovely hostess. The decor is inviting and traditional yet comfortable. Warm ambiance and cool to see the celebrities that have dined there lined on the walls. The service was also phenomenal. Everyone was very friendly and kind. Our orders were taken quickly but we never felt rushed. Our tables were cleared of empty plates and cups fast and the food was well paced. If your hungry it's nice as they get the food out quick. Great people work here and they deserve your business! The food 5/5 stars. Just traditional and tasty food all around. There wasn't a bite we didn't like. They had an impressively large drink and food menu so you'll easily find something for everyone. The highlights were the chicken tikka masala, basmati rice, and garlic naan. The chicken tikka was perfectly creamy and nice chunks of white meat. Also the garlic naan was light and had the perfect amount of garlic, it wasn't overwhelming. The food here is fanatic paired with friendly staff it's a must when on this side of town. read more

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On vacation in London and I had to go to Punjabi since it's the oldest Indian restaurant in London. Had the chicken tikka Marsala and my wife had the tandoori chicken. We also had the garlic naan with dinner. We both loved our meals. I loved the tikka Marsala so much that I have had dreams about it since. The entire staff was superb. Great atmosphere. If you are ever in London you have to put this on your list for a fantastic meal. read more

There's a certain charm to this place when you first enter; family photos on the walls; deep blue and yellow colors. We were seated in the back close 6pm on Sunday and there were already a few tables full. I looked around and saw the dishes to be smaller than expected so ordered a few more just in case. I got 2 apps, samosas and aloo tikki rolls. For mains, I got butter chicken (fav), lamb korma (interesting coconut milk flavor?), lamb biryani, gobi aloo (cauliflower and potato), baigan (stewed eggplant in tomato sauce), and garlic naan. 2 adults and 2 kids were stuffed. There are lots of vegan options and the Cobra beer went well with the food. read more

Punjab Restaurant - Indian Near Me - London, XGL

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Delicious every time! This time I tried the lamb kebab with mint sauce and it was so flavorful with the perfect amount of spice. Can't go wrong with their curries and garlic naan read more

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Butter chicken !!!! Yes please when I heard that this was the best place to go I had to try it for myself. Also my 5 yr old is a huge butter chicken fan and he gave his thumbs up. We didn't have a reservation as it said they took walk ins and that reservations were for bigger parties. It was a cute little space felt like I was sitting amongst family. Yes you had to squeeze your way to a table but there was plenty of room once you were seated. Little secret the area we were seated was not the main dining room but a mere annex. I didn't realize that until after dinner when I went to the loo to wash up. This place was really big and every single nook was packed with tables and chairs. Either way it still felt like a cozy spot with friends and family. The staff was very friendly and helpful when ordering. Also they were able to make small exceptions for children. The menu had lots of options to choose from. Don't worry for those that are vegan plenty to choose from too. My son whose main reason for going was to get the butter chicken that's what he got. Now this is not the average chicken that's cuts into chunks and smothered in sauce. The chicken was still on the bone and cooked with their famous creamy sauce and butter. Chef's kiss as my son said, going into his second plate. My husband and I decided we wanted to try the chicken tikka masala. The tandoori masala tomato base sauce was delicious and full of flavor onto the rice. We had two options. My son always likes to get the plain white basmati but my husband and I decided to venture out and get the pilau rice. The pilau rice is just like the white basmati rice. Just this one is cooked with human seeds and then my opinion has a little more of a kick and full of flavor. We also had to decide which naan we were going to get, and we all decided to get the garlic. The garlic naan was hands-down very delicious. I liked that it had slivers of fresh garlic on it, which paired really well when dipping it into the sauce of the butter chicken. I will tell you when the dishes come out and you look at it. You think these are pretty small maybe I'll order some more food later. I'll tell you from my experience you will have extra food left over. My son ate about three plates of butter chicken I also had some of his dish my husband and I split the the chicken tikka masala, and there were still chicken left. Then of course after dinner, they ask if you want dessert and I was super full, but when I saw that they had this tea, I needed to try it. This chai drink is called masala Chai. When I read the description, it brought me back to my childhood. I could smell this tea already. My uncle, who is from Pakistan used to make this tea on his stove after a meal and he sit there and stirred. He had to watch it and make sure it didn't burn but it had to be just right before he could serve it to anyone. I remember asking him one time can I try that tea. He told me it's not your regular tea has a bit of a spice to it, but I will serve some and you let me know what you think. When I tell you this tea brought me back to my childhood I had to text my cousin right away. It brought tears to my eyes because I miss those days so much. As I sat there sipping on this tea all these memories rush through my head. You have to come here and try them out. You will want to order everything like I wanted to especially looking at different orders coming out for other tables. Everything looked delicious tasted great. If you plan a trip to London, you have to add this to your list of places to eat at. read more

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The best Indian restaurant we've ever been to. The kadu puri was our favorite! Never tasting anything like that before. read more

Punjab Restaurant - Indian Near Me - London, XGL

Food was superb. we ordered 4 different entrees. Service was friendly and prompt. Ambiance was inviting and classy.

Whilst only in London for a short stay, I was determined not to eat at any dud spots. Luckily, my visit to Punjab wasn't in that category. Saturday night was not the best time to find any decent restaurants without lines out front. I was relieved to have just a short wait outside Punjab Restaurant till I was seated. Service was good and the interior of the restaurant was pleasantly interesting via old photos and documents adorning the walls. I was surprised how big the restaurant actually is inside. Apparently, Punjab Restaurant is the oldest North Indian restaurant in the UK - since 1946! My order included the obligatory Butter Chicken (my fav), Mint Chicken, Peshwari and Garlic Naan, Vegetable Biryani, Pakoras and Vegetable Biryani. Everything arrived in a timely manner. I enjoyed everything immensely and had to do a half hour walk after to help digest! Definitely a good choice if you're looking for a good quality Indian meal with some ambience. read more

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The food was good. We ended up there late night ~9pm on a cold day. The drinks list was decent. The Malai chicken tikka was amazing, and their "Bullet Naan" worth trying. Rest of the food was as you would expect. Only negative was the rush to order everything quickly, even though the restaurant timings were till 10pm. read more

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Absolutely superb! London has some good Indian food and then there are the rest that sit above that, and Punjab Restaurant clearly fits in the latter. Thanks to Yelp, it came up as a popular spot in the neighborhood we were staying in, so we gave it a whirl. It is a multi-level building, so seating is pretty ample, but try to make a reso as it gets crazy here! The servers are also very quick here, so be ready to order (Maybe check the menu beforehand). We were seated within a few minutes, and they were ready to take our order within 10 minutes. We opted for a large order family style meal, which always give you a decent variety. In the app phase, we went with Pakoras, Prawn Puri, and Kadu Puri, all were fantastic and arrived quickly. As for mains, the stapled Chicken Tikka, Chicken Jalfrezi, and Bombay aloo (Added a few plates of Naan & Rice as well). Portion sizes were ample, so be prepared! As for pricing, very reasonable for what you get, and the flavors were some of the best I've experienced in the Indian dining scene. Well worth it and cannot wait to revisit! read more

Food service and ambiance are excellent. I would return to this place. Family owned and run.

This is a very happening way place. There is always a line outside. When we arrived they told us it would be around 20 minutes, but we were seated in 10min. The line definitely moves fast. The venue looks small from the outside but it actually stretches all the way to the back so it can accommodate groups of just about any size. The ambience is nice and between the friendly chatter from all the patrons and the delicious aroma of all the food you feel very welcomed and ready to have a good time. The staff is very friendly and the food is authentic... which means even their 'mild dishes' are spicy. As some one that can't eat spicy food due to health reasons, I struggled with this, but cannot say the food tasted bad because it was delicious... even if I couldn't have more than the initial bite. It is pricey but portions are good. Everyone was happy with the flavor of what they ordered, but we were all surprised by the level of spiciness (even in the korma and the butter chicken!) The restaurant is refined enough that one can dress up and not feel out of place, but the location is touristy enough someone in jeans and trainers is not looked down upon. read more

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Great food and excellent service! We are visiting London and definitely come back if we are in the city again.

Superb. Was headed to Dishoom based on reviews but the que was very long and we had no reservations. Walked a little further to find Punjab. They seated us immediately- and the servers were informative and gracious. What meal. The server recommended the wonderful crunchy papadum with dipping sauces to start. We ordered Tandoori prawns. lamb curry Biryani race and some cheese naan. Beautiful bottle of French Boutinot Cairanne ( cotes de Rhône) with dinner. Pistachio Kulfi shared for desert. This place rocks. read more

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Quality Indian food in a relaxed setting. We had chicken tikka masala, chicken tandoori, cheese naan. Chicken was tender and the sauce was just right. Basmati rice was well done. My Cobra beer was great. Food came out very quickly and service was attentive. Had a fine conversation with the 4th generation owner on the way out. Clearly takes pride in what is done here. read more

Punjab Restaurant - Eagerly awaiting - Indian Near Me - London, XGL

A must whenever we are in London. Food is amazing and the staff is attentive and welcoming.

Amazing food and service! We come to London often and always make time to stop here. Everything on the menu is excellent and the food is very fresh. Highly recommend! read more

We were recommended this restaurant by a local who comes here often and I can see why. Definitely worth the two trains we needed to take here. They're mostly a walk in and luckily they had several tables open when we stopped by for a late dinner around 9p. The service is excellent and I was happy to see they had a non alcoholic beer option which has been very difficult to find on this trip so far. For appetizers we got samosa (2 per order) to share. These were delicious. The shell is flaky and buttery and the filling is wonderful with spiced potato. Not too spicy but enough to have a warming effect. The sweet accompanying chutney provided a great balance. My main was the saag paneer with a side of garlic naan. Honestly my mouth is watering just thinking about it. The naan is nice and fluffy on the inside with a slight crisp on the crust and a generous amount of garlic. I would highly recommend this to go with your dish. The saag paneer was tasty, with a good amount of paneer although it could have used more salt. I'd like to try their other paneer dishes next time. My partner got the butter chicken (bone in) and was very happy. I tried some of the curry and it was amazing. This is the dish to get if you don't know what to try. Washrooms were very clean. I would highly recommend coming here and we will definitely be back to try more delicious dishes. read more

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Small, quaint and rich with flavor. We heard London knows Indian food, and it sure lives up to the reputation. This was not the restaurant suggested to us, but we are definitely glad we went here. We had 5 dishes, all were fantastic. Moderately priced, great service. read more

Punjab Restaurant - Indian Near Me - London, XGL

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Food was delicious! Loved that this place had so much history and character. Felt very authentic. Would definitely come back.

Really delicious Indian cooking with dishes that include the unique flavors of the Punjabi cooking. We enjoyed our meal for both the quality food and the attentive and informative service! They warned us that some of the Punjabi dishes were on the spicy side. To our American tastes the level of 'heat' was just right. My wife is both gluten and dairy free and they were able to help us find dishes that met her needs. Great place! read more

We really enjoyed our takeout from Punjab, and loved how many vegan options they have. We ordered: 59 (vegetable kofta), 52 (Village tarka daal), 65 (okra), and 66 (pumpkin curry). We also ordered tandoori roti. All of the dishes were excellent - definitely recommend! read more

Punjab Restaurant - Vegan dishes: left is 65 (okra), right is 66 (pumpkin curry) - Indian Near Me - London, XGL

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