"Britain's oldest Indian restaurant and a Michelin star since 2016, up a Regent Street staircase — book it to impress clients."
About Veeraswamy
Edward Palmer opened Veeraswamy in 1926, which makes it Britain's oldest Indian restaurant. It is up a staircase off Regent Street, in Victory House at the Piccadilly Circus end, and it has held a Michelin star since 2016. The kitchen cooks regional Indian across the subcontinent rather than the usual curry-house shorthand. A four-course tasting is £65; mains run £16–30. One fact a diner should know in 2026: the restaurant is fighting the Crown Estate over its lease and continues to trade pending a court decision, so it remains bookable for now. For a serious Indian dinner in London, it still earns the table.
The Kitchen
Uday Salunkhe has run the kitchen since 2006, and the Michelin star that followed in 2016 rewarded a kitchen that treats regional Indian cooking with proper technique rather than nostalgia. The dish to judge it by is the Kashmiri rogan josh built on Welsh lamb — the spicing layered, the meat actually braised, not stewed to a uniform brown. The raj kachori is the snack to open with: a crisp shell broken over spiced potato and chutney, the kind of street dish most fine-dining rooms get wrong. The tandoor work is reliable and the Mughal preparations have the depth a century of practice should buy. A four-course tasting at £65 is the cleanest route through the range; mains sit at £16–30, with a minimum dinner spend of around £60 a head and service added. Against the Mayfair Indian pack — Gymkhana two streets away does the sharper, more fashionable version — Veeraswamy's case is consistency and history, which is a fair trade at this price.
The Room
A first-floor dining room reached by a staircase off Regent Street, dressed in colour and the Maharajas' portraits — grand without tipping into theme-park. Noise sits at easy conversation level even when full, which is the point for a client dinner. Tables are generously spaced, lighting is warm and low, and the dress code is smart-casual, though most guests dress up for the address. Service is formal and well-drilled. It is a room built to make a guest feel they have been brought somewhere that matters.
Best for Impressing Clients
Book Veeraswamy to impress a client for three reasons: the first-floor Regent Street room carries gravitas without stiffness, the Michelin star and 1926 pedigree do the talking before the menu opens, and the regional range gives the table a subject. The noise level lets you actually do business. Pair it with our London dining guide, the wider best restaurants to impress clients, and tables to close a deal in the city.
Not for
Not for anyone after a cheap, casual curry — there is a minimum dinner spend of around £60 a head plus service, and the room and the bill expect you to treat it as an occasion, not a weeknight.
Frequently Asked
Is Veeraswamy worth it?
Yes, for the cooking and the room together. Edward Palmer opened Veeraswamy in 1926, it is Britain's oldest Indian restaurant, and it has held a Michelin star since 2016. Executive chef Uday Salunkhe cooks regional Indian with serious technique — the Kashmiri rogan josh made with Welsh lamb is the dish to judge it by. A four-course tasting is £65 and mains run £16–30, which is fair for a Michelin star on Regent Street.
How hard is it to book Veeraswamy?
One to two weeks ahead covers most dinners; weekend evenings and weekend lunch go sooner. Book online through the restaurant. There is a minimum dinner spend of around £60 a head and a service charge added to the bill. As of 2026 the restaurant is in a lease dispute with the Crown Estate but continues to trade, so book while you can. See our London dining guide for alternatives.
What should I order at Veeraswamy?
Start with the raj kachori, the crisp street-snack stuffed with spiced potato and finished with chutney, then the Kashmiri rogan josh cooked with Welsh lamb — the dish that explains the kitchen. The tandoor and the Mughal-style preparations are reliable. The four-course tasting at £65 is the easiest route through the regional range.
Is Veeraswamy good for impressing clients?
Yes — it is one of Mayfair's strongest client tables. The first-floor room off Regent Street is grand without being stiff, the kitchen has a Michelin star and a century of history behind it, and the regional menu gives a table something to talk about. Book a week or two ahead for an evening table. See our impress-clients dining guide for more.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at Veeraswamy
Via restaurant site · 1–2 weeks ahead
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Practical Information
AddressVictory House, 99-101 Regent Street, London W1B 4RS
NeighbourhoodRegent Street / Mayfair
CuisineRegional Indian
SignatureKashmiri rogan josh (Welsh lamb) · raj kachori
Price4-course tasting £65 · mains £16–30
Dress codeSmart-casual
ReservationRestaurant site · 1–2 weeks ahead
RecognitionOne Michelin star (since 2016) · est. 1926
DietaryExtensive vegetarian; vegan & gluten-free on request
