"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 to 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 to 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 to 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.
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Reserve at Veeraswamy
Via restaurant site · 1 to 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 to 30
Dress codeSmart-casual
ReservationRestaurant site · 1 to 2 weeks ahead
RecognitionOne Michelin star (since 2016) · est. 1926
DietaryExtensive vegetarian; vegan & gluten-free on request
