Darjeeling Express in City of London, Westminster

Manchmal schaut man in TV Shows bekannte Köche/Köchinnen und denkt sich, wow, das Essen sieht gut aus. Aber dann besucht man das Restaurant und ist enttäuscht. Hier bei Darjeeling Express, war es genau andersherum. Ein doppeltes WOW! Service war sehr gut, Ambiente ist wunderschön, das Essen "outstanding". Wir hatten das Kosha Mangsho, ein typisches Sonntagsessen der Bengalen in Indien. Perfekt gemacht! Die Putchkas und der Chaat himmlisch. Als Nachtisch unbedingt den Joghurt probieren. Masala tea perfekt. Steht auf jedenfall auf unserer Liste beim nächsten London Besuch, diesmal für Abendessen.

This is by far the best Indian restaurant I have ever been in. The food was amazing and the staff superb especially TJ who was excellent very polite and her knowledge of the menu was second to none. The food concept and the way it’s delivered to your table is unique and first class. The carrot desert is out of this world you have to try it it will blow you away. Will be back very soon

Delicious food but to have time to savour it would be better to have the set dinner menu for lunch instead of in the evening! Would have liked to spend my relaxed evening trying out different dishes. Thalis are more suited for lunch when time is of the essence.

Delicious food; excellent service; great atmosphere and a wonderful place to celebrate my son's birthday! Lived up to, and was beyond expectation ...

Food was good, staff great, but the Thali style with all coming at once, whist being good for turnover, for me was not great and lost the sense of of the occasion. At best part of £100 a head including drinks I expected more and just didn’t get it.

Was in London and wanted to try some really good Indian food, so had reserved table here. I was not disappointed. For dinner they have a pre fix menu where you choose 2 courses and then get a lot of side dishes. We choose the chicken, meatballs and paneer. First we got some sort of chips with 2 kind of dips. One them was excellent with cilantro and some heat. The other one just good. Then you get a tray with your food served so it looks really well with some puff bread/ Naan looking like two balloons. The chicken dish, the bread and one of the sauces was to die for and the rest just really delicious. I was in doubt about wine but good good help from the waiter and pushed my boundaries slightly on what wine I would drink with Indian food. My son got a mango lassi which again was the best I ever tried. For dessert we got 3 smalll dishes again with 2 good one while the carrot dish was totally divine. And my espresso with Indian coffee was also top notch. Overall we were really happy with the dinner and even if it was pricy it was worth it,

Fizemos o menu royal e escolhemos 1os pratos diferentes de forma a provar o máximo. O menu é divinal, muito bem servido e recomendo vivamente ! Nada ficou aquém das expectativas e a porção é bem generosa. O único ponto negativo é o facto de não haver uma boa escolha de bebida para acompanhar o menu, penso que devia haver um paring já pensado para isso, de forma a elevar ainda mais a experiência. Recomendo e repetiria

We bought the cook book and wanted to try authentic Indian food. We were not disappointed. A busy vibrant atmosphere. Pleasant staff and very good food, too much to eat it all, a mini banquet each!!

I don’t even know how to begin to describe the experience…….out friends who have been to india said it was the best Indian food they’d had outside India! The staff were very welcoming & friendly. Asma even came over to our table to chat about the food which was a lovely touch & we tried to convince Asma to bring her skills to Scotland.

Our evening here was superb. From the moment we walked in and were greeted by a beautiful girl from Enniskillen. Another beautiful girl was our waiter, she was from Poland (Sorry, I didn’t get anyone’s names) they all had top class service, so so friendly and smiling and helpful. And let’s not forget the food … it was absolutely gorgeous. We loved every bit of it. We had the Royal Thali and our only criticism was that there was too much food, we wanted to eat it all, we just couldn’t. However, they happily provided us with containers to take all our leftovers home with us, which we did. At one stage in the evening, my Mum fancied a cocktail but wasn’t sure if she would like any that were listed on the menu, they went out of their way to make up a cocktail specifically for her with whatever she liked. They were all so nice. If you love proper home cooked, super tasty Indian food, then this is the place to go. The location is fantastic too. Thank you Darjeeling Express team for a wonderful evening.

Without a doubt the best asian restaurant in London. Our second time eating here and it didn't disappoint. Wonderful food, wonderful cocktails and fantastic atmosphere. Seen some comments about pricing but we found it to be excellent value for money. Cannot wait to go back.

I always make it a point to visit when I’m in London. The food and service are great and the Royal Thali dinner is a great value. They never disappoint.

Was introduced to Chef Asma Khan by the Netflix series about chefs and Darjeeling Express. Finally had the chance to visit and so pleased to have done so. The mango lassi was perfect. I have never had puchkas before but the (extremely attentive) waiting staff explained to us how to eat them. The goat curry could have been eaten with a teaspoon it was so well cooked. The rice was perfect as well. Definitely needed the walk down two flights of stairs afterwards! Full with a good value, especially with the reservation deposit taken off the final bill.

My husband and I Indulged in a fantastic set menu dinner experience at Darjeeling Express in Carnaby's Kingly Court, London. Great food, great mood and great service. This charming spot, owned by the remarkable Chef Asma Khan, is not only a culinary gem but also a beacon of empowerment. Chef Asma leads a powerful social movement, nurturing women in hospitality, fostering leadership, and driving positive change. Creating a haven for many, she's established an all-women team, with a majority being talented South Asian immigrants. 🙌 Her journey was even featured on Netflix's Chef’s Table series. A heartwarming touch — Chef Asma left us a signed postcard, adding a special touch to our anniversary celebration. 💖

My partner and I came to Darjeeling Express last week to celebrate my 50th birthday. A place I've been inspired to visit for a long time since being in awe of Asma Khan's ethos after seeing her on TV explaining how she employs an all female non classically trained, kitchen of home cooks. Food, dishes and recipes that have come from the love of generations handed down....and they certainly tasted as much. We had the set meal, Thali; made a couple of choices, and was presented with a picture on a plate. An abundance of delicious food, served by attentive and informative staff, advising on the sliding scale of spice for each dish and how best to eat it all in on the Thali serving dish itself. I had the pleasure of chatting to Asma who made a point of visiting each table and chatting to the customers which was a lovely touch, and to also receive a hand written card with birthday wishes. This is a gem of a restraunt with a feel good culture and worth every penny....oh and the trio of puddings to salivate over. High praise and thanks to the ladies in the kitchen. Will definitely be back when visiting London again.

Great restaurant with excellent food and service. Nice relaxed atmosphere. Good to actually see the Chef Patron milling around, not many restaurants these days that you see that!

This was my first time having Indian food, so I requested the staff to prepare my dishes with very less spices and they obliged and I am thankful for this. The food was really delicious and something new for me. For dessert, I ordered a sweet dish called Gulab Jamun and it was something out of the world. Overall, great service and lots and lots of Indian food dishes are available at this Darjeeling Express restaurant.

What a lovely little place. Cozy seating, with a great view of the activity in the Kitchen. We met Asma Khan briefly at a reception while she was on her way to another event. Later that week we had the opportunity to visit with a group. Asma and her (mostly female) staff pulled out all the stops and treated us to a wonderful meal. Asma is deservedly well known in the London culinary community and I would encourage anyone interested in Indian food to stop by for a meal. For first timers like me it may be a bit hard to find. Darjeeling is located on the top floor of Kingly Court. So, from the street you must first find the entrance for Kingly Court, which has three levels of restaurants and shops. Don't bother looking for a sign on the first level - we never found one. Just take the lift or stairs to the top level and walk around until you find it. Enjoy!

We were 5 in our group for lunch at the Darjeeling Express on 27th July 2023, in Kingly Court Carnaby. We were not disappointed! All the staff were friendly and nothing was too much for them. The Manager was very pleasant and helpful. Asma Khan the owner, visited all the customers present and chatted to them. The food was excellent, freshly cooked and very tasty. We had the Saag Pakoras and Puchkas for starters. For Mains, we had delicious Aloo parathas, Tamarind Dal, Prawn Malaikari and Beef Tamatar Kofta. We also enjoyed the masala tea! Thank you Darjeeling Express for a very enjoyable lunch.

I was very disappointed at the service, I was stood for a long time and then when I was seated they again forgot about us, finally took our order which is just Thalis (very disappointed) it was edible nothing special. I want be going back. Sorry.

We were there for lunch. I noticed an artificial booking queue gradually has created. Foods were bland but became hot by straight introduction of green chillis. No aroma at all. Chopped veges introduced into foods as ingredients were uncooked. All foods were cooked inside the coconut cream. Meats inside kofta kebab something was almost raw. Probably foods were already prepared in large quantities and would become assembled and hot on orders; consistent with the limited menu. Too fast they were on your table. You could feel a bit of cocky-ness and lack of attention on certain crews. I believe quality of ingredients were low. I can guess each dish costs between £1 to £2.5. I accept that rent and other overhead expenses are very high in that premise. I am certain that a hype has brought up the name of the enterprise up for obvious politics. I read the rude reply of the company to one of the reviews. I never will be back

Cannot fault the food. Lovely flavours and about the right portions, but can’t help feeling that it was only marginally better than a decent Tooting curry. It’s in the heart of soho in a manufactured restaurant location with some of the highest restaurant rents in London so maybe a shouldn’t feel surprised that it was overpriced. £165 for 2 for a meal that was over in just less than 1 hour with 2 small beers feels a lot. I was asked in booking app if it was a special occasion. It was , but not sure why they asked as they did nothing to acknowledge. £6.50 for a small bottled beer is ridiculous. No draft beers offered . Decor was ok but I agree with previous review this is very casual dining at top priced rates. It’s not often that I give a review criticising the price having lived in LONDON for years you get used to it but this wasn’t value for money . It’s a pity as food was good

I really can't work out what the 5star reviews are about with this establishment. Especially for a vegetarian. the offerings are very average with a huge mark -up. My main was a very over-cooked half aubergine in a strange sweet sauce for £19!! They take a £25 deposit per person on booking (not just credit card details), and ask you to re-confirm the reservation a day before This may be standard for the great-named chefs at remarkable Michelin venues, but not for this venue in a food hall. And to cap it all off, the bill presented to me did not include the deposit already paid and I had to ask for a revised bill. As their booking process requires the payment of the deposit, there can be no reason for this error except a deliberate one . Unfortunately I do look a bit dopey (despite having several degrees) and maybe they thought I wouldn't notice. So do watch out for and double check this , especially in the case of having had a few drinks with your meal, or if the person paying is not the one who has booked and paid the deposit

A friendly greeting and the staff were very attentive. Nice table and decor, we really liked the ambience. Cocktails were very good. The set menu was explained to us and when the food arrived the only item they mentioned for spice was the potatoes and...

Its was great service from your team. Great service and great food. We will sure join again there next week keep up a good job team . Noor

Such flavor and perfection in preparation. My wife and I are rather different in what our respective palates will endure and yet somehow, some way the good people at Darjeeling left each of us raving about our dining experience. Service was neat and tidy, make...

Thank you Asma and your incredible team both in the kitchen and front of house for making my 50th birthday lunch so memorable. The food was so layered with flavour, and the goat curry is now in my top three foods of all time. And...

All I can say about Asma Khan’s Biryani Supper Club is that it was AMAZING! food was exceptional, Asma herself giving us a history lesson on what we were eating as well as a history lesson on life, but the jewel in this visit were...

Beautiful restaurant in great location. We went for lunch on a Friday. Staff were very helpful, service was great, Asma Khan came out to speak with us which was fantastic. All of the food was amazing. The aubergine curry was outstanding and loved the pushkars...

Woooow..! They removed my review that I had previously written. Here it it again. The truth is a bitter pill to swallow..! Came with a friend to this restaurant and I left it with him to choose an Indian restaurant. A £50 deposit was asked...

Beef tamatar gosht, slow cooked beef in a thick spicy gravy, this was so well cooked it was falling apart. My wife had prawn malaikari which looks benign but packs a punch. We shared the Bengali aloo dam, again you must like spice. Shared rice...

I'm sure like many people, I first heard about Darjeeling Express and Asma Khan from the Netflix series Chef's Table. Asma's journey and the restaurant sounded so interesting, I decided that when I found myself in London, I would go. Luckily, they begin serving early,...

We had the best time here, the food was phenomenal and the staff were lovely. Asma came over at the end of the meal and chatted, a really great and welcoming experience.

Thank you so much to all the team at Darjeeling Express for providing us with delicious food and wonderful service during our afternoon at your restaurant. This is a great place for a truly authentic Indian food experience.

A great new location for Darjeeling Express. Food and service was excellent. Love the ethos behind it. Asma took the time to come and talk to us which was lovely.

Dinner with long standing friends, shown to our table at 7.45pm. All started off so well, drinks ordered, then to the food order. I fancied the beef, advised no beef! It’s a set tasting menu why wouldn’t you have all of the produce? No matter,...

Fiquei sabendo desse restaurante depois que assisti ao episódio dedicado a ele na série Chef´s Table. Achei linda a história...

Went to Darjeeling Express yesterday and had a lovely time. New restaurant looks fab and is much roomier. We had a real feast. Lots of food and everything tasted amazing. We particularly loved the chickpea and chicken starters. Our waitress was lovely - very attentive...

I had heard such great things about the Darjeeling Express and so had decided to book dinner for my wife and I to celebrate our wedding anniversary there. We only choose to eat in a restaurant with such high prices as the Darjeeling Express on...

The reopening of Darjeeling Express in its new Kingly Court location is a cause for celebration. A beautiful room (with a great view into its spacious kitchen), delightful and knowledgeable service, and, above all, truly outstanding, delicious food combine to offer an exceptional experience. In...

Went on Monday night (06/02/23), what a delight!! The food was amazing, incredible flavours, excellent service. And to top it all ASMA was there and signed her book for us. Cannot wait to go back!!

Our party of 4 enjoyed A La Carte lunch at the new location in Kingly Court very much - and intend to take take our families to Darjeeling Express for an special home-meal out. Being a gal with Bangladeshi-roots myself, and my Mumbai-gal friend in...

Yes people are going to bare their fangs and raise their nails and claws at my Review but - I'm happy , no - thrilled this place has closed. A former Michelin joint (another should I say) that has fallen totally from Grace. Don't be...

This was a visit to teh covent Garden location, though it has since moved A simple manue expertly delivered The food was delicious, judiciously spiced and leaving you wanting more The parothas were square in shape which is a first for me, but they were...

This is a review for the pop-up location at The Pembroke. We had visited the original location in Kingly Court back in 2018 (in the pre-Netflix era!), and having had a good experience then, decided to make a second visit at this temporary location. Worth...

I had been wanting to try this restaurant ever since watching the Netflix show. On a recent holiday in London, I had the opportunity to do so. Booked for lunch at the temporary pop up location at the Pembrook Pub. The location in Kensington was...

Amazing service. First bite full of flavour. As you carry on eating the food begins to taste really sweet and begins to feel like your having a dessert. If the sugar level or whatever is used to make it sweet reduced the food would be...

Having had a great meal at the DX off Regent Street, this was one of the first bookings we made for our recent London visit. Arriving in London, however, we saw DX was relocating again and in the meantime, they were offering only a pre-set...

I reviewed elsewhere and the restaurant argued that it wasn't up to standard because they were packing at the same time as they were doing their last service. Well, not the best idea... AMENDMENT AFTER THE RESTAURANT'S RESPONSE I'm sorry but you moving is not...

Reminded me of a home cooked meal and pleasantly surprised by the quality of the (Indian) food at London!!! Bravo Asma & team and I’m looking forward to coming back…

We were recommended to go here by a friend who lives in London. The reviews looked great and we like Indian food, so we reserved a table far in advance. Great communication with restaurant. Beautiful setting. Lively and great location. Perhaps the true authenticity of...

Had a great night with my friends. We loved the place. Food and service was amazing. First time there but definitely not the last.

We visited Darjeeling express for the second time and we reassured that the food and service has not changed. The staff were attentive and helpful and a credit to the restaurant, we also appreciated the complimentary chai offered! The thali concept has changed slightly since...

Difficult to describe how incredible the food was. The set menu (choose your main) works so well. Staff very friendly and helpful! 9/10

Das Essen war phantastisch und herausragend gut, der Service sehr zuvorkommend und freundlich. Wer indisches Essen mag, bekommt dieses hier...

Our entire experience start to finish, from booking all the way through service was of exceptional. I'd like to single Jumana out in particular who provided the highest, most considerate and thoughtful customer/booking service I've ever experienced - she really helped make our dinner, and...

I understand there is a story. As shown on Netflix. About a woman with a law degree, who wanted to become a chef. And only employed women who were not chefs to start with, who also wanted to be Chefs. This is what I'm told....

The dinner at Darjeeling Express has been extremely good: my friends and I got the set menu, trying lamb, chicken and prawns. Everything was really tasty and the services really helpful and nice. Ashan has been super helpful and nice. Be aware of the potatoes...

Cena Indiana?! Il posto perfetto per un tuffo in India! Il personale accogliente e gentile; complimenti particolari ad Ahsan, ci...

Fantastico ristorante dove gustare specialità indiane. Ahsan, il cameriere che ci ha servito, ci ha spiegato le portate con chiarezza...

We had an excellent night at Darjeeling Express. We had a table for 9, and everyone said how delicious the meal was. It was a thali set menu, the only choice to make was lamb, chicken, prawn or two veggie options. This in itself made...

Having watched the Netflix program about the restaurant, I was very much looking forward to visiting here upon returning to London for a few weeks. However, I have to say that the review posted by Pathfinder below, is very much in accord with my experience....

The food at this restaurant is outstanding! You can feel the love Asma Khan and her fellow chefs put in the food they cook! Make a reservation well in advance.

Värt varenda peng! Kommer vi tillbaka till London så är vi säkra på att vi även besöker Darjeeling igen. Otroligt...

Absolutely incredible! Service was exceptional and the food was just the very, very best!!!! Highly recommend. We had the Thalia dinner and the flavors were so balanced and pure. It was a delight!

Honestly pains me to write this review. My husband (who is Indian) and I have been waiting to have a meal at Darjeeling Express for over 2 years after being so inspired by Asma. We traveled from NY and so looked forward to it; however...

Heard a lot about Asma Khan’s Darjeeling Express in London and saw the Netflix episode on her. So we did our Poila Baishakh lunch there today. A good range of street food starting with fuchka, papri chaats, toasties, Kathi rolls and tengra prawns … main...

Nothing wrong with the service here but oh what a disappointment in terms of the food. We went when they were serving only the Thali menu And the only thing exceptional about it was the astronomical price. Two cocktails and two plates of food came...

Went for friends birthday at lunchtime, restaurant was quiet as we were visiting for a late lunch. Greeted by host as we entered restaurant who wishes my friend a happy birthday and led us to our table. Table was next to the window which was...

The results are in. The average scores out of ten were:

 Spice: 8.3
 Flavour: 7.4
 Value for Money: 5.3
 A&S: 5.9
 X factor: 5.3 

Leading to an overall Munch Index of 64.2 (out of a possible 100)

 Despite using the repeated critique of "where?” in...

Unfortunately did not live up to expectations. £114 for the smallest plate of poppadums I’ve ever seen, and very dry chicken, and overly sweet chaat. The early evening menu at Gymkhana or Trisha is fair better value and better food

By-pass neighboring Dishoom Indian restaurant, which gets more buzz and has a block long line outside and come here [much better] Best indian food I've ever had. By a long shot. It's a lot of food--three starters, including a wonderful charred chile shrimp--plus a platter...

Brilliant chef Asma Kahn and staff serve up amazing Indian dishes that are beautifully spiced and sauced. The restaurant itself is a respite from the frenetic street traffic in the Covent Garden area. Book ahead as it is a popular spot, with good reason!

This was our first time at the new address with the new menu. Absolutely loved the old place and menu but we left this time feeling we had been somewhat taken for a ride. The pricing is way too expensive and the food seems to...

Was very difficult to find a table. I have been trying to find a table for over 2 weeks. The restaurant confirmed our attendance 3 times today ( i gave my credit card number already). Reservation time was at 20:00. Been seated at 20:30 and...

Nous connaissons bien ce restaurant pour le fréquenter quand nous venons à Londres il était avant à Kingly Court. Bien...

Sadly the Darjeeling Express ethos has not been successfully translated within this new location and no amount of references to passion and flavour can justify the staggering prices charged. It looks like this hulking great Covent Garden establishment has got the better of them. Possibly...

I finally had the opportunity to visit Asma Khan's wonderful restaurant for my birthday family dinner and it was absolutely delicious. We had a fantastic night, with vegetarian thalli and the vegetarian options from the regular set menu. I forgot to write the waitress's name...

My husband and I saw this restaurant on a previous visit but couldn't secure a reservation so we booked a good few weeks in advance and went on our next visit to London, it was really worth the wait. The staff are fantastic, so welcoming...

To start with, the food was absolutely amazing. The Kathi roll, mirchi ka saalan, paranthas and the dal, the food at Darjeeling express has always been exceptional and this visit didn't disappoint. Front of house and the waiting staff were absolutely amazing with us. We...

While the food was ok, the price and experience definitely not. My girlfriend and I were curious to try this place as it was mentioned to us because of the Netflix Chef's Table series. We visited last night and had a 3 course menu (£40)...

First visited Darjeeling Express several years ago at their original spot in a small, intimate restaurant off Carnaby Street. They’ve moved to a much larger spot near Covent Garden and have lost the magic of the first place. Glad that Asma Khan, DE’s chef and...

Hideously overpriced tourist trap that is vastly inferior to the pop up Darjeeling Express I went to in Wood Green a few years ago. Both meat and veggie menus were the same price and the cheapest bottle of red wine was £35. Food was no...

Very disappointed, food very mediocre especially given the price. The thali probably offers better value for money. Mixed service.

We were so excited to try the thali meal at Darjeeling Express that I skipped lunch and even worked out hoping to do full justice to it! We got seated at 7.15 and after waiting for more than an hour, we eventually received our thali...

The food at Darjeeling Express was fantastic, there's some great dishes on the menu, including the Tangra Prawns, which are a must. The service, however, was disappointing. We had an opening-time table, but each course took a very long time to arrive, despite several larger...

Very disappointing experience. After booking months in advance for my wife’s 65th birthday, we had a very disappointing evening meal and would not recommend or go again. Our first course was rushed out although we asked for time to enjoy our cocktails first. We were...

Had lunch here with my husband and found the food to be hot, plentiful, fresh and exceptional as was the service. We ordered a few dishes. The lunch menu is not big but there is enough choice . We had the lamb and it was...

Second time visiting darjeeling express and ordered the Royal thali again. Yes, there is a wait for the mains as it is all made fresh but I was not disappointed when it arrived. Will happily go back again!

Very disappointing experience. After booking months in advance we had a disappointing meal and would not recommend or go again. We were told we would have to wait an hour for our food despite arriving on time. The food was ok but some of it...

Fantastic food: plentiful, very tasty, far removed from your classic English style curry house. Service was lacking though, mains took a long time to arrive, we were advised that it would be slow but when we asked where our mains were we were promptly told...

The service was attentive and friendly, the decor and atmosphere was great! However, the waiters (whilst being polite and helpful) seemed a little confused. Once the mains were served we were left without cutlery for a few minutes. The food itself was good but the...

Fantastic Birthday meal here at the Darjeeling Express. Our waiter was very attentive and very Knowledgable with the food. I ordered my meal then my fiancé asked for the same but our server recommend a different dish… which we both adored. I recommend the paneer...

Authentic Indian food made from the best ingredients, no fusion confusion or "fine dining" tiny servings. Had dinner at the previous location which was lovely. The new restaurant is even better. Tasteful decoration that complements a grade 2 listed building. The main event, Lamb Biryani,...

We were so glad to be able to book a table for a fantastic lunch at Darjeeling express. The food was delicious (and they even gave us boxes to take away our leftovers) and was complemented perfectly by the mango lassis. The service was friendly,...

After watching Chef's Table, my girlfriend and I visited for her birthday dinner. We chose the standard set menu, and decided to get a couple of sides instead of dessert - there were just too many savoury options to choose from. For starters, the chicken...

I was always a skeptic about the class of food of the so called “Indian” restaurants of London. Having lived here in 80s and frequent visitor to London I have had the opportunity of tasting food served at these restaurants a lot. A Bangladeshi, I...

I was so excited to eat at DE after watching Chef’s Table. The food was lovely, although a very long wait for our mains. Staff were apologetic, which we appreciated. The interior design is awful however. So cold & uninspired unlike the old space. It’s...

Been meaning to come here since first visiting them round the back of Carnaby Street. I admit I adore and admire the concept. This is a clever, fast turnover restaurant - but I don;t mind rapid service if it doesn't hassle you out - and...

Lunch on a Wednesday. We had not booked earlier, and found that we were lucky as we landed up at the opening time. Wednesdays are busy days, and the place was soon filling up. A large restaurant, with minimal decor , well lit. Pleasantly received,...