India Cottage in New Forest

One of the best Indian restaurants I've ever been to, thank you for a lovely meal.

Great food and service, couldn't fault it. The waiter was very attentive and helpful with our choices, gave good recommendations.

First time we have been to this restaurant. absolutely lovely. quality of the food, service and atmosphere second to none. very much a lovely experience. thoroughly enjoyed and must recommend. tm

Went for a mid week meal out with my partner. Absolutely Superb. Best Indian food I had in the last few years. Staff 100% friendly. Outstanding ambience and atmosphere. We will definitely be coming back over and over again. Thank you guys.

I went here with a friend as it was recommended to us, so we booked a few weeks in advance and were really looking forward to it. On arrival we were seated and then brought over 3 poppadoms and a selection of dips. Which were all lovely, but it would be nice to choose and ask how many poppadoms etc that we’d like. Then we quickly realised it was a set menu, which at first I thought was a good idea as it might help me choose something I wouldn’t usually pick. The price was £25 for curry, rice and naan, or £28 with a starter. But the starters were sharing platters and with one of us not eating seafood or lamb the choice wasn’t great. They did accommodate this but the starter was very small. Choosing the main was a little more difficult as there wasn’t my usual choice of curry and I didn’t like the lack of choice, I was more or less told what would be good for me to have and then told what sides we should have! When the food came we had our 2 main dishes (small portions), small bowl of rice to share, small peshwari naan to share and 2 dry very small side dishes. We were told we could order more rice and naan if needed but because the meals were so small we didn’t need to. The cost £80!!! We had one alcoholic drink each. This included a service charge. The food is very overpriced and underwhelming. Also both myself and my friend felt soo thirsty through the meal, so I think the popadoms and dips are laced with salt to try to make you buy more drinks!! The staff were friendly and helpful but other than that the experience was not good and we would definitely not return or recommend.

Love the restaurant, love the staff and love the food! Excellent all round 5 stars without hesitation

We had a very good meal last night, the service and atmosphere was excellent. However we were disconcerted when we were given the menu which had no individual prices or much detail. The arrangement seemed to be £25.00 pp whatever you had, and offered no option to opt out of poppadoms, pickles platter etc. There appeared to be no sweet menu either or mention of coffee. We should have preferred to pick our own choices and seen some individual prices. Nevertheless the food was lovely and we enjoyed the experience but a more detailed menu would be much better. Incidentally their web site appears to be unreachable.

What a delight to find a restaurant with friendly, professional staff, lovely food and great atmosphere. The owner certainly knows how to make customers feel welcome and appreciated. Will definitely be back.

Food was great as always but we were crammed into the front of the restaurant and felt like we were sharing tables with multiple couples. Not a good experience this time so make sure you get a table with some space around it. I have written to the restaurant with my comments but they haven’t bothered to respond so not good customer service.

This restaurant never disappoints! The food, the service and the atmosphere are always amazing. We have taken family and friends and each time, we are looked after. Members of our family, from the USA love it! Will be back soon.

We really did have a great meal and a lovely evening many thanks to the staff

Lovee the lamb , fish and naan….

Absolutely brilliant Indian restaurant - the food is delicious and the staff are lovely.

Well, what a fantastic Indian restaurant. We have been to many, and we felt that this place is up among our top 3. The food was absolutely delicious. We couldn't believe the quality of the chicken pieces, both in taste and texture. The set menu format is great as you can try a variety of dishes. The staff (I believe the owner and his wife?) were extremely friendly and we had a brief chat about our travels. We will defintely visit on our next trip to the New Forest.

This was truly one of the best Indian meals we've eaten, and the service was fantastic. Really love the menu system and the range of sides on offer. Favourite part of the food was how delicious and tender the chicken tikka was. We will go out of our way to return, even though we were only visiting the area for a few days.

Great place to eat - set meal and drinks

Never seems to be open anymore? Went in to order food Sunday evening and it was closed when Google suggested it was open. Popped in this evening (Monday) Google saying it was open but it was closed

Food was 5/5 - excellent. January 31st 2024 was 11C at 7 pm outside. The part of the restaurant we were in, by the front door, was heated to 25C - uncomfortably hot. Their was no discernable fresh air ventilation. Consequently the CO2 level was very high (I have a portable Aranet4 meter which read 2500 ppm) meaning that the risk of being exposed to any airborne viruses present (eg COVID, flu or cold virus) was also very high.

We ended up here after needing a break whilst travelling south. So very grateful to Google as it was the best Indian meal we’ve had in years. Atmosphere was brilliant and the service prompt, polite but not ‘in your face’. We liked the set price, it probably cost us a few extra pounds but if it means we can enjoy an Indian without having it ruined by a group of bores talking loudly and abusing the staff then I’m happy to pay it Food was different - not your standard Indian fare - the meat actually was succulent and remained hot until the end of the meal, sauces delicious. Quantity was spot on too All in all a very enjoyable experience and we’re looking forward to a return visit.

Lovely fresh cooked food, yes you could really tell, service was good but felt waiter lacked confidence

Food is good, let down by slow service. Been twice, both on Sunday evenings a year apart : the "hot dishes" like the jungle tawa (described as "with red thai chillis") arent spicy at all - rather mild. I was expecting the fire from Birds Eye chillis. Thats coming from someone who doesn't do sriracha. The portion size of the side dishes is equivalent to about one centimetre deep in a standard takeaway plastic tub. Service, though, is slow. As a single diner, expect to stay for 2 hours, which includes going up to the bar to pay. It wasnt communicated whether the staff come to you, or the other way round to pay. The lady waitresses wear beautiful dresses. You can put your bike out the back. And the outdoor area is nice.

Excellent and tasty food, friendly and helpful staff and a nice atmosphere. A lovely place to come for a meal and I'm looking forward to a return visit next time I'm in Ringwood.

Food and service where good and it does have a good atmosphere, however please be warned the set meal cost, drinks and service charge adds up to becoming eye watering expensive. Nice experience but I will look at trying others before returning.

Fantastic evening, food was on point and the level of service was fantastic. We originally just came in for takeout as we are previous customers but once given the option to stay as it is dog friendly we decided to eat in and we had our own private hut in the garden and had a memorable evening and the whole team could not do enough for us. Highly recommend a visit both for the food and levels of service

Always great food, good service and lovely atmosphere!

Fantastic as always extremely busy for a Friday night service and quality of food excellent our friends who visited for the first time and usually very critical reference restaurants loved it too which is quite remarkable many thanks especially to shad and Sarah and the rest of the team for the warm welcome cannot wait to return been visiting this restaurant for well over 30 years keep it up guys

We were recommended to go here , the service was very slow , the starters were very small , king prawn we had one each . Overall overpriced we won't be coming back

We decided to try this Indian with a different spin and had very mixed thoughts. Firstly, in this clean and cosy establishment, we were TOLD by a waiter that he was bringing us over some poppadoms, we were not asked how many or plain or spicy, this stuck us as odd. The Lime pickle however was probably the finest I have ever tasted, plus there was also another different pickle on the tray consisting of tomatoes, like a salsa which was great. The menu was a peice of paper, and very confusing as it didn't tell you what rice, naans or sides were available. When I go for a curry, I don't want to play guessing games! The waitress came over and basically suggested what sides to have and we were just told that rice comes with the meal! What rice? Do I have a choice? What if I want Keema rice or lemon rice! It just all seemed like a bit of an assumption that you would like or be happy with whatever they brought over. Long wait for starters, we had the sharing platter, which was very underwhelming and quite frightening when I bit into some chicken tikka, only to find it was cold inside! Despite being cook ok. The main was very good however, as the chicken in my madras fell to pieces and was incredibly tender, with a perfect heat for a madras. The goat curry was fatty and quite chewy but I believe that is just goat meat, nice rich flavours to the dish though. Side dishes were pretty good especially the chickpeas, highly recommended! Service was good, friendly staff! Would I go back?...not especially, not in a hurry. These guys should just print a standard menu out like every other Indian in the country. Mr Curry

Menu looked interesting so gave it a whirl. The ambience and decor excellent, but I found the menu a bit confusing as they had a la carte selections on the menu in the window, but only seemed to have a set menu on the tables which, given that we only wanted two main courses and one pilau rice, would've worked out a lot more expensive than the a la carte. Once we queried this with the waiter, he explained how it worked and we were able to order from the a la carte menu. We were given complimentary poppadoms and relish tray, which was a nice touch and these were followed by Tandoori King Prawn and a dish I'd never come across before, called Shukti. The TKP were up there with the best I've ever had and the Shukti, a combination of King Prawns, Tilapia fish and shrimp, cooked with vegetables, in a fairly hot (spicy) sauce was excellent. Even the pilau rice was well above average. The waiter was excellent throughout, managing to be attentive, without being obtrusive. We were visiting the area to see my nephew and his family, who live in nearby St Leonard's and we'll definitely visit India Cottage again, next time we're down.

What a gem of a place, excellent food and service.

Really good food, simple menu that provides exactly what you expect from an Indian. Great value.

Lovely warm welcome, excellent service and good food. Would definitely recommend if you are in the area.

This place has a great concept on how they introduce and implement there menu and the food and service was all great quality I would highly recommend this place and return

Great food but pricey. Unfortunately we were forgotten about after our main meal. No coffee or dessert offered and had to work hard to gain the attention of someone for our bill. Nice staff though.

Me and a friend went out for dinner we heard the best Indian restaurant are in Ringwood, We were very disappointed with the service it’s like we got forgotten about , the are very crafty when paying for your bill. I won’t say anymore but I wouldn’t recommend. Ooh and when I asked for the bill he brought it to our table he then said when you’re ready go to the bar and pay poor service.

Best Indian Best Service Absolutely love visiting here

Visited here last week whilst on holiday , The restaurant is very Cosy and welcoming. On Arrival we were Greeted with a happy face and provided great food whereby the waiter provided recommendations based on other curries we liked. The whole experience from start to finish was wonderful and topped off with a departing shot of baileys/Black Sambuca. Many thanks and will be returning next time we are in the new Forest.

Another busy night at India Cottage. Sublime, flavoursome food and attentive service was the order of the night. Every dish was a triumph and presented beautifully. All four of us left thoroughly satisfied and full of praise for Shad, Sarah and the team at India Cottage.

This is simply great food. Fresh ingredients beautifully prepared, the secret to any good food. Loved it.

A little gem of a restaurant. Everything about it is perfect - delicious food, relaxing atmosphere and superb service from lovely staff. We happened on it by pure chance whilst on holiday for a few days and luckily booked the India Cottage. The restaurant itself is a listed building with original fireplaces and windows, and outside in the garden there are two beach huts where you can dine with fairy lights all around the garden which adds to the magical atmosphere. I can heartily recommend it - the best Indian restaurant I've ever been to!

Absolutely brilliant... beautiful surroundings. Lovely food.

The food and atmosphere was very good, and we admire what they’ve done to the place to create a comfortable homely atmosphere

Amazing restaurant lovely staff highly recommended.

Amazing tasty food for an affordable price, great service by the friendly staff and super cosy atmosphere even whilst being very busy on a Friday evening. The best Indian Restaurant we have eaten at, we will definitely visit again when we next travel from London! Would definitely recommend😊

We love India Cottage, fantastic food and ambiance. Staff’s always smiling and welcoming. Tonight’s take away must have been a special, for Danish nationals only🇩🇰. The box says it all🙏🙏

Very busy evening at the restaurant. Booked ahead, waited 30mins to be seated and a further hour for a starter. Food was very good as usual, just disappointed by the service. Unfortunately was not made very clear that service charge was included in bill and...

Lovely food and so enjoyable decor. Makes a difference Great service with friendly syaff

Got a takeaway whilst staying locally, great food and service, very much recommend

Over priced greasy curry - will not return and would definitely not recommend. 10% service charge added to bill which we were not happy to pay but they refused to remove.

Looked at the menu outside and ordered a takeaway. Thought I’d been overcharged but when I challenged this the next day they said the prices had increased from those advertised. Went through what I ordered and the bill still did not add up. I’m sure...

Visited India Cottage tonight whilst on a short visit to area and what a superb place. Lovely family run restaurant with great vibe, amazing style and fabulous food. We loved our meal and wine and the owners are so friendly and proud of their success. Truly the best Indian experience ever.

We had a brilliant meal and the service was fantastic. Our 3 children loved it and so did we. Thank you India Cottage. We will be back!

Amazing service and food this evening. Our host Tipu was very accommodating to us and our young family. Wine was great also.

It was our first visit to India Cottage &... Oh my... what a little gem this place is. We couldn't find fault with a single thing... the staff were attentive, the décor was beautiful & the food was simply delicious. Don't be put off by...

Amazing place. Food is so good! Best place to go by far.

Lovely friendly atmosphere and Indian the best in town for many years

Food was tasty although ingredients missing from what was described on the menu and lied to when questioned. Expensive meal £70 is a minimum you HAVE to spend due to fixed menu pricing. Do not cater for smaller budgets and smaller appetites. You have to...

The food was superb and the service second to none. There were eight of us and the India Cottage has a lovely ambience and the food tasty and good value. The staff went out of their way to make sure we were enjoying our evening....

We have had a takeaway from this restaurant and enjoyed the food, so thought we would sit in this time. The pricing structure is not obvious £25 per person for one course plus sides or £28 two course with sides. It is only when you...

great atmosphere and great food - had lovely evening... plus delighted to see how busy and well supported - well done!

Can't recommend this place. Took an hour and a half to get our mains after sitting down and the portion sizes were incredibly stingy. Half a naan bread per person and half a small bowl of rice. I was not the only person that felt that way at the table. The chicken tikka masala I had was also ver meh

it was good although the goat curry was very fatty and had no flavour

Although it was very busy they managed to find us a table Staff were very friendly and the food was excellent, would recommend a visit.

The food and ambiance is amazing. All cooked from scratch we observed the kitchen in action from the lovely outside dining area. Just blown away by the flavours.

On Saturday 1st April a group of friends and I had a table booked at 8pm, we were told on booking to take our time and it wouldn't matter if we were slightly late. We arrived at 8.10pm to find that there were no tables...

Fabulous as always great quality food excellent service a family get together including friends from America Shad is an excellent host most welcoming as always keep up the good work cannot wait to return thanks to the whole team well done

Love this place and love the food even more! Service is great. The specials menu is fantastic and we will certainly be back. Highly recommend

Had a fantastic meal here with my daughter. We came away so full they had to roll us out. It's a fixed price menu (either main course or mains and starters). It includes sides, rice, naan etc etc so just choose your option of main and starter and what type of meat you want.. The atmosphere was great on a Friday night and the owners and staff were both friendly and attentive. We thoroughly enjoyed our food and evening and will definitely be going back. But don't tell anyone else about this little gem.

Pricey fixed menu offering only, didnt feel it was great value or a good curry, shame as used to be the best local curry house, had a chicken dopiaza, lacked any layering of flavour or authenticity, just tasted of curry paste base, just thee tiny pieces of chicken, bill for 4 adults and 2 kids including 2 beers nearly £180!

Fantastic food and had a great evening. Staff were very attentive and got everything right. We had a great night thank you.

A party of 14 of us. Beautiful setting. Amazing staff with friendly service. Best food at any Indian restaurant we have been to. Set 2 course menu currently £28, however spent more with drinks. Always have an incredible experience. Thank you to Shad, Sarah and their team.

I have just spent £50 on probably the most least enjoyable Indian meal ever. Granted we were a large group, but nobody went overboard on the alcohol. We were served Popadoms, a small starter, a very average main dish, rice and some of a shared Nan, plus one Cobra beer for me. Starting price of £28 for their set menu is rather steep if you just want a decent curry without all the added trimmings. Having had some very nice meals and evenings there in the past, sadly, I will not eat there again. Their pricing policy is daft, and dare I say it, a tad of a rip off. I really can’t understand why it was so busy!

I've had many enjoyable evenings at the India Cottage, always with large work parties which will colour this review somewhat. The atmosphere is great with long tables one of which is outside under cover and which works really well in the summer (there's a wood burner there too if the night is chilly). The staff are friendly, but on occasion have shown the stress of dealing with large numbers of covers in what is obviously a successful and well liked local restaurant. The food is good but not amazing, I try to review in the spirit of 'realistic expectation' so this is in the context of other Indian restaurants in the area at the same sort of price point. I feel the menu is a little limited and that some of the dishes I've been served have lacked that 'edge' that would make me describe them as great. Perhaps it's the flavours not quite balancing in the way I like, or the level of spice not matching with my expectation of a particular dish, it's hard to say. It is personal preference and YMMV. This certainly isn't a curry house for a super spicy dish, and that's okay! All in all, a lovely atmosphere in a busy setting, perhaps there could be a better variety of dishes, so check the menu online to judge for yourselves. You will certainly have a great night.

Eaten here before and enjoyed it but things have changed. Pricing is now set and the quality was poor. £25 for a main course (choose any of the main courses) with one side shared between two. 4 dry very small Bombay potatoes in one side,...

Been there with my wife., yesterday. Place is nice, cozy, family ran business for over 40 years!! Food is tasty, starter with chutney s and lime pickle mind blowing! So good! A bit disappointed with portions though. Yeah, they brought us rice with mains but at the end of the day I had the feeling that behind the "fine dining experience", they were just robbing us :) I have ordered a pinot noir 2021, (medium low range/ more low then medium) and total bill, ( we haven't had starter or desert) was £90! What a theft! :)) I know places that for £90 pounds you walk out barely capable to move or speak! With at least a bottle of wine extra! Or aperitifs. For example Woks wich unfortunately is currently closed. Round the corner. Yes, I d enjoyed the service and the experience, but I will think twice before go there again. Not saying I m. Not going back. But I ll have to consider. Not really worth it. Not Michelin, not rosette, paper tissues . Come on! Portions for mains could be bigger. I ll. Be back.. MAYBE SHAME I DID NOT TAKE ANY PICTURE

Can not recommend enough, great food and service every time.

The best ever Indian myself and my son have been to. Top star. The food is fabulous

Such a gem! Lovely atmosphere, super service and great food. We'll definitely be back!

We’ve been here a few times now and it never fails to impress! It’s by far one of the best Indian cuisine I’ve ever had ! The service you can’t fault and the cosy feel of the decor! Would highly recommend!

A warm welcome assured when you visit this restaurant Tasty food is always available with great recommendations for the perfect sides to make a special meal just right

The food is great, however the service charge was a lot. They didn't come and ask us if we wanted more drinks and waited ages for the bill. In the end, had to get up and go to the bar for the bill.

Went here for New Year’s Eve, everything was great,food,staff,surroundings and price,will definitely return when we’re next down this way

Highlight of my trip back down South, Shad and all his people, made it a great evening. 13 people in our group food was delicious.

I went with friends last night and we had the most amazing meal. The staff are so welcoming and the service was fantastic. By far the best Indian I’ve been to.

Just had the most delicious chicken jalfrezi takeaway that I can remember. Everything tasted fresh and was beautifully cooked. Also a great change to find such friendly and patient advice when ordering over the phone. A real gem!

Came here for my 18th with my parents and it was truly amazing. The food, the warm atmosphere, the kind staff, all came together for a perfect birthday meal. Food is 10/10.

Always a lovely experience here. Both food and atmosphere 5*

Very cosy and very attractive decor. Food was great, if a little pricey for an Indian restaurant as £28 for 2 courses.

Lovely restaurant and excellent service, though slightly more than I would normally spend.

Went there for an anniversary meal as it used to be my favourite restaurant in town and was such amazing food and service and venue etc. venue is still lovely and food is alright however it’s Very overpriced, and a very cunning menu. It was...

Had a nice curry was lots of flavour more than heat which I really enjoyed. Staff were friendly and it had a nice positive vibe. Will pop in again soon.

Best restaurant in the area. Stunning food, excellent service, great ambience. Can't recommend India Cottage highly enough.

Very tasty food I went with a recommendation from the waiter as this was a restaurant I had not eaten in before I’m not one for eating the same food when going to an Indian restaurant This restaurant was quiet when sat down to eat but soon filled up and is obviously very popular with the local community

First time to visit this lovely restaurant, will definitely come back even though it's not local for us. Food was fab, staff were lovely and beautiful setting. so glad we got a table on a busy night. Thank you

Fabulous food, lovely setting, friendly staff

Superb food, lovely setting, friendly helpful staff

Fixed menu, £28 per person (2 courses). Seems to have turned more fusion style and lost it's spiciness (trying to please weekend 2 home Surrey incomers?) Won't go back, 4 other Indian restaurants to choose from in Ringwood.

This is a restaurant I have been going to since I was a kid with my parents and we still regularly get take aways and dine in. I am hoping this is a one off…….went in there in a Tuesday evening to eat with my...

Dit restaurant was niet mijn keuze, maar het was verrassend lekker! De hele vakantie hebben we nog niet zo lekker gegeten. Ook de sfeer is erg leuk en de ober is heel aardig. -Amber

Fantastic meal, menu was perfect for us. As always staff were friendly and helpful. Will be going back soon.