Va-nak-kam East-Grinstead in Mid Sussex

Fantastic food , fantastic service.

We went here while we were staying in the area and were blown away by the food! The porotta, the idli sambar and mutton curry were packed with flavour and authentically good. Really satiated my craving! Highly recommend for some flavourful and delicious, authentic food.

The most delicious potato dosa I've had outside of India/Sri Lanka. And possibly ever!! Light and crisp and so tasty. The starters were excellent too. Really good service. Thank you.

Since our visit to Sri Lanka we’ve been dying to visit this restaurant and tonight’s visit was worth the long wait. Mary’s food was fantastic. The starters were light but very flavoursome and the mains (mutton curry and aubergine curry) so rich and tasty, although the rice could have been enjoyed on its own: it was all that good. Dessert was beautiful - yoghurt and treacle. I can also recommend the Sangiovese which was smooth and well suited to my our food. We also chatted with Krish and Dino about the food, Dino giving us cooking tips and bringing us some sambol (my favourite dish) to try. The brothers were informative and thoughtful. Krish further educated us on some of the more recent history of SL, to add to what we were taught when visiting SL and making us want to return. I already can’t wait to go back to Va-Nak-Kam.

I ate here recently with some friends and we had a great time. All the staff were very friendly and helpful. We’re all vegetarian/ vegan and there were so many different options. Would definitely go back again!

Friendly hospitality, amazing authentic home cooked food (we had vegetarian and can honestly say it was full of flavour and not overly spicy/oily/greasy etc). We are Indian, and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It was a little chilly in the restaurant, so I would wrap up a little warmer next time. Having said that, there will definitely be a next time! Keep up the good work Deeno, Krish and -compliments to the chef- Mum :)

Curries were really tasty - really good attentive service :) credit to Sri-Lankan dining 💯

Excellent service, food was delicious as always ☺️👍

Authentic taste, great service!

We love this place. Friendliest staff and delicious, not expensive

Lovely evening with amazing food

If I could give more than 5 stars I would. Krish is front of house and was warm, friendly, great with recommendations for food and quietly attentive. His brother Dino is an amazing chef who was also serving the delicious fresh dishes. We are planning to visit Sri Lanka and he chatted to us about it and has strengthened our desire to go there. We visited the restaurant after seeing the 5 star reviews on trip advisor and we’re so glad that we did. We don’t live in the area but would go out of our way to come down here again just to visit this fabulous place . It’s cosy, nicely buzzy, Sri Lankan music playing softly in the background. Would be great for families, couples and friends. The food which I can’t begin to describe was out of this world. See pictures for beautiful food. Strongly recommend if you love freshly cooked flavourful food. The veg rolls and aubergine curry in particular are to die for…

If I could give more than 5 stars I would. Krish is front of house and was warm, friendly, great with recommendations for food and quietly attentive. His brother Dino is an amazing chef who was also serving the delicious fresh dishes. We are planning to visit Sri Lanka and he chatted to us about it and has strengthened our desire to go there. We visited the restaurant after seeing the 5 star reviews on trip advisor and we’re so glad that we did. We don’t live in the area but would go out of our way to come down here again just to visit this fabulous place . It’s cosy, nicely buzzy, Sri Lankan music playing softly in the background. Would be great for families, couples and friends. The food which I can’t begin to describe was out of this world. See pictures for beautiful food. Strongly recommend if you love freshly cooked flavourful food. The veg rolls and aubergine curry in particular are to die for…

First time visitors. The was amazing. And the staff were very friendly

Excellent food and service - highly recommend.

First class as always. Great food and great service.

The food was freshly homemade, delicious and the staff are lovely Family ran business had a really nice hospitable experience. - Would come again

I had my first taste of authentic Sri Lankan cuisine at Vanakam in East Grinstead, and it was an incredible experience. The mutton rolls were crispy, tender and flavorful. The Pol roti, chicken gravy, coconut curry, and aubergine curry were absolutely delicious, with the coconut curry and brinjal curry being the stars of the meal. Eating them with white rice felt like a comforting home-cooked meal. Kudos to the chef and staff for such a wonderful dining experience!

Brilliant family run restaurant all the staff are polite friendly, made to feel very welcome. Food was absolutely amazing and so fresh! Highly recommended ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Visited recently with a friend and the food was amazing, full of flavour! Lovely family business very friendly, welcoming and relaxing

We feel very lucky to have found this place on our visit to East Grinstead. Our waiter was extremely knowledgeable and kind. We let the chef decide our dishes and we were not disappointed with anything. Some highlights were the mutton rolls, mackerel balls, and mutton curry. My wife loved the dal. If we are ever back in the area, this will be our first stop.

Warming tasty treat on a cold night. Staying in EG for work, didn’t want a large meal but potato dosa takeaway really hit the spot. Will surely return.

Loverly food and such a friendly service. Family run and was just nice to just chat with the guys who run it while enjoying amazing food. Really recommend this place 👌

Fantastic 1st time experience at this restaurant. Superb and interesting new foods to try...delightful husband and wife serving us. Very informative about the food and their country. Highly recommend!

Great crispy dosa, chutneys and sambal. Service was good, and atmosphere was nice. Very happy to have found great southern Indian food.

The food was excellent. Cooked fresh and served hot. An idea spot for anyone looking for something slightly different to a regular curry.

My husband and I went for a date night here and had a great time. We received a genuine and warm welcome, the food was incredible and the atmosphere was great. We will definitely be going back.

We had such an amazing time with the lovely family who run this restaurant. The food was incredible, especially the parathas, and we particularly enjoyed the surprise dishes! We will definitely come back soon!

Amazing service, friendly atmosphere and excellent food what more could you want?

Food was excellent, service was friendly and helpful. Atmosphere was nice. Value for money. Will definitely going back

Food, fantastic, full of flavour with different spice variations which can caters for everyone’s taste. Menu is simple and the chef clearly knows what she is doing. I like that it not over complicated, like some similar restaurants. It is family run, and I like that aspect. A lady who served us, explained it’s her mother in law who cooks the food - love this. It’s also nice to support local businesses, especially when it’s so enjoyable. We will be back, great service wonderful food. I would recommend booking a table as it is a small restaurant and you wouldn’t want to miss out. Highly recommended go!

We’ve been there for few times now, delicious food with reasonable price.. definitely worth it 👍❤️

I went to Va nak Kam earlier and I enjoyed it so much, that I decided to go back on my birthday. Today I had best time on my birthday here. I felt really welcome. I was looked after in such a kind, caring and professional way, and I enjoyed my delicious and generous meal so much, that I couldn't help having tears of happiness. I will certainly come back and recommend this place to all my friends. 16 October 2024 Knara Law

Never had a bad meal here. Once again, the food was delicious. My dosa with mutton, superb. Will definitely return

Had a takeaway. The Dosai was tasty but the beef curry was disappointing. It's hard to see how they can justify the price.

You have to go!! It’s not Indian food it’s traditional Sri Lankan food! I had spicy my wife had medium! Loved it loved the starters! Do try them! There’s only 3 of them working there and they are a great team! Cudos to mammy who does all the cooking! A real family business that’s deserves the support of the community! Try the lion beer it’s fab. Can’t wait for my next visit! It will be soon🥰

First time visiting this restaurant, I can’t speak highly enough food excellent, staff charming and informative about food we haven’t tried before. If you’ve not tried it your missing a treat.

We had a fantastic meal at Va-nak-kam in East Grinstead. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the staff were super friendly and attentive, which made the whole experience even better. The food was absolutely delicious. We tried the dosai pancake, two different curry dishes, and the mango lassi, and everything was perfectly seasoned and flavorful. The mango lassi was a real standout! Overall, it was a great experience, and I’d definitely recommend Va-nak-kam if you’re in the area and looking for tasty food in a welcoming setting!

How lucky l was to be taken to this charming restaurant for dinner on my birthday. There were vegan options (for two of us) and vegetarian too. Tasty dishes, some new ones discovered and a good selection of drinks. The staff could not have been more friendly. An excellent experience of Sri Lanka!

Had a lovely dinner here - flavours were nice and actually authentic, not too sweet (especially the tamarind-based dishes, which can sometimes be a bit sickly elsewhere in parts of the UK). Good, wholesome food - perfect for sharing. There was a nice vegan selection which is clearly labelled on the main menu. Service very friendly, and a relaxed ambience. Nicely decorated but not too formal. Would recommend!

Va-nak-kam is hands down one of the best Indian restaurants I’ve ever been to, and I’m not just saying that because it's family-owned (which adds such a personal touch)! The food here is absolutely phenomenal, especially the daal and chicken curry, which were bursting with flavor, and the Koon curry was a next-level experience. The porotas? Authentic and made right before your eyes—watching the chef work his magic is almost as good as eating the food! Speaking of magic, I was curious to see the kitchen in action, and when I asked the chef if I could sneak a peek around the back, he didn’t hesitate to welcome me in. He even tossed in a free JD, which my family and I happily polished off in no time. Watching the food being made with such care and passion just added to the overall experience. The dosas were perfect, and the wide variety of curries tasted like they were straight from the heart of India. The aroma alone brought back memories of when I lived in India during a sabbatical—it’s that authentic! The vibe of the place is wonderful, and the free Wi-Fi was a bonus, allowing me to upload photos of our meal straight to Facebook for all my friends to envy! A huge shout-out to Puki, the waiter, who expertly guided us through the menu with ease. He even slipped us the chef's special—though I can’t spill the beans on that one, you’ll have to go and experience it for yourself! 😉 All in all, Va-nak-kam is an absolute gem with top-tier food, incredible service, and an atmosphere that makes you feel like you're back in India. Highly recommend it!

Such a lovely restaurant! The food was amazing and the service was excellent. We went last minute on a Tuesday evening and had such a warm welcome by the family that run it. The food was absolutely delicious and so reasonably priced. Will definitely be going back!

Very friendly atmosphere and the staff were very helpful in helping us find our way around the menu. The food was really delicious, so all in all a 5 star evening.

We had a lovely meal here. The staff are really friendly and help you if you have not had Sri Lankan food before - and the food itself was excellent. I would thoroughly recommend this to friends.

The service and food were exceptional. The restaurant was busy and still the service not affected. The food was delicious with options on how ‘hot’ you want it. A lovely evening, highly recommend.

Very delicious! The mutton roll starter is a must try. We had chicken kottu and a beef curry with rice for mains, they were both delicious and were generous portions we couldn’t finish it all! Lots of vegetarian options too and I’ve been told by friends that the veggie food is great. We were served by friendly staff, we will be back

Highly recommended for amazing food, catering and good times.

Amazing experience, have travelled well and tried many good restaurants with big names/well know to locals.ive been brought up around the hospitality trade all my life (now 38) and hands down has been one of the most acomading, friendly positive reception and environment. The whole experience from acknowledgement, to order service and quality of products can not be criticized in any mannner. The food is to die for prepared and cooked with love and it shows. Prices are more than reasonable and is a hidden gem amongst the lovely restaurants in and around East Grinstead. Small family orientated restaurant that makes you welcome into their public house 🙌🧡🔥

The food and service were spectacular! Can't wait to come again - and again - when I'm back in London.

A small menu but really carefully thought out with good vegetarian options. Lovely feel to the restaurant, staff exceedingly warm and welcoming. Most importantly, the food was wonderful!!

What a find! Amazing, delicious and different dishes. Hidden on the main one way road into East Grinstead, the exterior belies the wonderful experience inside the restaurant. Parking opposite, free after 6pm. Warm atmosphere, family run, friendly, attentive staff, outstanding tasty food. 7 of us, so shared starters, all yummy but loved the mutton rolls and crispy doughnuts! Katharikkai curry so tasty but all food very good. Krish, one of the lovely staff, recognised me as his teacher from many years ago and treated me like royalty! Thanks for a lovely evening Krish and Abby. If you haven't yet visited, you're missing a treat.

I always enjoy the food from this lovely family run business. They are not only serving delicious and authentic food but they always provide a very friendly customer service. The food is first class may God Bless Your family your business and family. Definitely recommend this place 👌

First time of trying this lovely restaurant. Staff (Abbey & her husband) really friendly and explained the menu as never had Sri Lankan before. I had a chicken dosa and my friend had the vegetarian dosa, both lovely. Will be going back soon.

Delicious Sri Lankan food that tasted exactly the same as if you were there! The chicken Kothu, mutton rolls and paruppu curry were super tasty, very generous portions. Service was great, very attentive, polite staff. Reasonably priced, will return soon.

A lovely family run restaurant with mums home cooking. We had the mutton rolls, isso vadai, and a potato dosa to start. Bright flavours in the mutton rolls, crisp yet soft dosa, and fantastic textures in the frittata. Then to try as much as possible we had the chicken, mutton and beef curries with a mix of rice and paratha. The curries were tasty with tender meat. Medium spice was gentle but the spicy option could have had more spice. It’s totally subjective. I just prefer more spice. The rice was perfectly cooked and the breads were mind blowing. So flaky but not dry or oily. Thank you for a lovely night.

Our favourite East Grinstead restaurant. Staff always really friendly and helpful. Amazing food and great range of vegetarian options as well. 100% recommend.

The food and service was brilliant. Lives up to the ratings.

This was my first time trying a Sri Lankan restaurant, and it was a great experience from start to finish. My friends and I were greeted with warm smiles as soon as we walked in, which made us feel really welcome. The food was amazing ,so flavourful and authentic. I’d definitely recommend this place if you’re looking to try something new. We had a fantastic time!

Now normally we travel to get Chinese as we have been lacking a decent one since wing wah shut but I happened to pop in here, grab a take away and was very impressed indeed. The lady in the huge shop was so polite and chatty, the food was very good and not like others I won't mention, the portions are great size and honestly all cooked so well. We will use this place again 100%.

The food, as always, was fantastic. I was, however, disappointed when ordering a takeaway to find I couldn't order a curry without ordering rice. I can make my own rice at home for much less than £4.95 a portion so not being given the choice when it comes as a separately boxed item I think is a rip off.

Had a fantastic meal here. Beautiful food and a culinary adventure, experiencing dishes I have not had before. Good size portions for a big guy like me, warm genuine staff and it is a local, family run business. This place ticks every box so is well worth your custom.

Absolutely fantastic meal, went for our anniversary, staff were lovely. The food lovely and the only place since our honeymoon to India we have had authentic tasting asian/indian/sri lankan food, not the usual sweet creamy curry from a normal indian restaurant. Definitely worth a visit and we will be going back. The Dosa is amazing.

Had a lovely dinner, food was delicious and very attentive staff, family run restaurant and very reasonably priced - would definitely be back!

Great authentic food. Excellent service. I will return when I am in the area again. Thank you.

Food was sublime and well priced, service very friendly. Will definitely be back soon!

The food was fantastic, unique dishes and full of flavour. Service was excellent, warm and welcoming. We will be coming back.

Superb! Visited this restaurant for the first time for birthday meal. The food was amazing ,we tried lots of new dishes and loved them all! The service was great and staff were so friendly. Will be back again soon!

Fantastic food, served with a smile.

The waiter did tell us beforehand that the food was very authentic and there wasn’t any sugar etc however I booked a Korma expecting it to be mild however it tasted spicy which I’m sure as many people are aware of, in UK Indian restaurants Kormas are one of the only non-spicy curries, with creamy textures and sweet flavours. The waiter did kindly offer to remake it or give me some extra cream so the added cream made it more enjoyable for me! Came as a bit of a shock to me. But very good for spice lovers! The roti was flavoursome and thick.

Unbelievably good. First time eating Sri Lankan. Everything was delicious. 10/10

This is a lovely restaurant offering traditional Sri Lanka food. It is a family run business with the mum cooking the dishes and my god are they tasty. Every dish we had packed a flavour punch and was cooked to perfection. Great ambiance and service in this “Jewel” of a restaurant. I thoroughly recommend.

Cracking takeaway. Interesting authentic meals with. Worth travelling for.

Va Nak Kam catered for our party and it was a stress free and happy experience from start to finish. Great communication with Dino from the start, and he was very helpful on menu choice, etc. They supplied a bain-marie, serving spoons and copious amounts of food! We catered for 20 but the portion sizing was generous and we packed our guests off with leftovers and stuffed our freezer in the process. Food was delicious and arrived piping hot. It was incredibly flavourful, varied and all our guests loved it. We thoroughly recommend them.

This was a by chance find. And what a find . Myself and my family enjoy most food and are discovering Shri Lankan foods. I was looking for something that would be authentic. The food was lovely, full of flavour, cooked to specific spice preference. It had a real sense of home cooking. Pride was taken to serve each dish at a standard of perfection. The service was friendly, welcoming and un-intrusive. The ambiance for me personally was just right with the lighting and comfort level. This restaurant is a small gem that shines bright in all areas of service Can’t wait to take other family members here. Lovely lovely evening Thank you yo all of you… see you soon ☺️

Stunning food. Delightful experience!!! must try!!!

Food was absolutely delicious, full of flavour and the service was great too. Delivered way faster than they said to expect. I called not knowing the menu, they was very helpful and suggestive or dishes and they didn't disappoint. Definitely be going back!

First time visiting and wasn’t disappointed. Service was excellent and the food delicious - didn’t have room for desert as the meal was so filling. Will definitely visit again.

Great food and service, lovely place!

First time having Sri Lankan food and it was amazing. Staff and service was exceptional. Will definitely be recommending and returning.

First time having Sri Lankan food and it was amazing. Staff and service was exceptional. Will definitely be recommending and returning.

Fantastic meal with a lovely host. The food is amazing fresh and tasty. The owner explains everything perfectly and will tailor the spice level to your desire. Unmatched service and attentiveness. Large portions freshly cooked. Highly recommend anyone to come.

Fabulous authentic food - so very different to the normal curry houses around .... a real find ....Friendly and helpful staff ... we particularly liked the Devilled chicken livers and the mutton Kothu . Just wish the ambiance was a little better .... but the food and staff more than make up for it !

Great food and very friendly staff

Had a very pleasant meal here of Sri Lankan specialities with very friendly and personable experience in this family run restaurant. Highly recommended.

Very good service.freshly made delicous food.friendly staff and excellent customer service.

Fab food with great ambience. Dropped by once and became a regular customer. The people here are really warm and friendly too. A must visit if you’re in and around East Grinstead

My friend introduced & treated me to a delicious meal here. I am english born and I am half Indian on my Dad’s side, so I have a taste for authentic Indian cuisine. (My Dad mastered his native cooking skills & I enjoyed!) The reason for telling you this should reinforce my praise for the stunning flavours encountered in this restaurant. There are some tasty curries out there but My Dad said they were devised for the english market so not really authentic. That’s not so in this unique place, we started with the mutton rolls which were so flavoursome, gorgeous coating & tender filling, I very highly recommend. We then followed this with a vegetable biryani, a chicken and also a mutton curry with a couple of sides & paratha. The ingredients felt so fresh & of high quality, the immense flavours bounced off the tongue in every mouthful, as my Dad once said they should. It’s not about the ‘hotness’ as much as the intense flavours. I rarely leave reviews but I felt I needed to let everyone know how great the food is here, along with the impeccable, personal service! So, I am now left with a new problem! I live in Crawley & the few decent Indian restaurants I use don’t come close to this place! Am I now going to travel to East Grinstead every time? Yes I think I am! Enjoy guys, I am confident you won’t regret! By the way this was my first visit here, I don’t know the owners, I am just genuinely impressed & want to share this amazing eatery with you. 👌🏽

Great food, very authentic and tasty. Would recommened. Staff helpful. All the dishes we had were spot on and attrativey presented too.

Always great service from Deeno's, great menu variety with good pizza deals. Really tasty kebabs, chicken and rice dishes too!

All great. Authentic Sri Lankan cuisine with experienced chefs . Family run business.

This place is hidden gem and a vegans paradise. I just got back from South India and the food took me right back to my holiday the dosa’s are incredible! A lovely friendly family run restaurant.

Wow! Visited last night for sit down meal and was blown away by how good it is. I have eaten at a different Shri Lankan restaurant previously so knew what to expect as very different from Indian, but the flavours here were so well balanced and fresh. The vegetarian options are amazing, I had a Thali and my mum had a mixed biryani, both were amazing. I cannot recommend this gem of a place highly enough, way more interesting that regular Indian. I will definitely be returning.

Great food, friendly and well priced

We visited here first time to try the Sri Lankan version of curries and the food amazing. A great choice also very authentic. If you’re a curry lover then must visit to this restaurant and try the Sri Lankan curries.

Loved it. First time there. Food was excellent. Service excellent. Price very reasonable. Will definitely go back.

Service was amazing, and the food was exceptionally amazing. Came here for Valentine’s Day and the atmosphere was perfect. Highly recommended, my new favourite spot.

Some of the best tasting food I have ever had, really friendly service and such a great night! Thanks guys

We had an excellent meal here last night. The food was so delicious and the staff couldn’t have been nicer. We will be ordering a regular takeaway and will be back in soon.

I had just returned from Sri Lanka and couldn't resist checking this place out to see if it was authentic. Let me tell you, the food is exactly that same as what you would get in Sri Lanka, we loved it and reminisced about our holiday all night with the owner.

What a fabulous restaurant! A hidden gem 🥳 The maître d' was friendly and very helpful indeed. His mother is in the kitchen making the food. It’s all authentic srilankan food. Made with coconut milk - no dairy. My vegetarian friend was delighted with all the menu choices she had! And we both loved loved the dishes that we chose💕. Definitely recommend this restaurant. Treat yourself to something new and refreshing. The ambiance was great, service splendid and food was delightful! Photo’s of the food don’t do it justice as it was all delicious, so much so that we already starting eating one before the pic was taken and forgot to take anymore pics!