best indian food on brick lane london (2026)

tldr: out of 10 curry houses on brick lane, my top 3 are city spice (best overall, award-winning chef, meat thali around 20 pounds), aladin (best budget, solid tikka masala, 12-15 pounds per main), and bengal village (best for authenticity, proper bangladeshi cooking). full reviews with prices and honest opinions below.

brick lane is one of those london things that tourists do and locals argue about. is it the best curry in the city? probably not. is it the best curry experience? absolutely. there’s nothing quite like walking down a 3/4-mile stretch of east london where every other door is a curry house, every restaurant has someone outside trying to pull you in, and the smell of tandoori spices hits you from 50 meters away.

i walked the full length of brick lane, ate at city spice (the one with all the awards), tried several starters and mains, and spent a total of about 45 pounds on food and drinks. the area is historically bangladeshi, which means the curries lean toward that style - richer sauces, more aromatics, slightly different spice profiles than your typical north indian restaurant. the hygiene ratings are posted on every door (look for a 5, accept nothing less), and the competition between restaurants keeps quality surprisingly high.

the area itself is east london at its most cosmopolitan. jack the ripper territory from 1888, the truman brewery, vintage markets on weekends, and a bangladeshi community that’s been here since the 1970s. it’s not the prettiest street in london, but it’s one of the most interesting.

if you’re looking for more london food guides, i’ve got a best street food in london guide and a london food guide covering everything from fish and chips to fine dining.

the awards (my personal picks)

• best overall: city spice. award-winning chef, consistent quality, excellent meat thali.
• best for first-timers: city spice or aladin. both are safe bets that won’t disappoint.
• best budget: aladin. solid food at lower prices than most of the street.
• most overrated: the places with the most aggressive street touts. if they need to drag you in, the food isn’t doing it.
• best chicken tikka masala: city spice. coconut sauce, tender chicken, proper cream finish.
• best for groups: bengal village. big tables, good sharing plates, decent service.
• best naan bread: city spice. the cheese and garlic naan was genuinely hot, properly stuffed.
• best side activity: the truman brewery vintage market on weekends. go before or after your curry.

the full list

the top tier (the ones worth the trip)

1. City Spice

mid-brick lane, near truman brewery / 40-50 pounds for two / 9/10

city spice is the one everyone talks about, and for once, those people are right. the restaurant has an award-winning chef, a solid reputation, and it delivers on every front. i went at lunchtime and got 20% off plus a free drink, which made an already good-value meal feel like a steal.

we started with poppadoms and the full condiment selection - mango chutney, mint yogurt, lime pickle (my personal weakness), and an onion dip with herbs. the poppadoms were crisp, the lime pickle was properly sharp, and everything felt freshly made rather than scooped from industrial tubs.

the main event was the meat thali, which is the move here. you get tandoori chicken on the bone (succulent, well-cooked), chicken tikka masala in a red coconut sauce with cream (tender chicken, big chunks), lamb bhuna (super tender, hit by waves of spice that kept revealing themselves), pilau rice, and a small lamb kebab that disappeared so fast i almost forgot it existed. the garlic chicken was also outstanding - properly cooked through with garlic that was present but not overpowering.

the cheese and garlic naan bread deserves its own paragraph. it arrived hot (the plates were hot too, which is how you know a restaurant cares), stuffed with cheese that melted away into the bread, and complemented every single curry on the table. i could have eaten two of these and called it a meal.

the sag paneer (spinach and cheese) was my first time trying this combination and i was genuinely surprised. very strong spinach flavor, mild melting cheese, and it wasn’t heavy at all. not something i’d order as a main, but as a side dish it was perfect.

what to order: the meat thali. cheese and garlic naan. lime pickle with your poppadoms. a pint of lager because it’s tradition.

verdict: the best curry on brick lane by a comfortable margin. the meat thali is the way to go. 10 out of 10 for the experience, 9 out of 10 for the food because perfection doesn’t exist. close enough though.

2. Aladin

mid-brick lane / 30-40 pounds for two / 8/10

aladin has been on brick lane for decades and it’s the go-to for people who want reliable curry without the premium price tag. the interior is basic, the service is fast, and the food is consistently good. this is where you go on a tuesday night when you just want curry and don’t want to think about it.

the chicken tikka masala is solid - creamy sauce, tender chicken, good spice balance. the lamb rogan josh has proper chunks of lamb that have been slow-cooked long enough to be fork-tender. the rice is always hot and properly separated.

it’s not the most exciting curry you’ll ever eat, but it’s the most reliable. i’ve never had a bad meal here, which is more than i can say for 80% of brick lane.

what to order: chicken tikka masala, lamb rogan josh, pilau rice, plain naan.

verdict: the dependable option. not flashy, not trying to win awards, just doing good curry at fair prices. exactly what a neighbourhood curry house should be.

3. Bengal Village

mid-brick lane / 35-45 pounds for two / 8/10

bengal village leans harder into bangladeshi cooking than most of brick lane, which mostly serves a british-indian greatest hits menu. the spicing here is different - more mustard oil, more whole spices, a bit more heat. if you’ve only ever had anglicized curry, this might surprise you.

the fish dishes are the standout. bangladeshi cuisine traditionally revolves around fish and rice, and bengal village does this properly. the shorshe ilish (hilsa fish in mustard sauce) is outstanding when available. the chicken options are also solid but come here for the fish.

the restaurant itself is clean, well-maintained, and the staff actually seem to care about what you order rather than just processing tourists.

what to order: any fish dish, especially if hilsa is available. the bengali-style dal is also worth ordering.

verdict: the most authentic bangladeshi food on brick lane. if you’re tired of the standard tikka masala circuit, this is where to go.

the solid middle

4. Curry Bazaar

mid-brick lane / 30-40 pounds for two / 7.5/10

curry bazaar is right next to bengal village, literally on top of each other, which tells you everything about the competition on this street. the food is good, the prices are competitive, and the portions are generous. it’s a perfectly fine curry house that doesn’t do anything spectacularly but doesn’t drop the ball either.

the chicken bhuna and the prawn madras are the stronger options. the naan bread is fresh and hot. the service can be slow during peak hours because the kitchen gets overwhelmed.

what to order: chicken bhuna, prawn madras, garlic naan.

verdict: a solid backup if city spice or bengal village have a wait. nothing wrong with it, nothing remarkable either.

5. Monsoon

mid-brick lane / 35-45 pounds for two / 7.5/10

monsoon does a decent spread with slightly more pan-indian options than the pure bangladeshi spots. good tandoori starters, acceptable curries, and a biryani that’s better than average for brick lane. the lamb biryani in particular has proper layered rice and tender meat.

what to order: lamb biryani, tandoori mixed grill, raita.

verdict: good for variety if you want something beyond the standard curry house menu.

6. Sheba

mid-brick lane / 35-45 pounds for two / 7.5/10

sheba has been around long enough to be considered an institution. the food is traditional, well-made, and safe. it doesn’t push boundaries but it respects the classics. the chicken jalfrezi has a proper kick and the prawn curry uses well-sourced prawns rather than the frozen rubber some places serve.

what to order: chicken jalfrezi, prawn curry, chapati.

verdict: dependable and traditional. if you just want a straightforward curry experience without surprises, sheba delivers.

the ones i’d skip (but you might not)

7-10. the tourist trap circuit

here’s the honest truth about brick lane: at least a third of the restaurants survive entirely on tourist traffic and aggressive street touting. if someone is standing outside literally pulling at your arm to come in and offering you free drinks and 25% discounts, ask yourself why the food alone isn’t enough to fill the tables.

the telltale signs: hygiene ratings below 5, empty restaurants at peak dinner time, laminated menus with photos that look nothing like the actual food, and sauces that taste like they came from the same industrial kitchen.

this doesn’t mean every unfamiliar restaurant is bad. some of the smaller, quieter places do excellent food. but if your instinct says “this feels like a trap,” trust your instinct.

verdict: stick to the top 6 on this list and you’ll be fine. venture outside at your own risk.

brick lane curry tips

• go at lunchtime on a weekday for the best deals. many restaurants offer 20% off and free drinks during lunch service.
• always check the hygiene rating certificate on the door. 5 is the only acceptable number. there were fours when i visited.
• order a pint of lager with your curry. i don’t make the rules. this is british tradition and it works.
• the lime pickle is the best condiment on the table. fight me.
• if you’re walking from the tube, get off at aldgate east and walk down. brick lane doesn’t have its own station despite attempts to rename aldgate east.
• the weekend market (saturday and sunday) is worth timing your visit around. vintage clothes, street food stalls, and the truman brewery area all add to the experience.
• poppadoms and condiments are always worth ordering as a starter. they’re cheap (2-3 pounds) and buying time while your curry cooks means hotter food.
• the bagel shops at the north end of brick lane are legendary. beigel bake is open 24/7 and the salt beef bagel is 90p. go after your curry or before, but go.

if you found this useful, check out these other london guides:

• best street food in london
• london food guide
• best restaurants in london