Our Review Of Farzi Cafe London: Modern Indian Plates In A Refined Setting

I'll admit that I tend to avoid areas like Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus on the weekends, as we all know that walking around these tourist hotspots can be overwhelming, to say the least. But I recently discovered an oasis of calm in Central London in the form of Farzi Cafe: a North Indian bistro with a Michelin Plate - owned by restaurateur Zorawar Kalra, who owns a number of restaurants across the capital. Their menu is designed to take you on a journey across a region known as 'undivided India', spanning Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and beyond.

Expect sleek golden decor at this Michelin Plate-awarded restaurant.

DesignMyNight’s Review Of Farzi London

As soon as we stepped into Farzi, it felt like we were a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of Central London on a hot summer's evening. The waiters were instantly welcoming as we were led to a round booth table, surrounded by emerald green tiled walls and shiny golden decor. The room was lit by warm, orange lighting, and overall there was a refined but relaxing feel to the venue.

Their exotic cocktail menu is full of twists on the classics, much like their food, and I began with a Himalayan sour (£12.50). This struck the perfect balance between sweet and salty, combining gin with salted hibiscus and a tropical hit of passionfruit. For something a little more floral, the Farzi Royal (£12) was a fragrant blend of elderflower vodka, Chambord and sparkling wine, finished with a fresh blackberry.

As every great Indian meal does, this feast started with a papad basket (£7.50) - containing poppadums of three different shapes and textures, sprinkled with a light masala chaat dusting. We dunked these crispy treats in both a sugary mango chutney and a spicy mint dip. 

The Farzi London menu blends classic and modern flavours across its food and drink.

The small plates section of the menu promised 'Indian street classics, reinvented', and they really did deliver on that. The generous portion of tender, spicy cauliflower (£9.50) was fried in a crispy tempura batter, coated in a sticky chilli garlic glaze that packed a lot of heat into every bite. The butter chicken bao (£11.50) took one of the ultimate Indian delicacies and combined it with a fluffy bun that originated in China, making for a fun fusion dish with double the flavour. The chicken was succulent and covered in creamy sauce, a real highlight of the meal.

Moving on to mains, I chose the palak paneer handi (£19.50): a beautifully creamy spinach and garlic masala that contained soft cubes of bhuna paneer. The garlic flavour was very strong in this curry (which as a garlic-lover I enjoyed), though it didn't overpower the more delicate tones that came from the bright green spinach blend. My dinner date's chicken tikka masala (£21.50) was rich and tangy, with hearty chunks of chicken sitting in the vibrant orange sauce. we devoured these with a portion of fluffy white steamed rice (£4.50) to share, as well as a garlic naan (£4.50) that was doughy and spread thick with garlic in the middle, with a more crunchy outer edge.

Expect brightly coloured plates across every course.

The dessert menu was short but sweet, with four enticing options to choose from. We split two, the first being a spiced chocolate brownie (£8.50). This was a moist, gooey brownie topped with a chocolate crumble and vanilla ice cream, though the spice mix didn't quite gel with the chocolate taste in my opinion.

Second was the fruitier mango mastani (£10), recommended by our waiter, a traditional Desi sundae made with alphonso mango, berries and ice cream, finished with mango curd and nuts. This was presented in a very theatrical manner, in a smoking bowl, making the photo opportunities just as sweet as the dish with this one.

Overall: Farzi London

With its Haymarket location, many would wrongly assume this place to be just another tourist trap, but my visit revealed a stunning but understated escape from the buzz of Central London. They nailed the fusion of traditional and modern techniques and flavours, bringing in different cultural influences to subtly adapt timeless recipes. While Farzi's menu is smaller than many Indian restaurants', you can be sure that every single item has been well thought-out and is certain to pack a punch.

For more great food right in the heart of it all, check out our guide to the best restaurants in Central London.