Top Indian Cuisine and Wine List in London with Babur

If you are looking for a warm atmosphere, cleanliness and a fine selection of Indian cuisine delights with a long and varied wine list, then please do read on and discover Babur…

With referenced reviews from Michelin and the AA Restaurant Guide, Babur has been sharing many of India’s finest dining experiences for over 38 years (opened in 1985) to the community of Forest Hill in London and beyond.

“I recently was invited to review Babur and what a pleasure it was to do so. The most impressive experience of my visit included the decor, cleanliness and the vibrant smiles from warm, friendly members of staff making sure that the atmosphere was totally relaxing allowing you to focus on the finest of foods and wines.” Christopher Walkey

The Babur experience started even before I had stepped off the bus when I engaged in a conversation with someone and the restaurant was mentioned, they simply told me to follow the tiger! The venue is known for the statue of a roaring tiger above the glazed frontage. The restaurant (Saturday evening) was busy though plenty of staff on hand to assist you as you enter, it only took a few minutes to be guided to our table and presented with our pre drinks menu.

 

It is a must to try a cocktail at Babur with a long list to choose from including Prosecco themed and classics including Margarita. Our charming barman, Jo, invited us to watch him prepare our drinks with precise mixing and shaking to deliver a great light alcohol start to the evening. The wine list is relatively comprehensive with mostly French and Italian options, though I was very pleased to see a Georgian option with a Saperavi 2020 from the Kakheti region which I visited in person many years ago. Also chosen (served by the glass) was the Italian red from San Marzano ‘62 Anniversario Primitivo di Manduria Riserva 2018‘ plus a Riesling 2022 from Axel Pauly. What is impressive with Babur is that the team has made the choice of wine easy by pairing each dish you order with a selected wine to enhance the tasting experience.

 

The food menu arrived with mouth watering options and catering well for vegetarian and vegan customers. As I entered the kitchen to quickly film the chef in action, it was evident that a smooth and happy working system was well implemented and I was pleased to see the chapatis being baked in an original clay oven!

Tulsi malai chicken tikka (Wine Pairing: Croze Hermitage Blanc, Domaine Combat 2019, Rhône Valley, France) – £9.50 – “Succulent chicken breast pieces with a silky, heated tikka sauce. The wine was a comfortable pairing, though an extra brut Prosecco for me might have suited better the dish.”

Champaran gosht, steamed rice (Wine Pairing: Primitivo, 62nd Anniversary Reserva 2018, San Marzano, Puglia, Italy) – £21.75 – “Wonderfully rich, tender meat with a welcoming softly spiced sauce. Clay pot added to the tasting experience. A decent red wine to pair with the dish, enough fruits and heavy character to compliment a very fine main course.”

@glassofbubbly Fancy #Indian cuisine #restaurant in #London? We recently visited and reviewed the magnificent #Babur in SE23 – The finest of #cuisine from #India with a great #wine ♬ Indian Curry and Dance Music(947476) – SoLaTiDo

The evening was rounded off with an aged port and an expresso coffee. A wonderful memory was made that evening and five star praise given. Thank you to everyone at Babur and also to Megan from Cru Comms for the invitation to review.

As we close this review off, it is important for me to mention again the cleanliness of the venue from the seating area, bar area, kitchen and equally as important, the toilet which felt highly hygienic with plenty of hand flannels.