What’s behind the surge of new Indian restaurants in London?

Article content

Move over, butter chicken: A wave of new Indian restaurants in London has hugely expanded the dishes you can sample from the subcontinent.

THE BIG PICTURE

From fine dining to fast food, London now has dozens of restaurants – many of them newer, and more coming – inspired by the tastes of India and nearby regions. From downtown to the suburbs, south Asian restaurants are a “phenomenon,” says Bryan Lavery, a top chef at Blackfriars Bistro active in local culinary tourism. What stands out to Lavery is not only the number of newer places, but their diversity. Time was when dishes such as butter chicken and some curries were “Anglicized” for North American tastes, he says. Now, authentic Indian fare can be had, from the thin-crepe dosa that’s a popular street food in India, to thali platter dishes combining traditional foods. There’s also delicious flatbreads, stews, chicken kebabs and much more.

Article content

HOW MANY NEWER PLACES?

No one’s counting, but chances are good there’s one near you. Downtown alone, at least half a dozen places have opened recently. You’ll find almost that many in the Oxford Street/ Highbury Avenue area, within walking distance of Fanshawe College where many students from South Asia study. Other places not openly branded as Indian serve fusion dishes absorbing Indian influences.

WHAT EXPLAINS IT?

One equation, some say: Booming city + many newcomers = demand for more diversity. Add in newcomer food nostalgia and entrepreneurship, and homegrown hunger for different, and you have it. “We’ve definitely gotten a more diverse population with a more diverse palate,” said Chris McDonell, publisher of Eatdrink magazine in London. New cuisine reflects what’s booming, he says, and what’s ethnic one day soon becomes “Canadian food.”

THE WIDER CONTEXT

One of Canada’s fastest-growing cities, London is projected to lead growth rates in Ontario over the next 25 years, adding a city the size of Windsor in extra people. Many London newcomers are from the Toronto area, home to the nation’s largest Indian community. Others are students from abroad, including India, whose numbers have grown. The last census in 2021 counted almost 4,000 recent immigrants to London born in India, nearly four times the number in the previous five-year census cycle. “Our population is growing for all the south Asians, like Hindu-Muslim and Sikhs, so we need more restaurants here. But they also all need support from the local community,” said Bhavin Patel, founder of a community group called Indian Culture of London Ontario. Patel himself said there was “nothing” like the wide variety of dining-out options you see now when he came to Canada more than 25 years ago.

Article content

Article content

THE 101 ON INDIAN FOOD

With 1.4 billion people, its cuisine influenced by its diverse religions, regions and history, Indian food – and what you’re apt to find in London – is as varied as the country itself. Devout Hindus, for example, don’t eat beef and Muslims avoid pork. Krishnas stick to vegetables, grains and fruit. Some threads run through Indian food, however, starting with spices – no surprise, given that it’s the world’s top spice producer – used to flavour, colour and heat foods. Think chillies, turmeric and cumin, to start. Vegetables loom large, often prepared in yummy ways that might surprise many North Americans.  Indian cuisine also draws on all kinds of different rice, with long grain basmati at the top, and yogurt is often used as both a flavour agent and tenderizer.

ONE NEW PLACE . . .

Named after a city in India synonymous with vegetarian fare, Udupi Krishna opened in 2022 and had a good first year, owner Joseph Radziunas says. “I’ve a mixed clientele of mostly students, but there are a lot of families as well,” the 54-year-old says. Lately, things have slowed a bit at the vegetarian eatery at 198 Dundas St., with fewer students, he says. His menu is southern Indian and his most popular dishes are his dosa – made with a rice batter soaked for six hours and mixed with regular or lentil flour – and thali. That round platter meal comes with small bowls that can include rice, roti, (a flatbread) a lentil dish called dal, yogurt, pickles, chutneys and, sometimes, dessert. The dosas go for $9.27 to $12.99, depending on the filling; the thali, $13.50.

Article content

. . . AND ANOTHER, BORN OF LONGING

When he came to London seven years ago from Hyderabad, in southern India, only two south Asian restaurants served a favourite dish from Rohit Reddy’s homeland. It was chicken biryani that typically combines chicken, rice, spices and crispy onions. “We had to travel to Toronto (to get biryani), and it was a lot of driving,” the 28-year-old says. Reddy wound up in the pharmaceutical industry, but says something was missing. “I was craving Hyderabad food, but it wasn’t available in London. So I thought, ‘Why not bring that authentic flavour to the Londoners?’” He tried the biryani at Kachiguda Junction’s flagship Oshawa restaurant, liked it and opened a franchise in London at 219 Queens Ave. in 2023. “All (types) of customers come in, like students and families, but also people who work downtown in the IT companies nearby,” he said. Reddy’s Hyderabadi chicken dum biryani goes for $14.99.

WHAT TWO CUSTOMERS SAY

“I want other communities to know that these flavours can be adapted to their palate as well.”
– Sam Thomas, who immigrated to London from India

“I think that restaurants should represent the population so that everyone finds a restaurant with the taste they like.”
– Amanda Longmoore, loving the new world of flavours

Article content