Not to be confused with chicken tikka masala (which is creamy and less interesting here). The karahi version uses tikka-grilled chicken tossed in a wok-like karahi pan with tomatoes, onions and green chillies. Multiple reviewers and food blogs single this out as the dish to order — the spice level is real, and the tomato-based sauce has a charred intensity from the high-heat pan cooking.
Tips from diners
Order the karahi, not the masala. The tikka masala here is designed for a different audience — the karahi is the authentic option and what the kitchen does best.
This is properly spicy by default. If you want it toned down, ask when ordering. If you love heat, try the charsi karahi variation which has even more punch.
A Lahori breakfast dish that simmers overnight — beef shank and bone marrow cooked low and slow until the meat is falling apart and the gravy is thick and rich with spices. Lahore Karahi serves it as a chef's speciality. Tear off pieces of naan and scoop up the stew. The marrow adds a silky richness that sets nihari apart from other curries.
Tips from diners
Traditionally a breakfast dish in Pakistan, but served all day here. Pair it with fresh naan and squeeze lime over the top before eating.
Made to order and served straight from the tandoor. The naan here is soft, slightly charred and large enough that one piece can mop up half a karahi. Reviewers fight over the garlic naan at the table. Order at least one per person — they go fast.
Tips from diners
Order naan to arrive with your karahi, not before. It cools quickly and is best when torn straight off and dipped into the hot curry.
Minced lamb mixed with traditional spices and hand-pressed onto skewers, then cooked in the tandoor until charred on the outside and juicy inside. At £4.95 for two, they are a no-brainer starter. The texture is coarser than typical British kebab shop versions — more rustic and less processed.
Tips from diners
Get these alongside the lamb chops as a mixed starter spread. At under a fiver for two kebabs, there is no reason to skip them.
Lamb chops marinated in yoghurt, ginger and mild spices then cooked in the tandoor oven. They come out charred on the outside and pink inside. At £8.95 for four chops, these are some of the best-value tandoori lamb chops in London. Reviewers often order these as a starter alongside seekh kebabs before the karahi arrives.
Tips from diners
Four chops for under £9 — order these as a starter to share while you wait for the karahi. They come out fast from the tandoor.
The charsi karahi is a Peshawari variant that uses more whole spices, particularly coriander seeds and black pepper, giving it a rougher, more aromatic heat than the standard karahi. Available in small (£12.95) and large (£23.95) sizes. The large is enough for two to three people and better value. This is the dish for people who find the regular karahi too mild.
Tips from diners
The large size is better value and feeds two to three comfortably. The small is fine for one person with a side of naan.
Founded by Zahid Iqbal in 1995, now run by his son Numan. Lahore Karahi helped put Tooting on the map as a curry destination, earning spots on The Guardian's top-five and top-ten London curry house lists. BYO is the move here — no corkage fee means you bring your own drinks and keep the bill under £15 a head. The kitchen runs on tandoor ovens and open karahi pans, and the place buzzes every evening with families and groups.
BYO with no corkage fee. The off-licence two doors down stocks beer and wine — grab your drinks before sitting down. This is how regulars keep the bill under £15 per head.
Evenings are always busy, especially Fridays and Saturdays. The queue moves fast though — expect 10-15 minutes for a table. Service is rapid once seated.
They take reservations through OpenTable and by phone, which is worth doing for groups of four or more. Walk-ins are fine for couples but weekends fill up.
Split a large karahi between two, add a couple of starters and naan each, and you are eating very well for around £12-15 per person before drinks.
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