EXPERIENCE LONDON
A taste of India in London’s West End Michelin-starred restaurant Veeraswamy has been serving its clientele for almost a century, presenting authentic Indian cuisine in opulent surroundings
Opened in 1926 by Edward Palmer, the great-grandson of an English General, and a north Indian Mughal princess, Faisan Nissa Begum, Veeraswamy is the UK’s oldest Indian restaurant. Soon after opening – on Swallow Street, just off Regent Street, with magnificent views of the iconic street’s curve – the restaurant quickly became a fashionable rendezvous for the establishment. Among its frequent early visitors were Edward, Prince of Wales, and the King of Denmark, who were drawn not only to Veeraswamy’s remarkable cuisine, but also to its Raj-inspired, opulent interiors. “One of the key aspects that makes Veeraswamy special is its illustrious history, which we have sought to renew and update,” says Ranjit Mathrani, chairman of the MW Eat Group, owner of Veeraswamy. “The restaurant has been in the same location for 96 years and was opened on almost the same day as the birth of
106
Her Majesty the Queen. There are very few restaurants that have been in the same location for such a length of time. “Veeraswamy started off very much as an establishment restaurant, serving the aristocracy and ruling classes of Britain. This included people who, by virtue of their background, had a strong interest in India, such as generals, civil servants and businessmen involved in India. From the outset, the restaurant was serving the very cream of London society.” Today, Veeraswamy exudes the same extraordinary glamour and rich essence of its legendary past, having been restored to its position as one the leading restaurants serving fine Indian food, with opulent and sumptuous interiors offering a timeless aura of sophistication. The surroundings reflect the decade in which Veeraswamy opened, when the Maharaja Palaces in northern India
