Having opened in 2004, Amaya is the ancestor of many of London’s and the world’s most recognised Indian restaurants, in both food and design. The open kitchen, cuisine dedicated to showcasing the diversity of grilling techniques in India, and commitment to using seasonal British produce was groundbreaking in 2004 and remains fundamental to this day.
The philosophy saw Amaya win the Best Restaurant and the Best New Restaurant award in London at the Tio Pepe ITV London Restaurant Awards.
Amaya received a Michelin Star in 2006 and has held it since then.
Unlike it's contemporaries, this modern Indian restaurant delivers a dining experience where the emphasis is on different sized dishes designed for sharing; delivered as and when they are prepared from the tawa, tandoor and sigri grills. Its name loosely translates as ‘without boundaries’ and this is also reflected in the moodily lit open-plan layout and the theatre of the open kitchen which runs down one side. Staff are friendly, the atmosphere is lively and the vibrant, original cooking remains in the memory long after you've departed.
Its theatrical open kitchen was one of the earliest of its kind in the city, especially in an Indian restaurant, and it has become the dominant aesthetic in modern restaurants today.
So too did the focus on grilling, with the dedicated tawa, sigri, and tandoors in one kitchen has set a trend of many modern Indian restaurants around the globe.
Even the presentation of each dish, in small, artfully plated “morsels,” has proven foundational to contemporary Indian dining today.
Amaya remains as one of the most important Indian restaurants in the world. There is often no better place to visit than the original.
"We come to Amaya every time we are in London... It's the first reservation I make and it never disappoints. The food is excellent... the atmosphere is beautiful and inviting, the service was terrific. It's always a treat!"