Gunpowder

London, UK

The plot thickens. Three years after the launch of Gunpowder in Spitalfields, owners Harneet and Devina Baweja have extended their empire to include a 60-cover dining room at the foot of Tower Bridge. For a modern take on Indian home-style cooking, you’d be hard-pushed to find better. Stripped-back interiors channel the vibe of Kolkata’s old coffee houses with their industrial notes, while dark wood, a spattering of on-trend botanics and tilework bring a sense of home. The menu of sharing dishes and bar snacks spanning various regions of India is a roll call of the kind of things you really want to eat. Kicky Kashmiri lamb chops are succulent and Chettinad pulled duck utthappam (a delightful, taco-like bite) made the hop across the Thames from the first site, but it is the new additions that give reason to pause. The tower of Delhi-style crispy pork ribs with tamarind kachumber is a noteworthy choice, while tandoor chicken stands up to heady, grilled mustard broccoli. The team at Gunpowder are masters in the art of balancing heat, fragrant spice and a lightness of touch that leaves you longing for more.