★★ Michelin · Modern Indian Fine Dining · Mayfair
By Monty Khas, Anonymous Critic. Pays every bill.
Every city has a restaurant that serves as the reference point, the place other kitchens get measured against whether they like it or not. In London's Indian dining scene, that place has been Gymkhana since 2013. A first Michelin star arrived within a year; the second came in 2024. It remains the only two-star Indian table in the city.
The room
Walk in off Albemarle Street and the set dressing does its work immediately: dark timber, slow ceiling fans, leather banquettes, brass fittings, old sporting portraits on the walls. It's a knowing riff on the members-only clubs of the Raj, part high society, part cricket pavilion, and the joke lands because the kitchen takes the cuisine far more seriously than those clubs ever did. A mirrored staircase leads down to the lower level, rebuilt after a fire in 2019, which is moodier and more intimate. Ask for a booth on either floor; they're the best seats for a long dinner.
What to eat
The tandoori masala lamb chops, served with walnut chutney, may be the most discussed plate in London's Indian dining conversation, and the hype holds: deep char outside, rosy within, a marinade that clings rather than coats. Kid goat methi keema with salli (crisp potato straws) and soft pao is the dish that converts first-timers, rich and herby and best eaten with your hands.
Start lighter than you think you need to. The aloo chaat, striped with tamarind and topped with crispy noodles, is a lesson in texture. Tandoori prawns are meaty and bright with citrus. The butter chicken here has a Kashmiri chili edge that keeps it from ever going sleepy.
Then the big guns. The wild muntjac biryani, sealed under pastry, answers anyone who thinks biryani can't be fine dining. Goan prawn curry and a pork cheek vindaloo with real heat make the case for the coastal and Portuguese-influenced corners of the menu, and the venison keema naan is the side order nobody regrets. Order the pomegranate and mint raita alongside anything that doesn't come with its own; it's the cooling note the whole table will reach for.
Drinks
The wine list is serious and spice-aware, built to stand up to char and chili, and the cocktail list is as polished as the room. If you arrive early, have a drink at the bar and watch the room fill up; Gymkhana at 7 p.m. on a Friday is one of Mayfair's great people-watching opportunities.
A year of change
2026 has been eventful behind the pass. Sid Ahuja, who led the kitchen through the arrival of the second star, left in March after nearly a decade. In June, BiBi's Chet Sharma took on the role of global culinary director as the brand eyes North America and the Middle East. The core dishes remain the reason to book; what Sharma's influence looks like over the next year is one of the most interesting questions in London Indian food.
Before you go
Booking is the hardest part. Reservations open roughly two months ahead and the prime slots go fast, so set a reminder for the morning they release. Weekday lunch is the easiest way in, with the same chops on the table and a calmer room. If you strike out entirely, the JKS family's other London restaurants, BiBi, Brigadiers and Ambassadors Clubhouse, tend to have more availability. Service can be brisk on a full night; a little patience goes a long way.
Gymkhana isn't the most experimental Indian restaurant in London anymore, and it doesn't need to be. It's the one that proved the ceiling was higher than anyone thought, and it keeps reaching it.
The Quick Fix
What to order: Aloo chaat; tandoori prawns; tandoori masala lamb chops with walnut chutney; kid goat methi keema with pao; wild muntjac biryani; Goan prawn curry; venison keema naan; pomegranate and mint raita
Pricing: Splurge. Wine and the bar push it firmly into special-occasion territory.
Best for: Milestone celebrations, out-of-town visitors, and anyone building a London Indian bucket list
How it compares: London's lamb chop benchmark; more polished but less adventurous than BiBi; harder to book than sibling Ambassadors Clubhouse; the city's only two-star Indian table
See where Gymkhana ranks: The Best Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi Restaurants in London: Our Top 10 for 2026
The food was always this good. We're just paying attention.