Restaurateur Pritha Mukherjee’s mission is to serve food with a Kolkata vibe. And Posto Indian does just that. Tucked away in northwest London, this modern restaurant is known for its dum cooked Kolkata chicken and mutton biryani, which are heady with aromas of saffron, kebab chini (tailed pepper), and kewra essence (fragrant screw pine), and are served with boiled egg, salad, and masala jeera raita. The Kolkata style of biryani is unique in its addition of the potato, and well, who doesn’t love a soft potato basking in biryani spices.

A modest family restaurant where all the meat is halal, where every biryani order is made fresh using the dum style of cooking and served in handis along with raita and masala salan (gravy with no meat). Raw meat is marinated with their signature ground masala, including shahi jeera, cinnamon, fried onions, and cardamom. The special chicken biryani for two is an absolute whopper and comes decked with juicy chicken tikka pieces and boiled egg, while the regular dum biryani for one is served with rice and meat on the bone. It also serves fish, egg, vegetable, and prawn biryani, and, if too much spice is not someone’s game, the cooks will gladly alter the levels. 

This small eatery on the East Ham High Street is unassuming, not just because it’s sandwiched between two shops but because it resides beside the ornate golden gopuram (towered entrance) of the Sri Mahalakshmi Temple. For 10 years now, owner Bhaskar Rajmohan has tried to recreate what it is like to step into a local restaurant in Tamil Nadu featuring a backdrop of Tamil songs. Their biryani is cooked in the dum style for an hour using large aluminium pots, and as a result is moderately spicy, slightly moist, and soft. The chunky pieces of meat and vegetables are cooked just right and are laced with flavours of cardamom, ginger and garlic, a tinge of tomato, and fried onions, served with chicken curry, a boiled egg and onion raita. Maamala’s also offers a 50 percent discount for students on any main course. 

A Bhatti family has been serving the traditional taste of Punjab in North Kensington since 1991. This well-kept local secret is mostly for takeaways and a few seats remain for those who wish to eat in. The family chefs have their own style of making Punjabi biryani with chicken, lamb, vegetables, prawn, or paneer and is one of the few places that does not use the dum cooking and layering method. Instead, a regular pan, mixing the masalas with the meat and rice in a handi. The biryani is garnished with fried onions, coriander, tomato, and green peppers to add a pop of colour to the otherwise basic brown. Taste of Punjab also does a special Sindhi-style biryani for those who want a blend of hot, sour, and sweet flavours.

A modern white exterior, large awning, and outdoor seating lead into a spacious cafe-like setting with enormous framed photographs of old Calcutta. Entrepreneur Aditya Ghosh and his childhood friend chef Anjan Chatterjee have been serving flavours from their hometown of old Calcutta right around the corner from Marble Arch station. Their chicken and mutton biryani, served in a black pot, brings old Calcutta to life on the palate. This is a mildly spiced biryani laden with potatoes, fried onions, and chunky pieces of meat, and the addition of boiled egg, vetiver, rose petals and saffron are a unique touch. The duo also does an Awadhi biryani, but the true speciality will always be the Kolkata biryani.   

A set of stairs right beside Borough Market’s entrance lead to this modern Indian restaurant with contemporary minimalist decor, white tablecloths, and mellow lighting. Their Lucknowi biryani is rich and colourful with layers of masala, saffron, and tender chicken pieces, and is garnished with coriander and fried onions. Whole spices used in the dum cooking give the rice and chicken (or lamb/vegetables) a subtle yet rich flavour.

While this restaurant’s Ealing branch has a modern Punjabi vibe, there is something quite charming about Hammersmith branch that has been running strong since 2013. There are upbeat Punjabi songs in the background and the restaurant is decked with colourful cushions and pillows that announce comfort. While Punjabi biryani is a new thing, chefs and restaurateurs Sushil Gupta and Harman Singh Kapoor have brought unique flavours from their home to the table. There is a refreshing freshness and a strong aroma in the Rangrez biryani due to the addition of saffron and kewra water, while the Indian Golden Sella Basmati rice brings a rich taste. To soothe the tongue after, there is always an accompaniment of the cooling cucumber raita.  

Chef and owner Ameer Kutty has been running this humble restaurant for about eight years, which offers a taste of Malabari biryani. Abundant with raisins and cashew nuts, this dum-style biryani is rich in fried onions, and layers of white, yellow, and orange peek through thanks to the ground masala of the standard biryani spices. Also cooked in an aluminium vessel, the biryani is served with boiled egg, raita, pappadam, and lemon pickle. Delicately spiced, it is perfect for those who prefer something light.

A cute little place with the ambience of a modern cafe, Madras Accent is only a 10-minute walk from Bromley South station. From paintings of the IPL team Chennai Super Kings to superstar actor Rajnikanth and an autorickshaw on its walls, Madras Accent seems to firmly root its ground to the city of Chennai. No doubt, its food does the same. Find chicken and mutton dum biryani cooked with freshly ground biryani masala, topped with coriander and a boiled egg and served with an onion raita and a mild aubergine curry. The succulent meat is entirely halal and soaks in the flavours of fragrant garam masala, tamarind, chilli powder, yoghurt and ghee.