Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
  1. Home
  2. United Kingdom
  3. London
  4. South East London
  5. Petts Wood

Indian Essence by Atul Kochhar

4.7
4.7
1852 Reviews
£26 to £40
Contemporary Indian

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 9 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Good for groups
Indian Essence by twice Michelin starred chef Atul Kochhar brings vibrant flavours, subtle blends of spices and incredible aromas to the heart of Petts Wood with its contemporary Indian cuisine.

An array of delicious dishes are available including Tandoori Lobster Tawa Masala, Railway Lamb curry, Chicken Tikka pie and many more. Guest can also enjoy Vegetarian and Pescatarian options from these specially designed menus.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    £26 to £40
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary Indian
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Mon–Sat 12:00 pm–2:45 pm Sun 12:30 pm–2:45 pm Dinner Mon–Fri 5:30 pm–10:00 pm Sat 5:30 pm–10:30 pm Sun 5:30 pm–9:30 pm
  • Phone number
    01689 838700
  • Website
    http://www.indianessence.co.uk/
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive Chef
    Atul Kochhar
  • Catering
    <br>We specialise in Outdoor caterings where Chef Atul Kochhar will personally design the menu to make your evening a memorable one.
  • Private party facilities
    We have facilities for private dining for up to 35 guests.
  • Location
    176-178 Petts wood Road, London, BR5 1LG
  • Neighbourhood
    Petts Wood
  • Cross Street
    Petts Wood Road
  • Parking details
    <br>We have adequate street parking opposite the restaurant and within 50 yards there is a huge car park that can accommodate 80 cars (free parking)
  • Public transit
    <br />5 min walk from Petts Wood train station
  • Additional
    Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Wine

Menu

Appetisers

  • Makai Fry£10.75

    Crispy fried squid rings with chillies and lime dressing

    • Jalpari£15.75

      Pan seared scallops, mollie sauce, wasabi peas

      • Tangra Chilli Prawns£13.25

        Kolkata inspired batter-fried king prawns, peppers, spring onions, chilli garlic sauce

        • Khas Murgh Di£11.25

          Adul's signature chicken tikka pie, mixed berry compote

          • Gilafi Lamb Seekh Kebab£11.50

            Fine spiced minced lamb coated with diced peppers and onions skewered in the tandoor, garlic chutney

            • Bhatti Ka Hargosh£17.25

              Chargrilled rabbit leg marinated with cumin and whole spices, served with stem ginger & cherry chutney

              • Murgh Tiranga£11.95

                Trio of chicken: kesari malai tikka, amritsari murgh tikka & chicken 65 with a zesty baby leaf salad

                • Tandoori Rattan£19.95

                  An assortment of our signature kebabs: kesari malai tikka, prawn, lamb chop and chicken honeyed king prawn, mango mustard salad

                  • Subz Thaal£9.95

                    Achari paneer tikka, pyaz bhara kebab, tandoori broccoli, beetroot cutlet and beetroot mumbri

                    • Raj Kachori£9.95

                      Regal streetfood, large wheat bubble splashed with mint and pomegranate chutney, yoghurt, sev and fresh tamarind

                      • Hara Bhara Kebab£9.95

                        Pan seared kebabs made with baby spinach, gramflour, fenugreek, whole spices and herbs, served with sesame tomato chutney, raw pineapple pickle

                        Main Courses

                        • Kebab Platter£24.95

                          A selection of kebabs: lime chicken hariyali, lamb chop, mustard salmon, seekh kebabs prawns tikka and amritsari murgh tikka served with mango and mustard salad

                          • Tandoori Jingha£23.45

                            Tandoori grilled king prawns in garlic and lemongrass marinade

                            • Samudri Khazana£24.45

                              Pan seared king prawns, seared scallops, mussels and papaya served with raw mango mango chutney

                              • Mangal Murg Lababdar£24.95

                                Kaffir lime scented chargrilled monkfish, shrimp bohemia cocktail, coconut and tamarind sauce

                                • Tandoori Lobster Tawa Masala£45.95

                                  Tandoori Cornish lobster tail and lobster stir-fried with a tangy tomato-onion masala

                                  • Murg Makhan£16.95

                                    Tandoori corn-fed chicken tikka in a creamed tomato and fenugreek sauce

                                    • Kori Gassi£17.25

                                      Southern spiced chicken curry cooked with kokum and mango

                                      • Tandoori Murg£17.45

                                        Chargrilled half a spiced chicken with mace and cinnamon marinade, served with makhni sauce

                                        • Railway Lamb Curry£23.95

                                          Anglo-Indian lamb rump curry with masala roast potatoes, lamb and beetroot croquette

                                          • Lamb Ghee Roast£19.95

                                            Slow cooked whole leg of lamb with our aromatic whole spices, dried red chilli, curry leaves cooked marinade clarified ghee

                                            • Mangalorean Chemeen£30.95

                                              Chargrilled fennel scented lamb chops, raw pineapple pickle, baby leaf salad

                                              • Steak Two Ways£25.45

                                                Angus fillet steak spiced masala chips and beef koshka mangsho

                                                • Golmirch Gosht£19.95

                                                  Best cuts of diced goat leg cooked with fresh peppercorns, curry leaves - A coastal delicacy

                                                  • Shahi Malai Kofta£13.95

                                                    Spiced vegetable and cheese dumplings stuffed with spiced nuts and apricot in a tangy saffron sauce

                                                    • Chutney Tandoori Paneer Butter Masala£13.95

                                                      Chargrilled paneer tikka stuffed with baby spinach and mint chutney, creamed tomato-onion and fenugreek sauce

                                                      Vegetables

                                                      • Aloo Baingan Ka Salan£13.95

                                                        Baby aubergine, stuffed chargrilled potato, salon sauce - A Hydrabad delicacy

                                                        • Chapati Aloo Gobi Masala£7.25

                                                          Spiced cauliflower and potatoes in a tangy tomato-onion masala

                                                          • Amritsari Pindi Chole£7.25

                                                            Spiced chickpeas and potatoes, tomato masala mingled with caraway seeds

                                                            • Saag Makai£6.95

                                                              Creamed spinach with sweetcorn, tempered with garlic

                                                              • Kalonji Baingan£9.25

                                                                Spiced baby aubergine cooked in a tangy tomato-onion sauce tinged with onion seeds

                                                                • Cabbage & Aloo Thoran£8.95

                                                                  Cabbage and spiced potatoes, served with coconut, roasted grams, mustard seeds, dried red chillies

                                                                  • Jaipuri Bhindi Hara Pyaaz£8.95

                                                                    Stir-fried marinated with dried mango powder okra with red onions, tomatoes and dry spices

                                                                    • Daal£6.75

                                                                      Yellow or black lentil (D) – speciality of the house

                                                                      • Green Chilli Pakoda£6.75

                                                                        Stuffed jalapeno, deep-fried with spiced gram flour batter

                                                                        Amuse Bouche

                                                                        • Delhi Ki Bhalla Papdi Chaat

                                                                          Spiced lentil dumplings, wheat crisp chaat, splash of chutneys, Mumbai sev, pomegranate

                                                                          • Lobster Momo with Lobster Bisque

                                                                            Steamed lobster momos, lobster bisque, spiced tomato gorkha chutney

                                                                            • Tandoori Tawa Masala Lobster

                                                                              Tandoori Cornish lobster tail, lobster flavoured masala (£18 supplement)

                                                                              • Exotic Sorbet

                                                                                • Kadhai Chicken

                                                                                  Pan-roasted chicken supreme, baked with parmesan, coriander and wild garlic, kadhai sauce and lemon rice

                                                                                  • Nawabi Lamb

                                                                                    Fennel scented lamb chop, masala roast potatoes, asparagus, garlic naan

                                                                                    • Peanut Butter Parfait

                                                                                      Till chikki, jaggery ice cream

                                                                                      • Tasting Menu£62.95

                                                                                        £62.95 per person

                                                                                        • Tasting Menu with Pairing Wines£99.95

                                                                                          £99.95 with pairing wines

                                                                                          Last updated: October 28, 2024

                                                                                          What 1,852 people are saying

                                                                                          Overall ratings and reviews

                                                                                          Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

                                                                                          4.7
                                                                                          4.7 based on recent ratings
                                                                                          • 4.8Food
                                                                                          • 4.7Service
                                                                                          • 4.5Ambience
                                                                                          • 4.4Value

                                                                                          Noise • Energetic

                                                                                          Loved For

                                                                                          • South East London

                                                                                            Good for special occasions

                                                                                          Review summary

                                                                                          AI-generated from verified diner reviews
                                                                                          Indian Essence by Atul Kochhar offers an extraordinary dining experience with "amazing food" and "outstanding service." Guests rave about the delicious taster menus and attentive staff, perfect for special occasions. The restaurant's warm atmosphere and authentic Indian cuisine make it a "fabulous" choice for both locals and visitors alike.

                                                                                          1,852 Reviews

                                                                                          1. Peter

                                                                                            London

                                                                                            3 reviews

                                                                                            4.0

                                                                                            3 reviews

                                                                                            Dined 2 days ago

                                                                                            1. Overall 4
                                                                                            2. Food 5
                                                                                            3. Service 2
                                                                                            4. Ambience 3
                                                                                            Booked on website yet price was increased on the day! Pushed empty water bottle to edge of table but no more water offered for two more courses until I asked then just one glass full given. When querying the price I was told they had forgot to update the website which was still showing the earlier price but no adjustment offered!

                                                                                            Is this helpful?

                                                                                          2. Tina

                                                                                            London

                                                                                            1 review

                                                                                            5.0

                                                                                            1 review

                                                                                            Dined on November 19, 2024

                                                                                            1. Overall 5
                                                                                            2. Food 5
                                                                                            3. Service 5
                                                                                            4. Ambience 5
                                                                                            Excellent service and the food was gorgeous. The lamb chops were cooked to perfection

                                                                                            Is this helpful?

                                                                                          3. Lucyna

                                                                                            London

                                                                                            3 reviews

                                                                                            5.0

                                                                                            3 reviews

                                                                                            Dined on November 17, 2024

                                                                                            1. Overall 5
                                                                                            2. Food 5
                                                                                            3. Service 4
                                                                                            4. Ambience 4
                                                                                            We were very pleased with the food. Everything had a great flavour, taste and portions were just right. We would love to visit all the other restaurants of Atul Kochhar.

                                                                                            Is this helpful?

                                                                                          4. Connor

                                                                                            London

                                                                                            1 review

                                                                                            5.0

                                                                                            1 review

                                                                                            Dined on November 7, 2024

                                                                                            1. Overall 5
                                                                                            2. Food 5
                                                                                            3. Service 5
                                                                                            4. Ambience 5
                                                                                            Superb food, superb staff with attention to detail and a caring demeanour; a great overall experience.
                                                                                            Indian Essence by Atul KochharResponded on November 10, 2024
                                                                                            Dear Connor, Thank you for your wonderful feedback. We are really glad to know you had a great dining experience at Indian Essence. We would love to see you back again soon. Kind regards, Diksha

                                                                                            Is this helpful?

                                                                                          5. Ravikrishna

                                                                                            Kent

                                                                                            1 review

                                                                                            5.0

                                                                                            1 review

                                                                                            Dined on November 5, 2024

                                                                                            1. Overall 5
                                                                                            2. Food 5
                                                                                            3. Service 5
                                                                                            4. Ambience 5
                                                                                            We had a very good experience. It was not a busy time. The food was excellent. Service was brilliant and timely. Thoroughly recommend. Not too pricey. Good value for money.
                                                                                            Indian Essence by Atul KochharResponded on November 10, 2024
                                                                                            Dear Ravikrishna, Thank you for your wonderful feedback. We are really glad to know you had a great dining experience at Indian Essence. We would love to see you back again soon. Kind regards, Diksha

                                                                                            Is this helpful?

                                                                                          6. Meela

                                                                                            London

                                                                                            3 reviews

                                                                                            4.0

                                                                                            3 reviews

                                                                                            Dined on November 2, 2024

                                                                                            1. Overall 4
                                                                                            2. Food 4
                                                                                            3. Service 5
                                                                                            4. Ambience 4
                                                                                            Indian Essence never fails to impress and is a firm family favourite. The quality of the food, service and value is excellent. It’s easily on a par with some of the top Indian restaurants in London, but is much better value and local. Sadly a niggle on this occasion, which I should say was not in any way Indian Essence’s fault, were the extremely loud and obnoxious people on the table next to us spoiling the ambience.
                                                                                            Indian Essence by Atul KochharResponded on November 10, 2024
                                                                                            Dear Meela, Thank you for your wonderful feedback. We are glad to know you had a great dining experience at Indian Essence. We would love to see you back again soon. Kind regards, Diksha

                                                                                            1 person found this helpful

                                                                                          7. Susan

                                                                                            Kent

                                                                                            17 reviews

                                                                                            5.0

                                                                                            17 reviews

                                                                                            Dined on October 27, 2024

                                                                                            1. Overall 5
                                                                                            2. Food 5
                                                                                            3. Service 5
                                                                                            4. Ambience 5
                                                                                            As always,another first class experience. The food is excellent as is the service
                                                                                            Indian Essence by Atul KochharResponded on November 10, 2024
                                                                                            Dear Susan, Thank you for your wonderful feedback. We are really glad to know you had a great dining experience at Indian Essence. We would love to see you back again soon. Kind regards, Diksha

                                                                                            Is this helpful?

                                                                                          8. Ak

                                                                                            London

                                                                                            7 reviews

                                                                                            3.0

                                                                                            7 reviews

                                                                                            Dined on October 25, 2024

                                                                                            1. Overall 3
                                                                                            2. Food 3
                                                                                            3. Service 1
                                                                                            4. Ambience 2
                                                                                            Came here on Friday lunch time with some friends to kick start our Diwali celebrations but found that the service was just super slow, we literally had to ask for everything. We had been seated for a while when we had to ask for the menus, we had to ask for some water for the table, we had to ask if we could order. We were left with no service unless we called for it - not what I was expecting from a place like this and I thought they would have been better given we were with 3 toddlers.

                                                                                            1 person found this helpful

                                                                                          9. Rigo

                                                                                            Kent

                                                                                            5 reviews

                                                                                            4.0

                                                                                            5 reviews

                                                                                            Dined on October 24, 2024

                                                                                            1. Overall 4
                                                                                            2. Food 5
                                                                                            3. Service 5
                                                                                            4. Ambience 4
                                                                                            We would have had wine but it was exceptionally expensive for the most basic wines.

                                                                                            Is this helpful?

                                                                                          10. Tracey

                                                                                            London

                                                                                            3 reviews

                                                                                            vip
                                                                                            5.0

                                                                                            3 reviews

                                                                                            Dined on October 20, 2024

                                                                                            1. Overall 5
                                                                                            2. Food 5
                                                                                            3. Service 5
                                                                                            4. Ambience 5
                                                                                            Excellent welcome and service. Food is always amazing which is why we go back. Lovely family lunch with great choice of food.
                                                                                            Indian Essence by Atul KochharResponded on October 21, 2024
                                                                                            Dear Tracey, Thank you for your wonderful feedback. We are really glad to know you had a great dining experience at Indian Essence. We would love to see you back again soon. Kind regards, Diksha

                                                                                            Is this helpful?

                                                                                          FAQs

                                                                                          Indian Essence by Atul Kochhar does offer delivery in partnership with Just Eat and Uber Eats.

                                                                                          Indian Essence by Atul Kochhar is rated 4.7 stars by 1852 OpenTable diners.

                                                                                          Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

                                                                                          Make a reservation

                                                                                          2 people
                                                                                          7:00 p.m.
                                                                                          Booked 9 times today

                                                                                          Order delivery or takeout

                                                                                          Google Map for Indian Essence by Atul Kochhar

                                                                                          176-178 Petts wood Road, London, BR5 1LG

                                                                                          Additional information

                                                                                          • Cross Street
                                                                                            Petts Wood Road
                                                                                          • Neighbourhood
                                                                                            Petts Wood
                                                                                          • Hours of Operation
                                                                                            Lunch Mon–Sat 12:00 pm–2:45 pm Sun 12:30 pm–2:45 pm Dinner Mon–Fri 5:30 pm–10:00 pm Sat 5:30 pm–10:30 pm Sun 5:30 pm–9:30 pm
                                                                                          • Price
                                                                                            £26 to £40
                                                                                          • Cuisines
                                                                                            Contemporary Indian
                                                                                          • Dining style
                                                                                            Casual Elegant
                                                                                          • Dress code
                                                                                            Smart Casual
                                                                                          • Parking details
                                                                                            <br>We have adequate street parking opposite the restaurant and within 50 yards there is a huge car park that can accommodate 80 cars (free parking)
                                                                                          • Public transit
                                                                                            5 min walk from Petts Wood train station
                                                                                          • Payment Options
                                                                                            AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
                                                                                          • Executive Chef
                                                                                            Atul Kochhar
                                                                                          • Additional
                                                                                            Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Wine
                                                                                          • Website
                                                                                            http://www.indianessence.co.uk/
                                                                                          • Phone number
                                                                                            01689 838700
                                                                                          • Catering
                                                                                            <br>We specialise in Outdoor caterings where Chef Atul Kochhar will personally design the menu to make your evening a memorable one.
                                                                                          • Private party facilities
                                                                                            We have facilities for private dining for up to 35 guests.
                                                                                          Discover
                                                                                          OpenTable
                                                                                          • About Us
                                                                                          • Blog
                                                                                          • Careers
                                                                                          • Press
                                                                                          More
                                                                                          Our sites
                                                                                          Businesses
                                                                                          • Delight more diners
                                                                                          • Open for Business Blog
                                                                                          Join us on
                                                                                          • Privacy Policy
                                                                                          • Terms of Use
                                                                                          • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
                                                                                          • Cookie Preferences
                                                                                          Copyright © 2024 OpenTable, Inc. 1 Montgomery St Ste 500, San Francisco CA 94104 - All rights reserved.
                                                                                          OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
                                                                                          Booking Logo
                                                                                          Priceline Logo
                                                                                          KAYAK Logo
                                                                                          Agoda Logo
                                                                                          OpenTable Logo