Curry Leaf Cafe

I recently visited Curry Leaf with friends, hoping for an authentic Indian dining experience, but we left thoroughly disappointed. We ordered two dishes expecting traditional Indian flavors, but what we received was far from it. The dishes were chicken and paneer on a bed of rice with spinach, tomatoes, and other ingredients that did not resemble Indian cuisine at all. I specifically requested extra spicy food, but it was barely mild, which was quite frustrating. The service was decent; the waitstaff were sweet and attentive. However, the ambience was lackluster—not quite what I'd call inviting, though it had a somewhat cozy feel. Overall, the food tasted alright but was nothing exceptional. If you're looking for genuine Indian food, this isn't the place. Unfortunately, I won't be returning.

Delicious food served quickly and with friendly staff. The food here is delicious. The lunch thali was excellent. Really great flavours with some great dips and sides. Chicken curry was a lot more delicate in flavour. The paneer was amazing - similar to a butter chicken in taste.

Even though the restaurant was full it was very quiet and peaceful but not to an extent where the silence was loud. This was perfect for me and my friend as we were over stimulated from the busy city on a Saturday evening. The food was really nice and cheap but was lacking in spice. We were waited on very quickly which was nice until the end where we were waiting for fifteen minutes for our bill. The restaurant it’s self is very pretty and decorated with lots of small trinkets very appealing to the eye.

My partner and I are visiting Brighton and decided to have dinner here. We couldn’t have found a better restaurant! The food was amazing, they catered very well for vegans and the staff were lovely. Highly recommend visiting.

First visit and won't be our last. Amazing food, well presented, very tasty and lovely staff. Highly recommended.

It was really comfortable dining experience. Portions were very generous and the food is quite light/ healthy compared to most Indian restaurants. Not much oily feel which is a good thumb. While it might not be the most authentic Indian restaurant, my family and I really enjoyed the thali set, chicken and naan. Set menu was decent priced and I felt good, so recommended

This is the first time I've tried an Indian restaurant in Brighton. And it doesn't disappoint, the menu offered a wide range of dishes to choose from. The reception that we received was both friendly and very helpful. The food is absolutely delicious and freshly prepared. Highly recommended

Managed to get a walk in on a busy b as no holiday Sunday and Wow! Really friendly staff and lovely decor. We got the trio of cirrus - lamb chicken and veg, Nan bread and coriander and onion rice and obvs poppadoms and dips. Everything was delicious - the lamb being so tender was the highlight. Great range of craft beers - my Naan lager being well worth a try - as agreed by our server - what better way to utilise wonky naan breads 👍

This was a take out order and it was absolutely yum. I'm South Indian - Tamilian - and am looking forward to a fine-in experience next time I'm in Brighton. Definitely check them out!

I like it, a real relaxed atmosphere, good to come here and order a whole load of starters, or take the thali once in a while. #nice

I have three words for you: Masala fish and chips. 1) No gluten containing ingredients 2) Not greasy but still has a nice crisp to it 3) Not bland because MASALA 4) The chips are also seasoned and they are AMAZING. My friend also had something cool looking... like a flatbread covered in all sorts of stuff. We went for lunch on a weekday and it wasn't too busy. We managed our meal in our 45 minute break. And we raved about it all afternoon. I will be back a million times.

This is authentic, regional south indian food. Step inside and the color palette will remind well traveled patrons of tamil temples -- or alternatively mistaken for a quirky and contemporary interior design choice. A little column a, a little column b. Came here first for a law school graduation dinner about 3 months ago but thought I'd give it some time before writing a review. Let me come out and say that the weakest part of Curry Leaf is the fish and chips. Cumin and turmeric are wonderful things, but they don't do wonders for that most English of dishes. The Hyderabadi lamb, pakoras, chili mushrooms, bhajis and just about everything else are pretty wonderful. The street food platter is definitely something to try (see photo). Curry Leaf does south indian better than a lot of places in south india. Batter is always thick and crispy, spices are as loud as they should be. The open naan wraps are also some of the finest indian inspired sandwiches you will stumble upon in Brighton. Excellent selection of booze with Hallet's Real Cider (a complete winner for fans of proper cider), some decent, if uninspired cocktails (a lovely 'Hyderabadi' mojito is just a mojito with coriander in it), and a pear cider that is a cut above the dreadful stuff you'll find in co-op, and, while not as pleasant as a real perry, it does come bottled at 7.4% abv. Give it a go, especially for dinner. Their Diwali menu has a paneer dish in a saffron and tomato sauce that I can't wait to try.

Curry Leaf cafe is nailing it at the moment and is fast becoming a firm choice for those looking for a more authentic curry experience. Rivalling the Chilli Pickle with its strong spicy ambitious dishes which wake up your taste buds the Curry Leaf Cafe offers a relaxed environment for your meal in a modern bright space which is refreshingly different from the usual dark tandoor experience. The menu is fairly limited purely because they have chosen to offer a small number of dishes rather than 20 or so different ones. I recommend the papadom selection with 3/4 different types of spicy crispy variations and some dips that will knock your socks off! The starters are unique tasters of all different styles of cooking but dont fill you up before your main, just leave you wanting more. The mutton curry is truly fantastic -tip top tip! Of you fancy an authentic curry with some soul and heart and packs a punch on flavour- I don't think you can go wrong here! Enjoy!

I cannot believe it has taken me so long to actually eat at the Curry Leaf Cafe! Granted, on two occasions where I have attempted to eat here, I tried to walk in without booking, and 99% of the time this is just not possible as it is so popular, you have to book! I got taken for dinner here before a Yelp event. I was so excited to eat I didn't know what to choose from the menu! We opted for a variety of poppadoms to start. I eventually went for the lamb curry which comes with a Naan Bread. It doesn't come with rice but you can order it as a side (I'm glad I didn't as the portion sizes are generous and the Naan is huge!) It was divine!! The lamb just melted in your mouth. The curry was fragrant and flavourful and not too spicy (I prefer my curries to have a bit of a kick, but the flavour was so good it didn't matter to me in this instance) After mopping up the remnants of my curry with the naan, it was safe to say I was absolutely STUFFED - and, in typical Sophie style, I had managed to get curry sauce over my clean dress right before a Yelp event. Urgh. Annoying but it's a sign of a good meal if you've spilt it down you! (I may have made this up) 5 stars from me - I can't wait to go back to try the masala fish and chips!

I understand that Curry Leaf Cafe started as a pop up restaurant which became a permanent fixture as it was so popular. I can understand why! Four our us went for a meal on a Friday night and the place was packed with a great atmosphere. The staff are very friendly and the menu features a small selection of very interesting dishes that you won't find at your typical Curry house. Our food was lovely, albeit the Paneer dish was too spicy for my liking - my own fault for not following the helpful "hot rating" on the menu! The bar has a good selection of beers to compliment your meal too. I enjoyed a bottle of Foobar with my meal. Be warned that the place can get very, very hot - if the food doesn't bring on a sweat, the lack of air conditioning may!

Was going to wait till I got home but I'm so excited siting here waiting for dessert that here we go, the menu is succinct and clear, the drink menu has something for all tastes but the food, oh the food...two of us started with a twist on chicken tikka and some delicious crispy prawns, slow cooked lamb and paneer for main and have ordered fried banana with beetroot and cardamom ice-cream and chilli glazed pineapple with lime and coconut sorbet for dessert. if the dessert is anything near as good as the first two courses then we are in for a treat. Everything we have eaten has tasted fresh and clean but without loosing the depth and complexity of flavour, the chutneys and pickles on the side are familiar yet better, the ginger rathia a particular favourite, in summary EAT HERE!!!

Had the lamb curry, it was great. Staff was friendly and helpful. It was a cute and colorful place. I felt it was slightly pricier than I'd like, but overall good. Would recommend and definitely try again.

So many reasons to go to this place. Their menu changes frequently, which I love; there's always something new to try. I've never been disappointed by anything I've ordered. I love their dosas, thalis always super delicious and everything feels really fresh. They also have a brilliant selection of beers, and the service is always top notch and speedy.

A very nice Indian restaurant in the Lanes. I only missed more vegetarian options, but the one I had was yummy. Spicy, but less spicy than common Indian food.

Absolutely wonderful fish and chips and streetfood platter. Nice service and good music too. 10/10 would recommend!

Amazing Indian food.. Great place to eat and fantastic service! Lamb chops are delicious. Feels and tastes authentic.

Rather expensive and pretty small selection of dishes. Looks nice inside but I would probably not go again.

I cannot recommend this place highly enough. The food is fresh and flavoursome, not like the Bengali gloop that gets served up in "Indian" restaurants across the country. This is the real deal. The kids' menu is superb, my 9 year old loves the butter chicken and will happily wolf a plate down! A thoughtfully chosen range of drinks, including a fab selection of craft beers and exquisite wines, including some gems you'll love with your food. Excellent service, amazing food, great atmosphere and it won't break the bank. What's not to love?

Great little find. My wife, 3 year old and I had the Sunday brunch here. The biriyani was great - the right consistency and flavour. Would definitely eat here again.