Hyderabadi Spice
Hyderabadi restaurant · East Ham ·
Dum-style biryani, lamb chops, chicken malai kebabs, haleem
Dum-style biryani, lamb chops, chicken malai kebabs, haleem
"Most meals at South Indian restaurant Hyderabadi Spice start with ordering biryani and end with spooning leftovers into foil containers. At the low-key East Ham spot, the fragrant and expertly spiced rice dish is king. Every table ends up strewn with stray golden grains that are cooked dum-style (with a pastry lid), and served as a glorious mound on plates or in handis, layered with tender chicken, lamb, or prawns. Know that the excellent biryanis are no secret and it gets busy in the evening, so book ahead." - jake missing, rianne shlebak, heidi lauth beasley, daisy meager, sinead cranna
"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." - Advika Reddy
"Most meals at South Indian restaurant Hyderabadi Spice start with ordering biryani and end with spooning leftovers into foil containers. At the low-key East Ham spot, the fragrant and expertly spiced rice dish is king. Every table ends up strewn with stray golden grains that are cooked dum-style (with a pastry lid), and served as a glorious mound on plates or in handis, layered with tender chicken, lamb, or prawns. Know that Hyderabadi Spice’s excellent biryanis are no secret and this spot gets busy in the evening, so book ahead. But whether you come with the whole family, friends, or just for a casual date night, servers are accommodating. They’ll make room for buggies, set out highchairs, and provide plenty of takeaway boxes when it’s clear ordering starters, haleem, naan, and the epic biryani for two was actually too much." - Daisy Meager
"One of the very few venues in London to showcase the exquisitely complex cuisine of Hyderabad, this small, modest-looking East Ham café attracts large family crowds, so be prepared to wait. There are many classics from the region, such as nizami gosht, kuska bagara, and haleem — but the one thing everyone comes here for is the generously portioned, excellent-value biryani. It more than lives up to expectations: cooked dum style, but served without the theatrics of a pastry lid, the golden grains of rice are generously studded with beautifully spiced lamb, chicken, seafood, whole boiled eggs, or vegetables, then topped with a tangle of crisp caramelised onions. This is also one of the few places to find khubani ka meetha, a classic pudding of stewed dried apricots and apricot kernels steeped (here very deeply) in cream; and ‘Irani chai’, a strong, slow-brewed Persian tea made with reduced milk solids ubiquitous in Hyderabad, but not widely available in London." - Sejal Sukhadwala
"Being one of the very few venues in London to showcase the exquisitely complex cuisine of Hyderabad, means this small, modest-looking East Ham café attracts large family crowds. So be prepared to wait. There are many classics from the region, such as nizami gosht, kuska bagara, and haleem — but the one thing everyone comes here for is the generously portioned, excellent-value biryani. It more than lives up to expectations: cooked dum style, but served without the theatrics of a pastry lid, the golden grains of rice are generously studded with beautifully spiced lamb, chicken, seafood, whole boiled eggs or vegetables, then topped with a tangle of crisp caramelised onions. This is also one of the few places to find khubani ka meetha, a classic pudding of stewed dried apricots and apricot kernels steeped in cream; and ‘Irani chai’, a strong, slow-brewed Persian tea made with reduced milk solids that’s ubiquitous in Hyderabad, but not widely available in London." - Sejal Sukhadwala
