Tayyabs

"Patiently waiting in Tayyabs’ line while listening to a soundtrack of jingling beer bottles in blue bags is a quintessential London experience. This mammoth Punjabi restaurant in Whitechapel is arguably London’s most famous BYOB spot. It’s so well-known that an artist once sent one of Tayyabs’ moreish lamb chops into space. But jumping on the Overground to get a sizzling platter is much easier. Inside the energy is somewhere between a wedding and a hurricane and, when it comes to restaurants for a big group, few places in London do it better." - jake missing, heidi lauth beasley, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna, daisy meager

"In a world full of Marie Kondo acolytes and colour-coded Google calendars, Tayyabs is deliciously unruly. A hurricane in restaurant form that once sent a tandoori lamb chop into the stratosphere, this sprawling Punjabi institution in Whitechapel has been synonymous with a good time since 1972. Before the Queen died, Tayyabs had the most famous queue in London. Sometimes it’s short and stubby, other times it slithers down Fieldgate Street. It’s a mixture of first and 50th family birthdays, untucked M&S shirts, and screeching school reunions gripping their jingling bags from the off licence. You can book, but sometimes turning up is more fun. Nobody wavers. Some crack a beer. The sight of the neon blue lights and the smell of sizzling lamb chops means that heels are firmly dug in. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch video credit: Aleksandra Boruch Given their almost inter-planetary fame, the chops are a must. They’re not the best by any means. But they’re skinny, charred, and one person can easily wolf all four. You’ll see plenty moving around the room, along with satisfying karahis and wobbling naans. All of it is pleasing food that isn’t intent on being spectacular. Only newbies come to Tayyabs with a completely empty stomach, and most people in this room look like they know their way around a seekh kebab. You could compare Tayyabs to other restaurants, but this place operates more like an F1 pit. Dry meat curry, chops, karahi gosht, lassi, and naan is made and then reloaded, made and then reloaded. Come with a bottle. More importantly, come with bodies. It’s the Tayyabs formula, and London is all the better for it. Food Rundown photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Lamb Chops On a good day, these skinny masala chops are blackened in the bone but still perfectly soft to eat. That isn't always the case. Still, the marinade is softly spiced with a mixture of cumin, chilli, and ginger which makes it enjoyable no matter how the chop is cooked. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Dry Meat Curry This dry meat curry, made from marinated lamb that's been slowly cooked down until it’s falling apart, is very good. There are crisp edges, soft bits of meat, and occasional whacks of garlic. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Keema Naan Lamb is where Tayyabs excels, so why not stick some in your bread too? This one is glowing with butter and has a nice crisp to it. The crusts are also a little bready too, perfect for mopping up whatever curries are on your table." - Jake Missing

"Dry Meat Curry The legendary Punjabi restaurant in Whitechapel is best known for its sizzling lamb chops and rowdy queues of eager BYOBers, but its dry meat curry is just as consistent. Lamb chunks are marinated in spices and stewed until falling apart. It’s the perfect constant to pick up and scoop with naan, and you’ll more than likely need a couple on your table." - rianne shlebak, jake missing

"Tayyabs is one of London’s most beloved group dinner restaurants. Not just because a curry is a classic group staple, or because of the famous sizzling lamb chops, or even because it’s BYOB. The reason this Punjabi powerhouse in Whitechapel is so loved, is because you always have a good time. As far as multi-room, always buzzing, legendary restaurants go, Tayyabs is a true part of London’s furniture." - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna

"The Punjabi food coming out of the kitchen at Tayyabs mixes both Pakistani and Indian flavours, and the institutional BYOB Whitechapel spot is famous for a tonne of good reasons. A large chunk of Londoners have got a story to tell about a time here, and pretty much all of them involve a queue of people outside holding jangling bags of drinks and the cheers of excitement when the sizzling lamb chops arrive. These days, the food isn’t the reason people come. The dry curries are passable and those lamb chops get a pass for nostalgic reasons. But as far as a multi-room, always buzzing, truly legendary restaurant goes, Tayyabs is a true part of London’s furniture." - rianne shlebak, sinead cranna, jake missing, daisy meager