The Cinnamon Club

Indian·
££££
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Gold Award
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SquareMeal Review of The Cinnamon Club

Gold Award

This ground-breaking Indian restaurant finds its home in the other-worldly Victorian surrounds of the former Westminster Library, making a happy marriage out of two of the UK’s most cherished passions: its history and its adoption of curry as a national dish.

Two of the restaurant’s walls are covered in classic books – the result of a fairly recent £1million makeover – which reaches the ceiling and frames the gallery level to create a fairy-tale feel. Despite the pretty surrounds, the atmosphere can sometimes be lacking due to an absence of music and a rather male-dominated clientele (which perhaps isn’t surprising given the restaurant’s position near the Houses of Parliament) that means there is one loud hum to proceedings.

Background noise aside, the food fares much better than the ambience. Head chef Vivek Singh trained classically in India and the plates carry the hallmark of someone who has spent years perfecting their craft and has then been brave enough to put their own spin on things.

Octopus to start comes soft-centred with gloriously intense crispy bits and potatoes in a bright curry sauce flavoured with sharp lemon. Indian food often lends itself to family-style dining, but communal plates have had a fine-dining makeover here. Rich butter chicken is served on a silver platter; the curry house classic is familiar and elevated at the same time and comes with a creamy black dal, pilau rice peppered with whole fragrant spices, plus a punchy garlic naan to mop up the generous quantities of sauce. Game in season is always a great choice.

To drink, pretty cocktails promise a colourful riot of exotic flavour, though we found the in-house creations erred on the side of the saccharine; better to investigate a groundbreaking wine list that expertly matches the qualities of individual grapes to the intricacies of complex spicing.

Despite any gripes over atmosphere, Singh’s careful balance of flavours offers an exemplary Indian dining experience and with a permanently packed dining room, and we’re not the only ones with an appetite for his clever cooking.

Good to know

Spend SquareMeal Smart Vouchers
Average Price
££££ - £50 - £79
Cuisines
Indian
Eat at Home
Deliveroo, Just Eat, Takeaway service, Uber Eats
Ambience
Glamorous, Lively, Luxury, Quiet conversation, Romantic, Unique
Awards
SquareMeal London Top 100
Food Occasions
Brunch, Dinner, Lunch
Special Features
Gluten-free options, Vegan options, Vegetarian options
Perfect for
Birthdays, Celeb spotting, Celebrations, Dates, Group dining [8+], Romantic, Special occasions
Food Hygiene Rating

About

When The Cinnamon Club opened in 2001 it offered up a fine-dining experience when the majority of Indian restaurants in the capital were still subscribing to the curry-house format that had propelled the popularity of the cuisine in the UK.

Classically trained in India, chef Vivek Singh understands the building blocks of age-old cooking techniques and couples them with contemporary twists on classics for unusual and surprising creations that have helped to push his restaurant into the premier league of London eateries. Additional accolades include Singh having authored five bestselling cookbooks and appearing regularly on cooking programmes such as Saturday Kitchen and Celebrity MasterChef.

The Cinnamon Club has undergone a £1 million refurbishment to transform its home in the old Westminster Library into a bright and modern space that still retains much of its original character. Old books line two sides of the dining room while walls are painted bright white and a mezzanine level adds additional seating without detracting from the double-height space.

Priding itself in catering for every eventuality The Cinnamon Club offers all sorts of special menus, including a vegan one which offers a wonderful selection of plant-based Indian dishes. From the main menu you can expect creations like a Bengali-style lobster thermidor and a 48-hour marinated pheasant breast in pickling spices. For those who enjoy communal dining there is also a handful of signature sharing mains, like the Old Delhi-style butter chicken and a whole rack of lamb in a corn and yoghurt sauce.

The Cinnamon Club also offers private dining spaces for special occasions and serves meals from first thing to late into the evening, with a breakfast menu that includes unexpected dishes such as a full traditional cooked English breakfast.

Reward offers for The Cinnamon Club

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500 Points

For all diners to this restaurant, spending over £75. This offer can only be used once.

10 points for every £1 spent

For all diners to this restaurant, spending over £100

500 Points for evening diners

For all diners to this restaurant, spending over £75 on Mondays to Thursdays, for evening diners . This offer can only be used once.

400 Points for lunchtime diners

For all diners to this restaurant, spending over £60 on Mondays to Saturdays, lunchtimes only

100 Points

For all diners any day, every time


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Menu Highlights

Starters
Pigeon - £24.00

Clove smoked Anjou squab pigeon, beetroot raita, pumpkin and peanut (g)(n) 

Scallops - £29.00

Grilled Scottish scallops with varhadi techa spices, truffled potato and Kolhapuri sauce 

Main Courses
Lamb chops - £120.00

Tandoori smoked Kentish lamb chops, keema methi gosht, black lentils and garlic naan (for two) 

Prawns - £38.00

Grilled New Caledonian Obsiblue king prawns, Alleppey curry sauce, rice vermicelli

Venison - £40.00

Char-grilled Balmoral Estate venison loin, rock moss and dried lime, masala mash 

Grouse breast - £36.00

Rajasthani spiced tandoori Grouse breast with yellow 5 lentil Tadka, cumin and garlic

Dessert
Kulfi - £9.50

Tutti frutti whipped ganache, saffron pistachio kulfi, paan oil (n)

Drinks
COCKTAILS - £16.00

FINE & FANCY £16.00Dry-Complex-DelicateRangpur Gin | Lillet Blanc | Italicus | Elderflower | Yuzu Caviar TIKI- TAK A (N) £16.00Punchy-Nutty-FruityBianco-Gold-Spice Rum | Watermelon | Coconut | Almond HAKUNA- BANANA £15.00Rich-Complex-SmoothVanilla Vodka | Crème de banana | Espresso | Cacao   NOT A PALOMA ! £14.00Aromatic-Fruity-RefreshingTequila | Pink peppercorn | Pomegranate reduction | Grapefruit Fizz


FAQs

Are there gluten-free options on the menu?

Yes there are gluten-free options on the menu?

Helpful? 0

Does the restaurant have a Michelin star?

No, the this site doesn't at the moment feature in the guide but its sibling site Cinnamon Bazaar does.

Helpful? 0

What is the dress code?

There isn't an official dress code but diners typically opt for smart-casual wear.

Helpful? 0

This venue also offers

The Cinnamon Club
Private Group Dining

The Cinnamon Club

The Cinnamon Club
Wedding Venues

The Cinnamon Club

The Cinnamon Club Bar
Event Party Venue

The Cinnamon Club Bar

The Cinnamon Club
Event Party Venue

The Cinnamon Club

Cinnamon Club
Christmas Parties

Cinnamon Club

Location

The Old Westminster Library, 30-32 Great Smith Street, Westminster, London, SW1P 3BU

020 7222 2555 020 7222 2555

Website

Opening Times

Lunch
Mon 12:00-14:30
Tue 12:00-14:30
Wed 12:00-14:30
Thu 12:00-14:30
Fri 12:00-14:30
Sat 12:00-14:30
Sun Closed
Dinner
Mon 17:30-21:45
Tue 17:30-21:45
Wed 17:30-21:45
Thu 17:30-21:45
Fri 17:30-21:45
Sat 17:30-21:45
Sun Closed

Reviews

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74 Reviews 
Food/Drink
Service
Atmosphere
Value

Anon

09 June 2024   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5
Great experience

The food was amazing! Really flavoursome and cater to all dietary requirements. Would recommend the dessert platter! Service was also great and kindly brought out a dessert for my birthday. 

Brian B

18 February 2024   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5

superb food and service in a beautiful setting.  Not the cheapest, but the quality of the food was excellent and well worth the money.  Would definitely return here again.

Zoe W

05 September 2023   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 4
Service 4
Atmosphere 4
Value 4

Ludovic F

08 June 2023   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 4
Service 4
Atmosphere 5
Value 4

Anon

03 January 2023  
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5

Beautiful restaurant, wonderful atmosphere and amazing food, cannot fault it!

Russell N

24 December 2022   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 4
Service 4
Atmosphere 4
Value 4
Good & Reliable

This is the second year we've done our Christmas event at Cinnamon Club and we'll be back next year too - foodis good, staff are friendly. Only issue is that it's so busy the drinks sometimes take a little bit too long to show up.

Nicola P

20 December 2022   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5
The Cinnamon Club - a great experience


I have never had anything but a positive experience at The Cinnamon Club. Always a pleasure. 

Nicola P

20 December 2022   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5
The Cinnamon Club - a great experience


I have never had anything but a positive experience at The Cinnamon Club. Always a pleasure. 

Anon

01 December 2022  
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5

Lovely restaurant in The old Westminster library. Fantastic and innovative food

Anon

25 November 2022  
Food & Drink 4.5
Service 4.5
Atmosphere 4.5
Value 4.5

Delicious fine dining, Michelin starred Indian food in a beautiful setting. The lunch set menu offers excellent value for money. (Very pricey à la carte though!)

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Order takeaway from The Cinnamon Club by calling 020 7222 2555.
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