Even if you don’t instantly recognise the name Haldiram’s, you’ve most likely seen its red packaging in supermarkets: on crunchy, spicy aloo bhujia; on tins of soft, syrupy gulab jamun; on boxes of nutty sweets. Haldiram’s has existed in India since 1937 – and today announced that it will open its first UK restaurant in Leicester Square this summer.
While Haldiram’s isn’t new to hospitality (it now owns more than 200 restaurants in India and one in Dubai), this will be the brand’s first UK diner. Rhea Agarwal, a third-generation entrepreneur from the founding family of Haldiram’s, is spearheading the brand’s expansion into the UK and EU markets. Agarwal says that London felt like a “natural choice” for its first UK restaurant. “It’s a city that holds deep personal significance for me, having spent over a decade living here,” she tells Broadsheet. “The UK has a large and thriving South Asian community, and Indian cuisine is deeply loved by locals.”
By opening a restaurant, Agarwal looks forward to bringing Londoners a wider range of flavours and recipes inspired by local eateries across India. “We are especially known for taking beloved Indian street food [dishes] and presenting it in a way that is both refined and accessible. For many Indians living abroad, these flavours carry a deep sense of nostalgia. At the same time, we want to introduce a wider audience to the diversity of Indian cuisine.”
The menu will feature some of Haldiram’s signature dishes, including pao bhaji, a rich Mumbai-style vegetable curry; choley bhature, a popular north Indian chickpea curry served with fluffy fried bread; and raj kachori, a large, crisp shell filled with chaat (fried dough). There’ll also be an exclusive chaat selection and a UK-exclusive “fusion” dessert.
The 3000 square-foot, 110-cover site will also have heated outdoor space for 20 people. Agarwal explains that the restaurant’s design will be “rooted in celebrating our Indian identity – we’re not shying away from it, we’re embracing it fully. You’ll see elements that nod to our heritage and history, thoughtfully integrated into a contemporary, elevated setting.”
Haldiram’s has been running a production facility in Southall, west London since 2018, supplying the UK and Europe with Indian sweets. The restaurant, Agarwal explains, will serve these sweets at a retail counter alongside other UK-exclusive takeaway products.
Haldiram’s will open at 19–20 Irving Street in June 2026.
