The Cinnamon Club

Indian Restaurant in Westminster
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9 / 10 from 4 reviews
Address
The Old Westminster Library
30 Great Smith Street
Westminster
London
SW1P 3BU
Map
Telephone
020 7222 2555
Cuisine
Indian
Region
Westminster
Nearest Station
St. James's Park
0.21 miles
Opening Summary
Breakfast: Monday - Friday 7:30-9:30
Lunch: Monday - Saturday 12:00-14:45
Dinner: Monday - Saturday 18:00-22:30
Restaurant Facilities

Smoking Area

Disabled Facilities

Children Welcome

Credit Cards Accepted

Booking Advisable

The Cinnamon Club in the heart of Westminster offers a unique dining experience. Set in the historic Grade II listed former Westminster Library, the restaurant presents constantly evolving menus and a carefully matched wine list - all designed to reflect an ethos of innovation and creativity in one of the most stunning dining rooms in the country.

A decade has elapsed since the Cinnamon Club opened its doors with a view to change diners’ perception of Indian food in the UK. The transformation of the Westminster Library was a bold move but the real difference has been the change in people’s mind and hearts, paving the way for a new generation of modern Indian restaurants. They are committed to pushing boundaries and continue to evolve our trademark modern Indian dining experience.

At The Cinnamon Club they challenge the notion that Indian haute cuisine can only be created using age old recipes and ideas. Believing that Indian food should constantly evolve and adapt, the team creates dishes and menus combining Indian ingredients with local produce and Indian cooking techniques with a European design template which produces a distinctive layering of flavours.

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All In London Review

The menu is astonishing.

Review Image
A former business colleague had selected this restaurant for one of our quarterly catch-up suppers and was surprised that – despite hearing so many good things about it – I hadn’t been before. The entrance is a discrete doorway on Great Smith Street – tucked between traditional office buildings. You’d have to be looking for it to see it.

Inside the place is a wonder – it’s a converted library. On the ground floor there are many dark wood screens with glass panels allowing you to peep beyond. There are tables and chairs in two large rooms. But up above there is an open gallery which still contains shelves and shelves of books. There are nods towards the Asian influence with discrete carved elephants and petals in the tea light holders. Utterly professional yet warm and peaceful.

And the place was completely packed. By day it is apparently frequented by Westminster’s politicians and senior civil servants, but last night it was a mixture of couples on an evening out, small groups of people, some out-of-towners and one or two business folk. But everyone was relaxed and chatting.

The menu is astonishing. Combinations of Indian spices and flavours with traditionally English ingredients. Some unusual and exciting combinations. We skipped the starters and focused on the main courses.

We put ourselves in the hands of the Sommelier to choose a glass of wine for us each. He was expert, confident and gave us a few choices but happily accepted the responsibility of choosing for us.

Single glasses of wine range from £5.50 to £9.60 with a couple a little more expensive. The wine list is extensive and you would need considerable time to work your way through. You should not be reluctant to seek help from that marvellous Sommelier.

While we waited we were presented with a tiny ball of potato and spice perfection positioned in a swirl of mint yoghurt. Just enough heat to make you notice – but not overpowering for those who dislike “hot” food.

My “Tandoori wild Spencer Gulf king prawns with malai curry sauce and dried shrimp rice” (£28.00) was marvellous. A perfect roundel of shrimp pink rice that was dry but a good texture. The four fat prawns were chargrilled and you could taste the spices in which they must have marinated. The curry sauce was creamy and light – there were what I think were caraway seeds and hints of citrus in there. There was some spinach and other vegetable stalks on the side.

But my companion’s “Char-grilled Scottish mallard breast with pearl barley kedgeree, curry of legs” (£27.00) was the superior choice. The duck breast was a deep red colour, firm to the bite and with a memorable mildly spiced flavour. The pearl barley kedgeree had a creamy, rich texture. I could have eaten that alone and been happy.

The garlic naan (£3.00) we shared was good – but I wasn’t sure whether it was OK for me to use it to mop up the sauces as I would in other Indian eating establishments and in Pakistan. I did anyway.

Whilst we hadn’t intended to have desserts, after the excellent main courses we couldn’t resist.

Food envy set in big time when my companion’s “Original Beans milk chocolate and pecan nut pudding, bitter chocolate mousse and thandai ice cream” (£9.00) arrived. Each small taste I took was a sensation. That dessert was amongst the best I have ever tasted.

My “Spiced carrot cake with ginger ice cream” (£8.00) was beautifully presented on a slate – with a generous portion of cake which initially seemed a little drier than anticipated – but then the complex layers of spice flavours unfolded on my tongue. There was a pistachio stick bridging the marvellous ginger ice cream and a small rosette of cream.

Petits fours were presented with our coffee and peppermint tea. We had tarried in this restaurant for three hours. The staff were incredibly polite, helpful, genuinely pleased that we enjoyed our food and there was not a hint that our long stay was an issue.

My companion remarked that she had purchased one of the many cook books by the chef (Vivek Singh – a regular on TV cooking shows) for her daughter and whilst the recipes took a lot of time, the results were incredible.

On our way down to the toilets in the basement (well worth a visit!), we peeked into a dark bar which had Bollywood films playing on two large screens. An intriguing space.

As I was leaving, I noticed a sign on the reception desk that indicated that the restaurant in included in the Top 100 “Foody” restaurants. It’s very well deserved.

Reviewed by KimT
Published on Nov 10, 2014


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Best For

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Restaurants for business lunches

Here, important business people can do their important business.

Set in a former library, The Cinnamon Club retains rows and rows of bookshelves, which coupled with high ceilings, give it an old world feel. This is in stark contrast to the food, which presents a modern take on Indian flavours.

Ouch! Restaurants serving London's hottest curries picture

Ouch! Restaurants serving London's hottest curries

Can you take the heat?

The Bollywood Burner at this acclaimed restaurant is so hot you have to sign a disclaimer before tucking in. Made with naga chillies, it’s too extreme to have on the menu but can be made upon request.

Best bars in London's tourist locations picture

Best bars in London's tourist locations

Well worth a visit

If you're at a loss for a bar after wandering around the Houses of Parliament, pop into the basement bar at The Cinnamon Club. Housed in the Old Westminster Library, this Indian restaurant has a formal, almost regal ambience. The bar is far more laidback however, with plenty of exotic cocktails and a lengthy list of spirits.

User Reviews

Alex Johnson
from United Kingdom

Apr 28, 2014

A fabulous meal in a lovely environment, Unique decoration and pleasant vibe overall Great experience!!
Anonymous

Jan 18, 2010

I went to the Cocktail master class at the Cinnamon Club and would reccommend it to others looking for a fun evening with the chance to make your own cocktails and take home a goodie bag!
Our mixologists were really helpful and took us step by step through matching different spirits!
The bar is really unique and they show Bollywood movies too! We will come back again to try the food in the restuarant as the canapes we tried were really tasty.
Anonymous

Jul 21, 2009

I came to the cinnamon club bar on Fri 17th July as they had a club night on with a DJ and it was great! had a really good atmosphere, we all had lots of fun as well as some delicious cocktails! Got talking to the friendly barman and he told me they are having a 70's and 80's night on the 31st July, i can't wait to go back!
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