Veeraswamy, a Michelin-starred Indian restaurant located in central London, has been adored by celebrities, royals and ordinary Brits for 100 years.
The restaurant, hailed as the ‘world’s oldest’, has served its acclaimed curries on Regent Street since 1926 – and is said to have kickstarted Britain’s love for a beer and curry.
According to Veeraswamy itself, it’s ‘the oldest Indian restaurant, not only in Britain, but the world’.
It became a favourite for Prince Axel of Denmark, who would bring his own keg of Carlsberg lager to wash down and cool off after a duck vindaloo.
Carlsberg became so popular with the rest of the diners that the restaurant started importing it.
It’s played host to everyone from Princess Anne to Lord David Cameron and even King Abdullah of Jordan.
Famous guests also include Mahatma Gandhi and Charlie Chaplin.
But now, its future hangs in the balance thanks to a row with the King’s property portfolio, the Crown Estate, which owns the building in which the restaurant is based.
Veeraswamy, the oldest Indian restaurant in the UK, has been open since 1926
However the restaurant, pictured here shortly after its 1926 opening, is on the verge of closing
Owners Ranjit Mathrani and Namita Panjabi run the establishment, with Ranjit speaking out against the lease not being renewed
The Crown Estate has told the owners the lease won’t be renewed.
Restaurant owner Ranjit Mathrani, 82, last year said he was blindsided by the decision, especially after reportedly being asked just the year before if he wanted to expand into more space in the building.
He said the decision came completely ‘out of the blue’.
The property managers claim they need the space to upgrade the office entrance for the upper floors of the building.
In February this year, fans of the restaurant even called on the King to save the premises.
Campaigners launched a petition to Buckingham Palace to beg King Charles to prevent its closure.
Ranjit said he was asking the King to help save Veeraswamy ‘from extinction’, according to the BBC, and added not renewing the lease was ‘short-sighted’.
More than 20,000 people signed the petition, including household name chefs such as Michel Roux.
Veeraswamy, located on Regent Street, has hosted visitors and even celebrities through its years (here pictured in 1963)
With opulent interiors, the restaurant is adored by generations of families who have visited
The various dining rooms all add a taste of glamour
The Veeraswamy Instagram account shared footage of the protest, saying: ‘On 24 February 2026 a 20,000 strong petition was presented to Buckingham Palace to save Veeraswamy from closure by The Crown Estate.
‘The petition calls on The King to intervene and reverse The Crown Estate’s decision not to renew Veeraswamy’s lease at Victory House on Regent Street, its home for the last 100 years.
‘We have taken legal steps to protect Veeraswamy’s location, but the outcome won’t be known until July 2026 and the risk of closure is very real.
‘The legendary Veeraswamy Indian restaurant is a symbol of Indo-British cultural connection. It is one of the oldest rent-paying tenants on Regent Street.’
A Crown Estate spokesman said: ‘This is not a decision we’ve taken lightly.’
This year, the restaurant is celebrating its centenary in style, despite the ongoing complications it is facing.
The official website explains: ‘Veeraswamy – widely regarded as the oldest surviving Indian restaurant in the world – marks its centenary with a nostalgia Menu, launching on 26 March 2026.
‘Step back through the decades as we celebrate 100 years, tracing the evolution of Indian dining in Britain from Veeraswamy’s launch in 1926.’
Butlers and kitchen staff of the Veeraswamy Restaurant are pictured in 1927, almost 100 years ago – and this year, the restaurant celebrates its 100th birthday
This year, for its 100th anniversary celebrations, the restaurant will have a unique ‘nostalgia’ menu
The nostalgia menu will feature Anglo-Indian Mulligatawny soup, from the original 1926 menu, as well as a Hyderabadi lamb salan curry, Ceylon prawn curry and trio of classic desserts: mini gulab jamun, black carrot halwa and patli jalebi.
Inside the restaurant, you’re greeted by opulent interiors, an ode to the 1920s origin of the establishment.
Overlooking Regent Street from the first floor, you can dine on excellent English cuisine from a highly coveted location.
A range of dining rooms offer various stylish atmospheres.
The Regency Room offers a taste of luxury, with a cabinet of artefacts and Maharajah-era dress at the entrance.
Meanwhile, the Paisley Room is a definitive nod to the 1920s.
The restaurant is renowned for its slow-cooked dishes, including a rogan josh from Kashmir.
And visitors are always eager to rave about the establishment – with many expressing disappointment about the potential upcoming closure.
One wrote on Instagram: ‘Veeraswamy means so much to the fabric of our culture in London and the UK, and the idea that the Crown Estate is willing to sacrifice this history for an office lobby is incredibly depressing.’
Another added: ‘We will fight with you all the way.’
A third chimed in: ‘I’ll be heartbroken if it closes.’
A fourth wrote: ‘Very’s holds such a continuum in our hearts. A complete connection and time capsule. How much do we just throw away to banality?
‘My grandparents first visited in 1930 home from India and then regularly whenever home introducing us all to Very’s for family high days and holidays. Now four generations. Few places remain so important and connected to the fabric of our home.’
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