Veeraswamy, London
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A backgrounder
As of 2025
Heena Khandelwal, April 14, 2025: The Indian Express
Established in 1926, London's Veeraswamy has served guests like former British PM Winston Churchill, late Queen Elizabeth II, former Indian PM Jawaharlal Nehru, actor Charlie Chaplin among others. Here's its history, and the shadow on its future.
For 99 years, the restaurant Veeraswamy, on Regent Street, has been a culinary landmark in London. Hailed as the city’s oldest Indian restaurant, it has hosted politicians, actors, and even members of the royal family, including the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Now, just shy of its centenary, the Michelin-starred restaurant is making headlines for another reason: The Crown Estate, which owns Victory House—the listed building that houses Veeraswamy—has declined to renew its lease, giving it a June deadline.
How Veeraswamy became a culinary institution in London Established in 1926, Veeraswamy was founded by Edward Palmer, the great-grandson of General William Palmer (Private and Military Secretary to Warren Hastings, the first governor-general of India) and Faiz-un-Nisa Begum, a Mughal princess. His vision was to educate the British about Indian cuisine.
In 1934, the restaurant was sold to MP Sir William Steward. He is said to have travelled over 200,000 miles across India and neighbouring countries in search of recipes, artefacts, and staff—determined to craft the finest Indian dining experience. Under him, Veeraswamy became a regular haunt for the elite across the world.
In the late 1960s, the restaurant changed hands again, this time to the owner of the Rembrandt Hotel. The current owners, Namita Panjabi and Ranjit Mathrani of MW Eat (also behind acclaimed restaurants like Chutney Mary and Amaya), acquired Veeraswamy in 1996.
Over the decades, Veeraswamy has hosted a constellation of luminaries—from Winston Churchill, Queen Elizabeth II, and Jawaharlal Nehru to Indira Gandhi, Charlie Chaplin, and Marlon Brando. In 2008, the restaurant catered a function at Buckingham Palace hosted by Queen Elizabeth II.
It was awarded a Michelin star in 2017, which it has retained ever since.
Among its standout dishes are Patiala Shahi Raan En Croute, a Welsh lamb shank slow-cooked for six hours, wrapped in puff pastry and finished in a tandoor, as well as Raj Kachori, Lobster Malabar Curry, Pineapple curry, Chettinad potatoes, Roast Duck Vindaloo, Bori Chicken Biryani, and Bengali Chor Chori.
What is the lease issue?
The Crown Estate has declined to extend Veeraswamy’s lease, citing plans for a major refurbishment and office upgrades, and has given the restaurant a deadline of June to vacate the premises.
Co-owner Ranjit Mathrani has taken the matter to court. In an interview with The Times, Mathrani said that the notice was unexpected, especially after the estate had offered him additional space just a year ago.
Mathrani also said he wants two years to find a suitable new location.
To The Guardian, Mathrani said even the royal family would probably not be happy about the issue. “They believe in history, in living history, and that’s what this restaurant is. It’s not just a museum, and I think they would be disappointed that an institution bearing their name would be so heartless.”
What has the Crown Estate said?
The Crown Estate is owned by the reigning monarch “in right of the Crown”—meaning it is held by the sovereign as an institution, rather than a private individual. It encompasses vast real estate holdings across the UK, including much of central London’s Regent Street and St James’s. All revenue from it goes to the UK Treasury, and in return, the monarch receives a Sovereign Grant.
In a statement quoted by The Guardian, the Crown Estate explained that it needed to carry out a comprehensive refurbishment of Victory House. “This includes a major upgrade to the offices and improving the entrance to make it more accessible. Due to the limited options available in this listed building we need to remove the entrance to the restaurant, which means we will not be able to offer Veeraswamy an extension when their lease expires.”
