Ganapati image

Ganapati

Restaurant Indian restaurant

Simple dining room with wooden tables and a terrace, for home-style South Indian cuisine. People often mention curry, delicious, Indian, good, menu, great, meal, restaurant, tasty, dosa,


Address

38 Holly Grove, London SE15 5DF, United Kingdom

Website

www.ganapatirestaurant.com

Contact

+44 20 7277 2928

Price rating

$$ $$

Rating on Google Maps

4.40 (752 reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Thursday: 12 to 2:45 PM, 5:30 to 10:30 PM
  • Friday: 12 to 2:45 PM, 5:30 to 10:30 PM
  • Saturday: 12 to 10:30 PM
  • Sunday: 12 to 10 PM
  • Monday: Closed
  • Tuesday: 12 to 2:45 PM, 5:30 to 10:30 PM
  • Wednesday: 12 to 2:45 PM, 5:30 to 10:30 PM

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: curry (18) delicious (15) Indian (14) good (14) menu (9) great (9) meal (8) restaurant (7) tasty (7) dosa (7)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 4/5 Shelton R. 3 months ago on Google • 29 reviews New
    Nice little South Indian restaurant. Loved the ambience and old Indian music. Felt like I was visiting India. The menu is a little pricy, but the food was really tasty. Will be going back to taste the other items on the menu soon.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Ahmet K. 2 years ago on Google
    Paratha was delicious, but mains and sides were just ok. Side dishes were too small for the price. The mains were tasty but very, very hot, as in temperature and not spice. Our mouths were both scalded from the the first mouthful and then we had to wait an age for the food to cool so we could continue eating. I did ask if it had been microwaved and was assured not and that the batch prepared sauces were simply reheated on stove as part of the cooking process. I'm not convinced as it had that overall extreme heat you get from microwaving too long! Unfortunately, it did spoil the experience and our taste buds, so not rushing back.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Soc L. 2 months ago on Google • 311 reviews New
    This place is great all the food is super tasty! Definitely book. Little extension out the back with more seating. Service is friendly and the food arrives pretty quickly. We had the dosa with tamarind and garlic and a coconut dip. Poppadoms and dips. Fish curry.aubergine curry. Coconut rice. And to finish we tried the halwa and the delicious ice creams. They even have Indian wines by the glass. Sadly the takeaway branch seems to have closed.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Marcus H. 1 year ago on Google • 211 reviews
    Really tasty grub. Authentic in taste, and as it is southern Indian food it didn’t have that heavy oily taste that some Indian food can have. The beetroot lamb curry was superb, as was the coconut rice. Reasonably priced and friendly staff. I will return!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Galib Q. 5 months ago on Google • 58 reviews
    One of the best South Indian flavoured food. Good environment and friendly staff. All items from menu look appealing… will come again to taste some more
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Immy 4 months ago on Google • 38 reviews
    Visited last night for dinner, the food was good and overall a lovely experience I would definitely recommend a visit! The staff were efficient but maybe could have been a bit more friendly (apart for one woman who was absolutely lovely)! The food was good, but the chicken curry and daal was a little bland, the paneer curry and fish curry was absolutely amazing would definitely recommend. The rice portions were a little on the small side especially for the price! All the drinks were great but also a little pricey! Poppadoms were really good especially with all the sauces.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Harry 1 year ago on Google
    Nice atmosphere and friendly staff but best of all is the delicious food. The curries here were fantastic and I can see why they say the paratha bread is "famous" on their menu because it's the best I've ever had!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 CKP 2 years ago on Google
    Good portions and authentic flavours. The prawns and street snacks starters were absolutely fantastic. The masala dosa was a generous portion and also delicious. The venue is nice and cosy. Missing 2 stars because the waiter was a bit rude - not sure why as I would think it would important to keep diners coming back. It would be the only reason I’d hesitate going back - don’t want to be paying money so that the waiter can be rude to me. No reason for it either. All happened when I was paying the bill. Shame as the food is very good.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Idris P. 11 months ago on Google
    The food here was great! Very tasty, filling and generous portions. Plenty of vegetarian options and suitable for vegans too. I can't complain about the food nor the female server, she was very friendly and cheerful. However, the man that served us was unnecessarily rude and rather entitled. We repeated our order several times despite him literally telling us what we 'should' order. It literally felt like he was telling us what we should eat and how much despite us four being very happy with what we wanted to order. Despite making it very clear what we wanted and then him writing it down (or so we thought), he got our order wrong and blamed it on us! We all heard my bf ordering his main, repeating it several times, and yet the waiter did not write it down and did not apologise until my bf decided to just stick with the starter he had eaten. We no longer felt comfortable being there so asked for the bill before going on our way. It was such an odd, rude, and uncomfortable experience. I do hope this was a one off. Once again, food was lovely but this male server was certainly not!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Ash C. 10 months ago on Google
    I’m South Indian, this was one of the the most authentic Indian meals I’ve had and has real homely vibe to it. The dosa was excellent and all taste was spot on. Highly recommend will be back again.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Annabel H. 1 year ago on Google
    The food here is delicious and tastes so sublimely good, it's worth a visit and then a second. Surprised to find it open on a Sunday afternoon, I sat outside and had chicken curry and coconut rice. I was already happy but the lovely staff tempted me into a coconut sorbet.. the sorbet was textured, not overly sweet and a perfect balance after a spicy meal and quite possibly the best thing I've ever eaten. This place has cocktails and a simple menu that allows you to build a hearty meal if you're with friends or just settle for something more intimate if you're dining alone. Highly entertaining people watching and enjoying the sun. Surprisingly the place is bigger inside than first appears and is a lovely place for a group setting. Do yourself a favour and put this on your list.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 patricia g. 1 year ago on Google
    Unbearable. First meal out for 2 and a half years. So looking forward to going back to one of my favourite haunts after the pandemic. I had booked 10 days in advance. Sitting towards the rear of the restaurant 5 tiny tables of two’s crammed cheek by jowl. Noticed at the front there was an attempt to give the impression of social distancing for passers by. But towards the back we were packed like sardines. At one point there was a burst of torrential rain that was coming through the roof and running down the walls. There was an initial reluctance to move us until I pointed out the rain was running into the electric heater at the top of the wall. Irritating avaricious woman just kept saying people have booked, we had booked but we hadn’t bargain for this. Felt like we were eating under duress. I felt so stressed. Trying to eat was a chore. Couldn’t wait to leave. Not my idea of a night out. No longer the jewel in Peckham’s crown.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Annissa C. 1 year ago on Google
    Heard a lot of good things about Ganapati and decided to come. We were lucky to get a table around 18:30 without booking on a Friday night - would definitely make a reservation next time!! Lovely interior, and delicious food in generous portions! We ordered a poppadom (the garlic might be my favourite!) as a starter, two currys with plain rice and paratha for main, two lassi’s and a cardamom chocolate cake to finish. A bit too much between two people to be honest. The cake was nice but a bit pricey for what it is at £6.75 so maybe we won’t get that if we are getting lassis next time. Definitely coming back soon for more.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Deon Pillay The independent f. 1 year ago on Google • 5 reviews
    Now I a very fussy when it comes to Indian food. This place really surprised me. Fantastic ambiance and food - loved the Parathas, some of the best I have had. The chicken starter cooked in banana leaf, was spicy and filled with flavour! My prawn curry was great too but could have did with another prawn. Service was also very good, with attentive staff who where knowledgable.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Matthew W. 2 months ago on Google • 207 reviews New
    Very small but delicious place to get a curry. The food is so so good. And not expensive at all. The place is tiny, though. Definitely book. I'd go back but when I am not wearing a massive coat.

  • 5/5 Alisa S. 10 months ago on Google • 31 reviews
    Love the food here, good vibes and good food. Great place to have a nice dinner with friends and family. Friendly atmosphere and staff service. Recommend the poppadom and king prawns for starters, the sea bass curry with their famous flaky bread is also a must. My partner also had the spicy chicken curry which tasted great also. The curry here doesn’t feel heavy but rather light but still flavourful which is something I really like in Indian food. Price was around £20-30 per person which increases to £40-50 per person if wine et al. was ordered.

  • 5/5 Katya A. 2 months ago on Google • 14 reviews New
    incredible experience. my husband is from south india and i took him here as a surprise. ive never seen him light up the way he did while having the food here. he said it was just like home. the food was delicious, the people were very kind and the space itself is beautiful. highly recommend and we'll definitely be back!

  • 4/5 Mana J. 5 months ago on Google • 8 reviews
    We've dined at this place on two occasions, and both times, our main attraction was their exquisite masala dosa. It's one of the finest in London. The dosa is substantial, wonderfully crispy, and the potato filling is bursting with flavour. To top it off, their sambar is fresh and delicious. I'd give it a perfect score of 10/10. Also, I recommend trying the ginger-infused masala chai, it hits the spot. During our initial visit, we decided to explore various items on the menu. We tried the prawn curry, which regrettably fell short of capturing the true essence of Indian cuisine. The mung dhal salad was pleasant, although not extraordinary, and the chicken thigh starter was a hearty choice if you have a big appetite. The paratha was also great. However, on our subsequent visit, we decided to stick to what we knew was exceptional – the dosa :)

  • 4/5 Daniela D. 1 year ago on Google
    We had overall a great meal at this place, even my toddler son liked his curry chicken so much that he finished it all! Dosa and Dhaal were full of flavours. As we travelled a lot in south India and Kerala we found the flavours to be authentic. Missing star because as a family of 3 they accommodated us in the tiniest part of the restaurant next to the toilets/kitchen and it was very busy, they should have accommodated us in a more quiet spot! For me it was the worst table in the whole restaurant.

  • 5/5 Stephanie B. 1 year ago on Google
    Loved this restaurant! Good quality, delicious food in a cosy setting. We came here after trying Mambow (recently featured in the Sunday times) round the corner and not being overly impressed. The aubergine curry here blew us away.

  • 4/5 Alison Maciejewski C. 1 year ago on Google
    Nicest onion bhaji and gulab jamun I've ever had. Good daal and paratha!

  • 4/5 Melissa G. 10 months ago on Google
    I had the potato dossa, the potato curry needed a little more chili and the orange creamy sauce is a bit different to what I’m used to but it was a good meal, all in all.

  • 5/5 Reuben R. 2 years ago on Google
    Good golly gosh, Ganapati is gorgeous. This has to be the most tasty currys I have ever eaten in my life. I ordered the nilakkal fish curry, which was sensationally delicate and packed heaps of flavours which all balanced together in a perfect manor. With each mouthful I could not believe how unbelievably delicious this tasty treat was. My partner had the vayalar aubergine masala which was equally delicious and delicate in flavour. Not only was the food fantastic but the customer service also was incredible, Giada was very informative and recommended some of her favourites on the menu which did not disappoint. All in all this place is not to be missed, but should be celebrated. 10/10 P.S get the flatbread

  • 4/5 Alice B. 4 months ago on Google
    Delicious food! I had goat biryani which was melt in the mouth! Good portion too. Paratha was yummy too. I would have given 5 stars but the wine was a bit dodgy... neither 3 of us really enjoyed it, but we had a laugh deciding what it tasted of (other than wine!) .. it was called SULA.

  • 5/5 India G. 2 years ago on Google
    Will visit again. Had the vegetarian Thali. Waiters very attentive and informative about the menu. Love the massive (I think?) banana tree in the back. Interior very colourful and inviting. Clean. Food great!

  • 2/5 Sham M. 1 year ago on Google
    Came here for a meal with family visiting from Miami. Some good and many bad. The food lacked basic Indian flavour. Watery dhal and curry lamb should be avoided. And adding spinach leaf to dhal is shocking as it really showed lack of cooking with so many amazing Indian food around. The grill chicken tho was nicely spiced - looked beyond basic on the plate. The dosa - a huge disappointment. Dare I say it tasted as it was made and then heated up. The potato was excellent tho and the samba was delicious. The onion bhajin wascrispy and fresh -shame I can't say the same for the chutney served with it. The beetroot dish is excellent and so to was the white wine from New Zealand. All in all - the one thing I can't forgive is not having a fan or two in the restaurant. They are quite cheap!!!! Many people love this place, but I feel, it's more hype that how good the food it. It's a welcome Service was ok definitely nothing special and the place could do with a lick of fresh paint. I was excited and plated the food up nicely but that just was one of the highlight of the meal.

  • 4/5 Teresa 2 years ago on Google
    Wow the paratha here is so buttery and soft and delicious. Might be the best ice had yet. Curries are a bit on the spicy side despite being called mild. However overall a really nice restaurant with welcoming customer service!

  • 5/5 Elise T. 2 months ago on Google New
    So so phenomenal – food was delicious and portions very decent. Definitely recommend the paratha bread and the mango lassi, which they can make with oat milk, suitable for vegans! Additionally it’s very decently priced, great for students or families who don’t want to splash out on every meal but want amazing authentic and good quality food.

  • 4/5 Mark D. 1 year ago on Google
    Smallish menu which is no bad thing with dishes from different parts of India. Good quality ingredients and well executed. Service was a tad slow and it's pricier versus other Indian restaurants. Very hipster!


Call +44 20 7277 2928 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Payments
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Wine
    • ✓️ Coffee
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Cocktails
    • ✓️ Hard liquor
    • ✓️ Small plates
    • ✓️ Vegan options
    • ✓️ Healthy options
    • ✓️ Late-night food
    • ✓️ Vegetarian options
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible seating
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible entrance
    • ✗ Wheelchair accessible parking lot
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Dessert
    • ✓️ Seating
    • ✓️ Catering
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✓️ Takeout
    • ✓️ Delivery
    • ✓️ Outdoor seating

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