Saffron Kitchen Lea Bridge image

Saffron Kitchen Lea Bridge

Restaurant Indian restaurant

Creative fusion dishes and Mumbai-style street food in a sleek Indian restaurant with private rooms. People often mention restaurant, great, chicken, service, busy, experience, table, chips, customers, time,


Address

300 Lea Bridge Rd, London E10 7LD, United Kingdom

Website

saffronkitchen.co.uk

Contact

+44 20 8988 1446

Price rating

$$ $$

Rating on Google Maps

4.00 (2.8K reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Saturday: 5 to 11 pm
  • Sunday: 5 to 11 pm
  • Monday: 5 to 11 pm
  • Tuesday: 5 to 11 pm
  • Wednesday: 5 to 11 pm
  • Thursday: 5 to 11 pm
  • Friday: 5 to 11 pm

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: restaurant (25) great (15) chicken (12) service (12) busy (10) experience (10) table (9) chips (8) customers (8) time (8)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 1/5 Selim G. 2 years ago on Google
    I visited because it was HMC. The food was nice but cannot tolerate extremely dirty seats, cuttlery with food bits and water marks, glass with marks, and chips for £5 and had like 15-20 pieces. The decor was very outdated. I think the prices were also expensive compared to the dining expensive. I will definitely not visit again such a disgusting restaurant. Also, staff should not he wiping down seats every day and should hire a cleaner to do this..
    8 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 Sabreena K. 1 year ago on Google
    Was put in a secluded room..so enjoyed no atmosphere. Food was not presented well on the table. Waiters forgot about us a few times. Kebabs and chicken nuggets were shop bought and other items were not made fresh, such as the bhel puri, which was soft and not crunchy as it may have been pre made from a while. Won't be going back there again. Did not feel like cutting birthday cake there as the lack of quality food and service dampened the evening. Took cake home to cut and serve.
    5 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Ale X. 1 year ago on Google
    Excellent service, very polite and attentive. The food is served at super speed, packed full of flavour, very generous portions. It's a very busy restaurant full of locals, which is a good sign.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Jo 7 months ago on Google
    Very very delicious Indian food being served here. They have wide variety of menu selection which is great. We ordered pretty much everything on the menu and every single food came out amazing. Best service from waitress as well. Price is proportionate to food sizing. Will definitely come by again without a doubt. They also did not put a service charge on our receipt despite having 10ppl on our table. An honest gesture.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Hassan N. 1 year ago on Google
    A fallen giant. What was once a great curry house producing great-tasting food with attentive service has now become a mediocre food experience and uncomfortable service. The restaurant experience at Saffron is a poor one and feels more transactional, if anything. We were a large group who, collectively, arrived approx. 15mins later than the reservation. It is fair for the restaurant to be slightly concerned, however the manager attending to us appeared to be so concerned he was letting us know that we were on a timed visit and looked visibly annoyed at us and was almost certainly implying that they are missing out on other customers because of our mild lateness. This all stems from their policy as no matter the reservation, you can’t be seated until everyone is present. We were 10+ with multiple children. Not a great start. Concerns raised by the restaurant regarding the above is understandable, but this can be discussed in a more constructive and calm manner. We are still customers taking time out at the end of the day seeking an enjoyable restaurant experience. And every phase of the restaurant from entering to being seated, and so on, affects that experience so discussions between restaurant and customer needs to be amenable. The orders were taken and to my surprise, food was served very quickly. Many dishes were ordered, I personally ordered pappadums, butter chicken, masala chips and tandoori naan. The pappadums, although tasted fine, were described in the menu as a ‘basket of pappadums’. It was certainly served in a basket, however it was just no more than 1 and a half pappadums broken up. The butter chicken gave me a mixed feeling. The sauce was good, however the chicken itself was not tender and felt a little hard so it did not seem to be cooked for the appropriate time. The masala chips were fine, although some at the bottom were crushed, which was a bit strange. The tandoori naan was okay, however was probably left on the tawa for a little too long. During our time sitting down, chatting away and eating, the manager seemed to be walking into our area looking at us quite agitated. This happened several times, but did not approach us if anything was wrong. Not all of the food was eaten, so we requested some take away boxes for them to take home. For some reason, the waiter appeared to be counting the number of boxes infront of us - strange thing to do infront of customers. This was also a birthday dinner, so we had our own cake to enjoy where plates and cutlery was provided by the restaurant. We had a small amount of cake left and requested a small box to put the cake away. To our surprise, the waiter refused to give a box saying that this can’t be done without giving any reason. The issues raised above may not be that serious, but you add all of these up and it does affect the restaurant experience badly. This is also in light of the restaurant’s own high reputation and quality it delivered in the first few years of business. The attention to detail and treating customers well is really not there. What was once what they appeared to aspire in best-in-class has now been relegated to making customers feel like they have a £ sign over their head. A serious disappointment and I sincerely hope they can reach those previous high levels again.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Seher 2 years ago on Google
    Wow best Indian restaurant. Owner was very welcoming and friendly. Food was delicious couldn’t fault anything. Highly recommend their masala chips!!! I must say their portions for the main was huge, worth the money you’re spending honestly. The waitress kindly gave us takeaway boxes which was great. Highly recommend their bubblegum daiquiri it was so good! They were very busy but we got seated quick and the service was fast. I’m definitely going back! Free private parking also available behind the restaurant.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Salim P. 2 years ago on Google
    A truely amazing indian restaurant in the heart of East London. Ample free car spaces behind the building. A huge marque at the back too for events. This place is huge. Ideal for birthdays, parties and celebrations. Must try: Samosa Chaat Masala chips Shahi lamb curry Fried ice cream One of the best halal indian restaurant in the area. They cater food for many weddings, simply because their food in superb. Salim Patel
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Issra L. 1 year ago on Google
    Unfortunately my husband & returned having had a wonderful experience here 2 year prior. One thing saffron kitchen was notorious for was consistency, however this was sadly anything but that. Our experience started off on the wrong foot as our waiter seated us beside a heavily used area & open kitchen with BINS in our view. We reiterated that we didn’t want to sit here as we have come to dine not be distracted by the kitchen. The restaurant was empty & we suggested an alternative low traffic area as we came to dine with my child & didn’t want to be disturbed by the ongoings of waiters & kitchen staff. The waiter alerted what seemed like the owner who refused & told us to sit in another high traffic area. Reluctantly we accepted & sat. Our neighbouring table was seated so close to us my 4 year old son joined in their conversation. They also did state on numerous occasions that the recipes had changed & the food was bland. The chicken biryani was mushy but covered in a pilau rice on top to mask this. The chicken in it was also burnt which we complained about. The owner stated “my biryani is always mushy” not very helpful. He gave us an additional pilau rice which did little to help the matter. The “lamb” chops were also mutton chops & badly presented. The bhuna ghosht was absolutely bland much to our surprised. It was merely doused in food colouring for presentation. The meat was also tough & frozen meat. This was obvious from the quality. The waiter also kept coming to our table & disturbing us with taking dishes away we were yet to finish. We had to tell him to leave us alone. The large table behind us was incredibly loud & the atmosphere was a massive change from what was. We added salt to every single dish as they were so bland. The only enjoyable thing was the masala fries. We decided against packing the biryani when we found more burnt pieces of chicken. When we complained to the owner he said “it’s only two pieces of burnt chicken”. This is quality control. You cannot serve paying customers even a grain of burnt rice. When we told the owner to take the biryani off the bill, he said “the minute we came in….” & decided not to finish. Over all unprofessional. We feel saffron kitchen no longer stands for authentic Asian flavours & quality. Sadly we will not be returning.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Mubin A. 8 months ago on Google
    Saffron kitchen Service: 3.5/5 Food: overall 4/5 - Dhaal Makni / Passion Fruit Daiquiri (extremely sweet) / Masala Chips/ Tandoori Nan / Mix Chaat Platter / Mix Grill / Chicken Handi / King Prawn Bhuna / Lamb Biryani. Venue: 5/5 huge car park at the back of the venue always a plus point. Great that the venue also has a prayer room. Clean washroom and great deco.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 ashik a. 1 year ago on Google
    Always a great experience. Great food great service. Importantly the prices are not extortionate. The old guy....'uncle' always looks out for the customers whe. He is there....its one of my favourite Indian Pakistani spiced restaurants. Also ample parking. Make sure you book as it can get very busy.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Rob H. 4 months ago on Google
    Heard about this place long time ago, only visited very recently. It was a very busy Saturday evening but we didn’t wait too long as it was only for 2, however going there in large group could make you wait a bit longer. Service was great, decor was decent and the food was absolutely delicious, especially the lamb chops and the lamb bhuna curry that we had. The pricing was ok I won’t complain about that. Highly recommended and I will return again for sure.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Siddiqa K. 9 months ago on Google
    My friends and I visited this place when it opened, so it wasn't busy at all. The service was impeccable, food was delivered, and the table was cleared up in a timely manner. The waiters and waitresses were ready and waiting to assist us in any way we needed. Lastly, the food was beyond delicious! Everything we ordered was full of flavour, perfectly cooked and served fresh. It may not seem like it either, but the porrion sizes were huge. We weren't sure whether to get more food or not, and we're glad we didn't because we just about managed to wipe our plates clean. I really can't fault this place, and all I want is to go back!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Rimon A. 6 months ago on Google
    Overall a very good experience. Second time going there. I am not for one to go to a curry based restaurant, but their curries are good, mixed grill wasn't too heavily masala flavouring based and everything was cooked well. Went with the whole family and the restaurant is setup up nicely for families and couples
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 franzesca s. 4 months ago on Google
    This is a must visit for everyone who lives in the area. The restaurant is quite big and can accommodate couples as well as big groups. On the weekends is always busy however I never had to make a reservation, you simply wait no more than 10/15 min and they easily accorate you. I dine there with friends and we always had a great experience with the food, that offers meat, fish and vegan and vegetarian options. Here you can order alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails. This restaurant has 2 restrooms and a prayer room for man and one for women. The staff is friendly. I recommend it!

  • 4/5 Davidthatguyyouknow 8 months ago on Google
    The Mango Lassi & Masala chips were absolutely amazing & was the gem from my entire meal. The chicken 65 chow mein dish was good however very average & standard. (Probably should’ve ordered authentic Indian dishes) Shoutout to 09 with the save 🤞🏿 R hold your L you jokeman

  • 4/5 Sana 9 months ago on Google
    This place is always busy and I'd recommend booking if you would like a table especially on the weekends. Personally I feel like the curries could be improved on as the butter chicken I tried lacked spices. However their chicken nambali, masala chips, dahi puri and fried ice cream are some items I would recommend trying. They have on site free parking which is great.

  • 5/5 Nazmul H. 3 months ago on Google New
    I have been to this restaurant before. This time visited again for a Christmas dinner from my workplace. Food was great as usual, service was great as well. Very nice waiters. The restaurant was full yet they have been able to provide food and service without much waiting. The price was reasonable. Free parking available behind the restaurant. Wish to return again.

  • 5/5 Asef K. 6 months ago on Google
    The foods are brilliant! I can tell it’s mostly Kashmiri menu which I love and it has a section for indo-Asian, I would totally recommend Bao buns and dhamaka. I like how they present Tandoori chai like a little show and entertainment and it was sure send a warm sweet sensation down the throat. I came here for my birthday treat and came back again few days after! Avoid pani puri at all cost as the money isn’t worth spending on that

  • 5/5 K B. 8 months ago on Google
    For one thing, you will feel neither cheated nor disappointed. The portions are big, the drinks are decent, the kinder bueno milkshake wasn’t that great. Other than that, service was excellent and quick. Very modern decor and very clean.

  • 3/5 Shakil M R. 1 year ago on Google
    1. Food is great 2. Very clean and nicely decorated 3. Foods served promptly 4. Convenient Parking Things that can be better: 1. Staffs are expected to be more welcoming. 2. Reservation/pre-booking system did not work. More organised reservation/pre-booking will be appreciated. 3. Price is much higher than the standard of the restuarant.

  • 4/5 Dowel A. 1 year ago on Google
    We went for dinner and unsurprisingly it was busy, but the staff were helpful in accommodating our group of 9 which would have been difficult to fit in. Parking may be an issue but there is a side road opposite the restaurant which is convenient, I can't say if there are restrictions during the day but it could get busy as it's on a main road. They managed to get a table to fit the whole group without inconveniencing other customers, which was nicely decorated and tidy. The food itself was served relatively quickly, the usual curries, rice and naan. The portions were typical, but the prices are a bit higher than usual restaurants. Otherwise it was a nice place for group bookings.

  • 5/5 Akber A. 1 year ago on Google
    Come here after very long time and I must say the food is always good. Service on point and free parking at the back of restaurant has lots of parking spaces

  • 5/5 Mrs R. 1 year ago on Google
    My brother took us out to dinner tonight and we came here since it was my first time. Even though it was busy, we were given a table within minutes. He ordered the masala chips, lamb chops and chicken jalfrezi for me which I must say was very tasty. Overall great food, will recommend to others👍🏻


Call +44 20 8988 1446 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Parking
    • ✓️ Free parking lot
    • ✓️ Plenty of parking
  • Payments
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Coffee
    • ✓️ Halal food
    • ✓️ Quick bite
    • ✓️ Small plates
    • ✓️ Late-night food
    • ✓️ Vegetarian options
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible toilet
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible seating
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible car park
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible entrance
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Brunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Dessert
    • ✓️ Seating
    • ✓️ Catering
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✓️ Delivery
    • ✓️ Takeaway

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