Cinnamon Bazaar Richmond

Vivek Singh’s ‘Bazaar’ concept is the most casual family member from his acclaimed Cinnamon Collection, swapping Indian fine dining for modern street food and a buzzy, laid-back atmosphere. Apparently, it's exactly the sort of restaurant that Richmond’s residents were waiting for. The place is heaving on our visit, and we can see the appeal, for it offers a please-all combination of friendly service, chilled vibes and dynamic, properly delicious food that doesn’t take the biscuit on cost.

Unlike a standard curry house, Cinnamon Bazaar has been imagined with a distinctly modern touch. The decor is bright, loud and colourful, with playful quirks sprinkled throughout. The ceiling, for example, has been plastered with newspaper clippings to create a distinctive paper mâché effect, while a vibrant colour palette of pinks, greens and peach tones brings to life the eclectic vibe of a traditional Indian market.

We suggest starting with a selection of chaats and working your way up to the larger, super-charged ‘bazaar’ plates. We gleefully pop dahi puri (crisp semolina shells) into our mouth, each one exploding with tangy tamarind chutney, spiced potato and cooling yoghurt. The mains are excellent too – think meltingly soft, slow-cooked ox cheek with a punchy vindaloo sauce - but the sides are the glue that hold the meal together. A doughy slab of peshwari naan is filled with the addictively sweet crumble of nuts and sugar – a masterful tool for scooping up generous mouthfuls of its creamy house black dal. To finish, a gorgeous twist on sticky toffee pudding combines moist carrot and ginger sponge, banana ice cream and toffee sauce. What’s not to like?

Staff remain attentive despite being rushed off their feet, and we finish our meal feeling well-looked after and well fed. This is the second Cinnamon Bazaar site to open in London (the first is in Covent Garden) and it’s already off to a flying start.

Cinnamon Bazaar is another opening from prolific restaurateur Vivek Singh, the visionary behind London's beloved Cinnamon Club and Cinnamon Kitchen. This venture brings Indian cuisine to the suburb of Richmond and takes inspiration from the lively atmosphere of Indian bazaars - where goods, flavours and ideas were traditionally exchanged. 

Just a few steps from Richmond station, the restaurant's vibrant backdrop of neon lights and bold illustrations aims to transport diners to India's eclectic street food markets. The dining room is pepped up with pops of colour, while traditional trinkets scattered throughout the room add a sense of authenticity. For more relaxed dining, guests can take a seat on the al fresco terrace, preferably with a drink in hand as they watch the world go by. 

The menus at Cinnamon Bazaar Richmond have been devised by Vivek and Rakesh Singh and are a real celebration of Indian cuisine, offering sharing plates that seamlessly blend traditional flavours with more contemporary twists. It's open all day, which means you can find everything from breakfast and brunch to lunch, dinner and drinks on offer here.

Breakfast menus fuse together the best of English and Indian cuisine, offering Bombay scrambled eggs and a selection of signature flatbreads. Whereas, larger plates pack a punch with dishes including the ‘Toddy Shop’ pepper fry served with stir-fried shrimps and curry leaf, as well as indulgent plant-based dishes such as the vegan josh shepherd’s pie featuring a combination of root vegetables and soya nuggets. The highlight of this dining experience is sure to be the roaming chaat trolley, serving Indian street food favourites such as smoked pineapple with caramel puffed rice.

Drinks are also not to be missed, with a selection of carefully curated cocktails such as a Gud Old Fashioned and a Cinnamon Bellini. Elsewhere, you can find wines, fine wines, beers, spirits and ciders on the list.