Found on King Street, just a little way from Queen Square, The Raj is a family-run Indian restaurant passed down through generations. Originally founded in 1981 by Feroze Ahmed, his son Hasan has taken on the business, breathing new life into one of Bristol's longest-standing restaurants. In fact, Feroze Ahmed is credited with opening Bristol’s first ever Indian restaurant in 1970, the Taj Mahal. Today, that pioneering legacy lives on, through a menu that draws on heritage dishes from across India. Inside, the dining room is atmospheric, featuring elements that reference the famous peaked dome of the Taj Mahal, alongside stained glass partitions and bar seating.
The Raj menu kicks off with poppadoms and pickle trays, alongside vegetable and lamb samosas, onion bhaji, and shami kebabs. From the tandoor come charred classic proteins like chicken, chicken tikka, seekh kebab, and tandoori lamb chops, alongside a tandoori mixed grill that’s perfect for people who struggle with big decisions.
Other main dishes offer a choice of proteins and vegetarian alternatives. Think tandoori shaslik kebabs with chunky onions, tomatoes and peppers, mughlai biryani with quality basmati, saffron and your choice of medium vegetable dish. There’s also malaya curry (similar to a korma, just with pineapple and a few extra additions), pasanda, tikka masala, and a rich and buttery makhani curry. All offer a choice of chicken, chicken tikka, prawn, kofta, lamb, or paneer. Other fan favourite curries include a fiery vindaloo, plus madras, dhansak, jalfrezi, rogan josh, dupeaza, and many more.
To match, The Raj menu offers up side dishes like chana masala, aloo, okra, saag paneer, brinjal (aubergine), and a whole host of sundries, which stretch from chilli, garlic, and peshwari naan breads, to mushroom pilau rice, chapati, porata, raitha, side salads and more. There’s also an early bird set menu with major discounts, in addition to a vegan menu and a menu specifically for children.