The restaurant could do with some enhancements, but the food is perfect.
I've ordered a couple of times from this place and never found a problem.
Went on a busy Saturday night with 2 friends and a 1 year old in a pushchair. They found us an table next to the window where we could park the pushchair - excellent.
As usual, Cafe Nawaz delivered the goods as far a food goes - but they really went out of their way to fit us in on a very busy Saturday night. The place is BYO so grab something before you go. There is no "corkage charge" nonsense.
I love this place - even when it's busy. And it's great to find a child-friendly restaurant near me.
Oh, and the little one approves of the garlic naans!
Why lie you know its GOOD!!!!
My boyfriend and I came here from another curry house which had had a power cut, and were starving. Having just come back from India, we were craving some fresh, well spiced cuisine.
I ordered a chickpea masala which, when it appeared, was a yellow, korma type dish - chickpeas floating in a creamy coconut sauce which had clearly come out of a packet, not an onion to be seen. We asked for a spicy potatoes instead which came out within 2 mins (always a bad sign when the cook has nothing to do to prepare your food). This consisted of preboiled potatoes floating in a slightly darker and slightly off, sweet, coconut sauce - again blended, and clearly from a packet.
Boyfriend's nawaz special was the same sauce as the potatoes but with chicken.
All in all the food was uninspiring, flavourless, sweet and entirely without spice!
What a shame, especially as Cafe Nawaz brand themselves as 'fine Indian cuisine'. A Lloyd Grossman sauce would have been preferable.
We called in advance to check that they'd be open on Sat lunchtime and we're reassured by the Manager that they would be. However on arrival (7 of us hovering on the doorstep!) they were in the middle of cleaning and were def not opening for lunch.
Very frustrating - please, Cafe Nawaz, decide when you're open and advertise the dates so we can turn up when you're serving food!
Another good meal last night. 5 of us, incl our 6 yr old nephew, who was made a great fuss of by the friendly staff.
Good food, good service, good value, good luck to them.
Visited last night for the first time, and will definately be going back. Forgot it was "take your own" but drank soft drinks and wasnt a problem. Good range of dishes and good to be able to try some new things. Pistachio Chicken was very good, and Tandoori King Prawn shashlic started well but had begun to dry out by the time we finished. good buzzy atmousphere and helpful staff. Meal for 2 came to £28, and I cant remember the last time that happened!
Ate here for the first time last night. Interesting range of dishes, good service, food which appeared to be freshly cooked, pleasant modern restaurant design, and the other tables around us all seemed to be happy regulars.
Starters, mains, rice, bread, raita and soft drinks for two came to around £25.
Thanks to all the SE1'ers who've tipped this place up. We'll be back. Can't believe it took us so long to visit (esp. given that there's not another stand-out Indian in my bit of SE1).
Went for the first time last night for dinner. What a great place, had a 2 course meal for the two of us - came to £23 in total, and that included popadoms. You don't get dinner for that price in London! Friendly service, tasty meals and a nice buzz in a full restaurant.
Can it be any better than this ?
Great food, BYO drinks, friendly staff and pleasant environment at great prices. Cafe Nawaz is a real gem in SE1. I cannot praise it highly enough. I must have been there a dozen times in the last 12 months and every time was great. They also have a really prompt delivery service too !
The "SE1 Lunch Club" went here for lunch. We chose the "buffet for a fiver".
We had a choice of chicken curry, potato curry, veggie curry, onion bhajis, rice and nan bread. Eat as much as you want - and we did!
When the food ran out it was topped up with freshly prepared - not great vats of it sitting around for ages.
Tasty, hot and excellently spiced. The place does not have a licence for alcohol - but has an excellent range of drinks - we like the alcohol free Cobra!
The staff are really friendly and the decor is just right for a restaurant.
Can't really fault the place - it seems to be building its own reputation as a place that serves great food at a very reasonable price.
I ate here again - it really is a gem!
Ate at Cafe Nawaz again tonight, and had another fantastic meal. The prices are very reasonable and being able to BYO is an added bonus. I used to go to Simply Indian, but the quality of the food started to go downhill.
Can thoroughly recommend Cafe Nawaz for its delightful staff, spotless interior and delicious food.
If you read these reviews, anyone who has actually eaten at Cafe Nawaz is raving about the food! My husband and I have eaten there a half a dozen times now and it is our favorite indian food around. And if the prices were any cheaper....they'd be losing money. Every dish we've had is excellent and the service is great, with excellent english spoken....have no idea who posted that review about the language impediment - highly reccomend this retaurant, you will not be dissapointed.