In the UAE, Tresind is a name synonymous with class, bold flavours and the kind of opulence that Dubai does particularly well.
Since opening in 2014, chef Himanshu Saini‘s three-Michelin-starred restaurant Tresind Studio has built a reputation for its modern approach to traditional Indian cuisine. Now, these much-celebrated flavours have arrived in one of London’s most exclusive neighbourhoods, Mayfair.
First impressions
Mayfair is already home to luxury real estate, designer boutiques and five-star hotels, so it is only fitting that it was chosen for Tresind’s first outpost outside the Middle East and India. The restaurant is a short walk away from the bustle of Regent Street, its exterior almost deliberately understated, with golden lettering and a maitre d’ at the door.
Step in, and it is a different world. Dim lighting, warm leather accents and plush velvet booths set the tone, with a 3D mural in the shape of the Indian subcontinent on the wall. Below, a basement bar offers a more contemporary setting, perfect for those extending their evening after the meal.
The menu
Tresind Mayfair currently offers 12-course vegetarian and non-vegetarian tasting menus, both priced at £125 ($165) per person.
The first dish is a reimagined pani-puri, offering a twist on the beloved Indian street snack, filled with carrot kanji and pickled pineapple: a bright, precise balance of sweet and sour. It is followed by a chaat that transforms watermelon into something closer to sushi in texture. The third, an artichoke “shawarma” with za’atar, is a quiet tribute to the Middle East.
The courses that follow keep the pace. A Tresind signature, the mushroom “chai” – an earthy, wholesome broth – is poured into teacups with a touch of theatre. A tender lamb chop with rosemary vindaloo comes alongside a bite-sized sanna (Goan rice cake) with chimichurri chutney. A crab ghee roast is served with a dal vada waffle and a dollop of curry-leaf honey.
Every dish is introduced by the server, and the presentation throughout is impeccable.
Another Tresind signature, the khichdi of India, is given a ceremonial treatment: a cart arrives tableside, featuring special ingredients from different Indian states, stirred together in front of the diner.
Dessert takes the form of pandan payesh – vanilla yoghurt with sour milk ice cream and milk crisp – the restaurant’s take on milk barfi and milk pudding.
It is creamy and airy, a light finish to a rich meal. The final flourish is a coffee stone: to the eye, an unremarkable piece of chocolate, but let it rest on the tongue and the shell dissolves, releasing a rush of coffee.
Standout dishes
It would be reductive to name just one, so here are two.
The tortellini with Gorgonzola dolce, served over smoked chicken makhani and chilli jam, is Tresind’s version of butter chicken. The tortellini oozes cheese, the makhani is beautifully spiced, and the dish carries an irresistible smokiness. As our server stated, you do not miss the naan.
The prawns and asparagus with zeera aloo espuma and tomato rasam is also worth noting. The prawn is slow-cooked and tender, the potato espuma is silky, and the dish is crowned with a flower crafted from dosa batter. Sipping the rasam alongside it is particularly comforting.
The verdict
Tresind Mayfair is not trying to compete with London’s many excellent Indian restaurants. Instead, it is working to redefine Indian fine dining as a full sensory experience, one that carries the flavours of the subcontinent and the flair of the Middle East into one of London’s grandest postcodes. It delivers on both counts.
Contact information
Tresind Mayfair, on 13-14 Hanover Street, is open from 5.30pm to 11.30pm from Monday to Saturday.
Reservations can be made by calling 0044 800 369 9555.
This review was conducted at the invitation of the restaurant