Fulham High Street has a great many places to eat, but few have a story quite like Pure Indian Cooking. Since 2015, this modern Indian restaurant has been serving food that feels at once familiar and refreshingly new. Two Taj-trained founders, a chef with Michelin and French kitchen experience, and a firm belief in fresh ingredients have made it one of Fulham's best-loved Indian dining rooms.
Where it all began
Pure Indian Cooking is owned by the husband-and-wife team of Faheem Vanoo and Chef Shilpa Dandekar. Both started their careers with the famed Taj Group in India. That shared beginning still shapes the restaurant today: the discipline of a great hotel kitchen, the warmth of Indian hospitality, and an eye for detail that runs from the first papad to the last petit four.
Their roles fit together naturally. Faheem handles the business and runs the front of house, and Shilpa runs the kitchen. In her words, it has given her "so much freedom to perfect dishes and to experiment."
A chef shaped by many kitchens
Shilpa's path to Fulham took in some of London's most respected kitchens. As a hotel management student with the Taj Group, she learned classical Indian cookery and was exposed to a wide range of international techniques. When she came to the UK, she cooked everywhere from Tootsie's to pub kitchens, learning how small restaurants really work.
She then joined Quilon, one of the first Indian restaurants in the UK to earn a Michelin star, where she saw first-hand the discipline needed to win and keep that recognition. Next came a bold change of direction: classical French cuisine at Raymond Blanc's Brasserie Blanc. Starting again as a chef de partie, she learned from Raymond Blanc and his right-hand man Clive Fretwell how techniques such as making beautiful stocks bring intensity and purity of flavour to simple dishes. Her hard work led to her becoming head chef of Brasserie Blanc's second branch, at Bank in the City.
All of that experience comes together at Pure Indian Cooking. The food is true to Shilpa's Indian culinary roots, but it also reflects everything she has learned along the way.
"Great ingredients also inspire great dishes — it's as simple as that."Chef Shilpa Dandekar
The philosophy: tradition with a modern twist
The idea behind the restaurant is simple: bring the heritage of Indian cooking to life with a modern twist. That means the freshest ingredients, careful technique and dishes that look as good as they taste.
You can see it across the menu. The Tandoori Duck pairs Barbary duck breast with whole spices and a citrus chilli coriander jus. The Orange & Tamarind Chicken Tikka is served with sprout salad and curried yoghurt. And the Pan Seared Scallops come with a coconut and matcha tea sauce, balsamic strawberries and roasted hazelnuts.
Alongside these sit the classics guests return for: a slow-cooked Homestyle Lamb Curry on the bone, Maharashtrian-style Lamb Sukke, overnight Dal Makhani, fragrant biryanis and Shilpa's own Halibut Fish Curry.
A menu for every kind of visit
- À la carte: papad and chaat, the clay oven, all-time favourites, game, seafood and a full vegetarian selection.
- Early dinner: available every day from 5.30–6.30pm, at £27 for two courses or £33 for three.
- Weekend set lunch: on Saturdays and Sundays, at £21 for two courses or £25 for three.
- Tasting menu: Chef Shilpa's full journey through the kitchen at £68 per person, from pani puri shots and tandoori lamb chops to lamb sukke and a gulab jamun chocolate brownie.
Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free guests are well looked after, and every menu clearly marks allergens.
From the bar and the cellar
The drinks list is built to go with spice. Try a Delicate Saffron Gimlet, a Chilli Mango Margarita made with house-infused chilli tequila, or the Smoking Jim Old Fashioned with clove smoke. Non-drinkers have Kokum Sharbat, a delicacy of India's west coast. The wine list runs from Grover's wines from Karnataka in India to Burgundy, Rioja and Champagne, and the spirits include Amrut Fusion, an Indian single malt.
Celebrations and private dining
Pure Indian Cooking is a natural choice for birthdays, anniversaries, business dinners and family gatherings. The team also creates experiences tailored to each guest, from cosy private parties to extravagant weddings, and can arrange larger catering events. Find out more about private dining and catering.
A neighbourhood restaurant at heart
The restaurant sits at 67 Fulham High Street, London SW6 3JJ, just a four-minute walk from Putney Bridge Underground station. Families and children are welcome, and so are small, well-behaved dogs.
Plan your visit
Pure Indian Cooking is open Monday to Friday from 5.30pm to 11pm, Saturday from 1pm to 11pm and Sunday from 1pm to 10pm. You can book a table online, browse the full menus, or order online for collection and delivery. To talk to the team, call 020 7736 2521.
We look forward to welcoming you.
Book a table at Pure Indian Cooking
67 Fulham High Street, London SW6 3JJ · 020 7736 2521
