Kayal in Leicester

First time that I have been to Kayal in Leicester. Tried Kayal in Leamington recently and it was the best Indian food I have ever had. Kayal Leicester was every bit as good. Wonderfully flavoured and cooked food. Not too oily, not crazy spicy, just a perfect blend of flavours and textures and interestingly different dishes, not just run-of-the-mill Indian.

Stunningly beautiful restaurant with a wonderful atmosphere and lengthy menu choice. The food was out of this world! Definitely worth the price you pay for it as its definitely not your run of the mill curry house. The only reason why it lost a star, was that the service was a little slower than expected but they were rammed and things naturally took a little longer. Other than that the staff were fantastic and friendly and we were very impressed overall.

Leicester is a city with many Indian restaurants and a rich history of multi-cultural tradition. It is no small feat therefore, for Kayal (and it’s sister location herb) to be up there as one of the best restaurants in the city. The service is the perfect combination of capable and yet reserved. The food is good value and comes in really good portions (especially the business lunch) and the food tastes fantastic. I can’t recommend this restaurant enough and me and my friend get lunch here at least once a month. P.S. Motorcycles are badass!

This might be the best curry I’ve ever had! Unbelievably good. It was quiet but don’t let it put you off. My tilapia could have fed two people easily.

Amazing food. Highly recommend the mix seafood curry. Abin was really lovely and made sure we were well looked after. He took great care making sure all my food was gluten free (as I have celiac disease).

Friendly and helpful and some of the food was good. Veg Thali was generic. Sadly the waiting staff didn't seem to comprehend what gluten free means. They served my dessert (part of the thali) - I asked if it was gluten free. The waiter said yes. I started to eat it then thought I would check the dish myself on the menu. It contained vermicelli which is made with wheat. I told the waiter it wasn't gluten free so he offered me a vegan dessert. Clearly lacked training in the field. Luckily for me I had only eaten a tiny bit and I don't have a bad allergy but for someone who does need to be very careful this probably isn't the place for you to eat. I did email the restaurant to tell them but have had no response.

I've visited a number of times over the years and always enjoy it. Food is excellent, and the menu caters well for veggie, vegan, and gluten free. Good weekday lunch deals. Service is excellent. Booking advised.

Came to celebrate a friend's birthday and had my first fish curry and I will certainly be back for another . It was gorgeous and a very generous portion. We had a bread made with i think rice flower and coconut which is definitely one to try. The atmosphere and service excellent. Thankyou Sree for a great dining experience.

Good restaurant to try out authentic Kerala cuisine. Service was great, they made us feel comfortable with food to try out in the restaurant though this not being our first time visiting the restaurant.

Brilliant experience, highly recommend for the atmosphere and superb food. Hosted friends visiting from Europe and decided to go to Kayal as a staple Indian restaurant and wasn't disappointed.

Best Indian meal I've had in ages. Quite a few dishes that were new to our group - all superb

We booked the private room upstairs to celebrate my mum's 70th birthday. From start to finish we had an amazing experience at Kayal. Lobo was on hand to help with the planning phase…It was like no question was too silly and he took the time to answer all our questions, making great recommendations about the menu choice and itinerary for the day. He really made us feel supported throughout The restaurant was accommodating, providing a projector, microphone and decorations that were beautiful. The food was excellent, including catering to the vegetarians and vegans among our guests. On the big day all the staff looked after us so well, making sure everything went smoothly. They even surprised my mum with a beautiful bunch of flowers. My mum thoroughly enjoyed her party thanks to the fantastic Kayal army!😁 I'd definitely recommend Kayal to anyone planning a special event.

We were a pre booked party of six at peak time and the service was excellent despite how busy the restaurant was. Sidhu was an excellent attentive and friendly waiter , the food was first class and the alcohol chai tea was very nice. All in all a great dining experience.

Excellent food, wide range of choices for vegans, vegetarians and ceoliac. Beautiful decor and great atmosphere. The wait staff are friendly and ready to answer any questions.

Best Indian food I've ever had! I went with a group from work and everyone is still taking about it. Not your standard curry house except to try something different.

I recently had the pleasure of trying the Paal Kappa and Beef Curry . I must say, it was an absolute delight! The flavors were perfectly balanced, and the combination of the creamy Paal Kappa and the rich, spicy Beef Curry was simply irresistible. A special thanks to Anna, Sreelaj, and Abin for their excellent service. They were friendly, attentive, and made the dining experience even more enjoyable. I highly recommend this dish to anyone who appreciates authentic flavors.

I visit this place occasionally. Always good food, good service. I recommend to everybody, you will not regret.

Visited today with Family and the ambience is very good and also the decorum is really amazing… Staffs were very friendly and very good service… There is no choice for spiciness that made us bit disappointed and most of the dishes are very expensive…

The decor of the shop is quite impressive. However, the food quality is rather disappointing and can only be rated a 1 out of 10. The Special Tali is priced at £23.89, which is quite expensive considering its lack of taste.

Good food with best ambience,especially seafood biryani.And customer service is too good,the guy ‘SREE’ with good service and help us to choose the food.

Not authentic Kerala taste. Felt the food is meant for the non malayali PPL. Overpriced

Went as part of a birthday group last weekend, first time I'd visited for ages. Food still some of the best in Leicester, service great and good to see a restaurant properly staffed and pretty much fully booked. Lots of unusual options on the menu instead of same old same old. Not the cheapest but still much better value than a lot of the competition. Won't leave it so long next time

I had a very good curry, but the calamari I ordered as a starter tasted like they were from Iceland.

The choice of my selection got me right. Kallu shapu meen curry was the best choice that I have ever tasted in my life.This is so called spice kerala curry which I have ever tasted in UK.

As a Malayalee (keralite), I have to say that the food did not meet our expectation. Was very mild, not spicy like in Kerala. I wouldn’t recommend the food to other Malayalees. The ambience was very nice though and normal waiting time for the food. The staff was nice too.

Wonderful ambience. Fantastic food. Friendly staff. Would definitely recommend to my friends and family.

I go to Kayal often also use it for meetings during lunch hours, never had a bad meal 🥘 the staff are always friendly, highly recommend this place.

Great place to try authentic Indian food. Nice staff . I just loved it .. the interior is nice and takes U to a different world.

I saw a lot of amazing reviews for Kayal and have never had food from Kerala. The service and food here was amazing and I can’t wait to go back. Everything tasted fresh and the atmosphere was pleasant. The Prawn Curry was really good and different from what I typically get at an Indian restaurant.

Really tasty food especially the biryanni which was lovely and moist. My parents visited and the staff were very attentive. Would recommend. Adi Mebin served us, very nice and helpful

Best Indian food I’ve had in a while.. really authentic flavours, will definitely be revisiting in the near future

All of the food was amazing, we ordered lots of food and all of them are delicious! Thomas was in charge of our table and was super friendly and helpful. We had a complaint about the squid being a bit stringy despite its good taste, thomas and the team handled it really well by giving us more prawns as a substitute.

Everything was lovely. Food, service and atmosphere superb. Food was very well presented and everything tasted lovely

Amazing food not your typical Indian home made dipping sauce good wine list excellent service We will definitely return

we've been a few times now and have loved it every time! lovely atmosphere, good food, excellent service and very reasonable prices. it has become a regular spot since our first time visiting and we always try and go every time we come up to Leicester

Totally delicious! Loved both by vegetarian daughter and meat eaters in the family. The chicken curry and dumpling dish was the favourite.

Kayal not serving Indian food. So Non-Indians whoever visiting this restaurant, please don't think that this is the original Indian food

This is a really nice place and claims to be 2023 Leicester curry award winner. The decor and feel of the place is really nice. We didn't recognise much on the menu so asked for advice. The advice was spot on and three of us (1 is vegan) thoroughly enjoyed our meals. Staff were friendly, on the ball and very helpful. It wasn't the cheapest but you get what you pay for. I can't wait to go back again and take my better half so she can enjoy it too.

Kayak was a fabulous dining experience. You are really looked after the moment you step through the door! The menu choices were brilliant. It's the first time we'd been to an Indian restaurant with dishes from the Kerala region. We had this amazing potato dish for a starter that is folded at the table and sliced for you. It was soooo tasty. Then we had the fish curry and a salmon dish, both incredibly delicious 😋. Our friend books the restaurant for all her friends and family that visit her in Leicester. You won't regret eating here!

Family night out and not disappointed with the service or food. If ever want to try South Indian food than this is a place to try out at least once. I thoroughly enjoyed their dry Fish and chicken for starters and also their Chicken and Fish curries for mains! We ordered Paneer / Daal Fry for too but that was too bland for me. But overall food was good and would recommend to try once.

Friendly staff. Nice food. Great atmosphere. Can be busy at times. Highly recommended.

Excellent service! On entry, a little crammed in terms of spacing, but then you have to get as many tables in as possible, right? High chairs provided and placed for you. Outstanding service with ordering, advising of dishes and expectations of food. The wait wasn't too long at all considering there was quite a few of us, and it was all well cooked and correct temperature. I'd taken food for my infant with me, which the staff were more than happy to heat up, and even provide a serving dish and spoon. They have a great range of veg options, curries, seafood and except the duck and pork, all is halal! Parking isn't available outside but the venue is surrounded by car parks. Overall, a great evening!

We had a great dinner , what a service , we really liked it

Food was ok. Not bad but too pricey for what you get. U get better Indian in central London for that price

Me and my friends dined at this restaurant and had the pleasure of being assisted by Sreelal, the assistant manager. His exceptional service and professionalism stood out from the moment we arrived. Sreelal went above and beyond to ensure our dining experience was perfect. He was attentive, courteous, and made sure we were well taken care of throughout our meal. The food was absolutely delicious, with every dish beautifully prepared and full of flavor. From start to finish, the experience was seamless, thanks to Sreelal’s dedication and the team’s excellent service. I highly recommend this restaurant for anyone looking for great food and top-notch service!

Fantastic service by all the staff. Food was delicious. It was a bit pricey but can’t complain with anything that I ordered. All good, portion size could be a bit bigger to reflect the price but overall would visit again. Staff are brilliant - thank you all

Great quality food, very attentive staff. Lobo and Anna were very patient with two kids we had and a food allergy. Excellent visit

Food is amazing. Just amazing....nothing else to add

Unusual and excellent meal. Great atmosphere and evening.

We visited here on Saturday after watching the Rugby. We were six adults and four kids. The staff were incredibly friendly and looked after us and the kids really well. I have been to Nottingham branch before so I was hoping for the same quality of food and I was not disappointed. The food was so delicious, it was the best lamb curry I have had in a while and the restaurant is family friendly. I definitely recommend the restaurant.

Waiter was very informative about the dishes on the menu.

Great experience in Kayal Restaurant, amazing ambience, excellent hospitality especially a staff member Aditya was outstanding and we were so pleased.

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Kayal, and I can confidently say it was an unforgettable experience! From the moment we walked in, the staff was incredibly attentive and friendly, ensuring that our every need was met with a smile. Each dish was a delightful explosion of flavors, beautifully presented and made with the freshest ingredients. I highly recommend trying their signature seafood platter; The spices were perfectly balanced. The ambiance of the restaurant added to the overall experience, creating a cozy yet vibrant atmosphere that made our meal even more enjoyable. Whether you’re looking for a casual dinner or a special celebration, Kayal is the perfect spot. If you’re in the area, do yourself a favor and visit Kayal. You won’t be disappointed! I can’t wait to return for another round of their delicious food and exceptional service. Thank you, Kayal, for a wonderful evening!

I had been to Kayal’s sister restaurant in Leicester, Herb, several times and decided to try here. It’s amazing. The food is outstandingly good, freshly prepared, well presented and packed with flavour. Service is fabulous, exactly the right level of attentiveness, politeness and helpfulness. A great addition was a table magician who was excellent (I understand he’s there every Thursday). This is a great restaurant. Ps Plenty of gluten free and veggie options too.

Beautiful & authentic Keralan food & really friendly service!

Our daughter is at university in Leicester and everytime we visit we make sure we eat here. It's just so good!

Visited last weekend and had a wonderful experience. The food was delicious, especially the Njandu curry, with generous portions and authentic taste. Special thanks to Stephin for his attentive service and to Sree for his polite and exceptional customer handling. We even received a generous discount on our final bill. Highly recommend and look forward to visiting again soon!

We had been for dinner on my birthday, the ambience and aervice was great, all were polite and kind. We had ordered Fish polichathu, appam, mutton stew, seafood platter everything was finger licking good. Good for celebrating birthday’s with friends and family.

10/10! Amazing food and service Thank you for a lovely evening. My self and my partner visited for a late night meal and we were not disappointed, A new favourite! I had an aubergine curry and they made it to my preference of spice and it was incredible. The flavours were amazing and the service was great. We couldn’t have asked for a better evening! Thank you very much and we hope to visit again soon.

Very good food. Not your typical curry house menu but all excellently made

Didn't respond to questions over WhatsApp. Disappointed.

Visited Leicester and went to kayal restaurant. Food was good especially the crab curry. More tailored more to the western taste. Manager sree and server Stephin was amazing, very friendly: catered to our needs. Happy overall. Would recommend again.

Delicious food, tilapia in sauce wrapped in a banana leaf! Absolutely out of this world with aromatic flavours! And we only had this dish because the beautiful lady, Mahi, serving us recommended it would be just what we wanted - actually saving us ordering twice as much food and spending more .

We had such a lovely evening! The service was impeccable and Sree was so welcoming and helpful. The food was SO tasty! We had the mixed starters with pickles and I had the Kathrika curry with lemon rice. Amazing! Kerala food is something else! Such a special evening in delightful surroundings. We always recommend Kayal to our friends as a great place to eat and they are so grateful that we told them about it! We come back time and again because the food the service and the atmosphere are so good!

I haven’t been here since 2016 and the memory of this place had stayed with me ever since. The Kozhi Kurumulagu had been one of the best curries I’d ever had last time, so I had to have it again on this rare visit to Leicester. Once again it was everything I remembered - beautifully prepared, good portion and wonderfully spiced. It was, again, one of the best curries I’d ever had - with impeccable service and gorgeous surroundings. My partner went for the Business Lunch and thoroughly enjoyed her vegetarian selection too. This restaurant keeps winning awards and after visiting, I’m sure you’ll see why. The menu might not be quite what you’d expect, but they specialise in South Indian cuisine and so much the better for it. Be adventurous with the menu - it’s outstanding.

Food was fantastic, lovely atmosphere too. Cannot recommend the food enough for vegetarians as well. Bhavmik was great for service too

I have been eating at Kayal since 2007. It used to be THE place to take people in Leicester. Sadly, as it's fame has grown it's quality has declined. Service is still first rate but the food, the food! Mutter paneer used to be a delicious rich sauce, and now it's weak and insipid. All dishes are following this pattern.. Secondly, the portions...They have become huge and served in a ceramic bowl. You used to get everything in little metal bowls and then a large plate to put everything on. I guess they got sick of washing up so now you get rice in a little metal bowl and the main dish in a pasta bowl....so how are you supposed to eat it? Are you expected to add the rice to the bowl of curry? Or drop the curry on the mountain of rice. Very bizarre. I still love their paper dosa but everything else has gone downhill. So sad to see one of my favourite places ruined. I won't be going back.

Kayal Restaurant in Leamington Spa showcased its finest delicacies today, offering a truly immersive experience. The restaurant's ambiance is both holistic and reminiscent of the serene backwaters. People from various ethnic backgrounds are drawn here, captivated by the exceptional food, inviting atmosphere, and outstanding service. The drive from Birmingham City Center to Leamington Spa is well worth it for this dining experience—I wouldn't hesitate to make the trip again.

I'm a food enthusiast and used to explore every new eatery when I was in Kerala. After hearing good reviews about Kayal restaurants, I decided to try it out with my family. We visited today but had a disappointing experience with the food. While your staff and their service were excellent, the taste of the food was quite poor and overpriced. My mother is an excellent cook, so I know what good food tastes like. I've been raised on delicious meals, so please don't try to justify the taste or quality of the food. Thank you.!

Our first time dining here and we'll definitely be back soon, super friendly staff, delicious food with a huge choice, thank you all so much.

Was visiting Leicester and daughter took us. It was wonderful. The food was amazing and couldn't eat it all. Definitely recommend 👌

We had the thalis. Beautiful 3 course meal with a little more food than I can eat. About 8 mini dishes for the main course. A mistake was made in the service but rectified quickly. Popular restaurant for good reason.

the delivery person was rude and left without giving me the delivery. I never got the confirmation that he is here and he started to argue that he has been waiting 30 minutes outside when I placed my order 45 minutes ago and according to him I should be waiting outside my house checking the map. Very disappointed and need a refund

Nice people, great food, big portions.

Went for the lunch time dosa meal. I opted for the non-veg, partner went for veg and kids chose dishes off the main menu. Overall, value for money. Portions are massive. My son opted for a prawn dish, which he was expecting to be spicy but it was more sweet and sour tasting on initial consumption with an aftertaste of spice, which was not to his liking (he would have preferred spicy throughout). Did not drink, so cannot comment on the price of drinks. The restaurant itself was nice but seemed "busy" in terms of the decor. Toilets were a bit cramped and can get busy also. All in all, a good experience.

Another fantastic meal at Kayal; never fails to disappoint. Mani was an excellent, friendly waitress. Thank you to all.

The best ever one! I had gone there yesterday! The best test ever and highly recommended!!

This was my first visit to Leicester Kayal restaurant. Beautiful atmosphere, fantastic food and great service from Lobo, Patel and Aditya. Highly recommended.

The food is always incredible here, the atmosphere is great and the staff are so lovely. Today we were helped by Patel, Aditya and Mahi who also made good friends with our baby boy - even holding him and showing him around (which he loved). So cute and kind. Would 10/10 recommend this place for good food and a good time.

Kayal, as always, has some of the best food you can enjoy in Leicester. The food being amazing is an understatment and thank you Mahi and all on making us feel very welcome.

Fantastic food and amazing atmosphere. Great service from Mahi, thank you for the service and will definitely visit again. This is my second visit and really enjoyed it.

Nice experience and thanks to waitress Mahi for her food service.

Was recommended this place. The service was excellent! Had their seabass dish including potatoes and rice. It was perfectly cooked and just right amount of spice for me. Their Tempranillo red wine was perfect! Would highly recommend 👌

I felt truly unhappy. We ordered beef ularthiyath, Nadan chicken curry, kallappam, palappam and chicken biriani. Only biriani was little tasty and rest all was tasteless. Food was not worthy highly overrated.

Beautiful atmosphere inside the restaurant. The interior design is authentic and well planned. The restrooms were clean and kid friendly. We ordered Kayal soup (5/5 stars), pineapple Poli (5/5), chicken dosa (5/5), Kayal sadhya non-veg Thali (5/5), thenga soru (coconut rice - 4/5), appam (5/5) and Kallushap meen (fish) curry (3.5/5), gulab jamun with ice cream (5/5), fried plantain with ice cream (5/5). The waitress, Ms. Mahi was so good at interacting with the kids, spot on with the food advice /choices. Ms. Mahi has a wonderful smile, patience and humility throughout the time we stayed there. One other waiter, Mr. Aditya was very good interacting with us and the kids. He did great with his part of the work with a beautiful smile. Overall, great authentic Kerala food. We highly recommend it!

There is no way to express my happineess that i have experienced at kayal restuarent leicester. The steward who taken the orders were brillient, that she explained the menu with all the ingrediance to give us correct understanding. The ambience is excelent that i was hesitsting to leave. Finaly , i would like to say that we had a differentiated experience of service from Aditya and Haripriya. Louis

Lovely meal to celebrate my daughters graduation,excellent service and delicious food and a lot different from a normal Indian restaurant

Perfect!!! Popped in on a whim and so glad we did. Really had the most delicious lunch. 😋. Looking forward to going back. Thank you!!.

The food was truly exceptional, offering a genuine taste of Kerala cuisine. Each dish was rich in flavor and prepared with great love and passion .The service was equally outstanding—prompt, courteous, and attentive, ensuring a delightful dining experience. I highly recommend this restaurant for anyone looking to enjoy authentic Kerala food with excellent service.

Fantastic food! Great service from Mahi and the rest of the staff. Walked in on a Wednesday evening and was immediately seated. Highly recommend the Lamb Dosas and the Chef's signature Cheera Erachi Curry. I loved the lime pickle as well. Might be my new favorite condiment.

MAHI was absolutely lovely,so welcome and the food was amazing

This is not for people who likes original Kerala foods. Especially the fish polichathu was disgusting(expensive also not a traditional style) .all foods are very very poor taste (like a sugar candy).

The service at [insert restaurant name] is top-notch! The staff is friendly, attentive, and goes above and beyond to ensure a memorable dining experience. Kudos to the entire team!”Especially to Mr Patel who served as both when my baby was 3 months old and now when she is 11 months old. Good service from him.

It was our son’s graduation and we decided to have lunch at Kayal. The staff were super friendly, had a lovely smile on them, although they were closing soon, they still accommodated us. The food was delicious and filling. Mahi, our hostess, was very knowledgeable and friendly and helped us choose the food. Amazing ambiance and relaxed atmosphere along with melodies music and great food. Time and money well spent. All in all happy 😃

I love this place for their lovely food such as the masala dosa and the spicy potatoes. I appreciate Mahi, the lady who served us. She was kind and caring towards the children and very helpful to us.

Service was fantastic, staff were very friendly and polite. I'm sorry to say that food was not 100% authentic Kerala taste. I think it is because they serve people from different cultures and countries. The ambience was bit cluttered/loud for me with so many hangings and displays of art. Altogether, it was a ok experience as I was looking for complete Kerala taste.

Kayal Restaurant in Leicester is renowned for its authentic South Indian cuisine, particularly its specialties from the coastal regions of Kerala. Here are some key highlights of the restaurant: Cuisine: Kayal is celebrated for its traditional South Indian dishes, including dosas, idlis, seafood, and various vegetarian options. The menu features a wide range of dishes that highlight the unique flavors and spices of Kerala. Atmosphere: The restaurant's decor reflects the coastal theme of Kerala, creating a warm and inviting ambiance. The setting is designed to offer a comfortable and culturally immersive dining experience. A few things that need improvement or suggested changes . Please replace Chilli Paneer ( it was a tad too sweet - definitely not indo Chinese as suggested by the steward - a pretty sad preparation of what seemed like North Indian flavours in a shoddily prepared dish ) with an authentic Paneer 65 . The Papaddam platter was pretty sad - definitely not freshly fried - smell of reused oil. The South Indian Vadas also had a smell of used oil . The preparation of the cocktails needs improvement largely - though the choices on the menu are lovely but not the preparation. The wow factor was majorly in the starter grilled fish, the appams and the vegetable stew

Mahi and Stefan were great helping us throughout the evening. The food was fantastic and good choice of wines. Definitely worth a visit.

Amazing wow cannot express how much we enjoyed our meal Mahi was an amazing waitress ....5 stars dies not do justice .. would recommend it to all !!!

Super expérience, very good food and service. Mahi she takes care about us giving advices for food . Sure we came back next Time.