Our Food

We pride ourselves on crafting our menus around authentic Tamil recipes, using lovingly sourced sustainable produce to create beautiful dishes for our diners.

How we make our food

Tamil cuisine is based on the philosophy that serving food is a noble service. We use traditional methods to soak, grind and ferment our dosa batter over 24 hours. A typical South Indian scraper is used to remove pulp from whole coconuts by hand, which is ground with homemade spices to make coconut chutney.

Kulfi, Indian ice-cream, is created by boiling and condensing milk overnight and adding saffron, unrefined brown sugar and fresh fruit. Every batter, sauce, curry and pickle is made from scratch and the proof is truly in the taste.

Our signature dish

The masal dosa, our signature dish, is by far the most popular eat from Tamil Nadu. The dosa itself is made from a fermented rice and black lentil batter, and filled with a slow-cooked potato, onion and spice mash. It is served with sambar, a traditional lentil, onion and tamarind stew, and coconut chutney.

It’s a flavour explosion, and healthy too; gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian. This is the nature of Tamil cuisine.

Keeping it local

We believe in supporting our local food economy and we source the majority of our produce from sustainable suppliers including Riverford Organic, H G Walter (a traditional family butcher) Cope’s Seafood Company, the Chelsea fishmonger, Soleshare (London’s first sustainable fish boxscheme) Steenberg’s and New Covent Garden Market, amongst others.

We curate gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan menus, and we are constantly innovating our offering based on the expertise of our chefs.

  • Papi’s Pickles were a delight to work with from start to finish. The staff were highly professional, delivered fantastic food and the pickles are incredible. I’d have them back at the House of Parliament everyday if I could!

    Ralph Buckle, Co Founder & Director, Commonwealth Exchange
  • There are not many south Asian eating opportunities like this in London for the casual food appreciator. Everything tasted very fresh and there was good attention to detail across the meal – a very good diverse 3 course menu. I booked a table with a group of friends after work and was well looked after. Thumbs up!

    Terry Knight, Point Pedro + Pondicherry Pop Up Attendee
  • Great hosts, great atmosphere and delicious food, what more could you want!

    Ilana Taub, Cinnamon Kitchen Olympics Pop Up Attendee
  • Working with Papi’s Pickles has given me more than just an income, I have gained confidence, I am able to travel across London to events. My English has improved and I feel much happier day-to-day.

    Ruby Kughanathan, Trainee Chef
  • You guys were such a job to work with – so charming, professional, accommodating and talented! Everyone raved about your food and the VIP lunch was a resounding success by all accounts.

    Zoe Desmond, TEDx EastEnd Event Manager & Catering Client
  • Pickles-wise, the team have got their vinegary fingers on beetroots, carrots, limes, mangos and figs. Puts your local chip shop’s pickled eggs to shame, eh?

    Time Out Magazine