Babuji: The Best Chaat and Chai You'll Find in London

Situated right outside of Kentish Town station, Babuji is truly a hidden gem of London with its array of chaats and proper brew of bottomless chai.

The backstory

A family run restaurant, Babuji (meaning 'father' in Hindi) came into being in 2019. The story of this restaurant however starts in 1959, when the father of said household left his village to travel around India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. He picked up the scents and flavours of street foods in Lahore, Bombay, and Calcutta, and then moved to Europe to work in restaurants in Paris and The Ivy London. In 1985, he decided to start his own restaurant and the family has left their imprint on 343 Kentish Town Road since then. The restaurant has experienced many changes over the years, with name and menu changes, and the business handover to babuji's 2 sons in 2005. The restaurant became Babuji as we know it in 2019, when the 2 sons and current owners decided to pay homage to their father's initial journey and their family's roots by focusing the menu on South Asian street food.

One learns about South Asian culture the moment they enter Babuji.

This sense of family and second-generation immigrant identity trickles through the quality service and interior design of the restaurant. The staff are always friendly and attentive, and the restaurant walls are printed with various Hindi words and their associated meaning in English. One learns about South Asian culture the moment they enter Babuji. This learning continues when you read the menu. Filled with dishes written in their traditional names and categories, every dish is explained in detail. With the herbs and spices, chutneys and sauces listed in the menu, it doesn't take long for you to realise that your palate is in for a ride.

The lush tastes of South Asia

Away from the bustling streets of Calcutta, the clamour of Bombay, and the heat of Lahore, the edible essence of their streets can be found on the metal serving plates ('thalis') of Babuji.

The best way to start is to follow the categories in the menu and pick items from each category. Or, you could visit the restaurant with an Indian friend, and they can order for you. The latter option was the one I opted for. Here's a little overview of what stood out to me.

STREET FOOD/ CHAATS

Having been a few times now, there are a few chaats that are always on the table: pani puri (pictured first) and papdi chaat (pictured second).

Pani puri is a dish of crispy, hollowed puffed shells that are stuffed with potatoes and chickpeas. They form the vessel in which you semi-drown in spiced tamarind sauce and rapidly consume whole before the pastry crumbles. You can tell the waiter your spice tolerance, or lack thereof, and they will serve you a tamarind sauce that will suit your taste.

The papdi chaat is a bowl of layered goodness with an explosion of textures and spices. At the bottom is spiced soft potatoes, followed by crispy chickpeas, spicy raw red onions, fresh yoghurt, and tangy chutney. It is also covered by a generous dusting of crispy wafers, a garnish of pomegranate and parsley to top it off. When you do get a spoonful of this, make sure you dig deep, like you would for lasagne or tiramisu; you'd want to get the full cross-section of all the layers.

The heat of the masala potatoes are easily neutralised by a dip of the coconut chutney.

DOSA WALLA

Dosa is a thin savoury crepe from South India made using fermented rice and black lentils. It is known for its crisp texture, served plain or potato-filled (masala dosa), and usually with a side of sambar (lentils stew) and chutney.

At Babuji, I love ordering the masala dosa. The dosa here has a nice thin crunch with hearty potatoes sandwiched in between the thin crepe. The heat of the masala potatoes can get to you quite easily, so it is handy that the creamy coconut chutney is just on the side for you to put out the fires.

Needless to say, this is best eaten with the hands. It's a tear-dip-and-gobble situation that is lush in the simplest ways.

CHAI

Whilst I am skipping to the end of the menu, the chai at Babuji is worth all the words, time and attention.

London is not lacking in chai, but it is lacking in a bottomless spiced cuppa that you can drink sans sugar-rush.

What I love about chai at Babuji is not simply it's bottomless nature, but also the option for it to be sugar-free! With the restaurant being family-run, a lot of their recipes, including the chai, follows how it would be made at home - meaning, the sans sugar option is available!

As a drinker of a strong English breakfast with a dash of milk and no sugar, the sugar-free chai at Babuji is exactly what I was searching for. Warm, milky, and strongly spiced, it is perfect on a dark wet winter day (which is 9 months of the year in London).

If you find yourself in northwest London, or on the Thameslink/ Northern tube line, stop by Babuji in Kentish Town, NW5 2TJ. You'll find yourself going back for more after your first visit.