Darjeeling Express bigger London restaurant venue finally gets opening date
Who's in for saag paneer?
Almost six months since announcing its move to a fresh venue, we finally have a date for the opening of the new Darjeeling Express.
The much-loved London restaurant will open at 36-40 Rupert Street in Soho on 22nd June.
It has jumped around London over the last few years, most recently closing up shop up in Soho’s Kingly Court in early 2026.
The new space is a substantial 130-cover restaurant, spread across around 5600 square feet. Previously it was home to Horvada and Long Chim, the restaurant and bar combo that each took a floor of the building before the company went into liquidation last year.
Darjeeling Express serves an Indian menu, and for once your mains actually include a serving of pilau rice. Items on the afternoon a la carte include methi chicken, slow-cooked mutton and Saag Paneer.
Alternatively, you can try the Lazeez Feast, where you pick two curries, a rice and dessert for the table — at £75 a head. It includes a bunch of sides as well as your picks, including paratha and tamarind dal.
A Dining Car £35-a-head menu is available for the pre-theatre crowd too. That gets you a main with pilau rice and paratha, as well as a dessert of your choice.
Darjeeling Express is found in the Michelin Guide, but is yet to pick up a star.
It comes from restauranteur and foodie icon Asma Khan. Darjeeling Express originally opened in 2017, and has operated since, aside from a relatively brief closure in 2020 during the pandemic.
Darjeeling Express runs an all-female kitchen. Back in 2024, the BBC called it “the only all-female Indian kitchen in the world.” We'll take their word for it.
If you want to hear more about Asthma Khan’s outlook and career, check our episode 141 of the Off Menu Podcast, which saw her appear as guest.
