Attended the soft launch with some friends. Such tasty authentic Indian food, highly recommend the chicken wings! Biryani was made to perfection and the Rabdi was a great sweet treat. Loved the decoration and pop art, gave the place a great feeling. Thanks to Dhruv and the team, will be shouting about this place to everyone!
Amazing place, top class food at reasonable prices. A hidden gem for sure. Get in while you still can. :))))))
Excellent food - full of flavours and absolutely on point! The lamb shank biryani was spectacular! It was an amazing burst of flavours and it was visually stunning as well! Nice atmosphere to dine too
Dhruv, you did an amazing job, we got to taste so many things and they were all just to die for. The cocktail was just right, the starters, especially the prawns, were a delight!!! I can only rave about the food. You have to try it all!!! Definitely coming again next time we are in London!!!!
Went for lunch with a friend, had the lunch menu chicken biryani, absolutely delicious, the place was nice and cute and cozy. I am defiantly going back AGAIN soon...Highly recommend it! ���🖒
Limited menu but done well, as should be the case with lots of other eateries.
Ideally would have the biryani more spicy but understand that it needs to serve lots of different pallets. Had the Lamb Shank Biryani, enjoyed it.
Highly recommend the mutton fry and chicken wings as starters.
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This is one of those places which is full of surprises from the moment you enter and walk down the steps. Big welcome from Gopi the manager and the cave- like feel with quirky pictures on the multi coloured walls feels like you've been transformed back to a part of India. The chicken wings are very spicy but amazingly tasty. The mutton fry with the triangle of paratha was the best I have tasted , even my vegetarian friend was tempted.! The main course lamb shank biryani with the pastry top was served steaming with eclectic accompaniments of fried bindi on raita and a spicy boiled egg with a fragrant sauce. Beware of the lamb shank bone in the biryani which adds to the experience and awesome flavour. Topped off finally with the simple milky dessert Ragbi which was soothing, calming and delicious. I wish Dhruv and his excellent team all the best and if your in Soho you must visit this restaurant as it's going to get busier and busier. I can't wait to travel down again and take more friends and family to experience this treasure.
This was the first Indian restaurant for our London trip which we went to try and we just loved it .. the taste was nice and the mutton was properly cooked and the dum was perfect .. the place had some awesome tag lines which I loved and clicked to save for funny and awesome memories for life .. totally recommend.
Authentic Hyderabad dum biryani,I reached at 2:50pm for lunch and they close at 3:00 but they took my order for biryani and dint rush us at all, lovely staff, amazing food (not too spicy for Indian pallet it's just right amount of spicy) lemoned is fresh and one of the best we have had in London, delicious biryani with beetroot chutney is unique in itself,The owner of this place is very humble and welcoming he offered us Indian style chai even when kitchen was closed, thanks for the wonderful experience, will sure be back.
KrantiKrishna (krantiawelltravelledgourmand)
+4
On a rainy sunday noon me and my best friend were walking around the busy streets of London
And then we both decided to try some Indian fare
So when we quickly searched for near by options we found this Gem of a place
For sure Dum Biryani house is a hidden gem
Reasons - Food is delectable , and is remarkable
Ambiance - 3.5/5
This place is tucked in slightly and is located in the basement.We have a narrow entrance and then they have a small space that can accommodate up to 50 odd people
They have a bar counter.
the ambiance is bright with rich colors and decor is flashy
we were greeted by the staff promptly and then handed over the menu
Food - 4.5/5
The food is designed in such a apt that we have limited options but there is some thing for every one.
Starters, main course and biryanis of course
Then they have small collection of drinks
We choose to try a starter and a biryani along with beer
Starter we tried the kodi vepudu - chicken wings - coated with thin batter and then deep fried , they have used rustic spices in here and made sure it has right amount of pepper , cloves and other spices. not overly done
This one is topped with curry leaves.
For sure a must try if you would love to try some thing spicy for a kick start.
Then comes the main USP of Dum Biryani house the Dum biryani
we tried the Lamb dum biryani and Chicken dum biryani
boy was surprised by the amount of perfection the chef has shown in here while dishing this one out
Right from the accompaniments given along with it the mirchi ka salan and curd raitha along with some vadiyam(papad) sprinkled with some chilli powder.
The mirchi ka salan deserves a special mention - its cooked with chillies filled with a paste of ground nuts, sesame seeds, poppy seeds pinch of tamarind, garlic paste and other spices, sheer dainty
coming to the biryani - this one is cooked with basmati rice and boneless chicken marinated in naive spices
one could sense the ingredients used in every bite. This one is made with hung curd, ginger garlic paste, ground coriander powder, sesame seeds mint leaves and a pinch of salt to taste.
The meat is cooked to perfection. This can be sensed when we had the first bite of Lamb biryani. The meat just falls off the bone.
Both the chicken and Lamb biryanis were exceptional in terms of taste.
They have presented this very well in a bowl which is sealed with fluffy layer of maida and wheat . once you open this we can sense the true aromas of the dum biryani
Team you folks deserve a huge round of applause. after a long time I had relished such wonderful biryani.
Service -4/5
The staff are really warm and polite
they make sure they are alert and never give us a change to complain about any
they are attentive too
they always have that smile upon their face and do make sure its a memorable experience out there for us
VFM - 4/5
The food is slightly on the expensive side, this is not a fine dine restaurant again.
They have two variants - in biryani , full portion and a half portion if im not wrong
Meal for two with drinks will come up to 75 pounds.
The food is some thing that needs a mention in here.Appetizing one.
Will be back soon to try other delicacies, along with another round of biryani in here.
Team do keep up the good work going !
The best biryani house in London. Very economical prices . Their thali and dum biryani are our favourites . Also their starters esp the chicken wings kodi veppudu. Enjoyed the lassi as well. Will definitely recommend to others
Loves the biryani. Its served in super soft bread cover, which was flaky to eat. The aroma makes you crave for more. The best things about the biryani is the taste and flavour. Nothing to compliant.
This is probably the best place to have Biryani in London, period. Have been wanting to taste this for quite some time now and now that I have had it, I am spoilt. Lovely evening. Cheers!!
Went there for lunch on a weekday. Its hidden downstairs. The decor is very hip. The menu has a lot of options apart from biryani. I choose the lunch menu which had a vegetarian biryani and one masala chai included and ordered cauliflower as a side. The food is good, will come again.
Lamb shank biryani - 4/5
Great taste, personally my favourite
Chicken biryani - 5/5
One of the best in town
Dahi kebab - 4/5
Kodi Vepudu - 5/5
Andhra prawn fry - 3/5
Mutton fry - 5/5
Served with small paratha pieces, great taste
Ambience - 3/5
Don't like it's shady look, though it's a personal choice
Service - 4/5
Value for money - 4/5
Their biryanis are undoubtedly one of the best in town. It's served in a pot covered with a layer of cooked paratha like stuff which I personally love to eat with the mirchi ka salan.
The raita is served with crispy bhindi fry - small pieces. Love it.
Overall tops my list...!
I tried the £5 biryani thali lunch special and it's quite a good value for money. It looked like it was mostly rice, but large pieces of chicken were hidden inside. The crackers that came with it were nice, as well as the creamy, spicy sauce. It's a generous portion for one person and almost filling enough for two people.
Steak & Teeth: Halal Food Blog
+3.5
Where other Indian restaurants throw out a flurry of underwhelming plates with diluted spices, DUM plays a tactical game of rope-a-dope, striking the palate with a few well-crafted dishes, and refusing to pull its punches when it does. More importantly however, DUM restores the honourable biryani to its rightful status of glory, giving it the respect and recognition that it deserves amongst the Indian restaurant scene. Of course, some may say that to truly produce a flawless biryani, Dhruv Mittal must first find a way to give birth to a child, and unlock the dark magic of a mother’s culinary prowess. Scientifically, this is a proven fact – (or at least, we’ll pretend it is to avoid getting a smack), but there is no denying that DUM Biryani House does a fair amount of justice to the heritage of the Hyderabadi biryani.
Best biryani and kebab place in London so far.
Food is sumptuous! Staff serves with a smile and give good recommendations.
We tried chicken biryani which was cooked in a handi. The covering of the handi was made of flour which was extremely soft and flaky unlike hers and rubbery ones I always got to see n eat.
Mutton fry was tender and mild spicy.
Chulbulini- alfanso, hibiscus and prosecco drink was refreshing!
I simply loved my overall experience at Dum Biryani House and look forward to visit again to try some dahi kebabs and chicken curry next time.
Perfect place for when you crave biryani while you're in town (what? It doesn't happen to everyone? Whatevs). Their biryani comes in individual serving portion - each portion is quite large (more of a 2-portions-between-3-people kinda size). The biryanis are very tasty, and the condiments are amazing.
Indian Foodie In London
+4.5
By far the best biryani I have had in London so far. This place beats other places including kadiris hands down. It is a bit expensive given the location, but worth every penny given the biryani is prepared fresh and only for you.
Foodies have long been used to criticising Japanese restaurants for trying to do too much on one menu. Anywhere attempting to master the art of udon, ramen, tempura and sushi at all one time under one roof is opening themselves for scorn from People Who Know Better (ahem), as (as anyone who Knows Better will tell you) you can't possibly hope to master all these completely different styles of cuisine in one go. It's just Not Done.
Visited Dum Biryani House yesterday. We were super excited to try out this place as this is a great addition to Soho. We were glad to get a place without booking on a Saturday night. The menu is small, so deciding what to eat is not too hard. We chose to share one starter and one biryani between the 2 of us. The biryani was a bit too mild for us. It wasn't bad but we have had better in London. The lamb starter was excellent and is a must try. A glass of chai and rabdi followed the meal. The chai was too milky and the rabdi was at best average. My thumbs up only goes to the starter.
If its Biryani its Dum, have never had something so tasty like this in london. And with old monk and thumsup makes you even more happy..
must visit for people who miss Indian taste and i think noone is as good as them in Biryani and starters in London..
The menu simple , but very effective, the chicken in the biryani was cooked just perfectly. The Dahi kebabs are brilliant. The only reason to not give all the points would be for the portion of the snacks,
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I was really excited to be invited to review Dum Biryani House, a new casual Indian restaurant in the heart of Soho focusing both on Hyderabadi Biryani as well as snacks, and starters from the Andhra Pradesh region. I’m not a specialist in Indian gastronomy but was aware that many of the country’s regions have their own take on the Biryani and that it is an important dish in Indian food culture. The Hyderabad iteration of this classic rice and meat dish has royal roots and comes from the kitchens of the Nizam, the local ruler, in a fusion of Mughlai and Iranian cooking. The meat is spiced overnight, then soaked in yoghurt, layered with the rice in a pot which is then sealed with pastry and cooked over hot coals (dum).The restaurant is on the site of one of my favourite Soho haunts of the last few years, Old Tom & English, a sexy 1960s Barbarella styled joint serving modern European small plates and attitudinal cocktails. But all good things must come to an end and the new owners have transformed the Wardour St venue into a stripped back Biryani basement with Indian pop art on the walls. The menu is shockingly simple; mains are a choice of one of two biryani thalis: Lamb Shank and Seasonal Veg, though on the day we visited there was a chicken option. They are served with a Mirch Salan (spicy curry with padron chillies) and a Raita (Yoghurt Dip). You should know that eating a biryani is not for lightweights so be prepared to fill your boots!
Single dish specialty restaurants have become all the rage in London in the last few years. Ramen, udon, schnitzel, lasagna, meatballs, hot dogs, lobster rolls, steak (and even cereal!) have all been turned into restaurant concepts – some with more successful than others. In theory, greater specialisation should result in near perfection of the dish in question – after all, if your entire business concept revolves around one thing, that one thing should logically be done really well. If not, you might as well give up. It also has the ancillary benefit that your patrons will not have to stare at a menu too long to decide what to order. On the flip side, one can’t afford to be too fussy with the menu as free will is quite limited in such places.
DUM Biryani House is a new Indian restaurant in Soho focusing on Hyderabadi Biryani, snacks, and starters from the Andhra Pradesh region (South India). The City Lane was invited to try out the menu and we were interested in seeing what the regional specialties on offer were all about.
Gingle Lists Everything
+3.5
Dum might sound like an odd choice for a restaurant name but Dum biryani is actually a specific dish native to Hyderabadi. So, this is another of those ‘one. choice’ places, with either lamb or veg (mushroom, chickpease, and potatoes) biryani being. the two choices for mains. With these there’s a handful of starters or sides
The Veggie Perspective
+4
I love a restaurant with a simple, focused menu and DUM London by Dhruv Mittal provides just that with a menu centered around an old Indian favourite – biryani. The newly opened biryani house on Wardour Street has a small narrow entrance but the stairs lead down to a surprisingly large, authentically decorated basement restaurant space. There are also a few small private areas which would be fantastic for group dining. The old school hip hop beats, low lighting and quirky artwork creates a chilled vibe perfect for a relaxing meal and is likely to draw in the young city crowd.
AND I am so happy about it. A lucky day for me as the owner Dhruv reached out to ask if I wished to try his new restaurant in Soho and I am a team player, So yes I said and off I went. Dhruv Mittal, the owner and creator of DUM Biryani House had this idea to cater for hungry eaters and busy people. The plan here was to showcase the Biryani dish and the best of South Indian cuisine.
Simple but elegant. Two types of biryanis on the menu and a selection of starters that are equally delicious and well executed. The wings were perfect, the fried yoghurt was satisfying, if a little on the spicey side. Had the lamb Biryani, which was so beautifully tender and soft and there's a decent amount of meat in there. The Biryani requires some patience as the pastry lid keeps things pretty hot. So best to start with that and dip it into the selection of sides that come with it. The presentation, the atmosphere, the old school R&B songs playing in the background made for a great evening. The only downside was the cold breeze that came through to our table.
One of India’s regions (and a large one with a long heritage behind too) is Andhra Pradesh, which is on the south east coastal side of the Indian subcontinent. Reading a little about it, it seems a really beautiful place, full of religious temples (majority of the population is Hindu) and lush, green nature reserves. A meal at Dum Biryani gave us the opportunity to taste the region's food heritage
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Dum biryani house in Soho is a well-hidden gem. On arrival we were given a playing card, which once we’d gone downstairs into the restaurant, we handed over and we're shown to our table.
The staff were warm and friendly. They talked us though the menu and drinks about which they were very knowledgeable and gave us some good recommendations.
The menu lists 5 snacks and 2 biryanis. However there was also a 3rd biryani special. There was plenty of choice. The food was very fresh and clearly cooked to order.
The menu suggests one snack and one biryani per person. However having seen the size of the couples next to us we decided to share a biryani.
We had two snacks for our starters the first was Andhra prawn fry, which are prawns stir-fried with red chilli and coconut. The prawns were delicious spicy and with a satisfying crunch from the coconut on top. The second dish was Dahi Kebab, Fried yogurt patties served with an Andhra tomato chutney, which really packed a punch.
We chose the lamb biryani that is served with mirch unda salan (curry with green chilli and half boiled egg) smoked aubergine raita. The dish itself is very impressive and beautifully presented. When cracking the perfect pasty shell a great waft of steam breaks free with a gorgeous smell of spice. The dish does not disappoint. The lamb is soft and falls apart the dish has the perfect amount of heat and flavour.
For dessert we had a beautiful milk based dessert called Rabdi, which took the heat away from our meal it was sweet and creamy with crunchy pistachio sprinkled on top and a sweet pinch of candied rose petals.
The atmosphere was warm and inviting with good music. The staff were lovely, welcoming and great at explaining what each dish was and gave great insights into the drinks flavours. Overall a very enjoyable experience with great food.
By contributor: Miss Soya
Biryani is undoubtedly one of the most-loved comfort food. Though a very popular home dish to many Asian families, I have always thought biryani doesn’t get much of a spotlight on the restaurant scene. Yes it is widely served among mainstream Indian restaurants but it’s always more of a side item on the menu.
To everyone’s delight, there is now a biryani house in central London that solely focuses on biryani. This place is called DUM – dum as in the slow cooking method for making traditional biryani. It focuses on Hyderabadi Biryani and some Indian snacks and starters.
This place is a little gem, serving select but authentic Indian cuisine. Their Dum Biryani is amazing in taste and presentation.
The biryani comes with delicious raita with crunch okra in it and mirch based curry. Under the hood (you’ll know what I mean) there is long basmati rice with more than enough chicken cubes and a freshly boiled egg.
A must visit if you’re in central London. The place is compact though It does get quite busy. They need to use more waiters cuz I found myself waiting quite long to order dessert and chai.
Also WiFi is quite spotty and didn’t even connect for me.
The underground restaurants in soho are what the area is all about. And this is an absolute gem. A shining ruby of a restaurant. The kaleidoscope of colours and smells hits you as you walk in, leaving you in no doubt you’re about to have a good time. And you will, friendly fast service, mouth watering dishes and waiters who advise and guide you like true pros. I’m coming back. And eating it all again.
A bit on the expensive side but the biryani was definitely good. Cant say the same for other items on the menu. I loved the decor and the funny unique names of their drinks. Definitely worth a visit. Ps. Sorry cant seem to get the pics to load fully.google upload keeps cropping at will.
Good experience. Ordered the chicken biryani. It was quite spicy but extremely tasty and flavourful like it would be back home. Enjoyed every bit of the biryani and ate without a care in the world. Would highly recommend it. However, be careful with the spice levels as it's not for everyone.
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A tiny place on Wardour street that's easy to miss! This is located in a basement with a small doorway that with stairs that leads you downstairs to the restaurant. The dining area is small but can fit a small crowd. We ordered a lamb shank and a small chicken buriyani with a mango lassi. The lassi was thick and creamy and had blended cardomom in it however was bitty and a bit overwhelming.
The buriyani took about 20 mins to arrive, arriving in piping hot dishes sealed with puff pastry. Upon breaking the seal we were surprised with steaming hot rice and meat packed with spicy flavours, similar to the traditional tastes from home. The lamb shank had a lot of meat, with so much spicy flavours and aroma. Even though I was very hungry, I had trouble finishing it. The chicken was boneless, soft and moist and packed alot of flavour, spices and fragrances too. Service was great with the staff clearing up or replacing the water without asking. Thanks for a pleasurable experience which I will do again someday.
Great food, good value and very nice staff! The weekday lunch biryani was fine, good value for money. I’m told the a la carte biryani is better. I was struggling to rate with the 5th star but the friendly, polite and efficient staff was reason enough! Right in the middle of the busy Oxford Circus-Soho area, ambience inside is nice and quirky
Two things that are uncommon about the biryani: the pastry coating that serves as the lid of the biryani pot, and the beetroot raita. Honestly, I haven't encountered this even in Hyderabad, when I was there. Food was piping hot, not very spicy by Indian standards, and portioning was adequate for one person. It was also hygienic, I was having a slight stomach problem, and the food did not worsen it at all. Serving was quick, you will have to wait for 15 mins, but that's because they are heating your pot separately. All in all, a good dining experience during a cold and rainy evening.
Krantiawelltravelled Gourmand
+4
Lunch today at Dum biryani Hous - Oxford Street London deserves a special mention
Chicken dum biryani which is sublime and presented in a rustic way 😇 in a handi
Perfectly cooked chicken along wit long grain basmati rice 🍛 and then served with some papad topped with masala and mirchi ka Salan which is apt and some curd ✅
The biryani is just done right - reminds me of palatable hyderabad biryani 😇
Foodie in me is quite contended 😍
A big thanks to my friend who suggested to try this one
COE : 56 pounds with drinks
Do try folks when you are in London it’s a sure shot recco
Food taste -4/5
Pricing - 3/5 it’s on higher side for the ambiance and service !
There are other fine dine restaurants , felt prices are a bit on higher side
VFM -3.5/5
The prices are high
Ambiance is in basement with cozy decor
Food is tasty
Loved the cocktails and starters! Was not impressed with the prawns biriyani! Try the chicken biriyani it was fantastic. Also you are in for a real surprise when you see the dum! Definitely more authentic than most places I've been to for Dum Biriyani.
Not a bad authentic eating house in India. Except it's located near Oxford Street :) Great experice on a hot day at DUM Briyani. Try the salted lime soda and the Lamb shank biryani (in Pie form!)
A rare 5 star find. Absolutely brilliant biryani. So big, so delicious, so amazing. Best chicken biryani known to man. Cannot wait to come back. Reasonably priced, fantastic service and cozy atmosphere.
Lovely place .. could imagine it would be really big when I first saw the door to the entrance. Disclaimer-Very busy restaurant so please be prepared to wait. Really friendly staff, the person who designed the place did an amazing job to make it give a good Indian diner feel and the artworks are super funny. Loved the authentic way of serving food in steel/aluminum and the names of menu in Hindi (this is appreciated simply bcz we visited from Germany where this doesn’t happen) finally the food and value for money is very good. Ordered two dishes and was not disappointed. Even a vegetarian has options to choose from 😀.
Authentic Hyderabad dum biryani,I reached at 2:50pm for lunch and they close at 3:00 but they took my order for biryani and dint rush us at all, lovely staff, amazing food (not too spicy for Indian pallet it's just right amount of spicy) lemoned is fresh and one of the best we have had in London, delicious biryani with beetroot chutney is unique in itself,The owner of this place is very humble and welcoming he offered us Indian style chai even when kitchen was closed, thanks for the wonderful experience, will sure be back.
Authentic BIRYANI - Hyderabad styled SLOWLY yet carefully cooked marinated meat and rice in a sealed pot over 2 hours!
This is one of the place @SOHO , I would definitely recommend for those who 💖 and savour the taste of spicy BIRYANI.
Great Ambience - Underground steps leading to - Rugged look of the walls plus graffiti and the floor along with sodium vapour lamps are 🔥 🔥 🔥
Good taste comes with the price ££ tag!!
GM is very welcoming and proactive.
Suggest HALEEM ( heartwarming spiced stew of lamb 🐐 and lentils ) + DUM biryani along with BAD-ta-MEEZ pint of crafted 🍺 beer.
💯% satisfaction guaranteed.
Recommended for families/friends
All smiles 😃😃
I really liked the biriani, a unique experience also the way how they serve it. I'll definitely come back. Not sure why some reviews mentioned small portions, I was barely able to finish the byriani. The waiter was very nice and helpful with her tips
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