Bonoo brings the street-food energy of Mumbai and Delhi to Hampstead High Street — one beautifully spiced small plate at a time.
There is a particular kind of restaurant that Hampstead has always deserved but rarely had: a place that takes a beloved cuisine and treats it with the same creative seriousness that the neighbourhood's independent bookshops and art galleries bring to their own worlds. Bonoo Indian Tapas on Heath Street is exactly that place — and since it opened it has quietly become one of the most talked-about tables in NW3.
The Concept: Indian Street Food Reimagined
Bonoo's philosophy is deceptively simple. Instead of the traditional curry-house format — starter, main, rice, naan — the kitchen presents Indian food the way it has always been eaten across the subcontinent: as a parade of small, intensely flavoured plates designed for sharing. Think Mumbai's chaat stalls, Delhi's gol gappa vendors, and Kolkata's roadside kitchens — but refined, plated with care, and served in a warmly lit dining room a short walk from Hampstead Heath.
The name itself hints at this spirit. In Hindi, "bonoo" is an affectionate term meaning "make" or "create" — and creation is very much the operative word in chef's kitchen. Every dish on the menu has been built from scratch, drawing on regional recipes that most London restaurants have never thought to explore.
The Menu: What to Order
The menu changes seasonally, but certain signatures have become fixtures. The Pani Puri — hollow semolina shells filled with spiced potato and chickpea, served with tangy tamarind and mint water — is as close to perfection as street food gets. Crack the shell, fill it with the liquid, and eat it whole: the explosion of sweet, sour, and spice is the entire point.
The Lamb Seekh Kebab arrives on a smear of green chutney with slivers of pickled onion — a study in texture as much as flavour. The Saag Paneer Tikka takes the classic pairing of spinach and fresh cheese and transforms it into something lighter and brighter than the creamy version most people know. And the Chicken 65 — a South Indian deep-fried dish marinated in yoghurt and spices — has drawn its own small cult following among regulars.
For vegetarians and vegans, Bonoo is genuinely excellent rather than merely accommodating. The Aloo Tikki Chaat (crispy potato patties, yoghurt, pomegranate seeds, tamarind) and the Dahi Papri are both complete dishes in their own right, not afterthoughts.
The Drinks List
The cocktail menu is short but thoughtful. The house lassi comes in mango and rose-cardamom versions; the latter, poured over crushed ice with a pinch of saffron, is the ideal companion to the spicier dishes. For those who prefer wine, the list leans towards aromatic whites — Gewürztraminer, Grüner Veltliner — that hold their own against bold spicing. The house mocktails, including a superb jaljeera (a traditional spiced cumin cooler), deserve special mention.
The Space
Bonoo occupies a narrow but cleverly designed room on Heath Street. Exposed brick, warm amber lighting, and a handful of vintage Bollywood film posters create an atmosphere that feels genuinely personal rather than themed. The open kitchen runs along one wall; watching the chefs work the tawa (flat iron griddle) is part of the entertainment. Tables are close together in the way that good London restaurants always are — conducive to conversation, conducive to overhearing your neighbour's order and immediately changing your own.
Practical Information
Bonoo is located on Heath Street, a five-minute walk from Hampstead Underground station (Northern line). The restaurant is popular, especially on Friday and Saturday evenings, and walk-ins at peak times can mean a wait. Booking ahead via their website is strongly recommended. Expect to spend around £30–40 per person for a satisfying meal with drinks — good value for the quality and location.
The restaurant is licensed and accepts all major cards. There is no car park, but street parking is available in nearby residential streets after 6:30pm on weekdays and throughout weekends.
Why Bonoo Matters for Hampstead
Hampstead's dining scene has historically skewed towards safe European bistros and a handful of long-established gastropubs. Bonoo represents something different: a restaurant that brings genuine culinary ambition and the cooking of a hugely diverse tradition to a neighbourhood that is ready, perhaps overdue, for it. It is the kind of place that locals become devoted to, that visitors discover and immediately tell their friends about.
If you visit Hampstead for the Heath, the Keats House, or the views from Parliament Hill, add Bonoo to your itinerary. A meal here makes the trip complete in a way that few restaurants in North London can claim to do.
Getting There
Bonoo Indian Tapas is on Heath Street, Hampstead, NW3. The nearest Tube station is Hampstead (Northern line, Edgware branch), a short uphill walk. Buses 46, 268, and N5 also stop nearby. From Hampstead Heath's South End Road entrance, the walk takes about eight minutes through the village.
