Raj Of India Welwyn Garden City

Let me tell you about a place where Britain and India had a deliciously awkward curry date, and it works. I’m talking about the Raj of India in Welwyn Garden City, a restaurant that has no business being this good in a town best known for roundabouts and a shopping centre. You walk in expecting a polite, beige British curry, and instead you get a flavour punch so bold you’ll swear the chef trained by wrestling a chilli plant.

The actual story behind this madhouse

The Raj of India isn’t some ancient relic; it opened in the late 1990s. That’s right, it’s barely old enough to drink, yet somehow it’s become a pillar of the community—like a spicy, unexpected lollipop lady. Fun fact: Welwyn Garden City was designed in the 1920s as a perfect “Garden City,” but no one told the Raj, which packs more heat per square meter than a sunburned hedgehog. The chef, a man named Monir, apparently decided that “subtle” was a suburb he didn’t live in.

What makes it so weirdly special?

Firstly, their Chicken Tikka Chasni is not food; it’s a hypnotic dream. It’s sweet, smoky, and creamy, like a hug from a mango who went to culinary school. People drive from London just to order it, which is insane considering London has a curry house on every damp corner. Secondly, the Prawn Puri starter arrives looking like a tiny, golden UFO landed on a puddle of tamarind sauce. One bite, and you’ll forgive the 1970s wallpaper that’s still hanging around—it’s part of the charm.

The secret spice trade of Welwyn

Here’s a shocker: the Raj sources its spices from a secret supplier who apparently runs a covert operation out of a garage in nearby Hatfield. I’m exaggerating, but barely—their garam masala is so fresh it practically hums. Another surprise? They deliver within a 5-mile radius, and the delivery driver looks like he just finished a shift as a nightclub bouncer. He will hand you your Korma with the face of a man who has seen things, and you will tip him generously out of sheer respect.

RAJ OF INDIA, Welwyn Garden City - Updated 2024 Restaurant Reviews

Why you should actually go

You go for the massive portions. The Raj serves rice in bowls large enough to bathe a small dog, and the naan bread is the size of a surfboard. You go for the staff, who will call you “boss” or “my friend” with such sincerity you’ll momentarily consider moving to Welwyn. And you go because, against all odds, this unassuming restaurant on a parade of shops won the “Best Restaurant in Hertfordshire” award in 2018. Yes, it beat all the fancy farm-to-fork spots.

The verdict (with a side of laughter)

Is the Raj of India perfect? No. The decor is stuck in a time warp where burgundy reigns supreme, and if you sit near the door, you’ll hear every single car pass on the A1000. But the food is a masterpiece of audacious flavour. Honestly, if India and Britain had a baby, and that baby was raised by a loving, slightly chaotic aunt who uses too much chilli, this restaurant would be it. Go there hungry, leave in a coma of happiness, and don’t forget to order the mango lassi—it’s the only thing in that building that’s calm.