Zaiqa London's tandoor, grill and karahi kitchen lit up at night on Whitechapel Road

Whitechapel Road, London

Thirty years of real Zaiqa.

Fire, spice, and craft that hasn’t changed in thirty years.

100% Halal Open Daily, 12pm – 12am
Our Story

For three decades, Zaiqa has been part of Whitechapel Road.

A home away from home for the Pakistani and Punjabi families who first brought these recipes to East London, and for the generations of Londoners who've kept coming back since. Everything here is halal, cooked the way it's always been: over charcoal in the tandoor, slow in the karahi, with the kind of patience that can't be rushed.

Zaiqa — the Urdu word for flavour — isn’t just our name. It’s the whole point.

Three decades on, the same fire still does the work: kebabs and tikka marinated overnight and finished in the clay oven, rice cooked slow beneath the meat for mandi, and curries built in the karahi and served sizzling in the pan they were cooked in. Dine in, order delivery, or bring the whole family in for a private booking — we're open every day, midday till midnight.

The dining room at Zaiqa London, with white tablecloths, gold floral centrepieces and the Zaiqa London sign on the brick wall
01

Tandoor.

Kebabs, tikka and chargrilled classics marinated overnight, then fired in the clay oven until the edges catch and char. It's the smell that hits you first, before you're even through the door.

View Full Menu
Mixed grill sharing platter with fresh naan at Zaiqa London
02

Grill.

Smoky, char-marked and built for a table with plenty of hands reaching in. Chops, wings and tikka, straight off the coals and onto a shared platter of rice and warm naan.

View Full Menu

Straight from the tandoor, plated to order.

03

Karahi.

Ripe tomatoes, whole spices and tender meat, cooked and served sizzling in the iron pan it was made in. Rich, unhurried, and exactly the way it's been done for years.

View Full Menu
Slow-cooked mandi platter with rice, meat and naan at Zaiqa London
04

Mandi.

Rice slow-cooked beneath the meat so it drinks in every drop of the spice and fat as it cooks. Fragrant with whole spices, and built for sharing across the whole table.

View Full Menu
Visit

Open every day.

Address
108a Whitechapel Rd, Shadwell, London E1 1JE
Hours
Monday – Sunday, 12:00pm – 12:00am
Mixed grill sharing platter with fresh naan at Zaiqa London
4.4 out of 5 on Google, from 890+ reviews Read the reviews

“Zaiqa London is an absolute gem. The food is incredibly tasty, full of rich flavour, and clearly made with care. The service is excellent — quick, attentive, and genuinely warm.”

Khalid Munshi · Google

“Absolutely amazing place to eat, we will be making a reservation for our next visit in London!”

Beer Jutt · Restaurant Guru

Hosting a gathering, or just hungry tonight?

From a family Sunday to a private celebration, we'll make sure there's plenty of zaiqa to go round.