How did City Spice become Brick Lane’s number one Indian restaurant?

Celeb spotting

City Spice has been the undisputed choice for celebrities when seeking a curry on Brick Lane. From Matt Smith and Lily Jones to Michael Bisping, the City Spice crew have been the pioneers of pushing traditional Indian cuisine into modernity with a well renowned range of Indian culinary experiences such as the City Spice Challenge.

Even Executive Chef Niaz is becoming more prominent on our screens and printed publications. Niaz has appeared on Channel 5 where he let in the secrets of making Britain’s all time favourite Chicken Tikka Masala, with his very own City Spice twist.

Entrepreneurial spirit

Niaz has been cooking in professional kitchens since the age of 16 but has more to offer than culinary talent having secured a first-class honours degree in Economics in 2021 from the University of Birmingham. Since then, he has quickly risen in culinary success, winning plaudits for his modern take on traditional Indian dishes at City Spice.

As well as seeing his restaurant being voted Best Indian Restaurant in London in 2021, throughout December he also prepared and packaged up to 500 boxes of biriyani per day, got them into his hatch back and delivered them to as many hospitals in the Southeast as possible, with the final delivery taking place on Christmas Eve. His aim was to feed 5,000 nurses while donning a Santa outfit to help bring a smile during what has been an extremely stressful, tiring, and busy period for the NHS.

Niaz said: “Most chefs are used to the pressures of working in a professional kitchen. However, whilst we work long antisocial hours and sometimes struggle to keep up with demand, we don’t face illness, serious injury and death on a daily basis. Following the past two years I think the NHS deserves better. After all they did for us during the pandemic, hearing about our nurses turning to food banks, being underpaid, and working in buildings that are falling apart is shameful. Whilst I can’t solve the problem, I hoped that I could bring some joy and relief by delivering warm nutritious meals when they most needed them and raise some funds to support staff and their families.”

The generous chef took profits from the restaurant to cover the costs of these 5,000 free meals and has also launched a Go Fund Me page for people to donate to hospitals and food banks.

Food

Alongside a traditional curry menu is a vegan curry menu, too. Although predominantly Indian in cuisine, the dishes do have a Bengali fusion. The options are extensive: from thalis and biriyanis to grilled tandoor delicacies and City Spice’s very own award-winning dishes.

If you’re looking for something that’s won an award (which we’d recommend), then we’d strongly suggest the Black Pepper Lamb and Mushroom. This unique dish has plenty of warmth and depth from the black pepper, which is perfect for a winter choice.

Come hungry because we’d also recommend starters, particularly the Sheek Kebab (delicious lamb skewers) and the King Prawn Puri (a mouthwatering fluffy wrap of king prawns, ginger, garlic, turmeric and paprika).

Niaz is aiming to raise £13,800 for NHS charities and food banks via his Go Fund Me page, choosing £13,800 due to 138 being his lucky number and the address of City Spice being 138 Brick Lane.

He is also keen to encourage independent restaurants across the country to join the campaign and offer their own deliveries or donations – no matter how small.