Hindoostane Coffee House

The Hindoostane Coffee House opened its doors in 1810 as the first establishment in Britain dedicated to Indian cuisine. Its founder was Sake Dean Mahomed, a remarkable figure born in India who had served as a captain in the British East India Company army. He chose a location on George Street in Marylebone, an area popular with wealthy individuals who had lived in India and developed a taste for its distinct flavors. Mahomed designed the interior to transport his guests, filling the rooms with bamboo cane furniture, paintings of Indian scenes, and a dedicated space for smoking hookah with authentic tobacco. He even introduced an early version of a takeaway service to cater to families wanting to enjoy his curries at home. Although the restaurant was a pioneering attempt at cultural exchange, it struggled to find a lasting audience and closed just a few years later. Today, a commemorative blue plaque marks the site where this ambitious culinary experiment once stood.