Review: The Tamil Crown, Angel – Indian Sunday Roast
I’ll be talking about that Masala Roasted Lamb Shank to anyone who’ll listen.
February 2026
Five minutes down the road from Angel Station, you’ll find The Tamil Crown: a characterful neighbourhood pub and restaurant that doubles as a local spot for Indian-inspired Sunday roasts.
Split over two floors, downstairs houses the main bar, with dining tables around the edges. Dark and dimly lit, all wooden furniture – a proper pub environment. Perfect for a quick pint or a relaxed drink. Upstairs has more of a typical dining room vibe, with tables and chairs filling the space and a livelier restaurant energy.
If you’re a fan of the vibe at The Plimsoll, Finsbury Park, The Tamil Crown should feel right at home – aesthetically speaking. Both are great boozers: dark, cosy and full of energy. If you’re after a quiet dinner, this isn’t the place for you.
During the week, The Tamil Crown serves up South-Indian snacks and curries, but come Sunday, they specialise in one thing and one thing only: their Indian Sunday Roasts. With a booking 28 days in advance, I was more than ready to see what all the fuss was about.
A little lamb-ecdote
I’d come for the Masala Roasted Lamb Shank. So much so that, when I arrived for my 6:00 pm booking, I suddenly panicked that maybe, given the time, they’d run out. Halfway through sitting down at the table, I turned to the waiter and, very flustered, said:
“Not to be really strange, but…can I just check if you have any lamb shank left? Because, both of us are really excited about it.”
They, completely unfazed by my panic, assured me there was – checks the kitchen – “still plenty of lamb left.”
Sigh of relief. “Great, we’ll have two.”
After that little moment of embarrassment (honestly, I’d do it again 100%), the official order was in: a glass of Mâcon-Villages, Domaine Côteaux des Margots for me, a beer for my brother, okra fries, onion bhajis, and, of course, two Masala Roasted Lamb Shanks. We were going big.
The Tamil Crown Roast
With the lamb panic well behind us, in landed okra fries (£9) and onion bhajis (£9.50). Crisp, fragrant, and light – both had that perfect dry-fry texture. No grease, no clagginess, just delicious fried vegetable goodness. The onion bhajis came with a pot of bright green sauce for dipping – a sort of herby, minty chutney that paired perfectly with the bhajis, and equally well with the okra fries. A great starter in every sense.
But we were here for the big boy. And when the Masala Roasted Lamb Shank (£35) was placed in front of me, I knew it was serious business.
Nothing can prepare you for how gargantuan it is.
I’d been stalking photos on The Tamil Crown website and Instagram for all four weeks prior to my booking (you can book 28 days in advance – and you probably should). But in person, it seemed even larger than expected. Served like a thali, the Masala Lamb came with piles and pots of potato and peas masala, coconut stir-fried cabbage, mixed veg, gobi 65 (deep-fried cauliflower), mango pickle, roast potatoes, roti, poppadom, and gravy.
Quite the sight.
The stir-fried cabbage had a great bite to it (nothing worse than soggy cabbage!) and kept its structure even when doused in the gravy – which to me tasted exactly like Rogan Josh curry sauce. The roti was perfect for scooping up sauces and veg, each with a distinctive spice of its own: turmeric, coriander, fenugreek, and more. But of course, the lamb was the star. I’d hoped it would fall off the bone, and it did. Pull-apart tender, flaked right off the bone. It was everything I’d hoped for.
Room for dessert?
Although I gave it a bloody good go, I couldn’t quite finish the epic lamb roast. But that wasn’t going to stop me from perusing the dessert menu.
After a super fragrant main, the Mango Lassi (£7.50) was calling to me. Smooth, creamy, and calming – just what I needed. I also tried a bit of the Gulab Jamun (£7.50), which reminded me of one of my favourite restaurants back home in Liverpool, Jomsom: soft dumplings soaked in fragrant sugar syrup with creamy yoghurt. Absolutely delightful.
Final thoughts
If you’ve done the whole Sunday roast circuit and are getting sick of the same-old, bang-average plates, The Tamil Crown should absolutely be on your list. Actually… it should be on your list regardless.
You won’t get an experience like this anywhere else in London, that’s for sure – bold flavours, big portions and a lively pub atmosphere. What more could you want?
