Central Restaurant and Lounge

Head down Green Lane towards Ilford town centre and you'll find Central doing solid North and South Indian without any pretence. The space is split nicely—restaurant side for serious eating, lounge area if you fancy settling in with a drink. It's the kind of place where regulars know their names and the kitchen respects what they're doing; the ratings speak to consistency rather than flash. You're getting proper curries, not dumbed-down versions, and the team knows how to handle spice levels if you actually want heat. It's busy most nights, which tells you everything about what Ilford's been needing.