Samrat St.Albans

Head down London Road towards the Clock Tower end and you'll find Samrat doing what it does best: no-nonsense North Indian food that doesn't try to be anything it isn't. The kitchen knows its way around a tandoor, and they're not shy with the spices—you get the sense they're cooking for people who actually know what they're after. It's the sort of place where regulars have their orders down pat, and the team remembers what you had last time. Nothing fancy about the room itself, but that's rather the point. You're here for the food: properly made curries, breads that come out hot, and a wine list that won't make your eyes water. The 4.6-star rating isn't accident—245 reviews and counting from people who know the difference between decent curry and the rest.