Gymkhana

Gymkhana is a Mayfair Indian restaurant from JKS Restaurants, inspired by the gymkhana clubs of colonial India, where members gathered for sport, dining and drinks. It opened in 2013, won its first Michelin star in 2014 and was awarded a second star in 2024. The interiors recreate the atmosphere of those clubs, with jade green walls and polished dark timber on the ground floor, inspired by mansions in Kolkata and Pondicherry, and peach and Kashmiri chilli red tones downstairs, reached by a mirrored staircase. Details include hunting trophies from the Maharaja of Jodhpur.

The kitchen serves classic Indian cooking with real depth and precision, drawing on dishes from across the subcontinent. Grills from the tandoor, rich curries, biryanis and kebabs are central, along with seasonal dishes and game. Lunch offers an à la carte menu, a shorter lunch menu and a tasting menu, while dinner offers à la carte and tasting menus. Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian tasting menus are available, and the à la carte menu has a good range of vegan options, although there is no vegan tasting menu. Chicken, lamb and goat are halal certified.

Gymkhana suits special occasions, business dinners and food lovers who want Indian cooking at its most refined. Above the restaurant, the 42 cocktail lounge is a sleek space for drinks before or after dinner and can take reservations for small groups. Downstairs, two private vaults with banquette seating can each host up to ten guests and have no age restriction.

Reservations are taken online only, not by phone or email. They open at 06:00 up to two months ahead, or three months for groups in the vaults, and card details are required to secure a table. Cancellations must be made at least 24 hours in advance to avoid a charge, and tables are held for ten minutes. Last orders for the tasting menu are at 13:45 at lunch and 21:45 at dinner. The dress code is smart casual, and sportswear is not permitted.

Gymkhana is on Albemarle Street in Mayfair, a few minutes' walk from Green Park Underground station on the Jubilee, Piccadilly and Victoria lines. The Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington Arcade, Piccadilly and the galleries and boutiques of Mayfair are all close by, and Green Park offers a pleasant walk before or after a meal.