Birmingham native Aktar Islam is the chef-owner of the city’s Opheem, one of only two Indian restaurants in Britain to hold two Michelin stars (Gymkhana is the other). His original plan, however, was to open Opheem in London – an ambition now realised with the launch of Oudh 1722. The restaurant takes its name from the year Awadh (Oudh), the Mughal province of northern India, was established as an independent province. It marked the birth of a food culture that would thrive for more than a century in the royal city of Lucknow, and now in a three-storey listed Victorian building near Borough Market.
Wallpaper* dines at Oudh 1722
The mood: The texture of time
Islam worked with designer Polina Sychova on interiors inspired by the architectural language of Lucknow – ‘not in an obvious or decorative way,’ Sychova says, ‘but in its atmosphere. The softness of lime-plastered walls, the slightly faded tones, the way arches frame movement through space. There’s a quiet confidence to those interiors that I wanted to hold onto.’
Limewash surfaces create a sense of lived-in depth and texture across the two dining rooms and are paired with walnut joinery and mustard velvets; the effect is intended to envelop diners in a mood of soft intimacy. Green elements such as tiled surfaces and glass details introduce contrast without disrupting the calm. ‘They lift the space,’ Sychova says, ‘in the same way acidity or herbs lift a dish.’
Screened banquettes and smaller rooms, meanwhile, create what she describes as ‘a kind of pacing, similar to how a meal unfolds, with moments of openness giving way to moments of enclosure.’
The food: Courtly cooking
Lucknow was recognised by UNESCO in 2025 as a Creative City of Gastronomy and Islam has channelled that legacy by showcasing the precision and nuance of Awadhi cuisine. So while there is a tasting menu at Oudh, the à la carte is the best way to get the most from the kitchen, especially if you want to share.
Kick off with papads accompanied by notably fresh-tasting chutneys ahead of snacky plates of vibrantly coloured chaat and a headily spiced Herdwick lamb kebab. Larger plates include the slow-cooked dum dishes for which Lucknow is renowned; try the oxtail biryani, steamed to melting tenderness under its pastry lid. Curries include tandoori chicken with smoked tomato cream, which tastes like a rich take on butter chicken, best mopped up with coriander naan.
Ask the clued-up sommelier for advice on Oudh’s 300-strong wine list; the Muses Estate Mouhtaro, a rarely seen red Greek grape grown on the foot of Mount Helicon near Thebes, was a revelation with Indian cooking, like a mouthful of red cherries.
Oudh 1722 is located at 66 Union St, London SE1 1TD, United Kingdom