Our Story
Born of smoke, memory & fire
AL HABIBI — meaning “my beloved” — began as a single question: what if Indian cooking were given the stage of a modern tasting menu, without losing an ounce of its soul? Opened in Fitzrovia in 2024, our forty-seat room is a love letter to the regions of India, plated with quiet, contemporary precision.
Chef Patron
Ishaan Rao
Raised in the kitchens of Lucknow, Ishaan trained under masters of the dum tradition before earning his stripes in Kerala and, later, in the Nordic vanguard of Copenhagen.
That collision — the opulent spice of home and the restraint of Scandinavia — is the heart of AL HABIBI. "I'm not reinventing Indian food," he says. "I'm giving it the frame it always deserved."
Sourcing Philosophy
Everything begins with the ingredient
Live Fire
Tandoor, sigri and open coal. Heat is our first ingredient, coaxing smoke and char into every plate.
Radically Seasonal
We buy small and close — three biodynamic farms, day-boat seafood, and spices ground fresh at dawn.
Regional Craft
From Lucknawi dum to Malabar coast curries, we honour technique passed through generations.
The Team
The hands behind the fire
Ishaan Rao
Chef Patron
Meera Kapoor
Head Chef
Daniel Sørensen
Restaurant Director
Recognition
Awards & press
Michelin Guide
One Star, 2024
50 Best
Ones to Watch
The Times
Restaurant of the Year — Shortlist
Condé Nast
Hot List 2024