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Directory / London Dining / Indian/South Asian Cuisine

Masala Zone

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Address: 80 Upper Street, Islington, N1 0NU

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Nearby: Hotels, Events, Sights and Attractions, Shopping, Education, Leisure, Pubs, Nightlife, Business

Masala Zone is in the London Borough of Islington

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Spice up the end of summer with a trip to the Islington branch of this highly respected modern Indian. Authenticity is at the core of this home style cooking adapted, but not bastardised, for the Western palette. Their charming al fresco terrace is the perfect place to catch the tail end of our belated summer and the most secluded spot on Upper Street. Powerful heaters are on hand to stave off the onset of winter chills.

Smiling staff ensure that a meal there is an absolute pleasure and on our visit the manager wowed us with his incredibly detailed description of every dish and its history. Masala means spice and each dish we sampled was bursting with an array of unexpected flavours. Feeling slightly overwhelmed by a menu that takes in everything from vindaloos to veggie burgers, we opted to start with a grazing platter piled high with perfectly crisp samosas, incredibly moreish sev puri (crunchy biscuits piled high with creamy spiced mash and three tangy chutneys) and other delicious morsels.

Thalis are the house speciality and give you the opportunity to try an array of different dishes. My vegetable option was truly sublime, chunks of sweet potato floated happily alongside fragrant bananas in an almost orgasmic combination of sweet and savoury flavours. My partner’s choice gave me grounds for concern as prawn dishes are often let down by amoeba sized pieces of seafood which remain undetectable to the naked eye. My worries were allayed by the arrival of a Prawn Thali piled high with the juiciest tiger prawns I’ve ever eaten in the capital.

Wonderfully full we contemplated their traditional dessert menu which serves as an initiation into the Indian concept of sweetness. The caramel kufti was a concoction of homemade ice cream served on a bed of summer fruits. Kheer was a chilled Indian chocolate rice pudding which teetered just on the right side of richness. Masala Zone is a treat at any time of year but autumn is the ideal time to indulge in their range of warming curries and refreshing starters and puddings. A mug of ginger teas provided the perfect finale to an evening of sumptuously healthy eating.

London Location Map of Masala Zone

Upper Street

Printable map of Masala Zone

Alternative Indian/South Asian Cuisine

Nearest to Masala Zone

London Dining / Indian/South Asian Cuisine

Anakana

1 Olivers Yard, City Road, Shoreditch, London, EC1Y Map

26 minutes walk from Masala Zone

Formerly serving Indian cuisine, Anakana has switched to offering Thai street-food although the décor remains as vibrant and stylish as before with its spectra red ... More

London Dining / Indian/South Asian Cuisine

Hason Raja

84 Southampton Row, Bloomsbury, London, WC1B Map

32 minutes walk from Masala Zone

There are so many curry houses serving the same food badly these days that it makes a change to visit a restaurant that does what ... More

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Alternative Local Dining

Near Masala Zone

London Dining / South American Cuisine

Rodizio Rico Islington

77 Upper Street, Islington, London, N1 Map

Rodizio Rico now operate two of these South American-style 'churrascarias', in Notting Hill and Upper Street. They are ambassadors for this hugely enjoyable cuisine to ... More

London Dining / British Cuisine

S&M Cafe

4-6 Essex Road, Islington, London, N1 Map

3 minutes walk from Masala Zone

1950s style sausage and mash café-come-restaurant. If you know what you want from a meal and what you want is good old, British sausages and ... More

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Local Hotels

Near Masala Zone

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London Hotels / Mid Range Chain Hotel

Hilton Islington

53 Upper Street, Islington, N10UY Map

1 minutes walk from Masala Zone

The Business Design Centre next door is the obvious attraction for many of the guests at this smart, efficient Hilton Hotel, but Islington's excellent restaurants ... More

London Hotels / Budget Chain Hotel

Jurys Inn Islington

60 Pentonville Road, Islington, N19LA Map

10 minutes walk from Masala Zone

The decor when you walk into reception is fresh and modern and this first impression extends throughout the hotel to the bedrooms, bar and restaurant. ... More

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Rosebery Avenue Residence - Hostel

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Holiday Inn London Kings Cross - Bloomsbury - Mid-Range Chain Hotel

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Local Events on today or on tomorrow or on a particular date

Near Masala Zone

London Events / Concerts

Terrorvision

10th December 2009

O2 Academy Islington, Parkfield Street, N1 Map

5 minutes walk from Masala Zone

A chorus featuring the lyrics "Ooh wop bop ba doo wop. Bop ba doo wop. Bop ba doo" is perhaps not the most likely way ... More

London Events / Concerts

Electric Six

17th December 2009

O2 Academy Islington, Parkfield Street, N1 Map

5 minutes walk from Masala Zone

Danger! High Voltage! Electric Six are taking over O2 Islington Academy and turning it into a Gay Bar for one night only this December. Dick ... More

More local Events

Svapnagata Festival - Dance

Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake - Dance

Grayson Perry: The Walthamstow Tapestry - Exhibitions

Jane Brown: Exposure - Exhibitions

London Children's Film Festival - Film Events

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Local Sights and Attractions

Near Masala Zone

London Sights and Attractions / Activities for Kids

The Little Angel Theatre

14 Dagmar Passage, Cross Street, Islington, London, N1 Map

4 minutes walk from Masala Zone

This innovative children's theatre provides a showcase for the art of puppetry. Founded by master puppeteer John Wilkes in the early 1960s, this small, unusual ... More

London Sights and Attractions / Other Attractions

Sadler's Wells

Rosebery Avenue, Clerkenwell, London, EC1R Map

12 minutes walk from Masala Zone

Modern contemporary dance and music performance space. Occupying a site with a long tradition of entertaining Londoners, Sadler's Wells exists to bring the best of national ... More

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Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art - Art Galleries

Victoria Miro - Art Galleries

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Local Shopping

Near Masala Zone

London Shopping / Food and Drink Shops

Paul A Young Fine Chocolates

33 Camden Passage, Islington, London, N1 Map

3 minutes walk from Masala Zone

Before he was a full-time chocolatier, Paul Young was patissier for Marco Pierre White. The drama and perfectionism demanded by a Michelin-starred restaurant are both ... More

London Shopping / Jewellery

Jewel

16 Camden Passage, Islington, London, N1 Map

3 minutes walk from Masala Zone

A showcase for two jewellery designers Lesley Vik Waddell and Kirt Holmes, this is a very pretty little shop and is filled with deliciously frivolous ... More

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Camden Passage - Markets

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Local Education

Near Masala Zone

London Education / Arts and Drama

City Academy

35 Britannia Row, Islington, London, N1 Map

7 minutes walk from Masala Zone

City Academy is a performing arts schools which runs evening and weekend dancing, singing, acting and modelling classes with top professionals from theatre, film, television ... More

London Education / Careers Services

Islington Connexions Careers Centre

The White Lion Building, White Lion Street, Islington, London, N1 Map

10 minutes walk from Masala Zone

Connexions is a countrywide information and advisory service for 13-19 year olds and people with special learning needs or disabilities under 25. They offer an ... More

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Local Leisure

Near Masala Zone

London Leisure /

Thames River Adventures

River Thames & Regents Canal, Islington, London, N1 Map

8 minutes walk from Masala Zone

Danny Gillard and his team at Thames River Adventures offer kayak tours of the river Thames and London's canals. Early risers can see the city ... More

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Local Pubs

Near Masala Zone

London Pubs / Pubs

The Old Queen's Head

44 Essex Road, Islington, London, N1 Map

3 minutes walk from Masala Zone

A gorgeous antique interior, a delicious menu and some top DJs at weekends. The Old Queen’s Head opened with a fantastic recipe for success in ... More

London Pubs / Pubs

The North One Bar

1 Tolpuddle Street, Islington, London, N1 Map

6 minutes walk from Masala Zone

This refurbished pub / bar has been highly recommended by a number of readers, and we found it very pleasant. The interior is absolutely standard, ... More

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Hogshead - Pubs

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Local Nightlife

Near Masala Zone

London Nightlife / Nightclubs

The Double Club

7 Torrens Street, Islington, London, EC1V Map

7 minutes walk from Masala Zone

The Double Club is a bar, restaurant and disco "where the Congo meets the West" in an old Victorian warehouse around the corner from ... More

London Nightlife / Nightclubs

Electrowerkz

7 Torrens Street, Islington, London, EC1V Map

7 minutes walk from Masala Zone

The Electrowerkz is the closest the capital gets to a legal warehouse style venue. Its grimy interior adds to the authentic raving vibe and a ... More