Photo: Watan Restaurant’s Vibrant and Generously-Presented Dishes Celebrate Tradition and Community. Michelin Star Chef Binod Baral holds the Kabuli Pilau
Where Food Meets Culture And Community
Watan Restaurant in Southall offers a vibrant dining experience with authentic Afghan cuisine, exceptional service, and a welcoming atmosphere, celebrating tradition while creating unforgettable memories through its Kabuli Pilau, Chapli Kebab, and mix grills.
London is a city where food tells the story of migration, memory, and belonging. Every neighbourhood whispers tales of its people through spices, recipes, and shared tables. Southall, often described as London’s “Little India,” has long been home to Punjabi, Pakistani, and Afghan communities. Walking down Southall Broadway, you smell the smoke of kebabs, the sweetness of mithai, and hear the music of many tongues. Amid this sensory symphony stands Watan Restaurant, a proud Afghan-Pakistani establishment that has been serving locals and travellers since 2009.
Though the family behind Watan trace their culinary roots back to 1994 with the original Watan in Afghanistan, this Southall flagship feels both deeply rooted in tradition and proudly expansive. It is not just a restaurant but a celebration of Afghan hospitality, a place where food, family, and festivity come together.
Watan Restaurant excels in offering authentic Afghan cuisine, generous portions, exquisite flavors, and a cultural experience rooted in hospitality and tradition.
First Impressions
Watan is a very large restaurant, surprisingly so, and yet nearly every table was full when we arrived. It had the atmosphere of a true family restaurant, buzzing with conversation but also welcoming to everyone. What immediately struck me was the open kitchen: flames leaping from the charcoal grills, naan breads slapped against the inside of the tandoor, and a vast griddle working overtime to keep up with orders of their signature Chapli Kebab. The sense of theatre is part of the charm, reminding diners that Afghan cuisine is as much about the process as the plate.
The staff were attentive and warm, managing the busy dining room with ease. Service was neither rushed nor fussy, striking that perfect middle ground between efficiency and genuine hospitality.
Drinks That Speak of Place
We began with Doogh Afghani, a salty yoghurt-based drink blended with cucumber, mint, and lemon. At just four pounds, it was a revelation. Cold, herbal, lightly tangy, and utterly refreshing, this was the kind of drink that resets the palate and restores the soul. It felt like nectar from heaven, perfectly suited to the smoky intensity of grilled meats to come. Later, we tried Fresh Lemon Mint, a drink popular across the Gulf but here executed with far more restraint. Too often it can be cloyingly sweet, but Watan’s version was perfectly balanced that fresh, sharp, and mint-heavy, made in full view at their juice station.
The Pride of Afghanistan: Kabuli Pilau
If Watan has a crown jewel, it is surely the Kabuli Pilau with Lamb Shank. This is a dish that commands respect and deserves reverence. The rice alone was perfection: each grain separate, soft yet firm, seasoned with a gentle sweetness from caramelised carrots and raisins, yet balanced with the savoury depth of lamb stock and butter. The lamb shank, slow-cooked until tender, collapsed gracefully at the touch of a fork, the meat melting into the rice beneath it. Among my dining companions, both seasoned food lovers, there was no hesitation: this was the finest Kabuli Pilau we had eaten in London. To cook rice with such balance, such discipline, is an art form, and Watan has mastered it. Serving Best Kabuli Pilau in London probably in UK .
The Lavish Mix Grill
Photo: The centrepiece of Watan Restaurant’s menu, the Afghan Mix Grill, is a feast for the senses—a celebration of bold flavours and culinary tradition. This generous platter features succulent lamb chops, juicy skewered kebabs, spiced chicken tikka, and sizzling shish kebabs, accompanied by grilled tomatoes, Turkish peppers, and charred lemon halves. Served on an enormous naan bread and surrounded by three distinct styles of rice, this dish encapsulates the spirit of Afghan cooking: communal indulgence, vibrant presentation, and an unapologetic love for flavor. Perfect for sharing, it transforms dinner into an unforgettable celebration at the heart of London’s multicultural Southall.
Watan’s Afghan Mix Grill is an unapologetically generous platter designed to satisfy every carnivorous craving. Lamb chops, skewered kebabs, chicken tikka, Shish kebabs, grilled tomatoes, Turkish peppers, and chillies arrive on a bed of three different styles of rice, all laid out over an enormous naan bread. It is both spectacular in presentation and deeply satisfying in execution. The lamb chops were the standout for me, juicy, well-seasoned, and beautifully charred over the coals though my friends found joy in the other cuts. It is the kind of dish that turns dinner into celebration, and you find yourself fighting, good-naturedly, over the last piece.
The Signature Chapli Kebab
If the pilau is the crown, the Chapli Kebab is the beating heart of the menu.
Served hot from the griddle, these giant discs of minced lamb are crisp on the outside, juicy inside, and spiced with a complexity that makes them addictive. They arrive with salad and a trio of dips, reminiscent of Nando’s free-flowing sauces but far more nuanced. This is a dish of humble origins elevated by scale and craft, and it carries with it the pride of Pashtun cooking.
Curries and Dumplings
The Lamb Karahi, served sizzling in its wok-like vessel, was another highlight. Clean in flavour, with the tomato base shining through and the lamb cooked until yielding, it is a dish that would appeal to the Great British love of curry while retaining its Afghan identity.
A traditional Afghan dish featuring tender dumplings filled with spiced minced meat, topped with a creamy yogurt sauce and a vibrant lentil-based topping, garnished with fresh herbs for a burst of flavour and visual appeal.
But for me, the joy of discovery lay in the Mantu, Afghan dumplings stuffed with spiced minced meat, topped with yoghurt and a light curry sauce. Having devoted much of my life to dumplings. Nepal’s momo being my own cultural anchor, it felt almost like meeting a cousin of the family. The Mantu were delicate yet hearty, carrying the warmth of home cooking. They deserve as much recognition as the pilau or the grill, and I could happily eat them every day.
Sweet Endings
Desserts can often be an afterthought in meat-heavy cuisines, but Watan offers something distinct. We tried their frozen Afghan yoghurt, sweetened milk dumplings perfumed with cardamom, and almonds steeped in milk. It was a gentle, cooling finale to a rich and generous meal, a reminder that sweetness need not overwhelm.
A Place of Celebration
Prices are reasonable given the scale and quality. We paid around forty pounds each, and left both full and fulfilled. Yet the menu hints at grander feasts still: whole baby lambs, weighing up to fourteen kilograms, steamed and roasted with masala, then served with Kabuli rice and traditional garnishes. This dish, aptly called Masala Daar Full Lamb, requires a party of twenty or more. It is the kind of meal that transcends dining and becomes an event , an Afghan expression of abundance and shared joy.
Final Thoughts
Watan is more than just a restaurant. It is an extension of Afghan kitchen and culture onto London soil, a place where heritage is cooked over fire and served with generosity. In Pashto, Dari, and Persian, the word Watan means homeland. To eat here is to glimpse the pride and belonging that word conveys. The food is excellent, the atmosphere vibrant, and the welcome sincere.
In an age where London’s dining scene often chases novelty, Watan stands firmly in tradition, yet feels fresh because of its scale and authenticity. This is food that makes strangers into friends and meals into memories.
Five stars. Watan is not just one of the best Afghan restaurants in London. It is one of the great dining experiences of our multicultural city.
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