Last Updated on July 14, 2025
A Hidden Corner of Docklands is Home to Thecha, a Maharashtrian Indian Restaurant
4.0 out of 5.0 starsLondon, in all its splendour, is a City that deserves exploration. Despite living here for over forty years, there are still pockets, like Poplar, that I’ve never visited before. And, inevitably, those parts of London surprise me when I do visit, as on this occasion to check out Thecha. Walking from Canary Wharf to the Lansbury Heritage Hotel is like a speed trip backwards through history – from the high-rise Docklands offices across a foot bridge over the river, round the back of New City College, and then past a bowling green and an old Library until the Lansbury appears. Once the home of Labour MP George Lansbury, it’s now a rather grand and beautifully restored hotel, with Thecha, an authentic Maharashtra and Mumbai restaurant, nestling in the back of the hotel.
It’s a popular venue, and even when we arrive in the early evening, it’s half full. By the time we leave, there’s a wait for a table. Service is slick and friendly – we are offered water on arrival, and menus are offered up quickly.
The design is contemporary and comfortable, featuring crushed velvet upholstered seats, dark wood tables, and old photos of George Lansbury with the Labour cabinet of the day and with his wife. There’s also the odd little memory of India (Ganesha sits proudly in a small nook, and there’s a sign telling us how far it is to Mumbai). It’s all very charming and somehow feels authentic, perhaps because the staff are Indian, as is a good proportion of the clientele.
My companion had been craving a mango lassi and ordered one on arrival. Much as I love lassi (and the report back was 100% favourable), I find it rather filling and opted for sparkling water instead. Our helpful waitress suggested that Thecha would like to showcase their starters and small bites with a sharing platter. Who were we to disagree?
What arrived was a comprehensive introduction to Maharashtrian street food and snacks.. Surmai Rava Fry, Sabudana Vade, Prawn Koliwada, Paneer Thecha and Kothimbir Vadi along with two chutneys – peanut and coriander
Kothimbir vadi, a popular Maharashtrian snack, is a kind of fritter made using fresh coriander leaves, besan and Indian spices. “Kothimbir” means coriander leaves in Marathi, and the fragrant herb played a key role in this dish.
Surmai Rava Fry turned out to be a Maharashtrian-style fried fish recipe, made with king fish
steaks, that is crisp on the outside and soft and moist within, thanks to a coating of semolina and rice flour and to the spicy marinade used to prepare the fish. It would be delicious as a main course too.
Paneer Thecha, grilled paneer tossed in a green chilli and garlic mix, was morish and tasty
Sabudana vada, also called ‘sabu vada’, a traditional deep-fried fritter from Maharashtra, is made from tapioca pearls (sabudana), mashed potatoes, peanuts and spices. Another snack that was perfect with the coriander chutney.
And finally, Prawn Koliwada, deep-fried battered prawns marinated with simple spices that are served as an appetiser or starter in most Mumbai restaurants.
Perhaps it’s not surprising that our starter platter comprised so many snacks – Swati Varanasi, the founder of Thecha, is better known for Curry On Naanstop, a super popular street food chain. Her, though, in her first restaurant, she’s produced a stunning tribute to the cuisine of Maharashtra.
For our main courses, we picked two dishes from the speciality section.
My prawn gassi was a rich, well-balanced dish with a thick gravy laced with coconut, tamarind and spices. Perfect with the steamed rice we’d ordered.
We both loved the malvani vade – a deep-fried puffed bread from the coastal region of Malvan in Maharashtra – perfect with the rice, it also worked well with my companion’s mutton rasa – a tender, fragrant curry that she managed to make light work of.
Raita and kachumber salad were tiny portions – you need one each – but at £2 and £2.50 respectively, we had no complaints.
And for dessert, we were thrilled to see mango shrikhand on the menu alongside aamras (a kind of Indian style mango compote) and chocolate paan. We picked and enjoyed the fruity options!
Everything was washed down with a delicious and well-priced rosé wine, Louis Bruneau. The restaurant also has a great cocktail list and the option of various beers and soft drinks.
Rooted in Swati’s personal culinary heritage and inspired by the food she grew up eating, Thecha explores the bold, untamed flavours of Mumbai, Kolhapur, Nagpur, and the coastal Malvan region, bringing them to the London food scene with heart, heritage, and heat.
“This is the food of my childhood,” says Swati. “It’s my mother’s cooking, the street food I grew up with, the festivals, the stories – every dish is deeply personal and unapologetically flavourful.” From fiery starters to rich curries and comforting thalis, Thecha is a journey across Maharashtra on a plate, and we loved every mouthful. The perfect secret destination in Docklands – we’d rather not have to share, but somehow that doesn’t quite seem fair!
The Lansbury Heritage Hotel,
117 Poplar High Street,
London E14 0AE.
If you are looking for a Punjabi Indian restaurant, we recommend Dipna Anand’s Brilliant Gastro in Southall
Leave a Reply