Rasa N16 is a small vegetarian South Indian restaurant on Stoke Newington Church Street and the original member of the Rasa family. Founder Das Sreedharan drew inspiration from his childhood in Kerala, where fresh vegetables, coconut, spices and home cooking shaped daily meals. The cosy pink dining room has become a longstanding neighbourhood destination for food prepared with close attention to ingredients and regional tradition.
Meals can begin with Kerala tea shop snacks such as achappam, banana chips, murukku and crisp pappadoms, accompanied by homemade pickles and chutneys. Starters include cauliflower pakoda, potato filled Mysore bonda, banana boli, medhu vadai and masala vadai. Curry leaves, ginger, sesame, lentils and coconut create distinct flavours across these small plates rather than one uniform level of heat.
Dosa provides another route into South Indian cooking, from a plain rice and black gram pancake to masala dosa filled with spiced potato. Nair dosa adds beetroot, carrot, onion and ginger, while chilli onion rava dosa uses semolina and rice flour for a lacy texture. Each is served with sambar and fresh coconut chutney, balancing the crisp pancake with a warming lentil and vegetable sauce.
The curry selection moves through tomato and yoghurt, beetroot and spinach, aubergine, lentils, okra, paneer and seasonal vegetables. Coconut, tamarind, mustard seeds and curry leaves bring a recognisably Keralan character, supported by lemon, coconut or tamarind rice and breads such as paratha and appam. Chakkara payasam, mango halwa, kulfi and sorbet finish the meal, while chef selected vegetarian and vegan feasts allow the kitchen to assemble a broad tasting experience.
Address: 55 Stoke Newington Church Street, London N16 0AR, United Kingdom
Been to Rasa N16? Be one of the first to rate it.
+ Log your visit