Ganapati South Indian Kitchen is a compact neighbourhood restaurant at 38 Holly Grove in Peckham. Inspired by the food culture of southern India, it serves a deliberately small menu that changes regularly, preserving a personal, independent character rather than trying to cover every regional style at once.
Spice is layered through coconut, curry leaves, mustard seeds, fenugreek, tamarind and fresh chutneys. Dosa made from fermented rice and lentil batter, flaky Kerala paratha and aromatic rice provide the foundations for vegetable, seafood, chicken and goat dishes with distinct textures and carefully balanced heat.
The selection commonly moves from samosas, pickles and smaller snacks into curries, biryani and vegetarian plates. Lentils, seasonal vegetables and house made paneer receive the same attention as fish or meat, and vegan choices form a substantial part of the menu rather than an afterthought.
Lunch is served during the week, with longer continuous service at weekends and an outside seating area for warmer days. Desserts such as banana dosa, sorbet and gulab jamun, together with a separate drinks list, complete a restaurant experience shaped by travel, regional recipes and regular creative change.
Address: 38 Holly Grove, Peckham, London SE15 5DF, England
Ganapati Restaurant Menu
Starters
All dishes medium hot unless mentioned.
Poppadoms
With garlic pickle (gluten), beetroot pickle (gluten, mustard seeds), coriander + mint chutney, sweet tomato chutney vg
Onion + spinach bhajis
With potato, coriander, spinach, chilli / green chutney vg
Calicut beach chaat
Chickpeas, tomato, cucumber, pineapple, melon + crunchy puri / tamarind chutney + yogurt (dairy, gluten) v (vg on request)
Crab thoran
Hand picked fresh british crabmeat with coconut, curry leaves, ginger, green chilli (mustard seeds) / chutney (dairy)
Sardine fry
Marinated in chilli, ginger, garlic, lemon, pan fried
Main Meals
An optional 12.5% service charge will be added to your meal. v = vegetarian / vg = vegan. Our chicken / lamb are free range + halal. We use non GM rapeseed oil in our cooking.
Baby aubergine + spinach masala
Onions, ginger, tomatoes, cumin, coconut milk (mustard seeds) vg
Pumpkin, broccoli + potato curry
Tomato, ginger, garam masala, dried lime (mustard seeds) vg
Courgette + strawberry curry
With cumin, coriander, chilli, black pepper, tomato (mustard seeds) vg
Kayal fish curry
Sea bass fillet, fresh coriander, green chilli, fennel, lemon juice
Jankar squid spicy
Smoked tamarind, fenugreek, garlic, tomato, chilli (mustard seeds)
Badam chicken
Free range chicken breast, almonds, coconut, poppy seeds, bay (nuts)
Prawn biriyani
King prawns layered with lightly spiced basmati rice (dairy) / pickle, raita (dairy), poppadoms
Lamb mappas
Whole garam masala, black pepper, coriander, coconut
Masala dosa
Rice flour + lentil fermented pancake stuffed with spicy mashed potato / sambar + chutneys (gluten, mustard seeds) vg
Side Dishes
Rasam
Spicy south indian broth (gluten, mustard seeds) vg
Dal
Lentil curry with garlic + curry leaves (mustard seeds) vg
Spinach dal
Dal with spinach (mustard seeds) vg
Mung bean salad
vg
Sambar
South indian vegetable + lentil stew with tamarind (gluten, mustard seeds) vg
Raita
Our own made yogurt with chopped vegetables (dairy) v
Bread + Rice
Kerala paratha
Our famous flaky flat bread (gluten) vg
Plain rice
Basmati vg
Coconut rice
Basmati rice, cooked in coconut milk, fenugreek + garlic vg
Children’s Meals
Kutty chicken
Children’s portion of unspiced free range chicken curry + rice
Kutty veg
Dal (mustard seeds), rice, yogurt (dairy), poppadoms v
Desserts
Ganapati ice-cream
(dairy, eggs)
Ganapati sorbet / 2 scoops
vg
Shrikkand
Sweetened yogurt with rose water, saffron, pistachios (dairy, nuts)
Gulab jamun / creme fraiche
(gluten, dairy)
Lunch Menu (Tuesday – Friday)
Some dishes contain mustard seeds / please ask staff for advice. An optional 12.5% service charge will be added to your bill.
Tiffin thali meal
Vegetable curry, pongal (rice + lentil porridge), (cashews), vada (lentil savoury doughnut), rasam (gluten), pickle + poppadoms vg
Cheera parippu + curd rice
Spinach dal + rice with yogurt (dairy), tempered with mustard seeds + curry leaves, mung bean salad, pickle + poppadoms
Chicken thali meal
Free range medium spiced chicken curry, basmati rice, mung bean salad, raita (dairy), pickle + poppadoms
Fish thali meal
Sardine fry, basmati rice, dal, pacha moru (dairy), mung bean salad + poppadoms
Masala dosa
Rice flour + lentil fermented pancake stuffed with spicy mashed potato / sambar + chutneys (gluten) vg
Lassis + Soft Drinks
Mango lassi
Sweet or savoury lassi
(dairy)
Mango / vegan lassi (soya)
vg
Lime soda
Salt / sugar or both – fever-tree soda water
Nannari sharbat
Cooling south Indian street drink of sarsaparilla, soda, lime + mint
Fever-tree ginger beer
Blend of african + indian gingers
Fever-tree madagascan cola
Madagascan vanilla, spices + citrus fruits
LemonAid passionfruit
Hint of lime + mango, organic / fair trade
Water
Still / sparkling water
Rosé
Chateau oumsiyat ‘soupir’
Bekaa valley, lebanon — luscious, aromatic rosé, spicy, notes of watermelon + rose
Sparkling
Prapian prosecco di conegliano valdobbiadene superiore biologico nv
Veneto, Italy — extra dry with crisp apple + pear flavours
Red Wine
Chevanceau
Languedoc, france — a characterful southern french marselan with great texture, rich in brambly fruit + cassis
Montepulciano d’abbruzzo cortalto
Abbruzzo, italy — juicy red + black fruits, touch of pepper spice, fine tannins, soft + well rounded
Bideona, 'mayela'
Rioja alavesa rioja, spain — dark cherry + blackberry aromas layered with a hint of violet + clove / fresh palate, long, mineral finish
Tenute emera primitivo salento
Puglia, italy — blueberry notes, spicy, well balanced with a soft finish
Tralci hirpini aglianico
Campania, italy — plenty of fruit, clean, bright, earthy, medium to full bodied
Janos markvart kadarka
Szekszard, hungary — light bodied in the way of a pinot noir, vibrant, juicy + comforting
White Wine
Javier sanz ‘rey santo’ verdejo
Rueda, spain — juicy, refreshing, aromatic, notes of ripe pear
Sula vineyards chenin blanc
Nashik, india — tropical fruit flavours, mineral undertones and good acidity
Monemvasia winery tsimbidi, ‘voltes white’
Central greece — floral aromas, green apple, juicy stone fruit
Peter benedek sauvignon blanc
Matra, hungary — soft, juicy, delicate, mineral, citrus notes
Tralci hirpini falanghina
Campania, italy — nose of white flowers + melon, elegant soft palate, touch of honey
Tikves, temjanika, luda mara
North macedonia — aromatic, dry with notes of elderflower, crisp, refreshing citrusy finish
Tilia nostra pinot gris, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay
Slovenia — the freshness of pinot gris + sauvignon blanc with body of chardonnay, touch of oak spice
Beers + Mead
Thornbridge brewery lukas helles lager
Traditional elegant bavarian style of beer 330ml / 4.2% (gluten free)
Thornbridge brewery green mountain session ipa
Juicy, hazy, aromatic vermont style session ipa 330ml / 4.3%
Thornbridge brewery jaipur ipa
Award winning ipa, fruit, hoppy, enticing bitterness 330ml / 5.9%
Small beer brew co hazy ipa
Mango + guava hop characters 330ml / 2.6%
Nirvana pils alcohol free
Crisp with notes of citrus + spice (gluten free) 330ml / 0.5%
Gosnells hazy (peckham)
Sparkling honey nectar brewed just around the corner from ganapati, refreshing + delicious (gluten free) 330ml / 4%