London’s appetite for regional Indian cooking shows no sign of slowing down. The latest arrival comes from Michelin-starred chef Aktar Islam, who is bringing the flavours of northern India’s historic Awadh region to Borough with a new restaurant, Oudh 1722.

The restaurant takes its name from the former Kingdom of Awadh, a cultural centre in what is now northern India that became known for its refined cuisine, elaborate hospitality and royal courts. Islam, whose Birmingham restaurant Opheem holds two Michelin stars, is launching the project in partnership with the team behind the nearby restaurant Kachori.

Set close to Borough Market, Oudh 1722 will focus on the cooking traditions of Lucknow and the wider Awadhi region. The menu is expected to showcase dishes and techniques associated with the cuisine, including slow-cooked meats, aromatic rice dishes and recipes shaped by centuries of Mughal influence.

The restaurant’s interiors are designed to reflect that heritage, drawing inspiration from the architecture and craftsmanship of eighteenth-century Awadh. The name itself references 1722, the year Saadat Ali Khan I became the first Nawab of Awadh, marking the beginning of a dynasty that helped establish the region as one of South Asia’s great culinary centres.

For Islam, the opening represents a departure from the contemporary tasting-menu format that made his reputation. Instead, Oudh 1722 aims to immerse diners in a specific regional food culture, one that remains relatively underrepresented in London despite the city’s increasingly sophisticated Indian dining scene.

With a chef of Islam’s calibre behind it and a focus on one of India’s most influential culinary traditions, Oudh 1722 looks set to become one of the capital’s most closely watched restaurant openings of the year.