Its Thecha

Its Thecha bills itself as "unapologetically rustic, flavour-forward, and true to their origins" — and the menu backs that up. Where most Indian restaurants in the area lean North Indian or pan-Indian, this one zeroes in on Maharashtra's regional traditions: the fiery spice of Kolhapuri cooking, the coastal warmth of Konkan dishes, and the robust intensity of Savji cuisine. The thali section is the draw — Malvani, Kolhapuri, and Savji versions each built around their region's signature spice profiles. There's also a Mumbai street food selection for something more casual, and a "Bombay Wok" Indo-Chinese fusion menu that nods to the Chinese-Indian cooking you'd find at a Bombay street stall. The setting is unusual for an Indian restaurant — it's inside the Crowne Plaza hotel on Portsmouth Road, between Surbiton and Kingston. The hotel dining room trades intimacy for space, which makes it practical for larger groups and celebrations. They also run a catering arm for events and weddings. Four branches across the UK (Manchester, Bristol, Canary Wharf, and here in Kingston/Surbiton), so this isn't a one-off passion project — it's a polished operation with ambitions. Whether the hotel setting adds to or detracts from the experience depends on what you're after, but the regional specificity of the menu is genuinely hard to find locally. **Local's Tip:** If you're new to Maharashtrian food, start with a thali — it's the best way to sample the range of flavours without committing to a single dish.