There’s something about Diwali that makes you miss home a little more than usual. The smell of something frying in the kitchen, a table crowded with far too much food, aunties insisting you have “just one more”, and the house glowing with diyas long after the sun has gone down.
Even if you’re celebrating in London rather than back home, the festival has a way of pulling everyone closer whether that’s family, chosen family, or friends who’ve become both.
Diwali also known as the Festival of Lights is a five-day Hindu, Jain and Sikh festival celebrated each year.
For many, it honours the story from Hindu mythology in which Lord Ram returns home after defeating the demon king Ravan, symbolising the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness.
Hindus also honour Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, and Ganesh, the god of good fortune and wisdom which explains why the festival is as much about new beginnings and prosperity as it is about feasting.
And feast we shall. Because Diwali is really about gathering: sharing plates until the table groans, swapping sweets, dressing up and setting off a few sparks (safely, ideally).
Here in London, there are plenty of ways to get involved, whatever your faith or none at all. This year’s celebrations run from the beginning of October, with the main festivities taking place on 8 November.
So, without further ado, here’s our rundown of the best places to celebrate Diwali in London in 2026.
Dance the night away Dishoom’s Diwali house party in Borough
Dishoom is throwing a one-night-only Diwali house party at its new Borough restaurant, with feasting, music and dancing taking over both floors on 5 November. It’s the kind of evening that starts with Bombay-style comfort food and ends with everyone dancing far later than they planned.
Even if you can’t make the party, the celebrations linger: neon installations by contemporary artist Chila Kumari Singh Burman MBE will light up the outside of the restaurant from late October until late December.
Celebrate Diwali for free at the National Maritime Museum
Greenwich’s National Maritime Museum goes big for Diwali with a free, family-friendly day of celebrations on 7 November. Expect dance performances, Rangoli art, lantern-making and the chance to try on traditional South Asian clothing, with South Asian artists, storytellers, makers and community organisations from across the UK taking over the museum.
The day ends with a lantern parade through Greenwich Park, soundtracked by Eternal Taal’s dhol drummers. New for 2026 is the Diwali Bazaar, where South Asian designers, artists and independent businesses will be selling jewellery, prints, clothing, gifts and handmade pieces.
Watch Diwali and Bonfire Night fireworks in Harrow
Harrow’s fireworks in Byron Park neatly combine Bonfire Night with Diwali celebrations on 7 November. Before the main display, there’s a funfair and Diwali dance choreography to keep everyone entertained making it a solid shout for a family evening that covers both festivals in one go.
Make lanterns at Marble Hill’s Diwali celebrations
English Heritage’s Marble Hill is marking the Festival of Lights with an afternoon of family-friendly activities. Make your own lantern in a workshop, then settle in for performances from dancers, dhol drummers and brilliantly giant puppets, all set among the property’s illuminations.
Watch Diwali Story – A Musical at Wembley Arena
Following a sold-out run at the Royal Albert Hall, Diwali Story – A Musical arrives at Wembley Arena, bringing the story of Lord Ram to life through music, song, dance and theatre. Performed in English and designed with a new generation of audiences in mind, it’s a big, family-friendly way to experience the tale at the heart of the festival.
And without further ado, the feasting section of our roundup.
Vivek Singh’s Cinnamon Collection is going all in for Diwali this year, with celebratory menus across four London restaurants from 19 October to 14 November. Whether you fancy a colourful eight-course bazaar feast or fine dining in a Grade II-listed former library, there’s a properly festive spread waiting with prices starting from £39pp.
KOKUM, East Dulwich
East Dulwich’s KOKUM is keeping Diwali deliciously simple: a limited-edition sharing feast, £45pp, running from 3–8 November. Co-founded by former Gymkhana head chef Sanjay Gour, the menu brings together the restaurant’s greatest hits – crispy spinach and kale chaat, paneer tikka angara, pani puri, butter chicken and dal makhani plus rice, breads and mango and cardamom shrikhand to finish.
There’s also Nani’s Nightcap, a boozy dessert-in-a-glass made with vanilla ice cream, Baileys, vodka and a secret homemade masala blend. Think after-dinner drink, but with a little extra mischief.
Jamavar, Mayfair
Michelin-starred Jamavar is marking its tenth anniversary with a Royal Diwali Darbar, a £138pp feasting menu from culinary director and executive chef Surender Mohan, inspired by the grand celebrations of India’s princely courts.
Running from 28 October to 8 November over lunch and dinner, it begins with a drink on arrival and a Jamavar Jewel Box of mirchi pakora, masala kaju, mathri, papads and chutneys.
From there, expect tandoor dishes such as dill malai jhinga or bhatti ka murgh, plus a choice of achari gosht with Hampshire lamb or Old Delhi butter chicken, served with all the proper accompaniments.
Pudding is shahi kala jamun with caramelised milk, pistachio cream and saffron basundi and there’s a vegetarian menu featuring wild mushroom galouti and morel-rich gucchi mutter, too.
Trishna, Marylebone
Trishna is celebrating with its Taste of Trishna feast, a five-course menu from executive chef Sajeev Nair, available from 2–8 November. At £120pp (or £110pp for the vegetarian menu), it’s a suitably luxurious take on the festival, with highlights including seafood paniyaram with Oscietra caviar, Amrut grouse with single malt and half lemon lobster tail with lemon butter.
Dessert is a gulab jamun tiramisu with Mysore pak crumble and filter kaapi granita — a genuinely excellent collision of cultures. There’s also a Bombay Sapphire partnership: the Muziris Negroni, served tableside from bespoke two-litre bottles, plus a miniature serve to take home for every guest dining from the Diwali menus.
Brigadiers, The City
Brigadiers is doing Diwali its way: big, smoky and built for sharing. From 5–14 November, the Bloomberg Arcade Indian barbecue spot is serving a special feast at £105pp, with Dorset crab samosa, Konkani scallop with crispy chorizo and BBQ butter chicken wings among the highlights.
Mains include venison shank korma, cod kalimirch tikka with malai korma and dum guinea fowl biryani, all served with dal makhani, aloo baingan masala and pine nut and onion pilau. For pudding, choose between saffron kulfi and kala jamun brûlée and if you’re booking a private dining room, you can pre-order beer towers and large-format cocktails for when everyone arrives.
Claim a free Diwali meal at AMMA & ATTA
AMMA & ATTA is celebrating Diwali at Market Halls Canary Wharf with a properly generous offer: 25% off the entire menu all day on Friday 6 November, plus free main meals for the first 30 guests from 11am using the code word DIWALI. Just scan the in-store QR code to claim both.
The Ayurvedic-inspired spot is all about food that feels like a hug — think kitchari, freshly made paratha rolls, chaat-inspired bowls, Amma’s Chai and a Turmeric & Ashwagandha Latte.
Founded by Simone Hundle and named after the Hindi words for mother and flour, it’s a lovely reminder that the best celebrations often start with something simple, shared and made with care.
Sweeten Diwali with treats from The Hummingbird Bakery
If your Diwali celebrations need a sugar hit, The Hummingbird Bakery has you covered with a festive collection of cupcakes and cakes. The Diwali Cupcake Selection Box (£27) comes with six vanilla cupcakes topped with vanilla frosting and handmade sugar-paste flowers, while the Diwali Heart Cake (£36) layers vanilla sponge with yellow frosting and vintage-style piping in orange and pink.
The collection is available online and in store until Sunday 8 November.
Celebrate Diwali with regional Indian dishes at Bulbul
Newly opened Bulbul in Blackfriars is bringing India’s regional diversity to the table — and it’s a rather lovely shout for a Diwali dinner.
Founded by chef Rohan Dsouza and Twinkle Keswani, the restaurant explores the cooking styles, family recipes and street-side flavours that often get lost in the usual curry-house shorthand, with dishes such as Goan shrimp balchao, Mewari laal maas and tandoor-cooked plates.
Set beneath Tudor Street in a beautifully reimagined former printing press, Bulbul pairs its food with Indian ingredient-led cocktails, glowing flower lights and a cave-inspired bar that feels a world away from the City.
