Thanks to London’s gloriously diverse population, we’re absolutely spoiled with all manner of cuisines to chow down on. And that also means we can explore the breadth of the world’s spicy dishes. After all, a spicy dish from Mexico is hugely different in both flavour and how the spice hits you compared to Thai food or Caribbean cuisine. But they’re all delightful, delicious, and often blow-your-head-off hot. So, if you’re a fellow spice-lover looking to try out some of London’s hottest foods, we’ve got you covered. Here are some of the spiciest dishes you can chow down on in the city:
1. Spicy jungle curry at Farang
For my money, one of the spiciest things (if not the spiciest dish) you can eat in London is the jungle curry at Farang. The dish is intensely aromatic, spicy, and salty; it’s a veritable punch of flavour that attacks the whole mouth. In fact, it almost gave my dining partner a panic attack! (And yet, I would still re-order it because it was also delicious…)
📍72 Highbury Park, N5 2XE.
🚇 The nearest station is Arsenal (but it’s an easy walk from Highbury & Islington).
2. Beef Tongue & Tendon Red Curry at Speedboat Bar
Image: @speedboatbar, via IG
Our Fleur openly admits to not being great with spice, but she was still not quite prepared for how hot Speedboat Bar’s food was going to be. In her own words, “the beef tongue curry at Speedboat nearly killed me”. That sounds to me like a ringing endorsement!
📍 30 Rupert Street, W1D 6DL.
🚇 The nearest station is Piccadilly Circus.
3. Tian-Shui Mian at Noodle and Beer
Image: @noodleandbeerltd, via IG
When you’re dining at Noodle and Beer, you can safely ignore the chilli rankings on the menu. That’s because the spiciest dish on the menu has just one chilli as a warning next to it. The Tian-Shui Mian is a harmless-sounding mix of handmade thick udon noodles in a house special sweet soy sauce with sesame and peanuts. But don’t be fooled. Many a diner has simply abandoned the dish halfway through eating thanks to the spicy and tingly Sichuan chilli oil. And, yes, it is spicier than their famous Xian Jiao Niu-Rou (spicy beef noodles), which has a five-chilli ranking. Slightly…
📍 31 Bell Lane, E1 7LA & 27 Wardour Street, W1D 6PR.
🚇 The nearest stations are Liverpool Street & Picadilly Circus.
4. gaeng ped jay at Som Saa
Image: @somsaa_london, via IG
Don’t be fooled by this dish’s stunning good looks or innocuous description on the menu. Our Tash described this dish as so spicy it blew her brains out. Needless to say, it will be at the top of my list of the spiciest dishes to try when I visit.
📍 43A Commercial Street, Spitalfields, E1 6BD.
🚇 The nearest station is Aldgate East.
5. Numbing Wontons at Liu Xiaomian
Image: @liu_xiaomian, via IG
Now, the main draw at Liu Xiaomian is undeniably their delicious noodles. But if it’s spice that you’re after, be sure to grab some of the Numbing Wontons. You can tentatively dip your toes into the spicy drowned wontons with a small order or jump into the fiery depths with a full order of 10 wontons. You’re going to need some of their Iced Jelly in Brown Sugar to cool down afterwards!
📍 Find your nearest Liu Xioamian here.
6. Margarita a la Diabla at Corrochio’s
Image: @corrochios, via IG
Now, Corrochio’s has plenty of spicy dishes to thrill heat-seekers when they dine – but our pick from the menu has to be their super-spicy margarita, the Margarita a la Diabla. They add a healthy dose of their house hot sauce into the drink to amp up the spice in what might be the spiciest margarita in all of London. In fact, it might be the spiciest margarita in the whole UK!
📍 70-74 Stoke Newington Road, Dalston, N16 7XB.
🚇 The nearest station is Dalston Kingsland.
7. ‘Good Luck’ at Lucky’s Hot Chicken
How spicy is the spiciest option at this Nashville Hot Chicken vendor? Let’s put it this way, they don’t even have advice for you when you order it. All they can say is ‘good luck’. Be prepared for some stomach-turning spice…
📍 Seven Dials Market, 35 Earlham Street, WC2H 9AU & Mikkeller Brewpub, 37-39 Exmouth Market, EC1R 4QL.
🚇 The nearest stations are Covent Garden & Angel and Farringdon.
8. Jerk Pork at Smokey Jerkey
Who says you need to go to a proper sit-down restaurant for London’s spiciest dishes? South London takeaway spot Smokey Jerkey has you sorted with their fiery Jerk Pork that will have your eyes watering in seconds. Just don’t make the mistake our resident spice-queen Vee made of adding extra hot sauce before checking the spice level. (It was so hot she had to lie down for three hours afterwards…)
📍 158 New Cross Road, SE14 5BA.
🚇 The nearest station is New Cross Gate.
9. The Reaper at Dave’s Hot Chicken
Another blow-your-head-off Nashville hot Chicken vendor, this US-transplant serves up fried chicken and fried chicken sandwiches that are so hot you have to sign a waiver! Pro tip: Douse your chicken in the accompanying honey. It may not tame the spice, but it at least adds an extra dimension of flavour to the whole experience.
📍 40 Shaftesbury Avenue, W1D 7ER.
🚇 The nearest station is Piccadilly Circus.
10. The Jamaican’Me Crazy (Extra Hot) flavour at Wingmans
Image: @wingmanschicken, via IG
If you head to this Soho wing spot and you’re not looking to eat one of the spiciest dishes in London, be careful what you order. Our Jack sampled some of their friend’s Jamaican’Me Crazy (Extra Hot) wings and had to tap out after just one bite! But, hey, at least they warn you what you’re in for when you order!
Honourable mention: Hop Burns & Black
Image: @moimoisauce, @hopburnsblack, & @hotsauceislifeuk
Now, there isn’t any food to eat at esteemed craft beer, wine, and hot sauce vendors Hop Burns & Black. But they do have some scorching-ly hot condiments for you to make almost any foodstuff one of the spiciest dishes in London. Drip them (or pour them liberally) onto whatever you’re eating to spice things up. (Psst… they even have the Hot Ones hot sauces for fans of the YouTube interview show.)
📍 38 East Dulwich Road, SE22 9AX & Arch 1 Deptford Station, Deptford High Street, SE8 4NS.
🚇 The nearest stations are East Dulwich & Deptford.