What a find!

We stumbled upon Designer Sandwiches when looking for a bite to eat in Covent Garden. I walked past the restaurant and got a really good feeling from it. My mate wanted to check out the next restaurant down the road, and I feel fortunate that it was closed. Designer Sandwiches was a real find.

This eclectically decorated restaurant is located on 27 Endell Street, just near the 7 Dials. The walls are covered with various Indian memorabilia, from record album covers to magazine clippings. It's quite a fun place, feeling a bit like a British hippie spent some time down in Goa and came back to start a restaurant. The Indian sitar soundtrack adds to that sense. There are only a few tables in this hideaway restaurant, but carry-away is also a possibility.

The restaurant seems to be owned and operated by a couple. The British woman who ushered us to our seats had a motherly way about her, and seemed genuinely excited about our visit. We made small talk about visiting London. She was very enthusiastic about the menu. So were we! It consisted of a variety of soups, sandwiches, salads, and jacket potatoes. No ordinary jacket potatoes, these! The one we ordered was filled with a delicious curry. I had a curry chicken sandwich, filled also with channa, on a delicious flatbread recommended by the owner. Her husband worked behind the counter, making the food. The mango lassi was quite refreshing as well. The sandwiches all looked quite wonderful and creative. And the recommended dessert of Kulfi, Indian ice cream, was well worth my lactose reaction.

I would definitely go back here and I was surprised that this delightful little place wasn't listed in any of my guidebooks, including Cheap Eats London.