Being an entire subcontinent in itself means it should come as no surprise that the food of India is, to put it mildly, pretty varied. The difference in dishes between the north, south, east and west is vast, with completely different ingredients and cooking techniques used. At Heritage Dulwich, chef Dayashankar Sharma shines a light on dishes from regions of India not as well known in the UK, combining them with British produce and adding his own contemporary spin.

The restaurant itself is light, airy and pared-back, allowing the food to become the focus of any meal (as it should be). There’s a set lunch menu as well as an à la carte of small plates, kebabs, larger dishes, sides, rice and breads, or an eight-course tasting menu for those who want to be taken on a journey by the kitchen.

Dishes always come to the table bursting with colour and flavour but there’s real skill in the cooking too. There are of course classics like murgh makhana and gosht dum biryani, but the real intrigue comes in some of the more unfamiliar dishes – paneer in a melon seed gravy; lamb and prune koftas; broccoli dumplings filled with apricot and raisin; sea bass in mustard and poppy seed sauce. When in season, game features on the menu too, thanks to chef Sharma’s Rajasthani upbringing.

Desserts are a mix of familiar classics given an Indian twist – think along the lines of galub jamun cheesecake, black cardamom chocolate brownies and jaggery rice pudding with sweet caviar. There’s also a bespoke cocktail list, fresh non-alcoholic drinks and a wine list long enough to excite but concise enough to stop things becoming too intimidating.

Heritage Dulwich might fall into the realms of fine dining, but it manages to maintain a relaxed, laidback neighbourhood restaurant feel. Locals are lucky to have it.