UPDATED One of Putney’s most beloved independent restaurants has closed its doors for good.
Kashmir, located at 18 Lacy Road and known for its richly spiced curries, warm hospitality, and modern take on traditional Kashmiri cuisine, has now shut down. Over the weekend, its distinctive signage was removed and its interior contents were seen being loaded into a van.
The restaurant’s website has also gone offline.
Founded by chef Razdan and his wife Shweta, Kashmir’s story began in New Delhi in 1999, followed by a second venture in Singapore in 2007. Their Putney branch became an instant favourite in the community, recognised by Positively Putney and other local initiatives for its outstanding contribution to the area’s food scene.
Signature dishes such as lamb rogan josh and vegetarian dum aloo were celebrated for their authenticity and refinement, drawing regular praise from both locals and visitors.
Kashmir was the winner of Putney’s “Most Loved Restaurant” in 2018 in the Time Out Love London Awards and praised for its authentic northern Indian cuisine and warm, modern atmosphere.
The owner, speaking briefly to Putney.news, said he didn’t want to leave but cited a disagreement with the landlord as the reason for the sudden closure.
The loss of Kashmir is a blow to Putney’s high street – and to all who cherished its flavour and warmth. Initially, it was thought that Kashmir would continue by offering takeaway food, just as it did to great acclaim during Covid, but in an update posted on the restaurant’s glass several days later, the owners appear to have ruled that out: “Many have kindly suggested we continue as a takeaway — and we are so touched by that support — but perhaps it’s time for us to pause and consider a new direction, after being in this industry for so long,” it reads – see below for the whole message.
Update: Kashmir has sent a heartfelt message to customers.
“The love, support, and sense of belonging we’ve felt here over the years have been truly overwhelming, and we are deeply grateful to have been part of such a wonderful community.
This place has been at the heart of everything we’ve known and done for almost a decade. We poured our hearts into it every single day, leaving it has been incredibly difficult. Despite our best efforts, the circumstances simply didn’t work in our favour.
This impact of closure has been devastating for not just us, but also our amazing team who have been like family.
Writing these words brings tears to our eyes — this wasn’t just a business, it was our passion, our purpose, and our daily life. Thank you for standing by us, for your kindness, and for all the beautiful memories we’ve shared together.
We will miss you Putney.”
Update (8 May): A note from Kashmir’s owner has been posted inside closed restaurant. It reads:
“Dear Cherished friends, guests and our dear Putney community
After nearly a decade of calling Putney our home, it is with heavy hearts that we share the news of our closure. The love, support, and sense of belonging we’ve felt here over the years have been truly overwhelming, and we are deeply grateful to have been part of such a wonderful community.
This place has been at the heart of everything we’ve known and done for the past 10 years. We poured our hearts into it every single day, and saying goodbye is incredibly painful. Despite our best efforts, the circumstances simply didn’t work in our favour.
We don’t know what we will do next — the future feels really uncertain — but we place our trust in God. For now, we are simply trying to come to terms with this heart-wrenching experience, one day at a time. Many have kindly suggested we continue as a takeaway — and we are so touched by that support — but perhaps it’s time for us to pause and consider a new direction, after being in this industry for so long.
Writing these words brings tears to our eyes. This wasn’t just a business — it was our passion, our purpose, and our life. With a heavy heart, this is indeed our goodbye to all those who have supported us through this past decade, who appreciated our curries and our service. We are truly overwhelmed by the immense love and kindness so many of you have shared with us, especially in these last few days.
Our contact number remains the same, and we’re always here if you wish to reach out.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Chef Rohit, Shweta Razdan our lovely Kashmir Team”
