Taste of Nawab marks 30 years with free buffet for Friern Barnet locals

A Friern Barnet restaurant will open its doors for a free buffet this month to celebrate 30 years of trading. Taste of Nawab, on Colney Hatch Lane, has invited all customers to the event after three decades serving Bangladeshi and Indian cuisine to the area.

Owner Abdul Rahman said the buffet is a thank-you to the community that supported the business through financial crises and the pandemic. The restaurant has donated meals to elderly residents and local schools, and Rahman has sent food to customers who were ill or in difficulty.

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From six-month warning to 30-year landmark

Rahman opened Taste of Nawab in 1994 after leaving a management role at a restaurant in Wimbledon Village. He had never visited Colney Hatch Lane before scouting the site, but said he quickly grew fond of the area. The location had seen several restaurants close before his arrival.

Local scepticism was clear. Rahman told the Times Series that people predicted the business would fail within six months. Instead, it became a fixture in Friern Barnet, earning praise from customers including poet Michael Rosen and actors from EastEnders. The New York Times reported on its pandemic food deliveries to elderly residents.

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Awards and community work

Taste of Nawab has won multiple awards, including the Curry Life prize for best chef and recognition from Time Out and the London Curry Awards. TripAdvisor has ranked it in the top 10 per cent of restaurants worldwide. The restaurant operates a bring-your-own-bottle policy and offers takeaway.

Rahman, who grew up in Angel, Islington, said the restaurant avoids pretence but maintains high standards. He told the Ham & High: "We are not a fancy restaurant but many customers who walk in say this is the best place we have ever been."

“Honestly I love serving the customers - everyone here is treated like a celebrity.”

Abdul Rahman, owner of Taste of Nawab

What happens next

The date of the free buffet has not been confirmed. Rahman said the event is open to all customers, but residents should check the restaurant’s social media for updates. The restaurant remains at 1 Colney Hatch Lane, N10, and continues to serve its signature Korai dish with meat, prawns or paneer.