This summer, Babur’s 41st birthday coincides with the 125th anniversary of its Forest Hill neighbour, the Horniman Museum and Gardens. Rather than marking it with a discount code, the restaurant has gone considerably further.
Babur is officially sponsoring the Horniman’s 125th Anniversary season, and has unveiled “Together In Bloom,” a limited-edition menu from Executive Chef Jiwan Lal and Head Mixologist Rupam Talukdar. It runs 17 July to 20 September as both a tasting menu and à la carte. Wild lavender, cat mint, thyme and rosemary — all drawn from the Horniman’s own gardens — meet Babur’s signature spices throughout.
The Story Behind the Menu
Founder Emdad Rahman traces the idea to a spring visit with the Horniman’s Head of Horticulture, Errol Fernandes. Touring the gardens together, he says, “sparked the idea for this collaboration,” resulting in a menu built on “what grows in our community” and a wider celebration of South London itself.
It’s a fitting tribute from a restaurant with real institutional weight. Babur was named Best Restaurant at the Mayor of Lewisham Business Awards 2025, and has held a place in the UK’s Top 100 Curry Restaurants for five consecutive years — with admirers including chef Vivek Singh and critic Jimi Famurewa.
Getting There, and First Impressions
Getting to Forest Hill was a feature in itself. It’s a proper trek across the capital from west to east London, through some of the city’s least forgiving traffic. A reminder that this corner of southeast London isn’t somewhere you stumble upon by accident — you go because it’s worth going.
And it is. The “In Bloom” theme announces itself the moment you walk in, with flowers cascading down from the foyer ceiling — a genuinely pretty touch before you’ve even been seated. The room strikes a fusion-modern note, contemporary without losing any warmth.
Starters and Mains
I began with the scallops and the lamb chops, both cooked to perfection. Alongside them came a mango lassi, served in an authentic silver brass cup — a detail that kept the drink properly cool right through the meal.
If I have one note, it’s spice level. Everything was tasty and well-balanced, but I’d have liked more heat. This felt tuned for broad appeal rather than a proper kick.
For my main, I had the chicken — creamy and genuinely delightful, with fluffy rice and a buttery naan that complemented it well. Portion size was generous, a touch too generous for me if anything, though no complaints on value.
The Verdict
What makes Together In Bloom work isn’t just the individual dishes, consistently well-executed throughout, but the depth of thought behind the collaboration — from a chef’s-eye tour of the Horniman’s gardens to the flowers overhead and the small ceremony of the brass lassi cup.
Beyond the à la carte menu, Babur is also running a one-off five-course tasting dinner with a welcome cocktail (£75, 16 July) and a limited-edition cocktail gift set (£12.95), available at Babur and the Horniman’s own gift shop through the anniversary season.
The cross-city drive is a real consideration if you’re coming from the other side of London — but on this evidence, it’s a trip worth making.
Quick Facts
- What: Together In Bloom, limited-edition menu
- Where: Babur, 119 Brockley Rise, Forest Hill, London SE23 1JP
- When: 17 July – 20 September
- Launch dinner: 16 July, £75 (five courses + welcome Mocktail)
- Gift set: Limited-edition cocktail gift set, £12.95
- Book: babur.info
