Imperial Restaurant, named after the airline that operated from Croydon Airport, now runs inside the building. Credit: Shuttrstock and Imperial Restaurant London is one of the biggest transport hubs in the world, with world-renowned airports like Heathrow and Gatwick serving millions of passengers every year. However, Croydon Airport used to be the largest airport in the world, believe it or not. Rather fittingly, considering this airport was one of the first in the world to fly to destinations like India with Imperial Airways, the building now plays host to an Indian restaurant. The aptly named Imperial Lounge and Restaurant serves Indian and Indo-Chinese food in this historic setting. Croydon Airport, once the largest in the world Croydon Airport played a major role in the development of global air travel after WW1 and was once Britain’s busiest airport, before Heathrow came along. It was opened in 1920 as London Terminal Aerodrome and the final flight took off from this location in 1959. The airport had some pretty big milestones along the way, including Britain’s first purpose-built terminal and control tower and becoming the world’s largest airport terminal in 1928. The terminal also has some very famous visitors over the years, including Winston Churchill and JKF. Amy Johnson, a well-known pilot of her time, made a historic flight to Darwin, Australia from the airport, becoming the fastest woman to reach Australia. Today, rather than record-breaking flights, the airport now houses a 120-seat Indian restaurant, with chefs who have worked at some of the finest hotels in India. When it comes to the menu, you can expect all the classic Indian dishes, from chaats to kebabs cooked in the clay oven. Imperial restaurant also offers Indo-Chinese dishes and promises the best of Hakka and Sichuan flavours. The venue also caters for private events, hosting birthdays and even weddings. For sports lovers, there are 7 HD screens- what an iconic place to catch the football, eh? So if you’re in the market for good food at an iconic spot with a whole lot of history, this might be one to add to your list.
