My family and I were very excited to be invited by Ramandeep and his sister Varunpreet to The Sultan, the oldest family-run restaurant in Wokingham.
At first glance, The Sultan appears to be a typical Friday night takeaway, but upstairs you’ll discover a beautifully hidden dining room that transforms the experience entirely. The beautiful restaurant exudes warmth and comfort, featuring traditional wooden beams and charming little nooks to explore.
We were welcomed with a warm smile and guided to our table.
The menu revealed a wide selection, offering meat, fish, and vegetarian dishes with a selection of beers, wines and soft drinks.
We began our meal with poppadoms accompanied by a tray of pickles and chutneys. The mint sauce and prawn pickle stood out as distinctly homemade, with a wonderfully authentic flavour.
For starters, my husband and I opted for the Sultani Tiranga Chicken (£7.99), a delicious trio of succulent tikka: the classic chicken tikka, a creamy chicken malai tikka, and a fragrant rosemary-infused chicken tikka. Flavourful and a perfect balance of spices and beautifully presented.
Our second starter was a vegetarian choice, Cauliflower 65 (£8.99). The deep-fried cauliflower florets were tossed with Andhra spices, curry leaves, mustard seeds, and yogurt, creating a bold and aromatic flavour with a gentle, lingering heat. We both thoroughly enjoyed it.
For starters, our son chose the Jumbo King Prawns (£16.99) — three exceptionally large prawns marinated in Sultani’s special marinade, Beautifully presented on a slate board, the prawns were perfectly charred, succulent, and meaty, with a wonderfully balanced and satisfying spice. My son said he would most definitely choose the starter again.
Moving on to the main courses, I couldn’t decide what to eat with so many tempting options, so I opted for the much-anticipated Thali — a platter featuring a variety of small, flavorful dishes (£24.95). I was amazed by the amount of food in this dish, it could have easily fed two people! Lamb samosas, lamb curry, chicken curry, Lentil Dahl bombay aloo accompanied by rice, naan bread, salad and for dessert Gulunb Jamun. I had the non vegetarian thali, but there is also a vegetarian version. There is flexibility with this main where guests can also customise their thali based on menu preferences.
I would highly recommend this meal for those looking for a complete dining experience including starter, mains, accomplishments and dessert. It was absolutely stunning and very good value for money.
My husband chose the Jalfrezi (£14.99), a vibrant, stir-fried dish, it was bold, tangy, and with just the correct amount of spice. The tender pieces of chicken were cooked with crisp bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, resulting in a dish that was both colourful and full of flavour. He also noted the generous portion of chicken – so plentiful that he could barely manage to finish it. To accompany this dish he chose Pilau rice £4.79 and the most delicious tandoori roti (£2.99) which was soft, slightly chewy, and perfectly charred .
My son, a great lover of seafood, chose the Goan King Prawn Curry for (£16.99). The dish featured plump, succulent prawns simmered in a rich, tangy coconut-based sauce, infused with aromatic spices and a gentle hint of heat – just right for him as he isn’t keen on too much spice.
He commented that the dish was delicious and very satisfying, and the prawns were juicy and bursting with flavour. He had never tried a King Prawn Curry before and remarked that it was far more flavorful and satisfying than one made with baby prawns – a firm new favourite for him. He accompanied his main course with rice and garlic Naan (£3.99) which was soft, fluffy, and slightly chewy, with a golden exterior from being baked in a tandoor. He enjoyed it immensely.
Our dining experience at The Sultan far exceeded our expectations. The service was marked by attentiveness and genuine warmth, delivered with a professionalism that never felt intrusive. The menu was thoughtfully curated, offering an impressive variety of meat, fish, and vegetarian options. Each dish was prepared to an exceptionally high standard, and the ambience provided an atmosphere of refined comfort that perfectly complemented the meal.
The restaurant is open 7 days a week, mornings for coffee & croissants, and for lunch and dinner. They also offer private catering and events .
