Quick answer

Choose pakora—or “pakoda” on our menu—when you want the main ingredient coated in batter and fried. Choose samosa when you want a vegetable filling wrapped in pastry and fried. Our current pakoda choices are onion, paneer, chicken and king prawn; our samosa is vegetarian and comes as three mixed-vegetable pastries.

Outer layer
Batter for pakoda; pastry for samosa
Vegetarian pakoda
Onion or paneer
Other pakoda
Chicken or king prawn
Our samosa
Three mixed-vegetable pastries
Printed gluten-free choice
Onion Pakoda
Set meal role
Two pakoda styles appear in the Vegetarian Set Meal

What is the difference between pakora and samosa?

Cambridge Dictionary defines pakora as pieces of food—often vegetables—covered in batter and fried. Its samosa definition describes a triangular South Asian food made from pastry filled with meat or vegetables and spices, then fried. The practical distinction is therefore construction: coating around an ingredient versus pastry around a filling.

Shape, batter, filling and seasoning vary widely between cooks and regions. Not every samosa has the same shape, and not every pakora uses the same flour. The definitions are a useful orientation, not a universal recipe. Our restaurant's exact descriptions below come only from the current dine-in menu.

“Pakora” and “pakoda” are spelling variants in English. Our menu uses “pakoda,” so that is the spelling used for individual restaurant dishes on this page.

The choice is less about which starter is “better” and more about the texture you want: direct battered bite or filled pastry.

Which pakoda are on our menu?

Onion Pakoda is described as four onion bhajis with seasonal vegetables, delicately fried. It costs £6.95 at publication and is marked vegetarian and gluten-free. That printed label applies to this named dish; it should not be used to declare all pakora everywhere gluten-free.

Paneer Pakoda is paneer coated in a special batter and served with salad. It is marked vegetarian. Paneer is a milk-based cheese, and our paneer guide explains how it differs from a vegan ingredient.

Chicken Pakoda Fritters use boneless chicken coated in a special batter. King Prawn Pakoda is spiced king prawns in a special batter, gently fried. Neither description publishes the batter formula, and neither carries a gluten-free marker. We therefore do not assume chickpea flour, wheat flour or allergen suitability.

How is our samosa described?

The current menu serves three mixed-vegetable samosas wrapped in pastry and delicately fried for £5.50 at publication. The dish is marked vegetarian. It is not marked vegan or gluten-free, and the short menu description does not list every vegetable, spice or pastry ingredient.

That makes samosa the lighter-priced choice for a table wanting a familiar vegetable starter, while Onion Pakoda offers a contrasting battered format. “Vegetarian” answers one dietary question but not all of them; anyone with an allergy still needs current ingredient guidance.

Which starter should you order?

Choose by texture and by the rest of your meal. Samosa gives you crisp pastry around mixed vegetables. Onion Pakoda puts onion and seasonal vegetables directly into the fried bite. Paneer Pakoda is richer and cheese-centred. Chicken and king prawn move the format beyond vegetarian starters.

For two diners sharing several courses, one starter may be enough depending on appetite. A pakoda or samosa can contrast with steamed-style dumpling territory such as Mo:Mo, a dry Kathmandu Choila, or a tandoor-cooked starter. Our first-visit ordering guide helps build a varied table rather than repeating the same texture.

Are pakora and samosa gluten-free or vegan?

There is no safe universal answer. On our current menu, Onion Pakoda is specifically marked vegetarian and gluten-free. Paneer Pakoda and Samosa are marked vegetarian but do not carry the printed gluten-free marker. Chicken and King Prawn Pakoda have no printed dietary marker. None of these five dishes is explicitly labelled vegan.

The Vegetarian Set Meal includes Onion Pakoda and Paneer Pakoda, but it also contains paneer, nan and other items and is not marked vegan. Read our vegetarian and vegan guide for the two dishes that do carry vegan-option labels.

Frying and shared preparation can create questions beyond a short menu entry. Tell the team about allergies or dietary requirements before ordering so they can provide current information.

Common pakora and samosa questions

Are pakora and onion bhaji the same?

The terms can overlap in UK menu language. Our menu names the dish Onion Pakoda and describes the portion as four onion bhajis with seasonal vegetables.

Is pakora batter always made with chickpea flour?

Chickpea flour is common in many recipes, but it is not responsible to infer our “special batter” formula. Ask the team if flour type matters to you.

Do your samosas contain meat?

No meat is listed: our samosas have a mixed-vegetable filling and are marked vegetarian.

Which is the least expensive?

At publication, three Samosas cost £5.50 and four Onion Pakoda cost £6.95. Check the current menu for live pricing.

Source notes