A restaurant owner said his staff were “absolutely starstruck” after a surprise visit by two Hollywood A-listers.
Pradip Karanjit said Tom Holland and Zendaya dined with friends at his restaurant in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, on Saturday. They had been in the area to see a theatre show.
Mr Karanjit, who runs Everest Lounge in St Mary’s Road, said his team were happy to accommodate the couple despite the restaurant being fully booked.
He added the pair – who star in the most recent Spider-Man film – did not come across as “Hollywood royalty”, but were just a “normal young couple” going for a meal.
He said Holland tucked into a chicken tikka masala, pilau rice and a garlic naan, while Zendaya enjoyed a chana saag bengan, paneer shaslik starter with a side of saag aloo.
Holland and Zendaya, both 29, have starred in a number of blockbusters alongside Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Zendaya rose to fame on the Disney Channel and has since starred in Dune, Challengers, Malcolm & Marie and the TV series Euphoria.
Holland played the lead role in Billy Elliot the Musical in the West End as a child, and has since appeared in Uncharted, Cherry and The Devil All The Time.
His role as Spider-Man saw him star in three of the superhero films alongside Zendaya, as well as other appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
“We were fully booked for Saturday so we were exceptionally pleased that we were able to accommodate them for the evening and that’s where everything started,” Mr Karanjit said.
“My staff were absolutely starstruck and we were, in a way, in panic mode but throughout the service they remained really professional.”
Mr Karanjit told the BBC he was not in the restaurant when the couple visited, but said his phone went “really hot” with calls asking about their visit – and he had to phone the restaurant to confirm the news.
“I missed the whole experience, but it was something for Harborough itself and our restaurant as well,” he added.
The couple had been in the area to watch a production of The Sound of Music at Leicester’s Curve theatre on Saturday.
Holland had also been in the audience for My Fair Lady at the same venue in 2024.
A spokesperson for Curve said: “It’s the second year Tom has been to see one of our shows. We were very excited to see them.”
After the 2024 visit, cast member Minal Patel told the BBC it was “great” to have someone of Holland’s profile watching the performance.
“It’s testament to a place like Curve to have people like him come and see a show,” he said.
