It’s pretty likely that you’ve heard about Dishoom before now. It’s kind of a big deal.
With five restaurants across London, plus branches in Edinburgh, Manchester, and Birmingham, Dishoom is one of the most talked about restaurants in the city. (Header image: @n_a.d_i_n.e)
Open early till late, the day starts right with their cracking great breakfast. I’ve raved about it a few times – in fact, it features in our list of London breakfasts you must try before you die – and, trust me, there’s a reason for it. Special shout out to the Bacon Naan – a light, puffy naan bread surrounded by layers of crispy sugar-cured bacon, melted cream cheese, coriander and chilli tomato jam. It laughs in the face of the British bacon buttie. In fact, I’d go as far as saying you can’t call yourself a Londoner until you’ve tried one.
Alternatively, opt for the Full, erm, Indian. The Big Bombay Breakfast includes akuri (spicy scrambled eggs), char-striped smoked streaky bacon, peppery Shropshire pork bangers, masala baked beans, grilled tomato and mushroom, and buttered pau buns. Match it with a lassi or a breakfast cocktail and you’ll be set for the day.
If it’s lunch or dinner you’re after, Dishoom has it all. And get ready to feast. The dishes are designed to share, and staff recommend getting a couple of dishes per person. Highlights for me include the House Black Daal, the Mattar Paneer, the Chole Puri (a chickpea curry served with puffy bread) and the Spicy Lamb Chops. The Gunpowder Potatoes are a winning side order too, if you’re looking for something other than rice.
They have separate menus for vegans and those avoiding dairy or gluten – and there’ll even arrange a legitimate feast for tables of ten or more.
The drinks menu is so massive that you might want to start browsing before you arrive – it took my dad and I an embarrassingly long time to decide on just “two beers please.” But there’s a hefty list of cocktails, wines and lassis to cast your eyes over, so it’s a good idea to at least narrow down your preferences. If it helps, The East India Gimlet comes strongly recommended, and the Chillitini is a personal favourite of mine.
Dishoom are dishing the dirt on their secret recipes.
Yes, they’ve launched their very own cookbook. It promises “recipes for almost everything on our menu”, meaning bacon naan rolls, okra fries, black daal, and vegan dishes like jackfruit biryani will soon be coming to a kitchen near you. They’re also throwing in some refreshing drinks recipes for the full dining experience. Titled Dishoom: From Bombay with Love, the book also functions as a love letter of sorts to old Bombay, focusing on the food, culture, and history of the city.
When is Dishoom reopening after lockdown?
Gradually, is the answer. Their branches in Shoreditch, Kings Cross, and Carnaby will be the first to reopen, on July 10. The Kensington restaurant will be back on July 24, and the Covent Garden branch, which is undergoing a redesign, will remain closed for the time being.
So, how do I get a table?
Dishoom will have new health and safety procedures in place in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, and perhaps the most crucial development is the introduction of reservations. Groups of any size (up to six people) will be able to reserve a table at any time of day – previously, they didn’t take reservations for dinner bookings of under six people, which meant braving the legendary, Wimbledon-esque queue.
Walk-ins are still welcome (Dishoom says they always will be), but the restaurant advises booking for evenings and weekends. No more than two households will be allowed to dine together, and cash won’t be accepted as payment unless it’s absolutely essential – contactless payments will be the preferred form at each branch. The bar and dining area in each branch has been reordered to allow for social distancing, with the number of people in the bar area carefully limited, and no drinks served over the bar.
Further measures include taking customer contact details in case tracking and tracing is needed, enhanced cleaning regimes, air filtration with ultraviolet light to kill viruses, and menus which will either be recycled or cleaned after each use. Hand sanitiser will be freely available.
So, armed with all this information, go forth and feast!
Dishoom has restaurants in Shoreditch, Covent Garden, King’s Cross, Carnaby and Kensington. Discover the full menu and opening times over on their website.