Dining Out at Dishoom, Glasgow

Finally Dishoom has arrived in Glasgow; we have been eagerly anticipating this for the longest time. Dishoom have a presence in Edinburgh (the first one in Scotland), however each and every time we have attempted to dine out at the eatery, the queue has been up the street and around the corner, and in the dreary Scottish weather there was zero chance we would be standing in that queue, even us die hard foodies have to draw the line somewhere!

Dishoom is a far cry from your typical British curry house; it is an evocation paying homage to old Bombay’s Irani cafes. Each and every one of Dishoom’s cafes has a story, and the Glasgow Dishoom has an outstanding one, the tale of a rebellious music hall dancer and the forbidden glamour of Bombay’s post-war nightlife. 

It is reflected in the décor, from the heavy wooden doors through which we entered, to the deep teal walls, gold accents, antique mirrors, a bar that shimmers like a stage light, and the numerous black and white portraits that adorn the walls. The sepia photos seem very authentic, and remind us of visiting old aunties and uncles living rooms where all their walls were adorned with family photos, grandpas, babies, uncles, aunties all staring at you from beyond the frame.

Each Dishoom is also unique, and tends to add subtle nods to the city that it is located in. For example at the Glasgow Dishoom which can be found in the historic 1877 Stock Exchange building on Nelson Mandela Place, they have included a mural of musicians in mid-performance lines, a wink to Glasgow’s music heritage. The soundtrack, a vinyl mix of Bombay jazz and swing, although quite lovely and suitable in this setting, was a little on the loud side for us, and drowned out conversation. 

The service was impeccable, our Irish waiter Connor, kindly talked us through the menu (there isn’t a chicken tikka masala in sight, again quite far removed from your typical British curry house experience). We always like to add extra ginger and chilli to our dishes, however Connor informed us that the chefs do not deviate from the menu, not even the slightest change; however he saved the day and brought us chopped ginger and chilies on the side.

For starters we ordered Chilli chicken, Lamb samosas, Okra fries, Fish Amritsari and Dishooom’s famous staple the Chilli Cheese toast. Connor warned us that we had over-ordered, he underestimated our appetites. We have grown up eating samosas, and it is one of our favourite snacks, however we had never had a lamb samosa, and we were pleasantly surprised, it was quite delicious, we weren’t used to having cinnamon in a samosa, and this was ever so slightly overpowering. The Okra fries were a revelation; they were seasoned to perfection and deliciously crunchy. The overall winner however was the Fish Amritsari, simple strips of fish coated in Indian herbs and finished off with a crispy batter, what’s not to love. 

For the mains we ordered the Goan Monkfish curry, the Chicken ruby and the Chefs special lamb dish, with a side of Dishoom’s legendary black daal. It is slow-cooked for 24hours, it is silky, almost caramelised and took me back to eating in my grandmas kitchen, if you want authentic, memory evoking food Dishoom is the place to go. 

The cocktail list gives a nod to the city’s dual heritage, the Bombay Sour, bright with lemon and a whisper of turmeric, meets its match in the Glasgow Fizz, a gin-based concoction laced with cardamom syrup and rose. And of course Lassi and chai are also available. 

The founders of Dishoom, Shamil and Kavi Thakrar fully understand that Glasgow needs authenticity and they have brought it to my city in spades, it’s a cultural handshake between two cities that share a love of good stories and strong flavours. The energy feels distinctly local, in a city where conviviality is currency, Dishoom feels instantly woven into the fabric. 

Every corner of the restaurant rewards attention. The lighting glows at just the right wattage, flattering rather than harsh. The furniture — rattan-backed chairs, marble-topped tables — balances vintage Indian with colonial restraint. Even the restrooms, a Dishoom hallmark, are a visual delight — all brass fixtures, hand-painted tiles, and a soundtrack that could belong to a 1960s Bombay cabaret.

Dishoom turned 15 this September, and to celebrate the milestone the restaurant gave away free dishes for more than two weeks. The celebrations mark a special moment for the restaurant group, which first opened its doors in Covent Garden in 2010 and has since grown to become one of the UK’s most recognisable spots for all-day dining. 

The group is celebrating another major milestone this year, as it revealed it has donated more than 25 million meals to children in need, through long-standing charity partnerships with Magic Breakfast in the UK and The Akshaya Patra Foundation in India. Every meal served at Dishoom, and every at-home Naan Roll Kit, funds a meal for a child who might otherwise go without.

Shaun Metcalfe, General Manager at Dishoom Glasgow, said: “Fifteen years feels like such a special milestone, and we wanted to mark it by giving something back to the guests who’ve helped make Dishoom what it is today. Glasgow has welcomed us so warmly since we opened just a few weeks ago, and in September our way of saying thank you, was with a little surprise, every day, completely on the house.” 

It’s easy to dismiss a brand with multiple sites as chain dining. Yet Dishoom transcends that label because it never trades soul for scale. In Glasgow, it proves again that when hospitality is grounded in narrative and nostalgia, it can be deeply transporting.