Bundobust Manchester Piccadilly

You had me at 'Indian tapas', better than I could have imagined. The selection of food is amazing and excellent quality. I think the craft beer selection is what makes Bundobust stand out from other restaurants. An impressive selection of their own brewed ales go alongside a superbly curated set of guest beer. Great staff and a wonderful atmosphere. Cheers!

Great service from all. Food was fast and tasty. Good value. Great tasting cocktails. You order food and drinks at the bar. Great for groups. Clean bathrooms also. The only reason I marked it down by 1 star is because we felt a bit rushed, we still had drinks post our meal, and we were informed our table was booked and that the people had arrived. We were not informed there was a booking when we were seated, and we were only there 1.5 hours. We would not have ordered more drinks had we known prior.

Tasty food especially the kofta. Quiet mid week lunchtime but the music is quite loud. Pleasant staff. Main seating area as you walk in consists of high tables and high stools which aren't the most comfortable. Further up there's another seating area with normal height tables and stools. The Sharan Mukt Crush (cranberry, pomegranate, lemon and apple) was too sweet. Other than that, it's a great place for vegetarian Indian street food.

Bundobust was amazing. We went for the beer and we were blown away by the food. So much flavor in every dish. The spice level is just right.

Lovely place with great food. We had vegan combo for 2 and house chai and we enjoyed every single dish served. Great choice if you are around and looking for nice Indian food.

Great spot with really interesting and tasty dishes and really good beers. I went alone and had the 3 x beer flight and let the bar pick them. I ended up with the Bundobar, mango lassi dazzler and Tropical Dhoop which were all great and would have had again. The tikla paneer was slightly spicy with lovely sauces, paratha thepla comforting and tangy. I also had the bundo Chaat which was very cooling and refreshing. For a Wednesday the atmosphere was great and a real mixed demographic which is great to see. For all veggie dishes they feel hearty and flavoursome!

Really amazing veggie restaurant. Gets lively on weekend evenings. Love the Asian fusion seasonal dishes. The service is quick and friendly. They catered to my husbands food allergy well so thank you. Please open in other big cities like London, guys! Manchester is too far to travel even for this tasty food! We need more top notch veggie restaurants like this in the country. Will definitely be visiting again when down in Manchester for the footy.

We liked the concept a lot - it’s a bit like a Bombay street food café only that it’s Mexican inspired Indian, at least seasonally. We particularly liked the avo 🥑 lassis. A bit overpriced for its portions but definitely nice to try once. (You won’t need 3-4 items per person tho)

What a fun brewery with such a unique concept! I am a big beer fan and travel the world to find the best brews, chasing local craft breweries. This definitely hit the spot! These guys had an excellent and a vast selection for any beer fan! All styles and with something tasty for everyone! The Indian street food was a very interesting twist to a regular food offering at breweries. Lots of fantastic veggie options and I really loved that they have so many small (inexpensive) dishes which are perfect for sharing with your group! Have fun!

Was excited to try this place out because this is one of the top places to eat in Manchester and it did not disappoint at all. When you first arrive, the waiter will sit you down on a table and then you order by scanning a QR code or going to the bar area. Didn't make a lunch reservation in advance but was still able to get a good table. - Bundo Chaat - Probably one of the best reinvented Indian dishes I've ever had and is a MUST at Bundobust. The crispy samosa pastry mixed in with the creamy yogurt and slightly hot chili sauce is maybe one of the best dishes I've ever had. Usually I'm not a huge fan of cold food, but this was actually so unbelievably good, like eating an unhealthy salad. The potatoes and chickpeas on top were also fantastic. - Chole Saag - Not as big of a fan but still great nonethless. It's kind of exactly what you would expect: chickpea and spinach curry paired with some kind of bread. I will say that for the price, it is incredibly nice and generous that they give you the puri on the side because usually at other Indian places in London, you do need to order it as an extra. Overall, absolutely fantastic place to eat while in Manchester. Do not sleep on the Bundo Chaat at all, probably one of the best Indian foods I've ever had. Also during the weekday they have a lunch deal where's its 2 for £9 which is honestly super nice of them to do and also very filling too.

Delicious but it is much less a meal and more bar food. Manchester has strange rules about late night food so go before 9.

Craft beer and Indian street food. When you visit a town for 5 days and come to a place 3 days during that period it says a lot. Fun. Whimsical. Delicious. Great for groups. Pretty legit interpretations of Indian street food served up in tapas style portions. Just fantastic.

Delicious food! Yum!! I had heard great things about Bundobust and finally went a few days ago. It was a Tuesday evening so we decided not to bother booking a table - even if we had to wait, we could just get a drink from the bar - which is stocked with an extensive beer list/menu. Saying all that, we didn't have to wait. Looking at the menu, it all sounds good. The dishes are all "small plates" - well Bundobust is all about Indian street food. There were 13 different dishes plus a couple specials. I went for the pea special, the bhaji and the tarka dhal - recommended by Jess H who has been before. By the way, if you didn't know, Bundobust is a vegetarian restaurant. Some of the best Indian food I've had has been vegetarian - so much flavour. The food at Bundobust was really, really good. And even though it had coriander on it - which I forgot to ask if could be done without - the pieces were large enough that I could pick them out. The pea special was lovely, tasty and sweet, bhaji was delicious and nice crispy texture. The tarka dhal - yummy lentil curry on top of basmati rice. So much flavour. They have some combo deals - although you don't save that much. Bit every little helps. Combo deal for 6 you save £3.50. Combo deal for 2 you save 50p. The best deal is Combo for 4 - you save about £6 so that seems a good deal. For a drink, I just went for the Bombay Dazzler. I highly recommend going. They have a lunch deal of £7 which seems like an absolute bargain. Okra Fries, Bhajis or Bhel Puri + Massala Dosa, Egg Bhurji or Tarka Dhal & rice. Can't wait to go back again and try more - although I so went to eat the Tarka Dhal again. And the Bhaji!

To say Bundobust's opening in Manchester was hotly anticipated would be a humongous understatement. We. Could. Not. Wait. Their flagship venue over t'Pennines in Leeds has built up quite the reputation for serving small plates of delicious vegetarian Indian street food alongside a solid beer range. Now their second, much larger venture can be found on the edge of Piccadilly Gardens - a subterranean escape from the bustle of city street-life above. You'll find a number of spacious booths and communal canteen-style benches - it's all recycled wood cladding and industrial light fittings, with a huge skylight flooding the space with natural light. Manchester-inspired artworks by Drew Millward are hung on the wall - I loved the one paying homage to the 'Giant bird' mural in Ancoats. The beer lines include two cask pumps reserved for Manchester breweries, with one keg line dedicated to Cloudwater. There are cocktails, wine and spirits (or soft drinks and cups of house chai) for the non-beer drinkers. Food options are pretty much identical to Leeds (the okra fries are to die for). Their Bundo chaat (samosa pastry with chickpeas) and vada pav (deep fried potato patty) are well worth ordering too. You can also order combos and try a small range of their dishes. Their arrival was a long time coming, but they've found a terrific space and will no doubt gather a legion of Mancunian fans (I'm already one of them!). Check them out and enjoy.

Aren't we lucky, Manchester? Having visited Bundobust's original site in Leeds last year, I couldn't wait for them to open here; the combination of small plates and craft beer is enough to set anyone's interest off. Set near Piccadilly Gardens, the new Bundobust space is fairly unassuming, especially as you have to descend a flight of stairs before you're greeted by the large but somehow still welcoming space. The mood here is most definitely fast-casual. Although I'm sure they'd like you to stay and have a few rounds - of both food and drink - the paper plates and ordering at the bar mean it's just as suitable for a quick lunchtime drop in or catch up over a drink. I've been lucky enough to visit twice recently, once for the official opening with a colleague and the second with Kate W. Yes, I am basically introducing everyone I possibly can to Bundobust. And it's not let me down yet. As my first visit was free, I'll focus on the second, a Monday evening pre-Christmas catch up. Always fans of small plate style eating and sharing, we knew it would work perfectly for us. We decided on the set combo for two as it covered all the bases; bundo chaat, onion gobi bhaji bhaji, paneer & mushroom tikka, tarka dhal, and massala dosa. Washed down with a bottle of prosecco, naturally. The tarka dhal is a personal favourite. With a layer of basmati rice at the base, it creates a wonderfully rich and filling bowl of food, with the right kick of spice. The massala dosa was probably runner up for me as it was something I've not tried before, and it's always fun to really be able to get stuck in with your hands! The coconut chutney on the side was basically like the inside of a Bounty, and I mean that in a really, really good way. Although I can pick a top two, everything was really delicious and I think they've managed to convert another fan to this way of eating Indian food. It's a no brainer for me and I'm glad Bundobust is on my doorstep. Thanks for sharing, Leeds!

Bundobust was not exactly what I imagined on several fronts: 1) It's in a basement (next to Subway) 2) Basement is very modern and airy, with a central shaft bringing some natural light down and providing an attractive architectural feature. Some battered old Manchester tiling covers the walls and overall . It's basically all quite hipster/yuppie and not how I imagine many restaurants in India look. This isn't really a negative but basically yes it's like a hipster canteen 3) Food is served in paper cups with plastic knives and forks. These are apparently biodegradable which is good news for the environment but the bad news is that you are paying restaurant prices to eat as if you are at a van. Re drinks 1) There were no dark ales available apart from some sort of imperial stout in a can although couldn't really hear what bartender was saying about it. 2) There are only two cask taps which disgusted boyfriend although at least they had a Torrside red ale. He said it was a bit too cold 3) Beer is expensive here. Over £4 in many cases. 4) I had a really delicious gewurztraminer which was basically just lychee wine - would come back just for this Re food 1) Really good - manchurian special, samosa chaat, okra fries 2) Average - bhaji (actually bf & friend really liked the bhaji), punjabi kadhi (basically don't get this and the regular bhaji as that's too much duplication, but 1 of the 2 is worth a shout) bhel puri, the other special we had which was peas in pastry 3) Wouldn't bother - paneer/mushroom tikka (be aware tikka means it comes on a skewer - the pieces of paneer were massive and bit dry), biryani baji balls - this claimed to be arancini meets biryani but arancini is delicious and one of my favourite things to eat - this was basically just plain rice without the important meat/cheese/sauce flavour contrast. Bf shocked at the fact he didn't miss meat - the flavours were great! Having had a chance to sample much of the menu I would definitely come back to get the dishes I enjoyed again (and I might see this as a snack rather than dinner place) and more of that white wine! Really would be nice if they could get another couple of taps though otherwise calling this place serious about beer is not going to impress real ale fans.

So so good. Went on a recommendation and it's ace. A vegetarian restaurant where you don't feel like you're missing the meat. Very tasty. Good IPAs too. Highly recommended

For the past year or so Bundobust has been my favourite place to eat in Leeds so I was pretty excited to visit it's shiny new place in Manchester. From the outside the location is a little odd, a basement restaurant on Piccadilly doesn't sound the most appealing however once inside the space is amazing! Like the Leeds branch the majority of seating is on long communal tables but the Manchester restaurant is at least twice as big meaning the wait for a table is a shorter than I experienced in Leeds. Visiting at 6.30 pm on a Saturday meant we had to wait around 20 minutes for a table. Luckily we were able to wait in the bar area and after ordering our drinks, Mumbai mule (me) apricot wheat bear (him) the wait flew by. Bundobust is just as famous for its beer selection and I have been assured the diverse selection of beer is worth a visit alone! This time we got our usual favourites: chaat (an Indian street food classic) masala dosa (a fragrant lentil soup served with crispy potato dosas) and two portions of okra fries, my favourite item on the menu- too good to share! As we hadn't tried the burgers previously we opted for the Mumbai street burger and special onion bhaji burger to share. Whilst both were delicious I found the Mumbai burger a bit filling as it's a potato patty so perhaps bit of a carb overload if you've already ordered too much food as we did! However I loved the fresher flavours of the bhaji burger and would definitely have this again. All the food here is vegetarian and a lot can be made vegan- making it place to take a group of friends. In addition Bundobust's set menus are great to share with a larger group. Overall a solid 5 stars. Proving that Indian food can still be virtuous (If you go easy on the okra fries!)

Perfect lunch stop in the center of manchester. Also really amazing when you want a little lf everything. Interesting blend of street food eating in a sit down environment but overall done well. I can see how it may seem a bit too much if its overly busy but still worth a stop. Food and atmosphere are great and will definitely come back.

Great Food BUT, everything (!!!) is disposable and while the paper MAY be compostable, it's NOT actually being composted back to a soil amendment. This seems unacceptable today. no excuse. we wished we had walked out when we saw the tables of single use plastic utensils and paper trash bowls! should have take pictures!

Not sure why it's taken me so long to review Bundobust, although it could be because I was a few sheets to the wind when I visited. After a day of boozing at GRUB and Cloudwater, I persuaded friends to come to Bundobust as I hadn't previously been. It was the perfect food for the situation really, washed down with a few more (unnecessary but enjoyable) beers. We got the combo for 4 which I'd say is a satisfying amount of food for the price. I liked it all other than the egg dish, and I feel my problem there might have been that it wasn't particularly warm by the time I got round to eating it. Other than that everything was spicy delicious carby goodness. Yes it's all veggie but unless you're one of those insufferable prats who thinks 'it's not a meal without meat' then you'll be fine, we were four meat eaters who did not miss it. Oh and you order at the bar. It does say so on the menu but hey, maybe you've had a lot to drink. Don't be like us and flag down a poor stranger. Overall I'll definitely be back, hopefully soon!

Well after all the hype I have to say I was massively disappointed. A group of 8 of us went here on a Saturday evening, between us we ordered everything on the menu. The food was pretty underwhelming, a couple of tasty bits but nothing to shout about. The service was ok, the weren't rude but weren't particularly attentive either. The food was served in disposable packaging, which is bloody awful! How wasteful can a restaurant be?! Reduce, reuse, recycle is clearly a mantra unknown to the management. Drinks, well there us certainly a lot of choice but be careful when ordering, I ordered a pretty standard looking IPA and was charged £6.40 for it and was not warned by the bartender of its cost either! I won't be going back, there are much better Indian restaurants in Manchester.

What's not to like? Craft beer and amazing Indian dishes. 3 of us went and ordered 3 dishes each and a couple of beers. The selection of beers is fantastic and some of them really compliment the food. Now to the food...... amazing. A small menu means that the things on there are cooked well and regularly practised and this was very clear from what I had. The Vada Pav was next level and the taste was amazing, the biryani balls were spicy and then the paneer and mushroom tikka kebabs were amazing too. Really reasonably priced and friendly staff

Hidden next to a subway takeaway is a fantastic restaurant. This place is vegetarian but it isn't forced upon you and they are not trying to replace meat with other proteins. Walked away a happy meat eater. 2 pints, 5 small plates and 1 side £35. (Food is reasonably priced whereas the fancy beers are a little pricey £4.50+ a pint). 24/07/17

Had a great stout and delicious, different meal, a blend of Northern England and Indian street food. Great service, nice atmosphere. Kitchen stays open pretty late.

We got the Indian sampler for 3 people. You got a good taste of everything. This is not what I'd call real Indian food. It was more like Indian fast food in paper cups. Everything was fine but a little bland. I wouldn't go again instead I'd look for a more authentic restaurant with a real curry.

Loved the food! Everything was awesome... except for the fact that they use disposable cutlery, plates, bowls. A friend says the purpose is to give hipsters the feeling of eating street food in doors. But it is seriously wasteful. Let's encourage them to get dishes and proper cutlery. That would turn the rating into 5 stars. :)

Really tasty vegetarian Indian street food in tapas sized portions, good for sharing. Good vegan options. Great for a group: long tables and big booths. Good selection of beers, cocktails, soft drinks. Often buzzing busy but never seems unpleasantly rammed full of people. The space is cool too: I think it was the kitchens of a big old hotel, it has a lot of history and it's nice that they celebrate the original features of the place. The okra fries are so good. So is the tarka daal. And the bhajis!

The two person meal was a wonderful assortment to relative-newbies to Indian food. We almost passed on this place as we are not vegetarian but I'm so glad we didn't.

Thoroughly enjoyed dinner at Bundobust, food was great and reasonably priced, there was an extensive list of good and interesting craft beer on tap, there was a great atmosphere and the staff was friendly and helpful, I highly recommended Bundobust for a casual dinner.

Great decor and ambiance, but the food was what I would describe as "hipster Indian sanitized "street" food for white people"! Nothing was bad but not sure what the hype is all about. Their beer selection is awesome; the staff is very nice; the ambiance works, except the food is better than average, but nothing special. We ordered some 7 dishes, but nothing really stood out. My fav was fried okra, which was crispy but cold - I would've liked it warm/hot. I still want to give it 4 but I am going with a 3.5!

Happened upon Bundobust on our way as tourists from dropping off the rental car at the train station to meeting friends for drinks at The Midland. Ah-MAY-zing! Staff was friendly and helpful, but not too attentive. Beer was fantastic. Menu was simple to navigate. Food was delicious! Atmosphere was cool and fun without being intimidating. Wish we were back in Manchester soon just for this!! Any franchise opportunities in the US?! I could SOOO see this taking off with all the craft beer focus in Colorado and throughout the country. Would be a fantastic way to introduce Indian fare to the masses who might not ordinarily try or be open to it!