Dishoom Carnaby
Indian restaurant · Soho
22 Kingly St, Carnaby, London W1B 5QP, United Kingdom
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Highlights
Bombay-inspired cafes serving flavorful Indian dishes & drinks
Bombay-inspired cafes serving flavorful Indian dishes & drinks
"Dishoom isn’t just an easygoing, dependable chain of Indian restaurants. It’s the stuff of ruby chicken legend that has every visiting American in a flap. The chances are you’ve found yourself in this queue at some point, getting irritated, getting a little less irritated upon being handed free chai, and then getting irritated again when you realise that the mythical house black daal at the end of it all is good, but maybe not an hour’s wait good. Bacon naan roll stans and Big Queue apologists If you’re fewer than six people and can’t book, slide out of work early to appease your visitor and avoid the walk-in madness" - jake missing, sinead cranna, rianne shlebak, heidi lauth beasley
"The first thing you notice about Dishoom is just how busy it is. No matter which location you’re visiting, you’ll almost always a find a queue of people waiting for a table and a palpable energy of excitement in the room. Because Dishoom is more than just a restaurant - it’s a phenomenon. The original Dishoom opened in Covent Garden in 2010, and it immediately changed Londoners’ expectations of what an Indian restaurant could and should be. The combination of homestyle cooking, vibey retro surroundings, and excellent cocktails proved to be a successful recipe for a young population looking for a good restaurant that could serve almost any need, from breakfast to brunch to big group dinners with fancy drinks. Since then it’s become the go-to place for anyone who wants to eat Indian food in this city, both locals and tourists alike. There are now several Dishoom locations across London and they’re moving into other parts of England like a Led Zeppelin reunion tour. photo credit: Karolina Wiercigroch The Soho branch of Dishoom is excellent not just for its convenient location, but also because it’s one of the largest so it’s usually easier to get a table than at the nearby Covent Garden original. There’s a nice patio outside for people-watching on Kingly Street, and a light filled section at the back that feels like you’re eating in a Bollywood living room. As for the food, sticking to the regular curry and bread combos would be a mistake. Dishoom has a brilliant list of starters and snacks that are spot-on versions of things that you might actually eat in an Indian home kitchen, and the lamb chops and chicken ruby should be on your table. Follow our Food Rundown below for the hits, but know that it’s generally hard to go wrong. You don’t earn the title of ‘phenomenon’ with a menu that’s hit and miss. Food Rundown Bhel Puri You’ll probably be sat at the bar before you go to your table. Grab a plate of bhel puri, a tasty bowl of crisp, starchy delight - pour in the green coriander chutney, tamarind sauce and mix it all up and dive in. It’s a bit like Bombay Mix, but about a million times better. photo credit: Karolina Wiercigroch Prawn Koliwada Little prawns coated with batter and fried, with some tangy sauce. Not a must-order, but you’ll enjoy these if you like food of the battered and fried variety. photo credit: Karolina Wiercigroch Pau Bhaji Total comfort food - a spicy mixture of soft veggies and potatoes, to be eaten on top of buttered white rolls. If you’ve never tried pau bhaji before, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. photo credit: Karolina Wiercigroch Chicken Ruby Curry This is as ‘standard’ a curry as you’ll find at Dishoom, and it’s pretty bloody good. It’s a cut above most chicken curries, and it’ll make everyone happy. Order plenty of naan bread and rice to mop up the gravy. Lamb Chops A no-brainer. They’re as good as you think they’ll be. photo credit: Karolina Wiercigroch" - David Paw
"Dishoom is the kind of huge, all-day Indian restaurant that works for a lot of occasions including group hangs, date nights, and yes, sorting out a serious lamb chop craving after a trip to the Design Museum. We’re into the grand train station look, with big red booths and old-school Bombay portraits on the walls. Expect their signature dishes like chicken ruby and slow-cooked biryanis, and an art deco-style cocktail bar where you can throw back a martini before your meal." - rianne shlebak, jake missing, sinead cranna, heidi lauth beasley
"It’s not the only Dishoom in town but its award-winning colonial train station interior is easily the most handsome. Probably the best Indian fare available in London. Dishoom is great for an indulgent breakfast or an evening banquet with plenty of the house black daal." - Sam Morris
"This place is a fond favourite for breakfast meetings, team lunches, post-work cocktails or really any other excuse we can think of. The Bombay-inspired food is fresh and flavoursome and coupled with the authentic surroundings, culminates in an amazing experience. We love the tapas style small plates and always order everything to share. There are great options for the 'veggies' and 'gluten-freers' amongst us. We come back here again, and again, and again." - Them
