Harden's says
Dishoom's popular 'Bombay Cafe' formula is arriving 'out West' in late 2017, when they open a new (and very big) branch in Barker's Arcade off Kensington High Street.
Harden's survey result
Summary
“The new Covent Garden branch of Dishoom is spectacular and the food is still ace” – our poll’s most commented-on chain continues to win overwhelmingly rapturous reviews. It helps that the “very different” Indian menu is a winner: “super-tasty” and “excellent value”, with the “out-of-the-box” breakfast options a particular fave rave (“have a bacon naan and a cup of chai, and the world feels a better place”). But, actually, the stand-out feature is the “always buzzing and fun” atmosphere at its individually designed branches; and post-lockdown, WC2 took the wraps off a successful makeover, which mines the heritage of Bombay theatres and early Bollywood talkies. It helps that service is “slick”, from “courteous and attentive staff who never push what they want to sell”. The catch? “painful and lengthy queues” for walk-ins which have, if anything, worsened since they introduced reservations in all locations.
Summary
“There aren’t many restaurants where I will queue for nearly two hours to get a table but it’s worth the wait!” – This “madly popular” Mumbai-inspired chain “has taken London by storm” and is now the capital’s most mentioned chain. Even if the heady days of its Covent Garden debut are long gone, criticisms that it’s “too popular for its own good” are most notable by their absence; and instead its “a firm favourite” for its massive army of fans who feel “it never fails to impress”. The “buzzy, Indian, faux-retro vibe” (“I felt transported to the Parsi eating houses of Bombay in the 1960s”) helps set up a “crazy, frenetic atmosphere”; and even if the “noise levels are pretty bad”, “somehow it all comes together”. It helps that service is “always punctual and friendly” (respect: it’s such a busy chain), and the tapas-y food – though no longer as bleeding edge as it once seemed – still feels “vibrant”, with a selection of dishes that’s “far from run-of-the-mill” (“recommended by all our Indian friends!”), plus “an exceptional list of drinks”. Breakfast here is unexpectedly “a true thing of beauty” too: “so different” in a brilliant way. “You can book during the day, but not at night” – “the wait is tedious, but the buzzer system works well” and cocktails at the bar help blur time. In mid 2019, the chain acquired the former Jamie’s Italian site next to its original WC2 branch in order to expand its footprint. Top Tips – “black dahl is still the best” and “the bacon naan is the greatest restaurant breakfast dish of all time!”.
Summary
“There aren’t many restaurants where I will queue for nearly two hours to get a table but it’s worth the wait!” – This “madly popular” Mumbai-inspired chain “has taken London by storm” and is now the capital’s most mentioned chain. Even if the heady days of its Covent Garden debut are long gone, criticisms that it’s “too popular for its own good” are most notable by their absence; and instead its “a firm favourite” for its massive army of fans who feel “it never fails to impress”. The “buzzy, Indian, faux-retro vibe” (“I felt transported to the Parsi eating houses of Bombay in the 1960s”) helps set up a “crazy, frenetic atmosphere”; and even if the “noise levels are pretty bad”, “somehow it all comes together”. It helps that service is “always punctual and friendly” (respect: it’s such a busy chain), and the tapas-y food – though no longer as bleeding edge as it once seemed – still feels “vibrant”, with a selection of dishes that’s “far from run-of-the-mill” (“recommended by all our Indian friends!”), plus “an exceptional list of drinks”. Breakfast here is unexpectedly “a true thing of beauty” too: “so different” in a brilliant way. “You can book during the day, but not at night” – “the wait is tedious, but the buzzer system works well” and cocktails at the bar help blur time. In mid 2019, the chain acquired the former Jamie’s Italian site next to its original WC2 branch in order to expand its footprint. Top Tips – “black dahl is still the best” and “the bacon naan is the greatest restaurant breakfast dish of all time!”.
Summary
“No wonder people queue out the door!” – “it feels like you are actually in Mumbai, even the smells wafting round the room”, at these “terrific” and “incredibly busy” outlets, whose “distinctive” interiors generate a “vibrant atmosphere” that’s reasonably faithful to the buzz in India’s Irani cafés. “The bar areas with good cocktails help make the long and boring wait bearable” and, once seated, servers “are full of fun and energy” (admittedly probably with one eye on “efficiently maximising table turnover”). For most customers, any hassle is “worth it for the absolutely yum-tastic Indian street food” – special shout outs go to the “the reinvention of the bacon butty (naan with crispy cured Ginger Pig bacon) which is the perfect breakfast”; and “the black daal and Ruby Murray, which are standout dishes”. But declining ratings do support the doubters who feel that “quality has declined following the brand’s extraordinary rise in popularity”, or that “while it’s good enough, the chain definitely doesn’t excite like it once did”. Even most critics would acknowledge that “the glow hasn’t worn off Dishoom yet”, however, and if you haven’t been already, you should go: it can still provide “a real revelation”.
For 31 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at Dishoom?
Restaurant details
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £25.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £2.90 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Bread | £0.00 |
| Service | 12.50% |
Opening hours
| Monday | 8 am‑11 pm |
| Tuesday | 8 am‑11 pm |
| Wednesday | 8 am‑11 pm |
| Thursday | 8 am‑11 pm |
| Friday | 8 am‑11 pm |
| Saturday | 9 am‑11 pm |
| Sunday | 9 am‑11 pm |
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