Dishoom is launching a new lunch deal priced from £16 per person, and for the first time, diners can book a table for the afternoon service, avoiding the chain's famously long queues.
The Indian restaurant chain, founded in 2010 to recreate the spirit of Bombay's old Irani cafés, now operates 15 locations across the country. The new set menu, called the Swift Vitality lunch, will be available at every Dishoom restaurant, with bookings accepted between 12pm and 5pm, Monday to Friday only. Weekend diners and evening customers will still need to wait for walk-in tables.
What's on the lunchtime menu
The £16-per-person deal serves two and includes one sharing salad, with a choice between a Malai Chicken Salad (chicken, leafy greens, sprouted beans, bulgur wheat, and vegetables with a coconut dressing) or a Chilli Broccoli Salad. Diners can also select two sharing grills from options including Murgh Malai, Dishoom Chicken Tikka, Sheekh Kabab, Makhmali Paneer, Gunpowder Potatoes, or Saffron Cauliflower.
Drinks, extra dishes, and the optional service charge are not included in the £16 price. For those wanting more, the Prompt Replenishment menu is available at £20 per person, featuring one small plate, one grill, the House Black Daal, and a choice between Chicken Berry or Jackfruit Berry Pulao.
Why queues have persisted
Most Dishoom cafés are walk-in only, with peak-time waits of up to an hour, and some customers report waiting over two hours. Founder Shamil Thakrar previously told Eater London that he did not want the queues to disappear: 'My biggest fear is that people don’t love Dishoom any more, and the queue is a proxy for that. The queue is a signal that people like what we do.'
Queuing does come with perks, however. Staff have offered free chai in cold weather, shots of alcohol or homemade lemonade in the evenings, and umbrellas when it rains.
