One of the UK’s most cherished restaurants is making its long-awaited opening in Leeds today, bringing the warmth, bustle and spirit of Bombay’s old Irani cafés to the heart of the city.
Taking residence between the Victoria Gate and Victoria Quarter shopping centres on 68-78 Vicar Lane, Dishoom will open its doors today to welcome guests with 50% off food during an initial soft-opening period, ahead of the official opening on 14th August.
Bringing Dishoom’s distinctive sense of storytelling to the city for the first time, the new café has been designed as a warm and welcoming space where every detail invites guests to linger a little longer.
Drawing inspiration from Bombay’s rich architectural heritage, the space features cosy leather booths for families and groups to settle into, alongside a wooden bar at the heart of the restaurant. Vintage decorative lights, carefully sourced from Bombay and lovingly restored, sit alongside bespoke lighting throughout the café, casting a warm glow that evolves from breakfast through to late evening.
As with every Dishoom café, Leeds also features its own collection of locally inspired details, including the much-loved ‘House Rules’, which have been thoughtfully reimagined with nods to the city and its character. The Leeds House Rules include “No exchanging corn for meals” – a charming tidbit from Leeds’ history, where hungry patrons would once barter corn for their supper. Today, Dishoom humbly asks that you settle your bill with standard currency.
The House Rules also include “No stealing gold bar” – a reference to the story of the explosion of the SS Fort Stikine in Bombay Dock in April 1944, which has inspired the design of the Leeds restaurant. The wartime disaster sent gold bars flying across the city, and legend has it that some of the missing gold was never recovered.
Dishoom Leeds reimagines the fortune made from the gold bars and guests will discover subtle references to the glamorous mid-century details through the interiors and artwork. Guests can read the full story on Dishoom Leeds’ website here.
With all day dining available, including the beloved breakfast right through to late evening feasting, Dishoom Leeds will serve a lovingly curated menu of Bombay comfort food inspired by the city’s cafés, grills, street stalls and family kitchens.
Treasured guests can expect to dive into Dishoom favourites including the famed Bacon Naan Roll, melt-in-mouth Chicken Ruby curry and generously-sized feasts made for sharing among groups of 10 or more, featuring dishes such as Keema Pau, House Black Daal, Chicken Berry Britannia, Roomali Roti and Pistachio Kulfi.
Shamil Thakrar, co-founder, also known as Head Babu, at Dishoom, said: “Leeds is a city full of character, creativity and community, and we’re delighted that Dishoom is now here. We’ve created a space that celebrates the spirit of old Bombay while giving guests somewhere to gather, share food and make memories together. From the smallest design details to the atmosphere we hope to create, every element has been thoughtfully considered, and we can’t wait to welcome our first guests.”
The Leeds café will be open daily from morning until late, serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, cocktails, chai and late-night tipples.
Dishoom is mostly a walk-in café, with guests welcome anytime. Reservations will be available for breakfast and lunch, with limited evening bookings available from 6pm.
Kindly visit the website to book.