Dishoom, Upper St. Martin’s Lane, London WC2
About Dishoom
The original Bombay Cafés have almost disappeared.
Their faded elegance welcomed all – rich businessmen, sweaty taxi-wallahs and courting couples. Fans turned slowly. Bentwood chairs were reflected in stained mirrors, next to sepia family portraits. Students had breakfast. Families dined. Lawyers read briefs. Writers found their characters.
Opened early last century by Persian immigrants, there were almost four hundred cafés at their peak in the 1960s. Now, fewer than thirty remain. Their loss is much mourned by Bombayites.
Dishoom draws upon the heritage and tradition of these cafés, with our all-day menu paying homage to the food of Bombay. Next to us a pair of posh ladies take tea. They talk in the refined English of upper class Bombay. On our other side is a table of students taking a very late breakfast. They are eating hot buttered toast and drinking chai. They manage to devour their food hungrily and chatter loudly at the same time. On another table are a pair of earnest backpackers, who have probably read about us in their dog-eared guide. They look excited to be here.
So are we!
Location
12 Upper St. Martin’s Lane
London
London W
United Kingdom
WC2H 9FB
Contacts
Tel: 02074209320
Web: dishoom.com