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All Welcome
ONE JANUARY MORNING in 1928, a young Irani – not long arrived in Bombay – was waiting to collect a parcel at Victoria Terminus. Unusually, the train was running late. The Irani waited, patiently; then, growing hot and bored, he decided to stretch his legs. He wandered amongst the station crowds and then down a side track, off the main terminus.
Quickly, he found himself in a vast, airy shed filled with the hubbub of a thousand industries crossing paths: freight trains pulling in with a squeal, wagons being loaded and unloaded, men and machines labouring with their cargo. Railway workers shouted to one another in a dozen languages: Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bihari. Goods of every conceivable sort ebbed and flowed through the station, a veritable artery linking the Indian subcontinent to the Western world via the trading port of Bombay.
Dishoom is mostly a walk-in café. All are welcome, any time, no reservations needed. However, if you'd like to make a reservation, we hold a handful of tables back for groups of all sizes every day until 5.45pm. After 6pm, a small number of tables are available to be reserved by parties of six or more, at specific times.
ONE JANUARY MORNING in 1928, a young Irani – not long arrived in Bombay – was waiting to collect a parcel at Victoria Terminus. Unusually, the train was running late. Growing hot and bored, the Irani decided to stretch his legs. He wandered amongst the station crowds and then down a side track, off the main terminus.
Quickly, he found himself in a vast shed filled with the hubbub of a thousand industries: freight trains pulling in with a squeal, wagons being loaded and unloaded, men and machines labouring with their cargo. Goods of every conceivable sort ebbed and flowed through the station, a veritable artery linking the Indian subcontinent to the Western world via the port of Bombay.
The Irani was of an astute business mind. He had come to Bombay with almost nothing, and he was always seeking an opportunity to strengthen his toehold there. That day, watching the men at work, he felt a keen sense of opportunity.
The very next morning, he began selling his Irani chai and a few baked goods from an impromptu stall in a corner of the godown. The news spread, passed on from worker to worker, supervisor to babu, and the little stall flourished. The Irani introduced additional items here and there: a rickety table, some chairs, a shelf displaying plump fresh pau, a wooden bench to sit on. It wasn’t luxury, but all who spent a moment there were glad of it.
Although at first wary of being ousted from his borrowed corner, he soon became bolder: the station guards were grateful for a ready source of chai, and would happily take their baksheesh in spicy keema. The Irani ‘café’ inched outwards appropriating its own space in the large transit shed, buoyed by the burgeoning number of loyal patrons. In almost unnoticeable little steps, it gradually started dominating the godown.
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BEGIN YOUR DAY AT DISHOOM with breakfast, which might be a Bacon Naan Roll, a Kejriwal or a Big Bombay. Then lunch lightly on Roomali Rolls and Salad Plates, or linger with a feast. Refresh your afternoon with a drop of Chai and a small plate or two. Dine early or dine late. Or just join us for a tipple – perhaps an India Gimlet, a Permit Room Old-fashioned, or our very good Dishoom IPA?
OLD FASHIONEDS AND PAANCHES served in The Permit Room by the Chota (small) peg. The first strong taste is mellowed slowly by melting hand-chipped ice in your cut-glass tumbler.
The first frozen water was shipped to Bombay from Boston in 1834. The Parsi merchant Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy served the ice at a dining party and his distinguished guests all caught colds. Sir JJ grew from humble ‘bottle-walla’ to pre-eminent industrialist, giving much of his fortune to the needing. Sir JJ has place of honour in our list.
Dishoom King's Cross
5 Stable Street
London
N1C 4AB
Tel: 020 7420 9321
