The expansion of a much-loved restaurant often marks the point at which it loses its soul. Not so for Dishoom, which continues to excel with the opening of its sixth location, this time in London’s Kensington. The winning formula is still there: show-stopping Indian cuisine served in a space inspired by the old Irani cafés of Bombay. Dishoom Kensington, however, takes this journey one step further and draws design cues from the city’s abounding art deco architecture, created by the first generation of modern Indian architects in the 1940s.
Based in the art deco Barkers Building, the restaurant includes a bar, a 200-seat dining hall and an open kitchen. Architecture studio Macaulay Sinclair has filled the restaurant with original period furniture, art and light fixtures sourced in Bombay and a number of striking bespoke features including stone frieze panels, marble monogram insets and, in a further nod to the era, which also heralded Bombay’s jazz age, original photographs of jazz icons.
The result is atmospheric, which feels far from a franchise; rather a painstakingly detailed throwback to a bygone era that sets an appropriate tone for a well-curated menu of Indian comfort food. The Chef’s Special, the fiery Mutton Pepper Fry, is well matched with cooling cocktails like the refreshing Edwina’s Affair, containing a winning trifecta of gin, rose and cardamom. With ‘hot jazz’ humming in the background, the sweltering heat of Bombay nights seems closer than ever.
NFORMATION
ADDRESS
4 Derry Street
-
Giant cats, Madonna wigs, pints of Guinness: seven objects that tell the story of fashion in 2024These objects tell an unconventional story of style in 2024, a year when the ephemera that populated designers’ universes was as intriguing as the collections themselves
-
How 2024 brought beauty and fashion closer than ever before2024 was a year when beauty and fashion got closer than ever before, with runway moments, collaborations and key launches setting the scene for 2025 and beyond
-
This listed house in London is transformed through a contemporary celebration of the archSegmental House, a listed house transformation by Dominic McKenzie Architects, taps into the playful powers of the contemporary arch
-
Beloved Italian, Babbo finds a new home in St John's WoodBabbo, the Mayfair Italian beloved of Premier League footballers, has re-located to St John’s Wood High Street. Is NW8 the new West End?
-
Osteria del Mare brings a slice of coastal Italy to The StrandSpanking fresh fish is the house speciality in this new London restaurant with a menu inspired by the Tuscan seaside
-
London's best Thai restaurants for flavour enthusiastsLondon’s best Thai restaurants each offer their own unique spin on the cuisine that push boundaries and present new culinary experiences. Browse our pick of the best
-
Harrods revives beloved 113-year old restaurant, The GeorgianRedesigned by David Collins Studio, The Georgian at Harrods in London is where art deco artistry, elegance and theatrical flair collide
-
Claridge’s welcomes ultra-chic new suites by Bryan O’Sullivan StudioThe newly inaugurated Brook Suites at Claridge’s, are uplifting, tactile and in touch with the revered London hotel’s timelessness
-
Chef José Pizarro’s artful new ode to Spanish dining in London is called LoloLolo, located in London’s fashionable Bermondsey Street, offers a taste of Extremadura in an art-filled setting
-
The world’s most enticing new hotel openingsExplore the best new hotels in the world, from beachfront living at Cheval Blanc Seychelles to otherworldly Zaha Hadid architecture at Me Malta
-
First look at Belmond’s new ‘romantic and nostalgic’ luxury trainBelmond introduces the Britannic Explorer, the first high-end sleeper train experience in England and Wales
