Dishoom Kensington — London, UK

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
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
-
Samsung and Sony have unleashed new phone flagships, with Nothing snapping at their heels
Do flagship smartphones still have a place in a world of masterful mid-range devices and a general move towards less screen dependence, rather than more? We explore two new entries into the genre
-
Find bubbly, chewy, perfectly crusted pizza at Cosetta, LA’s new Westside Italian gem
Located in a slightly industrial area by the Santa Monica airport, Cosetta, from pizza maestro Zack Pollack, champions the local Italian dining scene with tradition and innovation
-
Oscar Niemeyer: a guide to the Brazilian modernist, from big hits to lesser-known gems
Architecture master Oscar Niemeyer defined 20th-century architecture and is synonymous with Brazilian modernism; our ultimate guide explores his work, from lesser-known schemes to his big hits; and we revisit a check-in with the man himself
-
Late-night spring shopping comes to London’s Chiltern Street
On Thursday 22 May, those in London can enjoy the Chiltern Street Spring Shopping Evening, including a programme of in-store drinks, offers and workshops
-
Fin-to-gill sophistication awaits at Tom Brown at The Capital
Expect ambitious cooking from the country’s most creative seafood chef
-
A first look inside Josephine Marylebone, a bistro-licious French restaurant
Following the success of Claude and Lucy Bosi’s first restaurant, in Chelsea, Josephine Marylebone is the second outpost, fitted with an oyster bar and a focus on classic French cuisine
-
The Kerfield Arms is south-east London’s hot new gastropub
In Camberwell, this stripped-back haunt comes courtesy of the team behind The Baring in Hoxton
-
Premium patisserie Naya is Mayfair’s latest sweet spot
Heritage meets opulence at Naya bakery in Mayfair, London. With interiors by India Hicks and Anna Goulandris, the patisserie looks good enough to eat
-
One Club Row is London’s answer to the Lower East Side
Located at the site of the former hotspot Les Trois Garçons, One Club Row brings back noughties glamour with 19th-century interiors, gourmet bites, and jazz nights
-
Marylebone restaurant Nina turns up the volume on Italian dining
At Nina, don’t expect a view of the Amalfi Coast. Do expect pasta, leopard print and industrial chic
-
Wallpaper* checks in at Treehouse Hotel Manchester: you may not want to leaf
Treehouse Hotel Manchester offers a nature-infused biophilic sanctuary amidst the city’s ever-growing architectural canopy