Ratings are out of 100, with 100 being the highest standard and 0 being the lowest
Quick Summary:
- An Indian restaurant that encourages sharing and experiencing new Bombay dishes
- A lovely ambience as soon as you walk in with a strong smell of spices hitting you straight away
- The menu does not offer much gluten-free food, and the dishes are relatively expensive
- Location: Across the UK including Manchester, London (Battersea, Canary Wharf, Carnaby, Covent Garden, Kensington, Kings Cross, Shoreditch), Birmingham, Edinburgh
Dishoom: A Popular Restaurant In Manchester
Dishoom in Manchester is a very well-known restaurant, often met with queues outside when fully booked. We went on a Wednesday evening at 8 p.m., and it was very busy. The restaurant is large and has an authentic feel, designed with Indian-style touches, the aroma of spices, and high ceilings.
I had a good time at Dishoom, and overall, my experience was relatively positive. However, I won’t be returning as a coeliac.
Very Lacking in the Gluten-Free Options
The staff were really friendly. They went through the entire menu with our table, and the waitress showed me a QR code to scan in order to filter for allergens.
While filtering out gluten, I came to the realisation that there wasn’t much I could eat. As I scrolled through the menu on my phone, I realised I couldn’t have any of the small plates, curries, biryanis, or chef’s specials—which was very disappointing. There are only two dishes from the grill that don’t contain gluten: the Chicken Tikka and the Gunpowder Potatoes. Other gluten-free options include the Mutton Pepper Fry (a spicy ruby murray), Chilli Butter-Bhutta (corn on the cob), Kachumber (cucumber, onion, and tomato), Raita (minty yoghurt dip), and Steamed Rice.
For a restaurant that suggests each person should order 2–3 dishes, this didn’t offer many options for coeliacs or those with a gluten intolerance.
While ordering, I spoke to the waitress about this and explained that I didn’t have much to choose from. She mentioned that some dishes may contain gluten, and said the Bhel from the Small Plates section was only considered a risk because it’s prepared in the same kitchen as the naan bread. I decided to order the Bhel as well (I was really hungry), knowing it didn’t contain gluten and wasn’t cooked with anything that did. Although this was a risk—and not something I’d recommend to other coeliacs—I knew from other Dishoom locations that the Bhel had been safe for me in the past.
An Underwhelming Experience at Dishoom
So, after making my decision, I ordered the Chicken Tikka, the Bhel, and the Kachumber. The Bhel was probably the best dish—it consisted of puffed rice with pomegranate, coriander, peanuts, tomato, and other ingredients. It’s a cold and crunchy dish, almost like a salad, which I had hoped to enjoy alongside the Chicken Tikka. However, the Bhel arrived first, so I had to hold back from finishing it before the rest of the meal came out.
The Chicken Tikka was quite underwhelming. It came as a few small chunks of chicken, marinated with tikka seasoning, and served with some cucumber and onion on the side. There wasn’t much of it, and the presentation was poor. While the chicken itself tasted good, there was no sauce or chutney offered, which made the overall dish feel very dry.
The Kachumber came out as well, and it was simply a bowl of chopped cucumber, tomato, and onion—the exact same garnish that was already served with the Chicken Tikka. Again, quite underwhelming.
Dry and Not Great Food
Overall, this wasn’t a great meal. While some elements were flavourful and the chicken was well cooked, the dishes were dry and not particularly exciting. I understand that I didn’t choose anything with sauce—but that’s simply because there weren’t any gluten-free sauce options available. I eventually asked for the Raita (a minty yoghurt dip), but it wasn’t great either.
The rest of my table had lovely meals that looked amazing, and my food envy was high. The Manchester Special looked incredible—a pastry dish filled with chicken liver biryani. The Rotis also looked really nice and filling.
Would I recommend Dishoom?
No—not for coeliacs.
It’s not a worthwhile visit if you’re gluten-free. There just aren’t enough options, and the ones available don’t pair well together. On top of that, it’s quite expensive for what you get.
The food looks fantastic if you’re able to choose freely from the full menu, but with such a limited selection for coeliacs, the experience was far from ideal.