Dishoom Leeds reveals the story behind its distinctive design
The much-loved Indian restaurant opened its Leeds venue this summer
The inspiration behind Dishoom Leeds has been revealed, with its design drawing on Bombay’s Art Deco architecture, a fictional cafe and a dramatic wartime explosion.
The much-loved Indian restaurant, already a firm favourite in Manchester, London, Edinburgh and Birmingham, opened its Leeds venue this summer, bringing its Bombay-inspired food and interiors to the city.
The design details have now been revealed by long-term interior design collaborator Macaulay Sinclair, with the restaurant centred around the fictional Cafe Flamingo.
Its story begins with the real-life explosion of the SS Fort Stikine in Bombay’s docks on April 14, 1944. The ship was carrying gold bullion and explosives, with gold scattered across the city following the blast.
In Dishoom’s imagined history, Cafe Flamingo owner Samir becomes involved in a plot to steal the gold. But the explosion happens just hours before the planned heist, leaving him to discover gold bars among the rubble of his cafe.
That story became the starting point for Dishoom Leeds’ interiors, with Macaulay Sinclair drawing heavily on Bombay’s Art Deco apartment buildings around Marine Drive and The Oval.
Ian Roome, director at Macaulay Sinclair, said the team spent a lot of time in Bombay during the planning process.
He said: “A lot of what you see in the restaurant came directly from time spent in Bombay, exploring and documenting those buildings and sourcing original pieces.”
Inside, the restaurant features geometric patterns inspired by Bombay architecture, pink marble, fluted detailing, polished timber and terrazzo flooring.
More than 40 pieces of vintage furniture and lighting were also sourced in Bombay and restored for the restaurant, alongside reclaimed mahogany, handmade rattan blinds and vintage bentwood chairs.
The first-floor dining room features tall arched windows and stained-glass screens, while the bar combines green marble and timber beneath a geometric marquetry canopy.
Shamil Thakrar, CEO of Dishoom, said the Leeds restaurant has “distilled the architecture, textures, and everyday Deco details of Bombay’s Oval and Marine Drive into a space that feels breezy, soulful, and beautifully lived-in.”
Dishoom Leeds is located at 68-78 Vicar Lane, Leeds, LS1 7JH and opened on 14 August.