Dishoom Shoreditch Opens A Bombay-In-London Verandah

New outdoor verandah opens

Dishoom Shoreditch is delighted to announce its new indoor-outdoor space, the Verandah, is now open. The Verandah evokes the faded elegance of Bombay’s old verandahs: pleasantly shaded outdoor terraces where Chai was drunk, the Times of India absorbed, Sundowners sipped, and many an hour whiled away in peaceful comfort.

At their peak in the 1950s, there were around 400 Irani cafés in Bombay. Café Naaz was the only one to have a verandah. Perched on well-heeled Malabar Hill, it had the best view in Bombay, where people would meet at sundown to snack, chat and drink ice-cold beers overlooking Chowpatty Beach and the glittering stretch of coast known as the Queen’s Necklace. Café Naaz was a true Bombay institution, but sadly it has now closed forever.

Dishoom’s Verandah may not have Café Naaz’s views over the Arabian Sea, but it does have a similarly carefree mood. Settle into soft, cushioned antique armchairs and sofas that sit alongside familiar bentwood chairs and reclaimed furniture, overlooked by shelves filled with well-thumbed books and faded old photographs. Greenery spills from the many planters and hanging baskets dotted around the space, which seems neither indoor nor outdoor. A beautifully restored stained glass window from Gujarat depicts the Hindu god Krishna carrying a mountain on his shoulders. Although it may be located squarely in East London, the Verandah feels like an exotic, faraway place, hidden away in a courtyard off Boundary Street.

The newly opened all-weather space is heated for colder days, and the retractable walls and canopy provide protection from the British weather whenever it’s needed. But when it’s fair, the space is open to the air, peacefully secluded, sheltered and light; the perfect spot to drink, eat, work or simply lounge in the sun.

On the Verandah, one can leaf through the papers (and the library of vintage books!) and sip Chai with a Bacon Naan Roll in the morning, lunch on a light salad, Lamb Raan Bun or Roomali Roll, spend an afternoon playing vintage board games, or relax into the evening with a Sundowner - perhaps a Gin Fizz, a Bombay Pimm’s or a Julep. Dishoom’s free “ChaiFi” extends over the Verandah, making it very well suited for meetings with colleagues and clients, or catching up with work away from the constraints of the office.

In addition to opening The Verandah, Dishoom Shoreditch now offers “bottomless” Chai. Dishoom’s signature drink – a sweet/spicy concoction made with whole spices steeped in milk, sugar and black tea. Dishoom’s servers will gladly dispense top ups to guests in the Café and Verandah throughout the day.

This article is connected to Dishoom Shoreditch
Published Jul 2, 2013