Birdy made her way to Chaakoo on Lothian Road not once but TWICE (and she even dragged Girdy along) to test out both the lunch and dinner menus. It was so good, she’s already planning her next trip.
When I was first presented with the idea of going to Chaakoo Bombay Cafe, I thought: “What, like, just a cafe but Indian? Does that mean sandwiches, pakora and cakes etc.?”
Dear Reader, I was SO WRONG!!!
Chaakoo may call itself a cafe, but I swear to you not only is it a full-on restaurant, it’s also offering amazing food in an Indian-tapas style.
That means you get to order around three different dishes EACH plus your sides (naan, rice etc.) so, whether you like sharing your food and having a taste of a few different things, or you ABSOLUTELY DON’T but still want to try different things, this is for you!
Chaakoo came recommended by my in-laws after we’d spent a morning checking out Bernie Reid’s Ornamental Breakdown exhibition at Edinburgh Printmakers, so all four of us headed there.
That was also the time I shot the TikTok which you can watch to your right:
Chaakoo’s vibe
I absolutely adore Chaakoo’s vibe, as it’s full of traditional Bombay Cafe rules (such as all chai coming without opium, no returns of eaten food, no spitting, no bargaining, no water for livestock etc.) and I find the whole thing very charming!
It’s quite a relaxed vibe at Chaakoo, and the couple of times I’ve been in, it’s been reassuringly busy, but not so busy you can’t find a table (it’s also a very decent size which helps). You never feel rushed at Chaakoo.
I also love, love, LOVE all the colourful Bollywood posters as you made your way downstairs to the toilets. There’s plenty to look at, which is why I had to include so many of the amazing posters in my video.
Chaakoo’s food and drink
Onto the best bit! The first time I went to Chaakoo was at lunchtime, and I was delighted when I saw the menu. There are two main options; you can choose from Thali trays (priced between £14 and £16) or you can opt for a grill and curry for £12.95 per person, that comes with a portion of rice or masala fries.
The Thali trays are such good value, and come with three different dishes plus some rice and naan. One of the options is the Murga Tray, for example, where you can have butter chicken, garlic chilli chicken, daal makhani, jeera rice and plain naan. YUM.
I felt like I’d eaten very well after that, and Chaakoo also provided the perfect surrounding for a lovely family catch-up!
There’s also the all-day menu, where you can completely mix and match what you order, and there’s a lot more options – including all the usual staples in their ‘humble curries’ section.
This is the option myself and Girdy chose to do in the interstitial period between Christmas and New Year, and it proved to be a good shout!
Although, I’m a bit of a naan fiend and could have definitely eaten a whole garlic naan to myself, I was glad I didn’t by the end of the meal, having not finished my chicken tikka masala, and offloaded some of my lamb kebab and vegetable pakora to Girdy, who had previously insisted he did NOT want to eat any extra food after the indulgences of Christmas (sorry Girdy!).
Aaaaanyway, everything was once again delicious, and my chicken tikka masala was probably just at the end of my comfortable spice tolerances – which I appreciated. To give you an idea, I’ve only started eating tikka masala in the past couple of years – before that I was strictly a korma gal. SO I’m a bit of a spice wuss.
Anyway, we were absolutely stuffed, so instead of ordering dessert, we chose to end the meal with a lovely pot of chai (which I’d recommended to Girdy from my previous visit) and it really hit the spot.
Girdy jokes that we had the world’s smallest pot and glasses, and you can’t really tell from this photo how small they were – but they do a great job of making the chai last, and it always feels like a treat.
Chaakoo’s staff
Both times I’ve visited Chaakoo Bombay Cafe, the staff have been absolutely lovely. When I came in just after Christmas, one staff member even complimented me on my dress, and made sure I had something to drink whilst I waited on Girdy arriving.
Like I said above, you never feel rushed or pressured to get the bill at Chaakoo. The staff are pleasant, friendly and attentive when it comes to taking your order, checking your food is okay and collecting plates afterwards, but will also just leave you to chat (self and Girdy are good at that!) and take your time.
Maybe that’s a cafe bit of Chaakoo Bombay Cafe! It’s not at all uptight.
Things to do near Lothian Road
There’s plenty to do near Lothian Road where our dear Chaakoo Bombay Cafe is situated. For instance, there’s often events on at the Usher Hall, or you can catch a film at The Cameo cinema.
As it’s fairly central, you’ll find no shortage of pubs, bars, hotels, theatres and spas near Chaakoo Bombay Cafe – plus it’s only a short walk to Edinburgh Castle and all the major tourist attractions, too.
Looking to try something a bit different? You could always head west, as there’s not a massive distance to walk to Fountainpark, where you’ll discover the likes of Gravity trampoline park (where I once participated in a trampoline HIIT class!), Volcano Falls Adventure Golf, Heavenly Desserts, Laser Station and more!
Overall
I always have a fabulous time at Chaakoo – plus, Girdy and my family seemed to enjoy themselves, too. I really recommend the lunch menu if you want great value for money but still plenty of food – I think it’s bloody excellent – but dinner is also a hit, especially if you like tapas-style small plate dining.
Chaakoo Bombay Cafe
Summary
Chaakoo Bombay Cafe is a tapas-style Indian restaurant that provides fabulous menu choices and excellent value for money in a relaxed and charming setting. What’s not to love?
What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!
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