Dakwala, Newcastle

Dakwala Bombay Canteen – Indian restaurant and cocktail bar in Newcastle city centre

Dakwala takes its name from the Hindi word for “postman,” positioning itself as a messenger of Bombay’s flavours through the lens of the city’s historic Khanawal eateries, humble canteens that originally fed working class migrants arriving in early 1900s Bombay. Rather than a typical Indian restaurant experience, Dakwala reinvents traditional dishes with a modern, neo-Indian twist across food and cocktails alike.

The draw: the cocktail menu is a genuine standout, inspired by different regions of India from Kashmir to Kolkata and built around indigenous ingredients, alongside a curated bar book of small batch wines from individual producers.

Hours:

Open daily, 12.30pm to 11.30pm

Vibe check: vibrant and immersive rather than a standard curry house, well suited to those wanting a genuinely different take on Indian cuisine paired with inventive cocktails.