Accessible Dishoom Indian Restaurant Edinburgh
Dishoom Indian Restaurant Edinburgh
3a St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, EH2 2BD
Dishoom Indian Restaurant in central Edinburgh – Step-Free From Pavement, to Table, to Accessible Toilet!
I have a very soft spot for great Indian food. And if you do too, then you definitely must visit Dishoom Edinburgh.
The food is sensational!
As is the service too:
Dishoom has been voted as one of the “Top Ten Places to Work” by the Times;
And in 2021, Dishoom was voted the #4 Place to Work in the UK (and the #1 in hospitality).
So expect pretty amazing, and very friendly, service too.
A slice of Social Responsibility with your Salli Boti:
There’s also a great social reason to dine at Dishoom Edinburgh:
Since 2015, for every meal that is served at Dishoom, they donate an additional meal to a child who would otherwise go hungry. A meal for a meal.
20 million meals have been donated by Dishoom so far!
Not all Indian restaurants are created equally.
More importantly though, Dishoom Edinburgh is wheelchair accessible.
There is an accessibility tip which you should definitely be aware of before you visit Dishoom Edinburgh though (and you should definitely visit).
There is a minor issue. Which becomes more of a problem the busier Dishoom becomes:
The lift (which you WILL have to use).
More specifically though, the issue is the area in front of the lift (which is exacerbated by people milling around that area – especially on the First Floor/the main dining room).
You see, there are 3 levels to Dishoom in Edinburgh:
The Ground Floor – where you first arrive (and where the kitchen is located);
The First Floor – the main dining room; and
The Basement Level – where the accessible toilet is located (this is also where the “Permit Room” bar is to be found).
And there is a lift between these 3 floors.
This lift is not particularly roomy though (there is definitely no space to turn a wheelchair around in it). So if you enter the lift head on, you just have to reverse out.
This is made more of an issue by the fact that the stairs arrive near the same area as the lift. And the busier Dishoom Edinburgh gets, the more of an issue this becomes (as people arriving on the First Floor tend to hang around this area as they wait for stragglers to climb the stairs; or at the end of their meal, people also tend to hang around this area, while they wait for the last person in their party to put their coat on as they leave the table).
So when you arrive in the lift at the First Floor dining area, you will likely be met with a sea of legs.
Although the size of the area is almost identical on all three levels, it is more of an issue on the First Floor (the main dining room). As this is the busier area. There is also a narrow bookcase here, which hinders reversing/turning.
So the #1 Tip for all wheelchair users visiting Dishoom Edinburgh?
When travelling down to the accessible toilet, enter the lift head-on on the First Floor. Then reverse out once you reach the much quieter Basement/Bar Level.
And, when returning to the dining room, do the reverse: reverse into the lift as you enter it on the Basement Level, so that you’re facing forwards when the lift returns to the main dining area on the First Floor.
Times to try and avoid if possible (the times when it is especially busy) are: lunchtime between 12:30 and 2pm; after 7pm in the evening; and on Friday evenings/any time on the weekend.
But as Dishoom Edinburgh is open all day, it’s pretty easy to visit at a quieter time.
Enjoy.
[although my visit to Dishoom Edinburgh was in October 2023, these photographs were taken by the very kind people at Dishoom Edinburgh in June 2024, to show the current situation].
And a wee tip for the owners of Dishoom Edinburgh:
I’ve no idea if the narrow bookcase on the wall by the entrance to the lift on the first floor is purely decorative, or if it covers up pipework. But, if possible, try removing it/placing it on another wall (so that the lift entrance on the first floor is similar to the lift entrance on the basement level/Permit Room bar level – as there are no additional obstructions there).
I use a mid-wheeled powerchair with a ridiculously small turning circle (just 1.2 metres – it basically turns on its axle). However, even I still felt crowded when leaving the lift on the First Floor. And having the bookcase situated there, just made it feel even more restrictive when reversing/turning. Now that I personally know that I should arrive head-on at the First Floor, it won’t be an issue for myself next time – but not everyone will know this in advance of their first visit (the first of many visits for each of them I’m sure).
A wee access issue – which has a very simple solution.
It’s in no way an impossible situation though, it’s just that there’s a very simple solution to make accessing/leaving the lift much easier.
I hope that this comment helps you in some small way. I will most-definitely be back. And definitely for those amazing Gunpowder Potatoes (although brunch sounds even better – those Roomali Roti Rolls do sound rather tempting).
This accessibility information has been verified using various trusted information sources (disclaimer).
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Thank you so very much – and have a great time in Edinburgh!
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