Curry Cafe Northcote

My Indian work colleague said this has the best and authentic Indian in Melbourne, so off we went.

Parking is a bit tight around the area.
The place was dimely lit providing that sense and feeling that transported you back to a typical Cafe in Mumbai.

Service was good, and wait times was just as good.

Butter chicken - good solid flavour
Saag paneer - I was introduced to this concept and highly rate it.
Garlic naan - fresh and warm.

I'd certainly agree that this is one of the better Indian eateries.

By 630-7, the place was packed on a Wednesday night.

If you cannot think of anything rice at home, just head over to Curry Cafe Northcote and order coconut rice which I saw a couple of weeks back on specials board, butter chicken and mango lassi. Still feeling famished? Another round of coconut rice, ahloo pratha and a lick pier :). Simply the best. Coconut rice is the best for me. On a sunny and cool day, there are outdoor seats

Food: pretty tasty for my first time here. Great flavour and tender meats in the meals. Portions are also quite decent. The naan bread is also pretty good !

Venue/Service: great little spot in Northcote. Nice and cosy, with a great ambiance.
Wait staff were also super friendly, and offer great service.

Great little spot for fresh Indian food - perfectly seasoned, tender meat, friendly service!

Loved how they were able to cater to the level of spice we wanted - we asked for spicy and the food had a very good kick but not overpowering.

Best madras I have had in Melbourne so far.

Not my closest indian but definitely one of my favourites.
Love that it's not too strictly traditional and has some dishes that use the Indian spice profiles and cooking methods yet venture into new realms.. even if only by a little bit. It makes for something quite out of the ordinary.
Love the feeling of the place.
It's wonderfully at home on that little strip in Westgrath

Our absolute fav. The veggie options are so so good, great friendly staff, perfect vibe, hope this place lasts forever

This is hands down the best curry I have eaten in Melbourne. It's VERY popular so make sure to book or arrive early and whilst their takeaway service is brilliant, it takes about 30-40 mins when they're busy so factor that in. The atmosphere when eating in is perfect Northcote/Westgarth grungey, rustic, hipster comfort which suits the food perfectly. They have great beers on tap which complement the curries beautifully. Parking is challenge but that's Westgarth's problem generally, not the restaurant's.
(I heard rumour that during the COVID lockdowns distant Indian-born customers were breaking local travel restrictions to order takeaway from this place - that's how good it is.)

Curry cafe has some of the best Indian cuisine I've ever had. The staff are super friendly too. The guy with the beard that's always there is an absolute dead set legend!!! Cannot recommend this place enough <3

I regularly order from Curry Café and have always been impressed. The team has vision, creativity and clearly a passion for cooking amazing Indian food. They put their own spin on each meal and step it up a notch.

I recall the first time I tried their ‘Lamb Pasanda’… I was so excited by the aromas that I ran to show my housemate spilled half the sauce on the couch in my excited mad rush to share the joy… It’s not often that food invokes such a reaction.

Last week I ordered the ‘Lamb Chops’, beautiful, succulent and tasty morsels of meat that had been marinated in cardamom yoghurt and cooked in the tandoor, giving it a lovely smoky BBQ flavour. I couldn’t resist the urge and ended up holding the lamb chop in my hand and just ripping into it like a cave woman which is a pretty big statement coming from someone who has been known to eat a burger with a knife and fork in order to avoid getting her hands dirty….

The customer service is second to none. They always call to confirm my order, they let me know if there will be a slight delay during peak times and are amazingly quick to correct any oversights (which have been few and far between)…

Thanks for the consistently amazing food guys! You have an avid fan here.
------------------------------------------
PS-Just a quick update years later to say, I STILL miss Curry Cafe. I moved locations sadly :-( so have been unable to enjoy their delights.

I do however want to remind people that if there is an issue with Ubereats or Menulog app, this is not in control of the restaurant! it is a pet peeve of mine when I see people commenting on this and including it as part of their review. If you're going to rate a restaurant make sure you are on point and fair. How would you like to be reviewed on something that you had zero control over!

Looking back, I only had amazing experiences and the staff were ALWAYS friendly! I still miss their curries even a few years later!

A nice little surprise in Northcote. Food options are plentiful and consistently of good quality. If you're in the area give them a try some time, you won't regret your choice. They include options for take away and home delivery services such as DoorDash which is how I first discovered them.

What a fantastic experience. Friendly staff and incredible food.

Best dining experience we have had on our trip to Melbourne and is an instant recommendation for anyone staying in the area.

Can recommend the beef organic and the mango lassi!

Probably a little more pricey than your average Indian takeaway, but definitely worth it.
This is a gem of a restaurant down on the Westgarth end of High Street.
The food doesn't put a foot wrong with amazing flavours in everything we tried.
Lucky to have this one nearby!

Wonderful relaxed, elevated atmosphere, you can really tell there's a fantastic attention to details, everything was delivered with such a calm polish. Low lighting, truly fantastic staff, a bloody killer menu, honestly go and eat in - you'll have an amazing time.

Our party of five ladies enjoyed the wines, shared a bunch of different dishes and talked late into the evening. So grateful to have places like this back open to host precious time with people you love!

Love this restaurant used to come regularly like to come here before or after a flim I love the Selection of vegetarian options great owner /manger I like the retro 1950s aesthetic with the vintage tables candles reminds me of when I was a child we had tables when I was kid so kind of Nostalgic for me adds a great aesthetic to the area I recommend eggplant and veg korma… great place allways leave very full and. Satisfied 🥰🙌 great place also to get a pre movie snack and drink

THE BEST CURRY IN MELBOURNE!
Having grown up in India I feel like I can be a bit picky at times when it comes to the Indian cuisine but this place just gets it. I honestly could eat here every day haha

That was one of the best meals we have had in Melbourne- as people who have travelled to 50+ counties, this might be the best Indian we’ve had outside of India. Cold beer. Great service. Outstanding depth of flavour. Don’t miss the saag. Wow.

Super tasty. Great food for a lockdown! First time we had the paneer and it does indeed slap. The lamb madras was also delicious. This time we got the dal and beef rogani and they are both so great.
Delivery was prompt and still very hot. Will always come here when i need a curry.

The restaurant was busy so we sat out the back in the small courtyard. It was delightful. They put the electronic awning up & served up delicious curries, fish, lamb, beef & vegetarian. As it got dark on came the lights that further added to the ambience of outdoor dining. Fabulous wait staff. Will be back for more yummy dishes.

Best Indian I've ever had. Our host Harry was absolutely fantastic with helping us decide what to get. Great attentive service and fantastic food, will definitely be back. Also the man has one of the firmest handshakes I've ever experienced.

Loud, busy and understaffed tonight but amazing. Brilliant food that shines in restaurant and the two floor staff absolutely killed it with professional service and timing that made it feel like there was twice as many of them. Very impressed. Very happy.