The Dhabba

The Dhabba is a North Indian restaurant in Glasgow's Merchant City, occupying an elegantly decorated space on Candleriggs near the heart of the historic trading district. Opened in 2002, the restaurant took its name from the roadside food stalls — dhabas — that feed travellers and truckers across the Indian subcontinent, though the Glasgow execution is considerably more refined than its nomadic namesake suggests. The kitchen specialises in the cooking of North India — Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh — with dishes that demonstrate the complexity and variety of the subcontinent's most influential culinary traditions. Dal makhani is slow-cooked overnight in the traditional Punjabi manner; tandoori preparations use a properly heated clay oven for the char and depth that define the cooking; and the bread programme includes freshly made paratha, naan, and roti that arrive warm and fragrant at the table. The restaurant occupies Glasgow's elevated Indian dining tier, where authentic technique and good sourcing distinguish it from the city's more generic curry-house alternatives. The dining room is warmly lit and handsomely furnished with reference to Mughal decorative traditions. Service is knowledgeable and the team can guide guests through the menu's regional distinctions. The wine list is adequate; the lassi and mango-based drinks are more appropriate accompaniments to the food.