Dishoom Celebrates Diwali 2025 with Food, Music, and a Dose of Rakish Style

There are few London restaurants that manage to blend culture, community, and cuisine quite like Dishoom. For Diwali 2025, the brand is going all in — expanding its annual Festival of Lights celebration into a full-scale cultural moment that spans cities, collaborations, and even a little friendly competition over cards.

From London’s Walthamstow to Birmingham’s Hockley Social Club, Dishoom and its sibling bar concept Permit Roomare curating their biggest Diwali yet: a line-up of feasts, music, and style-led experiences that feel as much about identity as they are about indulgence. For those familiar with Dishoom’s blend of nostalgia and newness, this year’s Diwali is another reminder that no one does modern South Asian hospitality quite like them.

It all begins in London on 16th October, when Big Penny Social in Walthamstow transforms into a full-blown Diwali party. Curated by creative director and cultural producer Ryan Lanji, the night brings together a mix of South Asian performers, including Nikkita Chadha, Raghav, and DJ LYAN. Guests can expect a vegetarian and vegan feast — Dishoom classics, puddings, mithai, and plenty of chai — all under one roof. Birmingham gets in on the action for the first time on 22nd October, with the BBC Asian Network curating the city’s debut Dishoom Diwali event. Tickets for both are £40, which feels like a steal for what’s shaping up to be a stylish, music-fuelled cultural evening.

Food, naturally, takes centre stage. This year, Dishoom is teaming up with The Tamil Prince, the North London restaurant known for its refined South Indian cooking. Together, chefs Arun Tilak (Dishoom) and Prince Durairaj (The Tamil Prince) have created the Coconut & Green Mango Malai Kofta, a rich, aromatic reimagining of a South Asian classic, best torn into with laccha naan and a side of red chilli. It’s available across Dishoom and Permit Room cafés from 13th–28th October, and for one night only, the collaboration takes centre stage at a Diwali Supper Club at Dishoom Shoreditch Verandah on 28th October (£55 per person).

For something more low-key, Permit Room introduces Taash Nights, running throughout the Diwali season. Inspired by traditional card parties, these evenings invite guests to gather, drink, snack, and play late into the night. Each table receives a bespoke deck of cards — a subtle nod to Bombay’s vintage social clubs — alongside a menu of modern Indian bar food. Think: masala-spiced curries, addictive snacks, and the Diwali special malai kofta.

And because Dishoom loves a good collectible, the brand has also launched a limited-edition Masala Chai tin designed by Ayushi Patni, a Bombay-based visual artist. Drawing from the city’s old Irani cafés, Patni’s design blends geometric patterns, tiled floors, and architectural details into something that looks as good on a kitchen shelf as it tastes in a mug.

In true Dishoom fashion, Diwali 2025 isn’t just a restaurant event — it’s an experience. One that celebrates craftsmanship, community, and modern culture, all filtered through the lens of impeccable taste.