Dishoom →
Independent Spirit

We'll be walking through the process that allowed us to translate a world-class physical experience into an industry-leading digital estate.

In this chapter, we’re diving deeper into our location-page details — illustrating the characterful design flourishes that set each venue (and founding story) apart.

Believe it or not, the word ‘content’ doesn’t exist within the Dishoom lexicon — they prefer the term ‘stories’. And it’s this unwavering internal ethos that drives the Dishoom machine; narrative is the priority, and that’s what makes them different.

Fierce in their venue’s independence, Dishoom’s cafe count may be ever-expanding, but it would be a disservice to call them a chain. Replication is there, but the experience is vastly different due to their unique ‘founding myth’ structure. Spearheaded by Shamil himself, every Dishoom café is themed around a specific story and era of Bombay history — with these narratives informing everything from internal decor, artefacts, menus and more.

We were determined to preserve this spirit within the site — highlighting the different worlds within the Dishoom universe. Each café was brought to life independently, with our team approaching the pages as microsites; fitting them with an individual toolkit, colour palette and typography inspired by the artefacts and assets within each venue.

Here’s the breakdown:

We’re introduced to Battersea’s founding myth in the unique form of a comic book — launching us into the world of young Choti Dishoom, inspired by the eclectic, independent ideals of 1950’s Bombay (and the iconic South London Power Station). The page is designed with retro-futurism at the fore, blending fantasy with reality through illustration integration and a bold colour palette.

In this myth, we’re introduced to the narrow gullies of Swadeshi Market in 1950’s Bombay — where a mother and daughter find their voices against the backdrop of partition. This location page is grounded in illustrations reflective of the ‘culture of trade’ developed by the Independence movement, with colours and fonts that mirror the 50s influence.

We’re transported to the 1970s under the dazzling light of the Bombay Stock Exchange — where the ambitious son of a humble Irani café owner ends up in way over his head. The design follows that of a vintage scandal ‘newspaper’ print, taking inspiration from the noir style common at the time.

Our story begins in the heart of London’s swinging 60’s — where a liberated, young Irani is called home to Bombay. Here, our design lends from mementoes of the rock-and-roll era — featuring spinning records and experimental music embellishments reminiscent of this transformative time.

We’re introduced to 1940s Bombay, where the city is experiencing the journey from Parsi theatre, to silent film, to the thrill and amazement of the Talkies era. Here, a budding film star bewitches Bombay. Using a distinct Art Deco style, this page uses a subtle pink and charcoal palette to playfully highlight the late-night allure of the myth — and in turn, the venue too.

We begin our story in 1920s Bombay, where botanist, ecologist and University lecturer Patrick Geddes dreams of bringing Irani café culture back to Edinburgh. This location page is steeped in clean lines and eccentric illustration — reminiscent of the great Scot himself — with Shakespeare’s watchful eyes curiously coursing your cursor across the page.

We’re transported to 1940s Bombay, where a charismatic but wayward Irani seeks redemption through the infamous jazz club ‘The Bombay Roxy’. Using a playful palette of Art Deco and lively mid-century illustrations, this location page paints a picture of the golden age of Jazz. Embracing the late-night club culture that swept the city.

Our story begins in 1920’s Victoria Terminus, where a young Irani opens a café in a bustling Godown. Grounded in themes of transport and the passing of time, this location page uses clean lines and Bombay Terminus archival references to move users with every scroll. And the featured station clock? Time accurate, of course.

In this myth, an elusive Irani dupes Sexton Blake in a Freemasons’ Hall in 1920’s Bombay. We lean into the mystique of their meeting — using Freemason symbols and embellishments to entice viewers to explore. Here, worlds collide both on page and screen.

A story caught between eras (and cities), we find ourselves in both 1970s Bombay and 2012 London — where an Old Irani Café finds a new home within old walls. This location page highlights delicate, hand-drawn illustrations; transporting us back to the cafés origins on humble Bombay streets. Using classic references from the Parsi Lustre, Shoreditch is traditional-Dishoom done best.

Our location pages may have been born in myth, but their execution is as tangible as the venues themselves. Journey through Dishoom’s worlds and view them for yourself, here.

Join us in our next instalment of Capturing the Dishoom Magic, where we’ll detail how we used Dishoom’s storytelling approach to bring people (and cultures) closer together — creators, artists, chefs and consumers alike.