160 Clarendon Street, South Melbourne
There’s something rather splendid happening at 160 Clarendon Street in South Melbourne. Where Hotel South Melbourne once held court, a new chapter has opened, one that whisks diners across continents to the heady days of colonial India, reimagined for contemporary palates.
A Different Kind of Curry House
The London Arms is not your typical curry house. This is British Indian cuisine with panache, a celebration of that uniquely Anglo-Indian fusion that emerged from the colonial kitchen and has since become a cornerstone of British culinary identity. Think proper tikka masala, vindaloo with bite, and kormas that comfort rather than cloy.
The space itself has been transformed. Gone are the pub trappings of its predecessor, replaced with an aesthetic that nods to colonial-era India without descending into caricature. It’s atmospheric without being theatrical, comfortable without being stuffy, precisely the sort of environment where you want to settle in for a proper meal.
The Food
The menu reads like a greatest hits of British Indian cooking, but executed with genuine care. The tikka masala here isn’t some lurid orange affair swimming in cream; it’s balanced, aromatic, with a proper charred quality to the chicken that speaks of a tandoor being used as it should be. The lamb Rogan Josh arrives with a depth of flavour that suggests patient cooking and high-quality spices.
Starters do what they ought to: whet the appetite without overwhelming it. Samosas are crisp, and the onion bhaji is properly spiced and not greasy. The seekh kebabs show good technique, seasoned minced lamb with just enough char to provide textural contrast.
Breads deserve special mention. Too often an afterthought, here the naan arrives pillowy and blistered, the garlic version properly garlicky, the peshwari with its sweet coconut and nut filling executed with restraint. These aren’t mere vehicles for curry; they’re reasons to order in their own right.
Drinks & Service
The drinks list shows thought, with a selection that understands what works with spice. A well-chosen Riesling here, a few craft beers there, and yes, a proper gin and tonic if that’s your inclination. They’re not trying to be a wine bar, and that’s entirely to their credit.
Service strikes the right note, attentive without hovering, knowledgeable without being pedantic. The staff seem genuinely pleased to have you there, which counts for more than many restaurateurs realise.
A Welcome Addition
At a time when South Melbourne’s dining scene continues to evolve, The London Arms occupies a niche that’s been surprisingly underserved. Yes, Melbourne has no shortage of Indian restaurants, but British Indian cuisine, that specific subset, has often been treated as somehow less authentic, less worthy of serious attention. This is nonsense, of course. Any cuisine with its own distinct history and technique deserves consideration on its own merits.
Hotel South Melbourne served the area well in its time, but The London Arms represents something quite different. It hasn’t tried to replicate what came before; wisely, it’s carved out its own distinct identity entirely. It’s a different proposition, serving a different purpose, and South Melbourne is richer for it.
This is food that satisfies, in a space that welcomes, at prices that won’t require a second mortgage. Sometimes, that’s precisely what’s needed.
The London Arms
160 Clarendon Street, South Melbourne
Open for dinner Tuesday–Sunday, lunch Friday–Sunday
