REVIEW: Indi’s Bournemouth - Indian street food with a seriously stylish setting

If you’re looking for Indian food with a bit more of an occasion feel, Indi’s Bournemouth is one to add to your list.

If you’re looking for somewhere that feels a little different for your next meal out, Indi’s Bournemouth is well worth a visit. Sitting on Poole Hill, this Indian street food restaurant combines bold, sharing-style dishes with a seriously stylish setting, cocktails and music as the evening gets going.

We loved the atmosphere!

First things first, the interiors are stunning. Indi’s Bournemouth has a luxurious, elevated feel that immediately makes it feel like more than just somewhere to grab dinner. It’s stylish without feeling overly formal, with a sociable atmosphere that suits everything from a meal with friends to a night out.

The concept is Indian street food and light bites, with vibrant small plates designed for sharing. By day, it’s relaxed and sociable, while as the evening rolls on, it transforms into more of a music bar and lounge, with chilled music and DJs creating the soundtrack to the night.

Come hungry...

We went for a proper spread, starting with poppadoms, pani puri, chilli cheese naan bites and Chowpatty momos before moving on to the lamb biriyani and chicken kohlapuri.

The menu really lends itself to ordering a few different things for the table, so you can try a bit of everything rather than committing to one main. The pani puri and Chowpatty momos were particular highlights, while the lamb biriyani and chicken kohlapuri made for a seriously satisfying finish.

If you like Indian food but want something a little more sociable and modern than the traditional curry-and-rice setup, the tapas-style approach works really well.

There's always something to look forward to

There’s plenty going on at Indi’s beyond the food, so it’s worth keeping an eye on what they’ve got coming up.

As the night progresses, DJs take over the soundtrack at the Bournemouth restaurant, moving from chilled beats into more upbeat sounds.

And there are some very good offers to know about too. Students can get 50% off from Sunday to Thursday, while the £10 tapas lunch is available every day from 12pm to 2pm. The lunch deal lets you choose two tapas dishes, served with rice or naan, making it a pretty tempting option for a lunchtime catch-up.

There’s also plenty coming up for the festive season. For Halloween, Indi’s is hosting a Halloween Supper Club on Saturday 31st October, with Indian tapas, bottomless spirits, live entertainment and DJs playing old-school R&B and house.

And if you’re already thinking about Christmas, Indi’s has both a Christmas Party Menu and Christmas Day Menu, with the party menu designed around sharing and the Christmas Day option offering a five-course feast. Both menus are available at the Bournemouth and Ashley Cross restaurants.

Prefer something a little more intimate?

Indi’s also has a second restaurant in Ashley Cross, and while it shares the same Indian street food concept, it has a slightly different feel.

The Ashley Cross restaurant has been around longer and feels more intimate, making it a lovely option if you’re after something a little more relaxed and cosy. Alongside the tapas-style street food, the menu also includes traditional curries, with cocktails and a bar offering to match.

So whether you fancy the glamorous, elevated feel of the newer Bournemouth restaurant or the more intimate atmosphere of Ashley Cross, there are two different ways to experience Indi’s.

indi’s Bournemouth
38–40 Poole Hill, Bournemouth

indi’s Ashley Cross
4 Station Road, Ashley Cross