Zagreb’s café-lined Tkalčićeva strip is famous for late-night coffee dates and people-watching, but a new aroma is now drifting between the terraces: cardamom, cumin and the faint smoke of a tandoor. The source is Bombay Grill, a modestly sized restaurant that, within months of opening, has become a quiet favourite among locals who like their food vivid, fragrant and generously spiced.
Why the location matters more than you think
Tkalčićeva is pedestrian-friendly and tram-adjacent, so slipping away for a 45-minute lunch break is realistic. Inside, the traffic hum fades quickly. Warm wood panelling, saffron-coloured upholstery and low copper lamps create the feel of a Maharajah’s railway carriage rather than a generic curry house. A soundtrack of sitar and tabla plays at conversational volume; candles on each table are lit at dusk, turning dinner into an event without drifting into theme-park territory.
From tandoor to table: how the kitchen keeps flavours authentic
Head chef Hari Thapa cooked in Delhi and Dubai before moving to Croatia, and he treats spices like wine vintages: every batch is tasted, toasted and ground in-house each morning. The base gravy for butter chicken is simmered for six hours; yoghurt for the tandoor is cultured on site because, as Thapa notes, “the bacteria in Zagreb air are different—if we bought ready-made, the tang would be flat.”
Vegetables arrive from a Samobor farm four times a week; meat is delivered fresh, never frozen, and trimmed in small batches so that the marinade can penetrate properly. Even the naan dough is proofed for 18 hours, giving the bread a soft chew and the characteristic blisters you only get from a 400 °C clay oven.
Signature plates you shouldn’t skip
- Tandoori chicken – Local free-range bird, marinated overnight in hung yoghurt, kasoori methi and a 12-spice garam masala, then roasted until the edges blacken just enough to taste the smoke.
- Butter chicken – The house version is mellow rather than candy-sweet; tomato is slow-reduced with fenugreek leaves, then finished with a knob of cultured butter for gloss.
- Lamb rogan josh – Kashmiri chillies give depth without blow-your-head-off heat; the meat is left on the bone for extra body.
- Vegetable biryani – A sealed “dum” pot baked for 45 minutes so saffron, potato, carrot and paneer perfume the basmati.
- Pani puri shot glasses – A DIY starter: fill the hollow puris with spiced tamarini water, pop them whole for a burst of sweet, sour and chilli.
Heat levels built around Croatian palates—and how to hack them
Waitstaff will ask for a chilli rating from 0 (mild) to 3 (Indian hot). Level 2 already makes most Zagreb diners reach for the lassi, but the kitchen will happily push past 3 if you give 24 hours’ notice. A pro tip: order a side of cucumber raita and a sweet mango lassi in advance; dairy quells capsaicin far better than water.
Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options that go beyond an afterthought
India has a centuries-old meatless tradition, and Bombay Grill leans into it. Roughly 60 % of the menu is vegetarian, 30 % vegan as-is, and most dishes can be switched to coconut cream for a small surcharge. Chickpea flour replaces wheat in several starters, so gluten-free guests can still scoop up curry with soft besan roti. The kitchen uses separate pans for vegan prep to avoid ghee cross-contact.
Drinks that match the spice route
Indian beers Kingfisher and Flying Cobra are on tap, but the more interesting choices are house cocktails: the Mumbai Mule (cardamom-infused vodka, ginger beer, lime) and a turmeric-gin Old Fashioned that turns golden under the bar lights. A short but well-chosen Croatian wine list—Pošip for whites, Plavac Mali for reds—has been vetted to stand up to bold sauces. Finish with masala chai brewed in the traditional way: loose-leaf Assam, crushed ginger and milk boiled together, then strained tableside.
Prices, portions and practical info
Mains run 95–150 kn; breads and sides 18–25 kn. Portions are generous—two curries, rice and naan comfortably feed three people if you add an entrée. Lunch specials (weekdays 11:00–15:00) shrink the bill by 20 % and include soup, main and coffee. Cards accepted; reservations recommended Friday–Sunday after 19:00.
What guests are saying
Google reviews hover at 4.7/5. Regulars praise the “complex but balanced” spice layers and staff who “remember your heat tolerance from last time
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