Table of Contents
Citrus
Citrus is a family-owned Sri Lankan eatery known for its generous all-you-can-eat buffet and homestyle dishes. While not technically an Indian restaurant, Fitzroy North’s Citrus belongs on any list of restaurants featuring the subcontinent’s cuisine. The menu includes curries and rice dishes in bain-maries alongside freshly made hoppers — traditional rice flour pancakes served with a fried egg and sambal. The menu changes seasonally, but you’ll always find slow-cooked meats, simmered fish, lentil and vegetable curries, as well as authentic desserts. With imported and local beers and an impressive winter-appropriate tea menu including Sri Lankan milk tea and imported Ceylons, Citrus has fast become a winter favourite for good reason.
252 St Georges Road, Fitzroy North | citrusfitzroynorth.com.au
Fitz Curry Café
Fitz Curry Café is one of the oldest Indian restaurants in Fitzroy and has been giving Melbournians authentic Indian village cooking for 23 years. Under the same family ownership since 2001, Jolly and Jessie’s menu features both North and South Indian classics, with highlights including spicy lamb vindaloo and a milder chicken korma. Vegetarians are well looked after too, from mushrooms marinated in spiced yoghurt and cooked over the traditional tandoor, to malai kofta, soft cottage cheese and potato balls simmered in creamy curry. With seasonal specials and generous banquet options, it’s easy to see why Fitz Curry Café has been a long-time favourite among Fitzroy Indian restaurants.
44 Johnston Street, Fitzroy | fitzcurrycafe.com.au
Horn Please
Horn Please has been a cornerstone of the Fitzroy Indian restaurant scene since 2013, drawing both locals and diners from across town with traditional curries and vibrant street food. ‘Horn Please’ derives from the colourful signs of India’s busy streets and it’s this energy that chef Amar Singh brings into the kitchen. Inspired by his mother’s cooking, and later by his time in Punjab and country Victoria’s Dhaba at the Mill, Singh’s menu balances authenticity and creativity, with dishes like the popular coconut fish curry with blue grenadier or papadi chaat, India’s answer to Mexican nachos. While the restaurant offers takeaway, it’s worth dining in for dishes like the gol gappa – crispy spheres filled with fried chaat served alongside tart tamarind and mint chutneys.
167 St Georges Road, Fitzroy North | hornplease.com.au
ISH
Newer to the Fitzroy Indian restaurant scene, ISH is a modern Gertrude Street spot that has brought a bold, contemporary take on Indian cuisine since opening in 2018. Owner Ganeev Bains, who once ran a nightclub in Chandigarh, brings a sense of polish and playfulness to the experience — from the sleek interior to the menu. The fare is daring without straying too far from tradition, reflecting India’s ever-evolving culinary identity and drawing inspiration from both regional classics and local flavours. Fusion dishes include scotch egg kofta and roti duck tacos, alongside homestyle comforts like a signature makhani paneer. With a wine pairing menu spanning three to five courses, ISH’s take on Indian food Fitzroy-style is where tradition meets modernity.
199 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy | ishrestaurant.com.au
Masti
Geelong’s acclaimed ‘curry queen’ Manpreet Sekhon opened Masti in September 2020. Fan favourites from Eastern Spice Geelong have made their way into the airy Brunswick Street space, including scallop coconut curry, crab tikka and green chilli naan. Catering to Melbourne’s crowd, the menu also features expanded vegan and vegetarian options, such as Punjabi khadi pakora (onion fritters in spiced yoghurt sauce) and honey chilli cauliflower. Chef Sekhon set out to bring Eastern Spice Geelong’s laidback atmosphere to the Fitzroy Indian restaurant scene and it’s hard to argue with her success. To accompany the food, she’s pouring desi-inspired cocktails like The Pink City, a gin-based drink named after Rajasthan’s capital Jaipur. Pro tip: Wednesday is locals’ night, and you are invited to BYO a bottle of any kind.
354-356 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy | eatdrinkmasti.com
Mukka
Mukka’s journey to serving Fitzroy-siders authentic Indian street food began in 2016. In 2020, Kabir Singh, once just a regular at the Fitzroy spot, couldn’t resist the allure of Mukka’s cuisine any longer. With a deep love for the food and a vision for what it could become, he took the reins and transformed the original gem into something bigger, bolder and unmistakably Fitzroy. Since then, Mukka has expanded to St Kilda and Carnegie, but it’s here that the story started — and continues to shine. The Indian décor is hand-picked and it’s one of the only places in Melbourne serving an authentic Bombay-style tiffin: an indulgent four-tiered lunchbox for one, filled with chef-selected dishes. Add to that a cocktail menu singing with Indian flavours like coriander, lime and spices, Mukka remains a standout on the Fitzroy Indian restaurant map.
366 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy | mukka.com.au/fitzroy
Toddy Shop
Marthanden Hotel’s Toddy Shop sets itself apart to show what makes South India special. Co-owner Mischa Tropp of Rochester Hotel wanted to highlight Kerala particularly, and the menu is built around an eating style transported directly from southern toddy shops and coffee houses. The food at this Fitzroy Indian restaurant is made for sharing, with a recommendation to combine a few ‘wet’ and at least one ‘dry’ dish to create balance and contrast. Dry dishes like chicken pepper fry sizzle alongside succulent fare like pulissery, a curry sweetened with pineapple, or fish nadan, barramundi simmered with sharp green chilli. The menu may be compact, but Toddy Shop delivers the distinctive flavours of the region with class, confidence and style.
Rear 191A Smith Street, Fitzroy | marthandenhotel.com
