Article Source: Dishoom
Last Updated: 31 August 2025 11:18
The new café will introduce Matka (मटका – pronounced mut-ka), Dishoom’s playful tradition that gives guests the chance to dine for free. Matka is a word with many meanings. It’s Hindi for a pot, and it also refers to the illegal underground lottery that sprang up in Bombay in 1962.
Guests can request a Matka token during their visit. When the bill is presented, a ritual begins: a wooden board, brass pot and single die are brought to the table. The pot is shaken, the die is rolled, and if a six appears, the entire meal - for the whole table - is taken care of.
The Matka magic works before 6pm on weekdays, for groups of up to 12.
The Glasgow Matka token has been specially designed for the new café, drawing on Dishoom’s spy-inspired backstory and influenced by mid-century symbols of openness and intelligence, including Chandigarh’s iconic Open Hand Monument.
Shaun Metcalfe, General Manager at Dishoom Glasgow commented: “At Dishoom, we love to capture moments of joy and generosity. The Matka is our way of adding a bit of theatre and magic to an ordinary weekday meal. We know the thrill of rolling a six and seeing your whole bill disappear will create stories worth sharing and plenty of laughter around the table. We can’t wait to see our Glasgow guests trying their luck at this beloved Dishoom tradition.”
Alongside the new tradition, guests can explore the full Dishoom experience in a space that blends mid-century Bombay modernism with a cinematic 1950s spy narrative. Interiors, created with long-term design partners Macaulay Sinclair, include terrazzo and parquet flooring, bold green and pink plaster walls, vintage light fittings sourced from Bombay, and bespoke UK-made fixtures. Hidden details and coded messages nod to the fictional Bombay agent who has slipped into Glasgow to lie low.
At the Permit Room bar, visitors will also find a Glasgow-exclusive serve: a twist on the classic Rob Roy made with butter oat fat-washed whisky, sweet vermouth, and house-made currant and sultana liqueur.
Dishoom Glasgow is now open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. As with every Dishoom, every meal enjoyed contributes to the café’s Meal for a Meal initiative, which has so far donated over 20 million meals to children in the UK and India through Magic Breakfast and The Akshaya Patra Foundation.
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