Press PLAY below to hear Emilia’s review of “a new kid that already feels like a regular”

London Arms
152-160 Clarendon St, South Melbourne

Despite the name, the exposed brick and the British pub decor, The London Arms in South Melbourne is less of a pub and more of a hospitality destination. It’s a mash up of a London pub and Indian curry house, and it’s still pretty fresh on the scene, having opened in October. Don’t come here expecting ‘a curry’ like you might get it in some dirty London Pub though (although it definitely has its place in the world). London Arms is very much an upmarket way to step into this world. It is the brainchild of owner Nikita Kaur Chopra, who was actually a medical scientist before she pivoted into hospitality, so if you’re wondering why the place feels so considered, that’s why: this is her second British‑Indian venue after The Black Prince, and you can tell she knows exactly what she wants to serve and how she wants it to feel.

The venue itself is big, downstairs is your main bar and dining space, where high ceilings and lots of room means you can have a good DnM or a bit of a rowdy old friends catch up and still have plenty of room to fill up your table with curries. There are extra spaces upstairs for functions or big tables, plus quieter corners if you just want a relaxed dinner without yelling over the footy. It’s kind of built for lingering: different levels, different moods, but all stitched together by that British pub comfort mixed with Indian colour and spice.

Now, the food. The first thing I tried was the Anglo‑Indian Fish Fingers, which are exactly what they sound like, but better; imagine the fish fingers you grew up with, then send them on a holiday to Mumbai. They are crisp, properly seasoned, and they come out like the perfect beer snack. The Mumbai Spiced Soft‑Shell Crab turns things up another notch, light and crunchy with a hit of chilli and citrus, the sort of dish where you suddenly realise the table has gone quiet because everyone is concentrating on eating.

For mains, I went straight for the UK Favourite Chicken Madras Curry, and this is your classic comfort curry, the one you want when it is cold and you are tired and you just need a bowl of something that gives you a hug. The chicken is tender, the sauce is rich and full of those deep, warm spices, and it’s not blow‑your‑head‑off spicy- it is more about flavour than pain, though you definitely know you are eating a curry. Then there is the Lamb Shank from the specials, all‑day depth that makes you start thinking about your next mouthful before you have finished the one you are on.

The papadums come in three options and dipping sauces, three types of chutney, too so you can get a full experience and not have to fight your dining mate for the last pappadum. 

They have Indian whisky on the drinks menu or of course, beer. You get the comfort of a classic local, the fun of something a bit different, and food that feels familiar but tastes like it has actually been thought about. The London Arms is that rare combo: a new kid that already feels like a regular.