Published on Love Walsall | Food & Drink
If you’ve been sleeping on Walsall’s Indian food scene, it’s time to wake up. This town punches well above its weight when it comes to authentic subcontinental cooking — and two restaurants in particular are doing things properly. Whether you’re after a lavish night out with cocktails and balcony seating, or a relaxed South Indian meal packed with bold, unfamiliar flavours, Walsall has you covered.
Here are the two Indian restaurants we keep coming back to.
1. Shimla Peppers Bar & Restaurant — The Classic Night Out
91–92 Ablewell Street (entrance via Town Hill), Walsall WS1 2AP 📞 01922 640 605 | shimlapepperswalsall.co.uk
If you want to understand why Shimla Peppers has been a Walsall institution since 1978, just show up on a Friday evening. The place hums. There’s the warm glow of the bar, the smell of spices drifting from the kitchen, and a crowd that clearly knows exactly where to go for a proper Indian meal.
Shimla Peppers sits on the first floor above Ablewell Street, with balcony seating that makes it feel like a genuine destination rather than just another curry house. It’s the kind of restaurant you book for a birthday, an anniversary, or just a Friday night when you want dinner to feel like a bit of an event.
What to Order
The Afghani Malai Tikka is the dish people talk about — chicken marinated in cream and cheese, cooked in the tandoor until it has that slightly charred edge and a meltingly soft interior. It’s rich, deeply savoury, and genuinely hard to stop eating.
If you’re after a main course that sums up the restaurant’s Punjabi roots, go for the Lamb Karahi — slow-cooked with tomatoes, garlic and fresh coriander, served bubbling in the wok it was cooked in. It’s the kind of dish that makes you want to tear off a piece of naan and ignore everything else on the table.
Vegetarians aren’t an afterthought here either. The Chilli Paneer is an Indo-Chinese fusion dish that’s become one of their most popular plates — crispy cottage cheese tossed with peppers and a punchy chilli sauce. And if you can’t decide what to order, the Shimla Special Platter is an excellent introduction to the grill section — a bit of everything, perfect for sharing.
The Atmosphere
Halal certified, with full vegetarian and vegan options. They also do takeaway and collection if you’d rather eat at home. For bigger occasions, there’s a private function space that works well for corporate events and family celebrations.
Opening hours:
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday–Thursday: 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM
- Friday–Sunday: 5:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Book online at shimlapepperswalsall.co.uk, call 01922 640 605, or WhatsApp 07809 121721.
2. Chaii Dosa Café — South Indian & Punjabi Street Food Done Right
91–92 Ablewell Street, Walsall WS1 2EU 📞 07311 522700 | chaiidosa.com
While Shimla Peppers flies the flag for classic North Indian restaurant dining, Chaii Dosa Café is doing something quite different — and equally worth your time. This is casual, buzzing, street-food-style eating that spans South Indian dosas, Punjabi comfort classics, momos, and chai. It’s the kind of place you can pop into for breakfast, a solo lunch, or a relaxed dinner, and it’s open from 8am on weekdays — earlier than almost anywhere else in Walsall.
The menu is broader than the name suggests. Yes, the dosas are the star attraction — those enormous, paper-thin fermented rice and lentil crepes, served crisp from the griddle with sambar and chutneys — but there’s also Punjabi staples, street snacks, and some genuinely unexpected dishes that reward a curious diner.
What to Order
The Bombay Special (£8.99) is one of the most popular dishes on the menu — a vegetarian, gluten-free plate that captures the chaotic, layered flavours of Mumbai street food. The Paneer Dosa (£8.49) is another favourite, combining the classic dosa format with spiced cottage cheese filling — vegan and gluten-free too.
If you want to try something a bit more unusual, the Three Barrel Dosa (£8.99) is the one to go for — three different fillings in one order, perfect for anyone who can’t decide. The classic Masala Dosa (£7.49) remains the benchmark for good reason: simple, satisfying, and exactly what a dosa should be.
Don’t overlook the Punjabi side of the menu. The Saag with Makki Roti (£9.99) — mustard greens with cornmeal flatbread — is proper Punjabi winter food, and the Chole Bhature (£7.99) is a punchy chickpea curry with deep-fried bread that’s become a firm favourite with regulars.
For something unexpected, the Butter Cream Momo (£8.99) — Himalayan-style dumplings in a rich butter sauce — are genuinely outstanding and unlike anything else on Ablewell Street.
Why It Stands Out
The menu is almost entirely vegetarian, with many dishes also vegan and gluten-free — making this the best option in Walsall for plant-based diners who want something exciting rather than an afterthought. Dine in, takeaway, and delivery are all available.
Opening hours:
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday–Sunday: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
- Breakfast (Tue–Sun): 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Book online at chaiidosa.com, call 07311 522700, or email bookings@chaiidosa.com.
Two Restaurants, One City
Walsall doesn’t always get the food recognition it deserves, but places like Shimla Peppers and Chaii Dosa are exactly why it should. Between them, they cover the full breadth of the Indian subcontinent’s cooking traditions — from the robust, meaty Punjabi grill dishes of the north to the tangy, fermented flavours of the south.
Both are worth a visit in their own right. If you’re feeling ambitious, make a week of it.
Know another Walsall restaurant we should feature? Get in touch at info@lovewalsall.com
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