Southbank’s new Indian restaurant was always meant to serve the local community.
Despite its owners having done little promotion so far, the restaurant’s food and atmosphere have been hitting the spot, with nearby residents finding their way to the establishment.
It’s surprising that Southbank (outside of Crown Casino) didn’t have an Indian restaurant before Southbank Spices opened in mid-February.
But if that wasn’t the case, the restaurant might never have happened.
Co-owner Yogesh Kumar first moved into the suburb during COVID when the rent was cheap.
In the four or five years since, he has seen the Indian community grow a lot.
“But what I’m seeing is that there are a lot of restaurants but no Indian restaurants,” he says.
The motivation for opening one was partly self-interest, says Yogesh, who also works in the IT industry.
“Because I had to go more than a few kilometres away to get good authentic tasting food.
“And when I’m tired from work, I don’t want to have to travel – to do a 20-minute walk or a 15-minute drive.”
Aside from this, he had been on the lookout for new opportunities.
In July last year when he noticed a shop near Melbourne Square that had been empty for a few months, he suggested to his lifelong friend Prateek Chaudhary that they open a restaurant.
Prateek, a chef and sometime hospitality worker, was keen.
“So, we said, ‘ok, let’s go for it!’” Yogesh recalls.
While it didn’t take long for the pair to make plans, the steps that followed were another story.
Negotiating with the landlords, organising the shop’s fit-out and obtaining council approvals took them the rest of 2025 and into early 2026.
Finally, in mid-February the friends were able to start serving at their new Kavanagh St eatery.
Since then, feedback on their North Indian cuisine has been very positive.
As word gets around, they are seeing a mix of customers come through the doors.
“We’re getting a lot of Aussie customers, Chinese people are coming, there are people from groups,” Yogesh says.
It’s a good place to sit down with a group, have a glass of wine, share ideas and have a chitchat.
The business is also benefiting from foot traffic, with people passing by on their way to the supermarket.
“And the smell is there,” Yogesh says. “It attracts people to come and try it out.”
Along with the biryani and special curries, the owners especially recommend their Southbank spicy special chicken, normally served mild to medium, with the option to spice it up.
The idea was always to open a place with “fresh authentic food and quality service” for the community, Yogesh says.
And in the few weeks the business has been open, its growing reputation and local focus has seen it called on to cater for various Southbank events – including the March 28 Ugadi Lunar New Year celebration and March 1 Holi Festival.
The restaurant, at 56 Kavanagh St, is open seven days for lunch and dinner until 10pm or 11pm.
It is BYO, licensed and serves several mocktails and cocktails.