![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/161-Southbank-Spices-2.jpg\")
<\/p>\nSouthbank\u2019s new Indian restaurant was always meant to serve the local community.<\/p>\n
Despite its owners having done little promotion so far, the restaurant\u2019s food and atmosphere have been hitting the spot, with nearby residents finding their way to the establishment.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s surprising that Southbank (outside of Crown Casino) didn\u2019t have an Indian restaurant before Southbank Spices opened in mid-February.<\/p>\n
But if that wasn\u2019t the case, the restaurant might never have happened.<\/p>\n
Co-owner Yogesh Kumar first moved into the suburb during COVID when the rent was cheap.<\/p>\n
In the four or five years since, he has seen the Indian community grow a lot.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut what I\u2019m seeing is that there are a lot of restaurants but no Indian restaurants,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
The motivation for opening one was partly self-interest, says Yogesh, who also works in the IT industry.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause I had to go more than a few kilometres away to get good authentic tasting food.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd when I\u2019m tired from work, I don\u2019t want to have to travel \u2013 to do a 20-minute walk or a 15-minute drive.\u201d<\/p>\n
Aside from this, he had been on the lookout for new opportunities.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Prateek, a chef and sometime hospitality worker, was keen.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, we said, \u2018ok, let\u2019s go for it!\u2019\u201d Yogesh recalls.<\/p>\n
While it didn\u2019t take long for the pair to make plans, the steps that followed were another story.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Negotiating with the landlords, organising the shop\u2019s fit-out and obtaining council approvals took them the rest of 2025 and into early 2026.<\/p>\n
Finally, in mid-February the friends were able to start serving at their new Kavanagh St eatery.<\/p>\n
Since then, feedback on their North Indian cuisine has been very positive.<\/p>\n
As word gets around, they are seeing a mix of customers come through the doors.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re getting a lot of Aussie customers, Chinese people are coming, there are people from groups,\u201d Yogesh says.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a good place to sit down with a group, have a glass of wine, share ideas and have a chitchat.<\/p>\n
The business is also benefiting from foot traffic, with people passing by on their way to the supermarket.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd the smell is there,\u201d Yogesh says. \u201cIt attracts people to come and try it out.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The idea was always to open a place with \u201cfresh authentic food and quality service\u201d for the community, Yogesh says.<\/p>\n
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 \u2013 including the March 28 Ugadi Lunar New Year celebration and March 1 Holi Festival.<\/p>\n