thali

Turmeric, fuchsia, copper and deep mint green. Dangling birdcages, brass work and Hindi-scripted walls. Thali greets you with vibrant colours, a fragrant cloud of spices and a timeless Indian aesthetic.

And freshness. Traditionally, ‘thali’ is a complete meal consisting of a dozen or so regional Indian dishes.

Our Thali is nontraditional: Indian-inspired food with a fun modern sensibility served in the tried and true format of Chefs Warehouse tapas for two. Since 2016, Liam Tomlin and his team have been building layers of flavour at this Cape Town classic just off Kloof Street.

Thali is that easy-going much-loved neighbourhood restaurant that encourages spontaneity. Where you can walk in without a reservation and have a South Asian-inspired cocktail, a classic G&T or a glass of wine before you dive into a very special three-course set menu of innovative Indian food, abundantly plated.

Partly because we don’t take reservations: it’s first come, first served. Our warmly lit double-storey space with multiple areas for guests, including a charmed fairy-lit courtyard and a private room upstairs (which can be booked in advance), has all kinds of comfort and beauty.

But also because that’s how Indian food should be: fun, spontaneous, shareable and packed with flavour, colour and texture. Not just Rogan Josh and Butter Chicken. But a regularly changing offering of bhajis and pakoras and spiced urad dhal and tikka fish kebabs and Kashmiri seared duck breast and so much more.

Love and respect for Indian cuisine and tradition inspire and inform us, but pushing the envelope to create food that is fresh, colourful and contemporary is what drives us. Maybe that’s oysters with tamarind, coconut dressing and lime-pressed apple, or even a taco, Thali-style.

Each of the three courses arrives as a gleaming platter of multiple dishes, condiments, sauces and breads, all made fresh daily in-house – with a progression from milder and lighter finger foods to spicier, more substantial curries. The char of our coal oven, the considered blending of spices and the attentive preparation of each and every item overseen by Chef Nathanael Coe makes the Thali experience a full one.

At Thali, you’re in hands that love to serve.

The hands of our chefs who are crazy about the food they make and on a mission to nail the perfect balance in every dish. And our friendly professional servers, who know their paneers from their parathas, and the wines from our carefully curated wine list, and want you to have a great evening.

We are currently not halaal.

thali menu