Get up to 30% off
Conditions may apply
Booking
Ish Restaurant
Find a table
Book for free
Selected by INSIDER
A popular gem amongst our premium selection of the trendiest restaurants right now
INSIDER by TheFork is a carefully curated selection of top tier venues, the ones with hats, the ones that make the top dining guides, and most importantly the ones we know you love!
Meet the Chef
Tropp, whose mother is Keralan, has made a name for himself in Melbourne over the years by showcasing Indian cuisine in all its diversity and changing the perceptions of typical ‘Indian’ food. More recently, he embarked on a trip back to his motherland, exploring different regions, meeting local cooks, and soaking up the rich food traditions that influence his approach to cooking today. Of his latest pop-up, Mischa says, “I’m happy to be back and firing up the grill again to help lift the spirits of Melbournians with comfort food that equates to a big, warm hug.†After spending a little over a year at The Rochester Hotel in Fitzroy spicing up the kitchen with an exciting Keralan menu in 2019, Mischa is no stranger to temporary takeovers that resonate so well that they become a permanent fixture. For Mischa, pop-up dinners and residencies have helped him to connect with his Indian heritage and showcase the many flavours of Indian cuisine. Mischa continues, the pandemic has taught me anything, it's to roll with the punches. I hope to turn this model into a viable long-term business venture that allows me to showcase Indian cooking in new and exciting environments.Restaurant menu
- Smashed Pea Kulcha
- $20
- Punjab’s famous stuffed naan, Stracciatella cheese, mint
- Cured Kingfish
- $22
- Burnt eggplant, lime, chicken fat, mint, nigella seeds
- Broccolini Curried Hummus
- $20
- Curried butter, spiced hummus
User photos
photos
Reviews
9-10
7-8
5-6
3-4
1-2
What diners said about this restaurant:
Elizabeth L. • 3 reviews
25 August 2023
10/10My go to all time favourite restaurant in Melbourne. Unpretentious and incredibly delicious.
See photo
Greg P. • 12 reviews
12 July 2023
10/10For lovers of Indian food this is a must try, some really tasty dishes.
Harry K. • 8 reviews
27 May 2023
10/10Great Restaurant. Some unique brunch options that are delicious. Surprisingly not busy for lunch on a weekend but it means you get great service and phenomenal food. Would recommend.
Gordon W. • 53 reviews
19 April 2023
9.5/10The food was once again of the high standard we have come to expect from ISH. The food is mainly characterised by traditional dishes with enhanced favours and the addition of ingredients that add to the overall experience. No doubt this reflects the depth of the experience of the chef
Teena N. • 3 reviews
12 April 2023
10/10I was very impressed with this restaurant. The décor was beautiful and warm, the staff were so attentive the entire evening and most importantly the food was delicious!
Cassitie G. • 1 review
1 April 2023
10/10Flavourful and filling food with interesting modern twists. Service was very prompt and polite and the decor was lovely. Would recommend. The Vada Pav was a standout.
Anthony M. • 1 review
31 March 2023
9/10The food at this restaurant was of a very high standard. They had a reasonable wine list also - and the wines were well suited to the food. Service overall was of a high standard also - though there was a wee bit of wine spillage on one of the pours. Overall - I was very impressed with ISH.
Jade S. • 2 reviews
24 March 2023
3/10The starters were very nice, however the medium plates were unfortunately a bit of a let down. We were hoping for the lamb cutlets as per the pictures on instagram but instead the only lamb option was lamb sausages that didn’t look very appetising. The upstairs area greatly lacks the ambience of the downstairs area. The upstairs area seemed to be very understaffed, we waited a long time for service and were only provided with one glass of water for our 2 hour stay.
Gordon W. • 53 reviews
25 January 2023
9.5/10Ish maintains its high standard in food preparation. All dishes are beautifully cooked and extremely flavoursome
Greg g • 32 reviews
11 January 2023
9.5/10Ish was a fantastic find with their modern take on Indian food. We didn’t know quite what to expect and our most helpful waiter, Vivek, explained the menu and dishes in detail. We started with dahi puri which are a mouthful of layered flavours. The curried egg bonda was my favourite because of the batter and the duck tacos were great. Next was the broccoli and curried hummus which tasted great but was a tiny serving at $22. We pointed this out and Vivek explained that the reason for the pricing is due to the arduous process of making it. Mains was the butter paneer with naans and saffron rice. Overall, everything was absolutely delicious and we were sufficiently full. Our small bottle of mineral water was $10 which seems a little steep. Not a cheap Indian meal but certainly tasty. Only qualm is that my girlfriend was seated on the bench seat in the window and felt like she was cooking as the sun slowly went down. The restaurant was empty so we could’ve been placed elsewhere.
See 2 photos
Lynn N. • 1 review
5 January 2023
10/10We don’t usually eat Indian cuisine so needed some help deciding from the menu. Vivek was very knowledgeable and guided us perfectly. He was very friendly and polite as well and always checked up on us. We had a great time!
William C • 13 reviews
24 December 2022
10/10Excellent food, best paneer and dal we’ve had in a while. The duck roti ‘taco’ is also a revelation!!
Tania L • 9 reviews
21 December 2022
8.5/10We enjoyed our visit, service was good & recommend their small/medium shared plates.
See 3 photos
Victor C. • 6 reviews
14 December 2022
8/10Good food and wonderful service! lol
Kate L. • 5 reviews
13 December 2022
10/10Delicious food, great drinks, attentive staff. Wonderful ambience for a nice dinner but also casual enough for most situations. Entrees and medium plates were the best.
See photo
Hania S. • 1 review
3 December 2022
10/10Intimate space, friendly service and delicious food! Curry was okay, cocktails were nice and entrees were incredible. Felt it was really good value with The Fork offer we used.
Nian J. • 5 reviews
1 December 2022
10/10Awesome food and service at Ish.
Gagan D. • 1 review
24 November 2022
10/10It was amazing. The staff listed to each of our need and the meal was excellent.
Bella F • 1 review
4 November 2022
10/10Wonderful food. The eggplant curry was incredible and all dishes were beautifully presented. The staff were lovely and very accomodating when we needed to change the time. We will be back.
Caren B. • 2 reviews
26 October 2022
10/10Everything was outstanding; the quality of the food, the presentation, the service. We were lucky enough to book it on a discount, but we will be back even without a discount! Such an amazing place. I would classify it as fine dining with a smaller price tag. We had the tikka chicken, duck tacos (my favorite), lamb skewers (my partners favorite), Ish butter chicken and the main fish dish which were equally amazing :) Thanks Ish Team!
Tripadvisor reviews
62 Tripadvisor Reviews
More information
Opening timeOpen today
How to get to the restaurant
199 Gertrude St, 3065, Fitzroy (VIC), Australia
Additional information
,
About the restaurant
Since November 2018, Fitzroy's Gertrude Street has been home to ISH, a lively, inventive Indian restaurant. Serving up contemporary Indian cuisine, the restaurant's ethos is rooted in the liminal: its inspirations both traditional and modern, its flavours both familiar and surprising, its spirit both global and local. It serves to represent, through food, the dynamism that so defines modern-day India. ISH is Indian-ish, yes, but also Australian; modern-ish, yes, but also classic. In short, it delivers what can only be described as ‘unexpected India.
ISH is the brainchild of Ganeev Bains, a restaurateur with several successful projects in his hometown of Chandigarh India. ISH brings a different culinary perspective for Melburnians - that of a dynamic, eclectic, evolving India. The menu at ISH uses global influences and modern techniques while retaining the rich heritage and cultural integrity of Indian cuisine.
Come enjoy the flavours and traditions of different corners of India, reimagined with local ingredients and a contemporary, international flair. Trust us when we say it's an experience worth sharing.
Features
, , , , , ,
Services
, ,
Frequently Asked Questions
Restaurants around Ish Restaurant
3065 Fitzroy (VIC)
$35 average price
3066 Collingwood (VIC)
$30 average price
Other restaurants in Melbourne (VIC) that you may like
Double Yums
3188 Hampton
$50 average price
-30% Accepts Yums
3144 Malvern (VIC)
$45 average price
Are you a restaurant owner?
Already a Client
Log in to TheFork Manager and contact us by Chat.