Mowgli Street Food, Edinburgh

Mowgli brings its trademark sparkle and home‑style Indian cooking to a grand Hanover Street bank building, but while the sauces shine, uneven execution and chain‑style service leave Edinburgh’s independents firmly in the lead.

Mowgli Street Food is a UK restaurant group built on Indian home‑style cooking and the lived experience of its founder, Nisha Katona. A former child‑protection barrister, Katona left a 20‑year legal career to open the first Mowgli in Liverpool in 2014. Her cooking draws directly from her Indian heritage and family recipes, and her Instagram tutorials—filmed from her own kitchen, usually in a Green Day or Rolling Stones tee—have made her a warm, accessible guide for a nation of curry lovers. Now part of the Arcturus Group alongside Pho and Rosa’s Thai, Mowgli has expanded quickly across the UK.

Mowgli’s Edinburgh outpost occupies a former listed bank on Hanover Street—a striking square room crowned by a dramatic cupola. On a dark January night, the space glows with fairy lights in hurricane jars. It’s simple, clever, and undeniably atmospheric; the buzz is real.

Pricing is very reasonable, though portions are modest and served in silver tiffins. This suits me, but some diners may find themselves ordering more than expected.

Aunty Geeta’s Prawn Curry arrives in a thick, vibrant tomato sauce with green chilli and peas. The sauce is colourful, flavoursome, and finished with fresh coriander. The only drawback: not many prawns.

Two of our group choose the Goan Fish Curry. The sauce is excellent—fruity, smoky, tamarind‑bright, ginger‑warm—but the fish itself is overcooked marked by a woolly texture. A shame, because the flavours are spot on.

Mini poppadoms with yoghurt are neatly presented and enjoyable. The rice is perfectly serviceable. I’d point newcomers to Nisha’s Instagram for her genuinely useful rice tutorials and here natural and charismatic delivery.

Vivian and I both order Tangled Greens, a standout side. Earthy turmeric, bitter kale, and layered spices make it one of the most satisfying dishes on the table.

When our server checks in, my friend mentions—politely—that her fish was overcooked. The server seems unsure how to respond. It’s not her fault; it’s the system. The moment underlines that this is a chain built for pace and consistency, not the instinctive care you find in Edinburgh’s independent, family‑run Indian restaurants.

Related: More reviews of Indian restaurants.

Mowgli Edinburgh delivers warmth, atmosphere, and some genuinely flavourful sauces, but execution can be uneven and the service model feels tightly scripted. Live and let live—there’s a place for chains—but the experience left me thinking fondly of the city’s independent Indian kitchens, where the cooking and the care run deeper.

Mowgli Street Food Edinburgh - 20 Hanover St, Edinburgh, EH2 2EN -

0131 560 2510

Opening Times:  

Mon–Thu: 11:30am–10pm

Fri & Sat: 11:30am–11pm

Sun: 11:30am–10pm