Have You Seen the New Madras Cafe on Stockwell Street?

Glasgow's favourite Indian restaurant has a stunning new home right on the Clyde. Bigger, bolder, and built for every occasion. If you haven't been yet, here's exactly what you're missing.

Ask anyone who has eaten at Madras Cafe and they will tell you the same thing. The food is the reason you go back. The new location on Stockwell Street is the reason you stay longer. And if you have not found it yet, look for the big red sign on Stockwell Street, right on the edge of the Clyde. You will not miss it.

The new address is 120 Stockwell Street, Glasgow G1 4LW, next to the Holiday Inn Riverside, just two minutes on foot from the old Howard Street location. If you have visited before, you already know how good the food is. What you might not know yet is just how much the new space changes the whole experience of being here.

A Street With a Proper Story

Stockwell Street is one of those parts of Glasgow that rewards knowing a little about it. Before 1345 it was called Fishergait, the road that led fishermen down to the salmon village on the banks of the Clyde. The Briggait just along the road was Glasgow's fish market for over a hundred years before being transformed into the thriving arts and cultural venue it is today. The Clutha Bar, named after the Gaelic word for the Clyde itself, has been serving guests on this same stretch of road since 1819. This is a part of the city with real character and real history, and Madras Cafe fits right into that tradition.

The new location sits closer to Merchant City than the old Howard Street address, with Glasgow Central Station a seven-minute walk away and Argyle Street subway just three minutes on foot. It is one of the most central and well-connected spots in the city for an Indian restaurant in Glasgow city centre, and on a clear evening the light off the Clyde does something quite beautiful from the front of the building. Guests have been known to stop and take a photo of that big red sign before they even get through the door.

Step Inside the New Madras Cafe Glasgow

The interior of the new Madras Cafe is exactly what the food has always deserved. The walls carry the Madras Cafe branding in rich, bold tones that feel warm and considered. Tables are generously spaced, which sounds like a small detail until you remember what it actually means: you can hear the person across from you, you have room to settle in, and the whole evening has a sense of ease that is increasingly rare in a busy city centre restaurant.

The vibe is cool without being cold. Welcoming without being loud. The kind of room that works just as well for a quiet Tuesday dinner as it does for a table of eight on a Saturday night. Glasgow has no shortage of great Indian restaurants, but a space that feels this considered and this comfortable is something else entirely.

Old vs New: What Has Actually Changed

For anyone who loved Madras Cafe at the old Howard Street location, the comparison tells its own story. Every single element of the restaurant has been upgraded, and it shows the moment you walk in.

	Old Location	120 Stockwell Street
Capacity	30-seater	85-seater
Kitchen	Compact	Spacious, modern, fully equipped
Seating styles	Standard tables	Booths, round tables, party tables
Bar	Basic	Fully stocked, proper bar setup
Facilities	Standard	Modern, upgraded throughout

The jump from a 30-seater to an 85-seater is the headline number, but the real story is in everything surrounding it. A kitchen built for ambition. A bar built for a proper evening. A space designed to make every guest feel like the visit was worth making.

A Table for Every Occasion

One of the most immediately noticeable things about the new layout is the variety of seating on offer. Booth-style tables give guests that private, tucked-in feeling perfect for a date night or a long overdue catch-up. Round tables make group dinners feel relaxed and genuinely social. And dedicated party tables mean that Madras Cafe is now a proper venue for birthdays, anniversaries, work celebrations, and anything else that deserves great food and a great setting under the same roof.

Whether you are planning a special occasion dinner in Glasgow city centre, a casual weeknight meal, or a big group night out near Merchant City, the new layout handles it all with ease. The Scottish restaurant scene is more competitive than ever, and the restaurants that stand out are the ones where every kind of guest feels genuinely looked after. That has always been the Madras Cafe way.

If You've Been to Howard Street Recently, You're Not Alone

More than a few regular guests have made the trip to the old Howard Street address since the move, only to find another restaurant sitting in its place. A familiar street, an unfamiliar sign above the door, and a slightly bewildered few minutes on the phone trying to work out what happened. One regular came up on a Saturday night, stood outside looking at a menu that was definitely not Madras Cafe, and eventually texted a friend who told him about the move. Two minutes later he was on Stockwell Street.

As Glasgow Live reported, our team have been getting a steady stream of messages from guests who have been going to the wrong address, which is exactly why they are making sure the word gets out. Owner Altaf summed it up simply: "We'd love for people to come and visit us at our new venue, which is still very central, but even better than before, and just by the side of the Clyde."

Consider this your heads up.

The Kitchen Chef Shabu Has Always Deserved

Every dish at Madras Cafe is made from scratch, every single day. No shortcuts, no pre-made sauces, no easy fixes. That has always been the Madras Cafe way and it has not changed. What has changed is where that work now happens.

The new kitchen is significantly larger than before, fitted with modern equipment throughout, and designed to support a full 85-seater restaurant without compromise. For Chef Shabu, it means room to breathe, room to experiment, and room to push his cooking into places that were never quite possible before.

The name Madras itself is a nod to Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu in South India and the birthplace of some of the most vibrant cooking traditions in the world. Keralan fish curries, dosas, tamarind-rich street food, coconut-based gravies that take time and proper space to develop. Chef Shabu draws from that deep tradition every single service. He now has the kitchen that tradition deserves.

A Bar Worth Arriving Early For

The new Madras Cafe has a proper bar, and it has been stocked to match. A significantly wider selection than before, a better setup, and a space that gives the whole evening a different rhythm. Arrive a little early, take a seat at the bar, and let the evening find its pace. A few guests have quietly admitted the bar alone was worth the trip before the food even arrived.

For anyone looking for a restaurant with a bar in Glasgow city centre, or somewhere to start an evening before heading out, the new Madras Cafe is worth knowing about. Stockwell Street, the Clyde right on the doorstep, and one of the best Indian menus in the city waiting inside.

The Team Behind One of Glasgow's Best Indian Restaurants

Madras Cafe is owned by Altaf Hossain and Chef Shabu Natarajan. Between them they have built one of the most decorated Indian restaurants in Glasgow, with an award cabinet that includes Curry Champions of Scotland at the SPICE Awards 2026, Best South Asian Restaurant at a ceremony held at the Scottish Parliament, Best Indian in Glasgow at the Scottish Curry Awards, and Best Indian Establishment at the Food Awards Scotland.

Chef Shabu was also invited to cook at a live MasterChef UK competition, which is not the kind of invitation that goes to restaurants doing anything less than exceptional work. The move to Stockwell Street is not a reinvention. It is a restaurant growing into what it has always been becoming.

The sign is lit. The kitchen is ready. Two minutes from the old spot and worth every step.

Find Us on Stockwell Street

Madras Cafe 

120 Stockwell Street, Glasgow G1 4LW

Inside the Holiday Inn Riverside building, beside the Clyde and the Briggait

Getting here

Argyle Street subway — 3 min walk St Enoch subway — 5 min walk Glasgow Central Station — 7 min walk Maxwell Street car park — 1 min away, free street parking after 6pm

Book a table: https://www.madras-cafe.co.uk/book-a-table 

Call: +44 141 237 1819

Email: info@madras-cafe.co.uk