- Chef / owner
- Family-run. Chef Muhammed (Mohammed) Sheriff — 30+ years as a chef, previously including Ashoka West End; opened Desi Dhaba in 2019 (Glasgow Times). Front of house: Zaitoon / Zaytoun (“Zee”) Sheriff; brother also works the floor (Curry-Heute / TripAdvisor).
- Opened
- 2019
- Style
- Pakistani desi dhaba (roadside diner) café: all-day nashta, hand-made parathas/rotis, chai, daily-rotating curries and thalis, snacks and tandoori — casual counter-service hospitality in Pollokshields.
- Setting
- Casual colourful dhaba café on a busy Pollokshields street; counter service, indoor seating, outdoor tables when weather allows. Original car-wash site had charpoys and a rickshaw photo-op (Glasgow Times) — décor at Forth Street continues the roadside-dhaba vibe.
- Known for
- Authentic Pakistani breakfast / all-day desi nashta, Fresh hand-made parathas (not frozen), Chaiwala chai culture, Warm family hospitality in Pollokshields, Daily-changing short curry line cooked from scratch
- Signature dishes
- Desi Nashta (a) — halwa, poori, channay, aloo boojia, dahi, achaar and chai, Hand-made stuffed parathas (aloo, keema, saag, mooli, gobi, etc.), Vegetarian / Mixed Tali (thali), Nihari / Paaye / Lamb or Chicken Curry (daily rotation), Lamb or Chicken Karahi (0.5kg / 1kg), Desi chai and Kashmiri pink tea, Chaat / gol gappay / samosa salad
- Good for
- Desi breakfast and brunch, Casual lunch or early dinner, Vegetarian diners (veg thali and many vegetable/daal dishes), Families (children’s menu), Takeaway / delivery
- Prices
- Happy Menu listing updated 3 Sep 2026 (confirm on official site/app): Desi Nashta sets ~£8–£14; plain paratha £5, stuffed parathas ~£6–£7; curries ~£12–£13; veg thali £18 / mixed thali £21; karahi 0.5kg chicken £22 / lamb £28 (1kg £32 / £42); chai £2.50–£3.50; Kashmiri pink tea £4.50. Sluurpy band ~£10–£20. Delivery minimum £10 within 2–5 miles (official site).
- Lunch
- Desi Nashta labelled all day every day; full savoury menu (curries, thalis, snacks, tandoori) available alongside breakfast sets.
- Booking
- No active online table booking (reservation link commented out on official site). Walk-in / counter order; pay at the end (Curry-Heute). Order online via website or Desi Dhaba app for collection/delivery. Phone 07984 593649; email mailbox@desidhabachaiwala.com.
- Dietary tags
- vegetarian options, halal options
- Dietary
- Strong vegetarian offering (Vegetarian Tali, vegetable curries, daals, veg samosas/chaat). English breakfast uses turkey rashers rather than pork. Site asks guests to inform staff of allergies before ordering. Aggregators also flag vegan and halal options — confirm with staff (ghee/dairy common in parathas and chai).
- Kids
- Children’s menu on official categories (tikka/wraps/nuggets etc., ~£6–£8 on Happy Menu).
- Outdoor seating
- Yes
- Drinks
- No alcohol on the published menu: desi chai (masala, karak, doodh pati, Kashmiri pink), lassi, soft drinks, milkshakes, coffee and hot chocolate.
- Payment
- Debit/credit card accepted (official menu/delivery page).
- Closed
- Open daily 10:00–22:00 per official site. Some aggregators (e.g. Sluurpy/InTravel) still list ~9am–8pm — prefer official hours.
- Getting there
- Pollokshields / Forth Street (Southside), near Ambala and Albert Drive. Bus stops on Forth Street and nearby; Queen’s Park station ~10–15 minutes’ walk (InTravel). Shields Road subway is also in the wider Pollokshields area.
- Parking
- Street parking on Forth Street is limited and competitive (Curry-Heute). Some diners mention parking at a nearby Pakistani supermarket (TripAdvisor) — do not leave valuables.
- Also
- Relocated from Eglinton Toll / Pollokshaws Road car-wash site to 21 Forth Street ~March 2022 (Curry-Heute); Instagram: @desidhabachaiwala; Uber Eats listed closed as of Dec 2023 — use own site/app for delivery; No formal awards found in press; reputation driven by Google/reviews and social video (Glasgow Times); Chef previously linked to Cafe Sizzler (Paisley Rd West, ~2014) — not a current sister venue
