Review: Masala Craft, Indian Street Kitchen, Walmgate, York

WORD on the street (or at least from my friend who is one of the best home cooks I know) is that this little restaurant – a stone's throw from the city centre – is serving up some of the tastiest Indian food in York.

I was slightly ashamed to admit that I'd walked past Masala Craft (just a few doors down from The Press office in Walmgate in what was previously Penny's sandwich shop) scores of times without giving it a second glance.

I knew that it had relocated from King Street in 2023, but I'd never contemplated popping into its new base for a meal, let alone stopping for a few moments to read the menu displayed in its window.

If I had, I might have been tempted in before that fateful – and fruitful – conversation with my friend.

For I think I have found my new favourite Indian restaurant in York!

Masala Craft in Walmgate. Image - Newquest

There have been a few contenders over the years – a very early and long-lasting love affair with Garden of India in Fishergate; a few great dates with Mumbai Lounge in Fossgate; an on-off romance with the Bengal Brasserie on Goodramgate; an occasional flirtation with The Viceroy at Monkgate; a one-night stand with Coconut Lagoon in Clarence Street (where I first experienced the joys of dosa), and finally, a short-lived crush on Kalpakavadi in Fossgate (I could not get enough of their stuffed seabass served with masala potatoes and curry dip). I am also nursing a broken heart after the unexpected break-up with The Cat's Pyjamas in Cumberland Street which closed after just one year of courting.

York is not short of places to get some tasty Indian food. But Masala Craft is a bit different.

I'm going soft on this place – so much that I have been twice in the space of three weeks.

First up: this is not your traditional Indian restaurant. Granted, you can order from a small selection of curries ('Jalfrezi, Balti, Madras, Karhi, Korma, etc' reads the menu; but when my dining partner asked for a Bhuna, it was a shake of the head, so maybe that is your lot!).

Not to fret, there are plenty of other, and I'd argue, more interesting offerings.

They key is in restaurant's name: 'Indian Street Kitchen'; the focus of the cooking is on replicating the grub you might grab on the go in India.

I loved that the menu was on a single sheet, and there were choices to suit all appetites and budgets; from a selection of stuffed Indian buns (£6.50- £12), through to the Tandoori Mixed Grill at £16, with rices and breads pitched between £3.50 and £5.

Once inside, you can treat your meal as a sort of Indian tapas, picking a range of small plates or starters to share, or go more traditional and load up on a curry, rice and naan combo.

My recommended dishes would be the Fish Fry (£7.50), the lightest and freshest fish goujons you could dream of; the Samosa Chatt (£7.50), a satisfying mix of earthy and tangy flavours; the Panjabi Lamb (£11.90), generous cubes of tender meat, massaged by a thick and glossy, slightly sweet sauce; the melt-in-the-mouth Railway Potato Curry (£9.50) which is lightly spiced and super savoury; and the Baingan Bharta (£9.95), a smoky plate of silky slow-roasted aubergine that is totally moreish. Vegetarians are amply catered for.

Lamb curry at Masala Craft in Walmgate. Image - Newsquest

Bowls of steaming plain rice (£4) and torn pieces of a perfectly-cooked tandoori roti (£3.50) were essential accompaniments, ideal for all the scooping and mopping that comes with an Indian dinner.

Tasty, but not quite in the same league, was the Cauli 95, (£5.25), the coated cauliflower starter which was a bit too stodgy for our liking. The balti curry was good – but I'd advise you to be more adventurous on a visit.

A great pick would be the 'Combo Grill' – a choice of chicken tikka, tandoori prawns, paneer tikka, lamb chops, salmon tikka, or tandoori mixed grill (£8-£16), which can be served with small bowls of delicious tarka dal, Asian slaw, and pilau rice, for an extra £5.50.

We have tried both the chicken tikka and the tandoori prawns combo and will be having them again, especially the latter where the jumbo prawns were just-charred yet soft, meaty and juicy.

Another tempting dish to try is the Yoghurt Chaat Boom (£6) – which is also as pretty as a picture. Little hollow bowls of light, crispy puffs (think Quavers) are filled with chickpeas, tamarind chutney, chilly sweet Yoghurt, chaat masala, potatoes, and onion. Each bite is a taste of heaven.

Seating just 28, the restaurant is small, with more of a casual cafe than a smart restaurant feel. Service was slow on our first visit, but prompt on our second (it was quieter then too). The orange and blue interior casts a nightclub-vibe light – and gave our photos an odd blue hue.

There is a lively drinks menu, featuring cocktails as well as wine, beers, ciders and soft drinks.

Do try the Mongoza Mango Beer (£5.20) – fruity and refreshing, and just another thing to love.

Fact file:

Masala Craft, Indian Street Kitchen, Walmgate, York

Masala Craft in Walmgate at night. Image - Newsquest

T: 01904 927934

W: masalacraft.co.uk

Our verdict:

Food: Tasty with a few surprises on the menu

Service: Mixed, our first visit was slow, our second visit more speedy!

Ambience: Casual - more of a cafe than a restaurant vibe

Value: Good - prices to suit all budgets

Reviews are independent and meals paid for by The Press