Indian Restaurant Hawthorn — Elchi at 72 Flinders Street Melbourne CBD
Hawthorn Has Good Indian Restaurants. Elchi Is a Different Conversation Entirely.
Hawthorn knows its food. Glenferrie Road draws a crowd that takes dining seriously — professionals, families, Swinburne academics, Hawthorn Football Club members and long-term residents who have been eating well in this suburb for decades.
The Indian options near Hawthorn are decent. Casual. Honest. Consistently good enough for a weeknight meal without needing to cross the city.
And then there is what happens when Hawthorn residents want something genuinely extraordinary.
Elchi at 72 Flinders Street Melbourne CBD is 20 minutes from Glenferrie Road by the Number 16 tram or 15 minutes by car. It is Melbourne's most press-covered, most award-winning, most celebrated Indian restaurant — and it serves the Hawthorn dining crowd for exactly the occasions when decent is not enough.
Elchi is praised as a visually stunning, culturally immersive modern Indian dining experience in Melbourne, led by Chef Manpreet Sekhon, the Curry Queen. Its food is widely praised for its bold, modern interpretation of Indian cuisine, combining authentic regional flavours with refined contemporary technique. Dishes are recognised for their depth of flavour, elegant presentation, and creative balance between tradition and innovation, delivering a memorable dining experience that stands out in Melbourne's modern Indian restaurant scene.
Address: 72 Flinders Street Melbourne CBD VIC 3000 Distance from Hawthorn: 15 minutes by car or Uber, 20 minutes by Number 16 tram along Glenferrie Road directly into the CBD Private dining: up to 50 guests — more than any Indian restaurant in or near Hawthorn Indian catering: yes — official catering partner of W Melbourne Best for: corporate dinners, milestone celebrations, private events, any evening Hawthorn wants to step up As featured in: Broadsheet, Time Out, Good Food, Herald Sun, Urban List
The Credentials — Why Hawthorn's Discerning Diners Choose Elchi
Hawthorn residents research before they book. Here is what the research turns up.
Broadsheet called Elchi a restaurant that walks the line between classic and contemporary — with extravagant dishes like fragrant chicken mussallam topped with 24-carat gold leaf.
Good Food described Elchi's dining room as somewhere between a club room and a limousine — a spectacular space that is an entirely appropriate canvas for the culture and cuisine of India.
The Herald Sun called it mind-blowingly good.
Time Out Melbourne called Elchi a place where the line between traditional and modern Indian food is beautifully obscured.
Urban List named Elchi a contemporary frontrunner for best Indian restaurant in Melbourne.
Chef Manpreet Sekhon — Melbourne's Curry Queen — trained in India's finest five-star hotel kitchens and was recognised by culinary legends Sanjeev Kapoor and Jiggs Kalra before building three celebrated Melbourne restaurants. She opened Elchi in March 2022 at 72 Flinders Street — the former home of The Press Club — and has not left the kitchen since. Same chef. Same kitchen. Same uncompromising standard.
Elchi is also the official catering partner of W Melbourne — a five-star hotel credential no Indian restaurant near Hawthorn holds.
What Hawthorn Comes to Elchi For Every Night of the Week
Hawthorn professionals come to Elchi on a Tuesday because the dal makhani has been on their mind since the weekend. Hawthorn families come for a milestone birthday in the private dining room because it seats 50 and nothing near Glenferrie Road comes close. Hawthorn corporate clients come because W Melbourne trusts Elchi with their five-star events and the Hawthorn law firm trusts that signal.
This is not a restaurant you visit once for a special occasion and never return to. Elchi is the Indian restaurant Hawthorn residents build into their regular rotation — the place they take visiting colleagues, their parents for an anniversary, their team at the end of a big quarter.
Chef Manpreet Sekhon's seasonal menu moves from India's ancient street food traditions to the royal kitchens of the Mughal era without losing itself in either direction. Pistachio lamb chops with saffron mash and pomegranate. Gunpowder gobhi that reframes what crispy cauliflower can be. The 24-karat gold chicken mussalam — a whole chicken leg slow-cooked, finished with real gold leaf, arriving at the table as a moment rather than just a meal.
And for those who want the full experience without making a single decision — the Leave It Up to the Curry Queen set menu at $95 per person. Wine pairing at $70.
Vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options throughout. Elchi's meat is halal certified.
View the full Elchi menu — View the gallery
Indian Private Dining and Catering Near Hawthorn -50 Guests
For private events near Hawthorn, Elchi offers something no Indian restaurant in this part of Melbourne can match.
Elchi's private dining room seats up to 50 guests exclusively in the former Press Club building at 72 Flinders Street — available for corporate dinners, birthday celebrations, engagement parties, anniversary dinners, Diwali feasts and end-of-year functions. For Hawthorn's professional community — the law firms, financial advisors, accounting practices and corporate businesses along Glenferrie Road — Elchi offers Melbourne's most impressive Indian dining room for a client dinner that closes deals before the main course arrives.
As the official catering partner of W Melbourne, Elchi also brings the Curry Queen's food and five-star service standards to off-site events across Hawthorn, Camberwell, Kew and all of Melbourne's inner east.
Enquire about private dining and events or email goodtimes@elchirestaurant.com.au
Getting to Elchi from Hawthorn — Two Easy Options
By tram: The Number 16 tram runs along Glenferrie Road from Hawthorn directly into the Melbourne CBD. Board at Glenferrie Road tram stops — 20 minutes to Flinders Street Station. Elchi is at 72 Flinders Street, steps from the station.
By car or Uber: Hawthorn to 72 Flinders Street Melbourne CBD is approximately 15 minutes via the Monash Freeway or Punt Road. Drop-off directly on Flinders Street at Elizabeth Street — Elchi's front door.
Elchi serves diners from across Melbourne's inner east — Hawthorn, Camberwell, Kew, Malvern, Richmond, Armadale and Canterbury. All within 20 minutes of 72 Flinders Street.
Address: 72 Flinders Street Melbourne CBD VIC 3000 Phone: 03 9654 6717
Email: goodtimes@elchirestaurant.com.au Lunch: Tuesday to Thursday 12pm–2:30pm Dinner: Tuesday to Sunday 5pm–10pm
Indian Restaurant Near Hawthorn — Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Indian restaurant near Hawthorn?
Elchi at 72 Flinders Street Melbourne CBD is Melbourne's most celebrated Indian restaurant near Hawthorn — featured by Broadsheet, Time Out, Good Food and the Herald Sun. 15 minutes from Glenferrie Road by car and 20 minutes by Number 16 tram. Private dining for up to 50 guests — more than any Indian restaurant near Hawthorn.
Is there a good Indian restaurant on or near Glenferrie Road Hawthorn?
Hawthorn has several Indian dining options along Glenferrie Road and Burwood Road. For Hawthorn residents seeking an award-winning Indian restaurant for special occasions, corporate dinners or private events, Elchi at 72 Flinders Street Melbourne CBD is 15 minutes away and offers a dining experience unmatched anywhere in Melbourne's inner east — including private dining for 50 guests and Indian catering across Hawthorn and all of Melbourne.
What is the best Indian restaurant near Hawthorn for a corporate dinner?
Elchi is Hawthorn's premier corporate Indian dining destination — 15 minutes from Glenferrie Road, with private dining for up to 50 guests and a dining room in the former Press Club building at 72 Flinders Street that makes every client dinner memorable. As the official catering partner of W Melbourne, Elchi brings the same five-star standard to off-site corporate events across Hawthorn. Enquire here.
Does Elchi offer Indian catering near Hawthorn?
Yes. As the official catering partner of W Melbourne, Elchi offers bespoke Indian catering for events across Hawthorn, Camberwell, Kew and all of Melbourne — a service no other Indian restaurant near Hawthorn currently provides. Enquire at goodtimes@elchirestaurant.com.au
Can I host a private event near Hawthorn at Elchi?
Yes. Elchi's private dining room seats up to 50 guests exclusively — available for corporate dinners, birthdays, engagement parties, Diwali events and all private functions. 15 minutes from Hawthorn by car or Uber.
How do I get from Hawthorn to Elchi?
Number 16 tram along Glenferrie Road to the Melbourne CBD — 20 minutes to Flinders Street Station, steps from 72 Flinders Street. By car or Uber approximately 15 minutes from central Hawthorn.
Is Elchi upscale or casual?
Upscale modern Indian dining. Smart casual dress code. Guests aged 12 and above. Full details at Elchi's dress code page.
Does Elchi have vegetarian and vegan options?
Yes throughout — from small plates to signature dishes and desserts. Gluten free available. Full seasonal menu here.
Is Elchi halal?
Elchi's meat is halal certified. Elchi is not a halal-certified restaurant.
Does Elchi take walk-ins?
Walk-ins welcome. Reservations strongly recommended. Book online here.
The Tram From Glenferrie Road Runs Straight to Elchi's Front Door
Hawthorn residents already know the Number 16 tram. They take it to the MCG, to the CBD, to dinner in the city on a Friday night. The next stop on that route should be 72 Flinders Street.
Twenty minutes on the tram. The gold doors. The leather booths. The Curry Queen's kitchen behind glass. The 24-karat gold chicken arriving at the table like it has been thought about — because it has. Private dining for 50 guests when the occasion demands it. Indian catering across Hawthorn when the occasion comes to you.
This is Elchi. This is the best Indian restaurant near Hawthorn.
72 Flinders Street Melbourne CBD VIC 3000 Phone: 03 9654 6717 Email: goodtimes@elchirestaurant.com.au
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