Indian Restaurant St Kilda — Elchi at 72 Flinders Street Melbourne CBD
St Kilda Eats Well. Elchi Eats Differently.
St Kilda has always done things its own way. Fitzroy Street pulses from brunch to midnight. Acland Street draws the curious, the hungry, the local and the wandering tourist. Luna Park watches over it all. This is a suburb that has never needed an excuse to have a good time — and has always known exactly where to find one.
For Indian food near St Kilda, there are options on every corner. Casual. Colourful. Cheerful. Good.
And then there is Elchi.
Ten minutes from St Kilda Beach. A world away from anything else. Melbourne's most celebrated Indian restaurant at 72 Flinders Street CBD — an invitation not just to eat Indian food, but to experience the rich history, culture and exceptional cuisine of India in a room that makes the evening feel like an event before a single dish has arrived.
When St Kilda wants something extraordinary, it makes the short journey across the city. Elchi is where it ends up.
Known for: 24-karat gold chicken mussalam, an invitation to experience the rich history, culture and exceptional cuisine of India, the Curry Queen Chef Manpreet Sekhon Best for: date nights, special occasions, birthday dinners, private events for up to 50 guests and celebrations that deserve more than a neighbourhood local Located in: Melbourne CBD, 10 minutes from St Kilda, Elwood and St Kilda East Signature experience: award-winning Indian dining in Melbourne's most spectacular heritage dining room
The Curry Queen — Chef Manpreet Sekhon
Every suburb has its restaurants. Very few have a chef with a story worth telling.
Chef Manpreet Sekhon — Melbourne's Curry Queen — was born in Punjab, trained in India's finest five-star hotel kitchens and recognised by culinary legends Sanjeev Kapoor and Jiggs Kalra before arriving in Melbourne with a mission that has driven everything she has built since: to share the rich history, culture and exceptional cuisine of India with this city in a way that demands to be taken seriously.
Three restaurants. Two during a global pandemic. And in March 2022, the one she had been dreaming of for years — Elchi at 72 Flinders Street, in the former home of The Press Club, in the most beautiful dining room in Melbourne's CBD.
Elchi has been featured by Broadsheet, Time Out, Good Food, the Herald Sun and Urban List as one of Melbourne's best Indian restaurants. Elchi is also the official catering partner of W Melbourne — a credential no other Indian restaurant near St Kilda can claim.
The Room That Changes the Evening
St Kilda knows atmosphere. Elchi has something different.
Walk through the gold doors of 72 Flinders Street and the room stops you. Dramatic gold ceiling lights. Curved natural leather booths retained from the legendary Press Club era. A glass-fronted kitchen where the Curry Queen's team works in full view — fire, smoke and spice visible from every seat in the house. The grand neoclassical facade of the former Herald and Weekly Times building rising above one of Melbourne's most famous streets.
This is not a neighbourhood restaurant. It is a stage. And every evening at Elchi is a performance — from the first golgappa shot to the last gulab jamun, from the opening cocktail to the final bill that arrives at a table nobody wants to leave.
The cocktail list is Indian-inspired and entirely original — including all three premium Indian single malts, Rampur, Amrut and Indri, alongside signature creations like the Maharani, the Pink City and the Elchi Espresso Martini. The kind of drinks list St Kilda was made for.
Elchi welcomes guests aged 12 and above. Smart casual.
The Menu — Where India Comes Alive
The menu at Elchi is an invitation to experience the rich history, culture and exceptional cuisine of India — and it does not play it safe.
Golgappa shots. Spiced tequila and avocado poured into ancient pani puri shells — an Indian street food tradition reimagined for a Melbourne night out. Freshly shucked oysters with garlic, curry leaf and chilli. The Maharani cocktail arriving before the kitchen even begins its work.
Then the food. Gunpowder gobhi — crispy cauliflower dusted in spicy lentil that makes you question every cauliflower dish you have ever eaten. Pistachio lamb chops with saffron mash and pomegranate that look like a painting and taste better than they look. And the signature 24-karat gold chicken mussalam — a whole chicken leg slow-cooked, finished with real gold leaf, arriving at the table like a ceremony from another world entirely.
The beloved classics — butter chicken, dal makhani, paneer — made properly. From scratch. With care. The way they were always meant to be made.
For those who want to hand the entire evening to the Curry Queen — the Leave It Up to the Curry Queen set menu at $95 per person does exactly that. Optional wine pairing at $70.
Vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options are available throughout. Elchi's meat is halal certified.
As Seen In — What Melbourne's Top Food Critics Say About Elchi
Broadsheet — "Walks the line between classic and contemporary with extravagant dishes like fragrant chicken mussallam topped with 24-carat gold leaf."
Time Out Melbourne — "Where the line between traditional and modern Indian food is beautifully obscured."
Good Food — "Somewhere between a club room and a limousine — a swish space that is an entirely appropriate canvas for the culture and cuisine of India."
The Herald Sun — "Mind-blowingly good. A must-visit Melbourne restaurant."
Urban List — "A contemporary frontrunner for best Indian restaurant in Melbourne — curved leather booths and striking gold ceiling lights housing the Curry Queen's timeless cuisine."
Read all press coverage at Elchi
Private Dining and Indian Catering Near St Kilda
St Kilda loves a celebration. Elchi knows how to throw one.
Elchi's private dining room seats up to 50 guests in the former Press Club building at 72 Flinders Street — exclusively yours for the evening. Birthday dinners. Engagement parties. Anniversary celebrations. Corporate functions. Diwali feasts. Any occasion worth marking with the full richness of India's culture and cuisine.
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 St Kilda, Elwood, St Kilda East and all of Melbourne. From intimate gatherings to large celebrations, every detail is handled.
Enquire about private dining and events or email goodtimes@elchirestaurant.com.au
Getting to Elchi from St Kilda — 10 Minutes from the Beach
Elchi is at 72 Flinders Street Melbourne CBD — ten minutes from St Kilda Beach by car or Uber. The Number 3 and Number 16 trams run along St Kilda Road directly into the CBD, stopping steps from Elchi's front door at Flinders Street. From Elwood and St Kilda East, Elchi is equally close.
Elchi serves diners from across Melbourne's bayside and inner south — St Kilda, Elwood, St Kilda East, Balaclava, South Melbourne, Albert Park, Prahran, Windsor, South Yarra and Toorak. All within 15 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 St Kilda — Frequently Asked Questions
Is Elchi the best Indian restaurant near St Kilda?
Elchi at 72 Flinders Street Melbourne CBD is Melbourne's most celebrated Indian restaurant — featured by Broadsheet, Time Out, Good Food and the Herald Sun. For St Kilda residents and visitors searching for an Indian dining experience beyond the neighbourhood — an invitation to experience the rich history, culture and exceptional cuisine of India — Elchi is just 10 minutes from St Kilda Beach.
What is Elchi and what makes it different from other Indian restaurants in St Kilda?
Elchi is a chef-driven Indian restaurant at 72 Flinders Street Melbourne CBD, led by the Curry Queen Chef Manpreet Sekhon. While St Kilda has wonderful casual Indian dining, Elchi offers something entirely different — a seasonal menu that takes you through India's extraordinary culinary landscape, served in a gold-ceilinged heritage dining room with private dining for up to 50 guests and Indian cocktails unlike anything else in Melbourne.
Is Elchi upscale or casual?
Elchi is upscale modern Indian dining. Smart casual dress code applies. Learn more at Elchi's dress code page. Guests aged 12 and above are warmly welcomed.
Does Elchi have vegetarian and vegan options?
Yes — throughout the full seasonal menu, from small plates and street food to signature dishes and desserts. Gluten free options are also available. Please advise the team of any dietary requirements when booking.
Can I host a private event or birthday dinner near St Kilda at Elchi?
Yes. Elchi's private dining room seats up to 50 guests for exclusive hire. Elchi is also the official catering partner of W Melbourne and offers bespoke off-site Indian catering across St Kilda, Elwood and all of Melbourne. Enquire at goodtimes@elchirestaurant.com.au
How far is Elchi from St Kilda?
Elchi is at 72 Flinders Street Melbourne CBD — approximately 10 minutes from St Kilda Beach by car or Uber, or by the Number 3 or 16 tram along St Kilda Road directly into the CBD.
Does Elchi take walk-ins?
Walk-ins are welcome however online reservations are strongly recommended. Book your table at Elchi
Is Elchi halal?
Elchi's meat is halal certified. Please note that Elchi is not a halal-certified restaurant.
St Kilda Knows How to Find the Good Stuff. Here It Is.
Ten minutes from the beach. A gold ceiling. The Curry Queen's kitchen working behind glass. Indian cocktails that actually taste like India thought about Melbourne. Fifty seats in a private dining room that no Indian restaurant near St Kilda can come close to. And food that makes you understand — properly understand — why India has been feeding the world's imagination for thousands of years.
This is Elchi. This is the evening St Kilda has been waiting for.
72 Flinders Street Melbourne CBD VIC 3000 Phone: 03 9654 6717 Email: goodtimes@elchirestaurant.com.au
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