Best Indian restaurant near Carlton Melbourne — Masti, the authentic North Indian alternative to Lygon Street
Best Indian restaurant near Carlton Melbourne — Masti, the authentic North Indian alternative to Lygon Street
Carlton has excellent Indian dining options. But if you want authentic North Indian food — made from scratch, by a chef Curry Queen Manpreet Sekhon trained in five-star hotels across Punjab, recognised by Sanjeev Kapoor and the late Jiggs Kalra, the Czar of Indian Cuisine — you need to travel 10 minutes from Lygon Street to Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. You need Masti.
Masti is not unauthentic. Masti is not fusion. Masti is not a casual diner. It's a fully licensed Indian restaurant and cocktail bar led by Curry Queen Chef Manpreet Sekhon — one of the most credentialled Indian chefs in Melbourne — serving bold, made-from-scratch North Indian food in a stunning New York loft atmosphere with a hand-painted mural, open kitchen, and one of the best cocktail bars in Fitzroy.
Featured in Time Out, Broadsheet, Good Food, Urban List and Eatability. Book your table here.
Why Carlton food lovers are choosing Masti over Lygon Street
Lygon Street is Melbourne's most famous dining strip — but it's famous for Italian. When Carlton locals and University of Melbourne students want the best Indian food near Carlton, they're increasingly heading 10 minutes south to Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, where Masti offers something genuinely different from anything on Lygon Street.
Here's what sets Masti apart from every other Indian restaurant near Carlton:
Pure North Indian cuisine — not regional fusion, not "inauthentic," not tapas. Proper butter chicken, lamb seekh kebab, Amritsari fish, 24-hour black dal, vegan naan — the real thing
The Curry Queen — Chef Manpreet Sekhon trained in five-star hotels across Punjab. Recognised by Sanjeev Kapoor and Jiggs Kalra. Founded Eastern Spice (Geelong) and Elchi (Melbourne CBD) before bringing her kitchen to Brunswick Street in 2020
Indian cocktail bar — turmeric, cardamom, rosewater and mango cocktails plus all three premium Indian single malts (Rampur, Amrut, Indri). No other venue near Carlton offers this
Stunning atmosphere — New York loft meets modern India. Exposed brick, massive hand-painted mural, moody pendant lights, open sizzling kitchen. Every corner is designed to be photographed and remembered
Vegan naan — freshly baked in our live tandoor daily. The only Indian restaurant in Melbourne that does this
📍 354–356 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy VIC 3065 — 10 min from Carlton, 12 min from University of Melbourne
📞 (03) 9427 2121
🕔 Tue–Thu 5pm–9:30pm | Fri–Sat 5pm–10pm | Sun 5pm–9:30pm | Mon closed
Book your table online — walk-ins welcome, bookings essential on weekends.
Why authentic North Indian food near Carlton is worth the 10-minute trip
Carlton's Indian dining scene has grown significantly in recent years — and there are some good options on Lygon Street. But most position themselves as regional, fusion, or modern interpretations of Indian cuisine. Some even describe themselves as 'unauthentic' by design.
Masti is different. Chef Manpreet Sekhon's cooking is rooted in a single tradition — authentic North Indian cuisine from Punjab, where she trained for two decades. Every spice is ground fresh daily. Every sauce is made from scratch. The chicken marinates overnight. The naan bakes in a live tandoor. This is the cooking that got her recognised by Jiggs Kalra — the man who put Indian food on the world stage.
If you want fusion or street food interpretations, Lygon Street has great options. If you want authentic North Indian food near Carlton Melbourne — made the way it's made in Punjab — Masti is where you go.
Indian restaurant near University of Melbourne — perfect for students and academics
Masti is a 12-minute journey from the University of Melbourne — by tram, bike or car. We're a favourite for:
Post-lecture dinners and group catch-ups
Student birthday celebrations — free cocktail pitcher for groups of 6, free sharing platter for groups of 10
Thursday Kebab & Beer night — 90 minutes unlimited kebabs + Indian beer for $59pp, perfect for a student night out
Tuesday Thali night — veg or vegan thali for $28, the best value dinner near University of Melbourne
Department dinners and academic functions — our catering team handles events of any size
We also offer BYO Wednesdays — bring your own wine, scotch or beer. Book your table here.
The atmosphere — why Masti is Carlton's best date night Indian restaurant
Carlton's Indian restaurants have built their reputations partly on atmosphere — and rightly so. Masti has something different — and we think it's better.
Walk into Masti and you're hit immediately: a massive hand-painted mural covering the entire back wall, moody pendant lights casting gold across exposed brick, the sizzle and smoke of the open kitchen, and house beats setting the tempo for the night. It's New York loft meets modern India — dramatic, vibrant, and entirely unlike anything on Lygon Street.
Our cocktail bar is where we really pull ahead. Indian-spiced cocktails — Turmeric Tommy's, the Pink City, Mango Margarita — crafted by mixologists who understand Indian flavour. And we're one of the only venues in Melbourne pouring all three premium Indian single malts: Rampur, Amrut and Indri. Ask for a tasting flight — it's the most unique drinks experience at any Indian restaurant near Carlton.
Urban List called every corner "Instagram-worthy." Eatability said Masti "contains one of the city's best cocktail bars." For a date night near Carlton that genuinely surprises — book Masti.
Weekly specials — Carlton locals have a reason to visit every night
Tuesday — Thali night ($28 veg | $30 non-veg)
The best value Indian meal near Carlton. A complete thali — curries, dal, rice, naan, pickles. Vegan options available. Bookings recommended.
Wednesday — BYO night
Bring your own wine, beer or scotch. Our bar is fully stocked every other night. Wednesdays are for the Carlton locals who want to bring a bottle.
Thursday — Unlimited kebabs & beer ($59pp)
90 minutes of unlimited tandoor-cooked kebabs + bottomless Indian beer. The best Thursday night out near Carlton. Book now.
Sunday — Amritsariya affair ($25)
Chole Bhature with unlimited lassi. A classic Punjabi Sunday feast. Open 5pm–9:30pm — when most restaurants near Carlton close early.
Indian catering near Carlton — live tandoor at your event
Planning a graduation dinner, department function, birthday or corporate event in Carlton? Masti's catering team brings the full experience to your venue — including our live tandoor, where guests watch naan and kebabs cooked fresh in front of them. Chef Manpreet Sekhon's team handles everything from preparation to presentation. All dietary requirements catered for — vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, halal-sourced.
Call (03) 9427 2121 or email hello@eatdrinkmasti.com to discuss your Carlton event.
Getting from Carlton to Masti
By tram: Tram 96 from Carlton North to Smith Street, then walk 5 minutes to Brunswick Street. Or Tram 11 from the CBD runs directly along Brunswick Street to our door
By car from Lygon Street: 10 minutes via Princes Street to Brunswick Street. Street parking available on Brunswick Street and surrounding streets
By car from University of Melbourne: 12 minutes via Royal Parade to Brunswick Street
By bike: 15 minutes via Carlton Gardens and Smith Street — dedicated bike lanes the whole way
We're at 354–356 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy VIC 3065. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 5pm.
Frequently asked questions — Carlton locals ask
What is the best Indian restaurant near Carlton Melbourne?
Masti on Brunswick Street, Fitzroy is consistently rated one of Melbourne's best Indian restaurants — featured in Time Out, Broadsheet, Good Food, Urban List and Eatability. Led by Curry Queen Chef Manpreet Sekhon, Masti serves authentic North Indian food, Indian cocktails, vegan naan and Indian single malts. Book your table here.
is the Indian food near Lygon Street Carlton authentic North Indian?
Most Indian restaurants on Lygon Street serve regional or fusion interpretations of Indian cuisine — some excellent in their own right. Masti offers something different — pure authentic North Indian food from a chef with five-star Punjab hotel training, recognised by Sanjeev Kapoor and Jiggs Kalra. Plus a full Indian cocktail bar with Indian single malts. A short 10-minute trip from Lygon Street — and worth every minute."
Is Masti good for a date night near Carlton?
Absolutely. The mural, pendant lights, open kitchen and Indian cocktail bar make Masti one of the best date night restaurants near Carlton. Indian-spiced cocktails, a sommelier for wine pairings, and a menu designed for sharing — it's the full evening experience.
Does Masti do group bookings for University of Melbourne events?
Yes — groups of 6 get a free cocktail pitcher and groups of 10 get a free sharing platter. Our catering team also handles larger academic and department events. Call us on (03) 9427 2121.
Does Masti serve halal food near Carlton?
All meat at Masti is sourced from halal-certified suppliers. The restaurant itself is not certified halal but all proteins are halal-sourced. Call us on (03) 9427 2121 with any specific requirements.
Find the best Indian restaurant near Carlton — book Masti today
📍 354–356 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy VIC 3065
📞 (03) 9427 2121
✉ hello@eatdrinkmasti.com
🕔 Tue–Thu 5pm–9:30pm | Fri–Sat 5pm–10pm | Sun 5pm–9:30pm | Mon closed
Book your table online — or walk in. We'd love to cook for you.