Beloved Indian restaurant leaves Mullum Bowlo for new location

PATRONS of the Mullumbimby Ex-Services Bowling Club have been left without a place to dine, following the relocation of Indian restaurant The Heritage Dining to a new venue in town.

The Heritage Dining co-owner Manish Singh, who had leased the club kitchen for the past four years, said he was given three months’ notice that his lease would not be renewed after a decision by the board of directors.

“The club is going to renovate and they want to use this space for something else like a spa or gym,” he said. “They don’t want it to operate as a café or restaurant.

“It was very emotional because it’s a very big place and we can seat far more than 100 people.

“The connection to the locals is very important to us. We know the local people’s names and they know us.”

Singh and his business partner Arsh Preet are set to open their new restaurant on Burringbar Street this weekend. He said the move had been an expensive undertaking.

“Almost $200,000 we had to spend on this restaurant, but it looks like a restaurant,” he said. “You can feel the vibe. It will be very much different to other restaurants in Mullumbimby.”

The pair, both originally from northern India, met while working at another Indian restaurant in Ballina. They take pride in offering authentic cuisine from both northern and southern India, using local produce alongside spices imported directly from India.

Popular dishes include chicken tikka masala, chicken saag, and Goan-style fish curry.

The new restaurant will seat up to 50 people, both indoors and outdoors, with dinner sittings at 5pm and 6.30pm. It will be open every day except Tuesday, and will operate as BYO until a liquor licence is approved.