Mumbai, September 16, 2025 – Come 4th September, SAADI will become a permanent fixture at the former Sunda site – twelve pop-ups and three years on from our impromptu decision to move to Melbourne. At the start of 2025, we set the goal of opening our own restaurant, and we are incredibly humbled that this dream is now becoming a reality.
Our first menu at SAADI will dig deep into family recipes that require precision cooking and highlight what is in season.
Amongst our snacks is idli, a steamed rice cake topped with the first of the spring season’s Dutch carrots, with a second snack being a cracker with pickled celeriac using Saavni’s grandmother’s pickle recipe.
The middle course includes Kadhi Pakora, a yoghurt based sauce served with a vegetable fritter using a rotating roster of vegetables. There’ll also be a lamb kebab with Loddon Valley lamb brisket, served with a salad of bitter greens dressed with a fermented citrus dressing.
For mains, we will serve fish cooked over the BBQ with a punchy tamarind sauce called Pulikachal – which roughly translates to ‘simmered tamarind’ – and a spiced curry leaf condiment along with some sides.
Dessert is going to be our take on the classic Indian sweet treat, Barfi, our version being an almond barfi with an apple curd and buttermilk sorbet.
We will also have an exclusive bar snack menu that will change regularly, with bites that pair well with adrink or two.
SAADI will open for dinner from Wednesday to Saturday (5.30pm – 10pm) and lunch on Friday and Saturday (12pm – 2pm).
On Wednesday and Thursday we will serve a $85 set menu and have an a la carte menu available as well. The $85 set menu will only be offered on Friday and Saturday. Lunch will be a $45 set menu, and the bar will always be kept open for walk-ins.
Reservations are currently open at: www.saadimelbourne.com
