Mumbai’s dabbawallas are basically the original Deliveroo.
The lunchbox delivery system has been going strong since 1890, with hundreds of thousands of lunchboxes delivered every day in metal tiffins, and collected again in the evening. And now, a little slice of that tradition has set up here in London.
DabbaDrop was founded in 2018 by local friends Anshu Ahuja and Renee Williams, who started out hand-delivering South Asian ready-to-heat meals by bike in Hackney. Fast forward a few years, and naturally a few things have changed. They now hand deliver meals by bike and electric vans… across Zones 1-3.
It works as a subscription service, so you get to enjoy a different recipe every week or fortnight – though there’s the freedom to pause whenever you want. So for this Members’ Perk, you could treat yourself to one half-price delivery… or, you could get one every week until the start of December. All with 50% off.
And if that sounds indulgent, the good news is that DabbaDrop is one of the most sustainable takeaways you can get: the service has apparently saved 18,360kg of greenhouse gas emissions so far, and since the meals are prepared in reusable tiffins, it’s totally plastic-free too. And because the curries are all ready to heat at home, you can plan ahead for that weekend treat, without having to wait in line behind every other Londoner who decides they’d quite like a takeaway on a Sunday night.
The meals themselves are all vegan, with mains changing weekly while you pick your own sides and sauces. Originally, the recipes were all inspired by Anshu’s family favourites from Mumbai and across South Asia, but recently they’ve started branching out. So alongside warming bowls of Goan tofu curry or Delhi-style cumin dal, you can also enjoy nasu dengaku (sesame-loaded aubergine) from Japan; jackfruit kottu roti from Sri Lanka; and nôm salad & pandan steamed rice from Vietnam, in a collaboration with Hanoi Cà Phê.
After all, variety is the spice of life.
PREVIOUS PERK: Nudge Members got 50% off deliveries between 7th September and 3rd December 2023.
ALSO NOTE: DabbaDrop subscriptions are available on a weekly and fortnightly basis, starting at £30 for a meal for two. You can pause at any time. To find out more, head HERE.
Love Indian cuisine? Take a look at these fantastic Indian restaurants in London