Eat My Words: We review Mowgli Street Food in Lincoln
I’ll be honest—Christmas dinner and all the festive food aren’t really my thing (I know, total blasphemy).
But when the lovely folks at Mowgli Street Food invited us to their new Lincoln spot to check out their Christmas Feasting Menu, I practically jumped out of my seat.
My partner and I have been Mowgli fans for ages. Back when she was studying in Sheffield, it became our go-to for date nights. So, when we found out they were opening right here in Lincoln, we were over the moon.
After a little stroll down Steep Hill, there it was—Mowgli, glowing with thousands of fairy lights and that swing table in the window. It was already sparking memories.
We grabbed a seat near the window and checked out the menu. For £35 per person, you get a glass of prosecco or a bottle of beer (or, in our case, a soft drink), plus five dishes - including a dessert and rice to share.
We kicked things off with a bottle of Cobra and a Diet Coke shared the Yoghurt Chat Bombs. These crisp bread puffs were packed with chickpeas, spiced yoghurt, tamarind, and coriander. I’ll admit, I’m usually not a fan of cold starters, but these completely won me over. We went for the vegan version, which also got a big thumbs-up from my other half.
Next up, we dived into the Fenugreek Kissed Fries—golden potato spiced with turmeric, fenugreek, and Mowgli masala—and the Gunpowder Chicken. These crispy chicken poppers, marinated in ginger, garlic, and garam masala before being fried in chickpea batter, are a long-time favourite of mine, and they didn’t disappoint.
We couldn’t resist adding an extra treat: the Tamarind Treacle Fries. These have been a staple of our date nights for a while, and they were just as incredible as we remembered. Definitely a splurge-worthy bonus!
Then came the fun round. At this stage, you pick from three options: a meat and veg roulette, a veg roulette, or a vegan one. The catch? You get two surprise dishes chosen by the chef.
Curious, I asked how they decide what to serve. The answer? “It’s just whatever the chef feels like cooking.”
I went for the meat and veg option and got the Super Green Chicken Curry—a delicious Thai-style green curry—and the Picnic Potato Curry. Both were fantastic, though, as a meat lover, the chicken curry was my favourite hands down.
My partner went for the vegan option and got the Mowgli Keema Karma and Tea Steeped Chickpeas. She’s no food critic, but her verdict was that it was “amazingly yummy”.
By this point, we were already pretty full, but we pushed on to dessert. We had the vegan Mango Sorbet and Gulab Jamun—syrupy milk doughballs served with ice cream. While the Gulab Jamun isn’t typically part of the Christmas Feasting Menu, the staff were kind enough to include it since they’d run out of chocolate brownies.
Overall, we went in with the goal of using as much of our complimentary £150 voucher as possible—adding extras and even having a couple of cocktails to stretch out our night. But even with all that, plus the service charge, we still had just shy of £40 left to spend. If that doesn’t scream value, I don’t know what does, especially since we had leftovers to take home for the next day.
Out of five:
Food: As I fondly remembered from our time in Sheffield, the food was impeccable. A few weeks ago, while abroad, we really struggled to find good vegan options, but that was far from the case here. *****
Drink: I’ve always loved a crisp, cold pint of Cobra, so I was easily pleased. But it was also nice to see you could go for a soft drink, which was great for my partner, who doesn’t drink much. *****
Decor: The décor of the restaurant really stands out on Lincoln High Street. The fairy lights make it incredibly inviting and draw you right in. It’s also a perfect setting for a little night out with your significant other. *****
Staff: The staff were very friendly, kind, and knowledgeable about the menu. It’s clear that many of them really enjoy their jobs, which, as someone who’s worked in hospitality, I can tell you is rare to find! *****
Price: Granted, I was already a fan of Mowgli coming into this complimentary review, but I’d never even considered going for the Christmas Feasting Menu until now. Honestly, it was a pleasant surprise with incredible value. I highly recommend it to anyone who finds themselves in Lincoln this Christmas (Mowgli also have a location in Nottingham). *****
