Picture the scene: there’s a restaurant you’ve driven past hundreds of times before. With each passing drive, you get a little more curious. Then, one day, you finally take the chance to stop by for a meal – and you wonder why it took you so long. That’s exactly what we did with MaCh Indian Restaurant. It’s been part of the Lincoln food scene for nearly two decades, but its location on the city outskirts means it’s often overlooked.
This authentic, family-run restaurant is well worth the short drive or cab ride from the city, or making the stop if you’re driving along the A158 (Wragby Road East) just outside Lincoln. Here’s our review of MaCh Indian Restaurant after trying it out for a meal.
Disclosure: we were invited for a complimentary meal at MaCh Indian Restaurant. Views are our own, and we always give honest reviews and recommendations.
MaCh Indian Restaurant Lincoln: a hidden gem on the A158
It’s the kind of location where you might expect to see a 1980s American-style roadside diner rather than an Authentic Indian restaurant. Sitting along the busy A158 next to a petrol station just outside Lincoln, MaCh has been quietly serving original Indian cuisine since 2006.
I had always wondered what was behind the restaurant’s curious name. When I connected with the owners, the answer became obvious; MaCh is run by, and named after, a friendly couple called Mav and Charlotte.
It’s Mav and Charlotte’s story that gives MaCh a unique charm. Two decades ago, they moved to Lincoln from down south with a dream of turning their love of food into a business – even though they were starting from scratch in the restaurant world, without a background in hospitality. Mav had worked in marketing and Charlotte in the fashion magazine industry, but their shared passion for dining out inspired them to take the plunge into the restaurant world.
The early years weren’t easy. “We were inexperienced, and so was the team,” Mav told us. “It was a tough learning curve, but we managed to persevere and establish the business.” Over the years, they’ve navigated challenges from recessions to Covid, with the loyalty of their customers and staff team helping them to survive and grow.
A lively atmosphere, even midweek
Charlotte’s background in fashion and interiors is evident the moment you step inside. An ornate dancing Nataraja statue greets you at the entrance, and the whole place has a stylish, authentic feel, with vibrant wall hangings and intricate patterns.
When parking up, we had already raised our eyebrows at the fact the car park was almost full. It was a Wednesday evening at 6:30pm and, if I’m honest, I was expecting the place to be nearly empty. Many restaurants in town struggle for patrons on weekday nights, so with this place being out of the way, we were anticipating similar. A full car park was a good sign!
Mav was there to meet us warmly as we arrived. As he showed us to our table, we looked around the spacious room, with tables neatly and tastefully arranged, and most of them occupied. MaCh is set in a large building, the kind that could accommodate a car showroom, and Mav and Charlotte have done a great job in optmising the space and creating a welcoming vibe. You soon forget you’re next to an A road – the place has a touch of class about it.
A room full of chatter and clinking plates created the kind of convivial atmosphere we really enjoy; not so busy that you can’t hear yourself think, but plenty enough buzz for a lively, sociable setting.
Mav told us – as you might expect – that it gets even busier at weekends. It’s definitely a good idea to book ahead to make sure you get a table.
A menu brimming with choice
On this occasion it would be an alcohol-free dinner for us given that we were driving, but it’s worth noting that MaCh Indian Restaurant is close enough to the north side of Lincoln that a taxi ride isn’t too dear – especially if you’re splitting with a group of friends.
So, instead of a couple of beers, we decided to order a jug of mango lassi. If you haven’t tried lassi before, it’s yoghurt-based traditional Indian drink with a sweet mango flavour and a hint of salt, and it is the perfect complement to a spicy curry. The lassi jugs at MaCh are superb value – easily big enough to share between four people.
The menu at MaCh has a good balance between house specialty dishes and classic, familiar curries. We always like to choose house specials, as they’re usually the standout options.
There is a good range of vegan and vegetarian options too. We were very tempted by the aubergine curry, and will probably try that next time.
Mav recommended we try a dish called “hara naga”, chicken marinated in herbs and spices, and cooked in a naga pickled-infused sauce. As this is a medium-spicy dish, we decided to balance it out with a milder Punjabi butter chicken, also on Mav’s recommendation.
For sides, we ordered some pilau rice, a keema naan and sag paneer – Indian cheese cooked with spinach. I rarely have an Indian meal without a side of sag paneer!
Before this banquet, though, we warmed up with a dish of mixed starters. And wow, this got our meal off to a good start.
Delicious, authentic Indian food
While waiting for our food we devoured the obligatory poppadoms and dips. These included the classic onion, lime pickle and mango chutney fare, but also a tasty powdery coconut dip that we hadn’t tried before.
Our mixed starters arrived on a flaming hot plate – chicken and lamb tikka, lamb chops and sheek kebabs, nestled on a bed of fried onions.
We dug into the lamb chops first, which were beautifully tender and a highlight of our whole meal. The tikka and kebabs were also cooked just right. The portion sizes are very generous too – the mixed starter is a great choice if you have a big appetite.
Balanced flavours, not too sweet or oily
Our main dishes made for quite the banquet. The waiter helped us to make space on the table and arrange everything in the middle, as we always like to do so we can share. Throughout our meal the service was friendly and attentive without feeling rushed.
Now, as you may have already gathered, I have a bit of a thing for sag paneer. Lisa will tell you that whenever we try a new Indian takeaway, I will judge it first on the quality of the sag paneer. True to form, that’s what I tucked into first at MaCh, and it set the tone perfectly for a great meal. Delicious!
The combination of hara naga and butter chicken really did work well. The butter chicken is a heavy, creamy dish, the kind that is ideally matched with a naan to mop it up.
The hara naga, though, was our favourite dish of all, and different to anything we’d tried before. Brimming with flavour and an interesting mix of spices, it had a lovely lingering aftertaste. And the mango lassi was the perfect foil for that spice hit!
Lisa even said she would have liked a touch more spice heat – though to be fair, she says that wherever we go! Her spice threshold is much higher than most people’s. If you do want a dish a little more spicy, you can always ask when ordering.
No dishes were too sweet or greasy, which is an important point. Sometimes you go out for a curry and find there’s too much sugar or oil, but at MaCh we were impressed with how nicely the flavours and spices were balanced without any excess.
It’s not often we’re defeated by a meal, but the portions were so generous at MaCh that we couldn’t finish it all. The staff were very happy to box it all up for us to take away. Lisa had the leftovers to herself the next day as I was away on a work trip, and I got a message from her saying “that really is the best sag paneer I’ve had before!”.
We did have a look at the dessert menu and we were intrigued by the “gulab jamon” (a traditional Indian dessert of semolina balls in syrup), but we were just too full to fit anything else. We rolled out the door stuffed and smiling, already planning our next visit.
Overall, MaCh Indian Restaurant is a real hidden gem of the Lincoln curry scene. You might say it’s hidden in plain sight, given its location on such a busy road – but it’s definitely worth taking the time to head here for a meal. The ambiance is lovely for an upbeat date night or a chattery food outing with a group of friends.
We won’t leave it so long before we eat here again!
MaCh Indian Restaurant Lincoln opening times
MaCh Indian Restaurant is open from 5:30pm–10:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 5:30pm–10pm on Sundays to Thursdays.
You can also occasionally catch live music shows, with an ABBA tribute night coming in May 2025. See the restaurant’s website for what’s coming up and to book a table.
You can see more restaurant reviews and ideas in our food and drink section of the blog.
Have you tried MaCh Indian Restaurant in Lincoln? Let us know about your favourite dishes in the comments below!
