Indian Fine Dining on Margaret Street for the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers
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- Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers Dining
The Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers (TCOF) runs from Friday 18 September to Monday 5 October 2026, and Ice n Spice sits at 177A-179 Margaret Street, right in the middle of the walking route most visitors end up taking. Book a table for lunch after the gardens or dinner after a day on the Darling Downs, and you get award-winning Indian cooking from a kitchen that has been feeding Toowoomba since 2012.
Phone 07 4659 7777 or reserve online. Lunch runs 11:30am to 2pm and dinner from 4:30pm to 9pm, seven days.
You are already on our street
Here’s the part most visitors work out too late. The Grand Central Floral Parade on Saturday 19 September steps off at 10am from the corner of Herries and Hume Street, runs down Herries, turns into Ruthven Street, then turns into Margaret Street before heading up Hume to finish at Godsall Street Oval. The Carnival organisers list Margaret Street as one of the best places to stand and watch.
That’s our street. When the last float goes past and the whole street decides it’s hungry at once, you can be sitting down instead of circling for a park.
Queens Park is at the eastern end of the same road. Walk out our door, turn left, and keep going. Laurel Bank Park on Hill Street is a short drive or a longer stroll to the south-west. Both parks are free to enter, which is why the spring gardens fill up early, and why an unhurried lunch afterwards often turns out to be the best part of the day.
Cooking for this town since 2012, not for touri
Ice n Spice opened in 2012. Jasvinder, our chef, and his wife Preet came from Rajasthan in India’s north, met and married in Australia in 2008, then left Brisbane to build something on the Downs — our story is worth two minutes if you like knowing who is cooking. Rajasthani cooking leans on dry spice and on breads cooked at serious heat. That shows up in our tandoor work and in the way the gravies are finished.
Locals have voted the restaurant number one in Toowoomba for dining, and it holds the top spot for takeaway and for gluten free as well. Worth mentioning because those votes came from people who live here, not from a tourism board, and that is a harder crowd to please.
What that means during Carnival: you’re not eating somewhere that puts on a special face for three weeks in spring. The menu you get in the last week of September is the same menu that keeps Toowoomba coming back in February.
What to order if this is your first visit
Start in the tandoor. The Royal Entrées come out of a clay oven at a heat home kitchens can’t reach, and it is the clearest example of what separates a proper Indian kitchen from a curry house.
From there our full Indian menu splits into vegetarian mains, non-vegetarian mains and the Chef’s Special list, which is where Jasvinder puts the dishes he actually wants to cook. Biryani arrives sealed and steaming. Breads come out of the same tandoor as the entrées, so order more than you think you need.
If you’re heading back out to a Carnival event and don’t want a long sit-down, the lunch thali is the answer. Several small dishes on one plate, quick to serve, and you’re back on Margaret Street inside the hour.
The bar, and why that matters after a day in the gardens
We’re a licensed bar, and it is a proper one rather than an afterthought bolted onto a takeaway counter. Cold beer after four hours of walking Queens Park in Queensland spring heat is no small thing. Have a look at the dining room and bar before you come, or the gallery if you want to see the room properly.
Ask the floor staff what to drink with what you have ordered. They do this every night and they’ll steer you better than a wine list will.
Dietary requirements, handled properly
Indian food is one of the few cuisines where the vegetarian side of the menu isn’t a consolation prize. It’s roughly half of what we cook, and it has been that way for centuries.
- Vegetarian. A full main-meal section, not two token dishes.
- Vegan. Tell us when you book and the kitchen adjusts — most of our vegetable dishes are close to a vegan curry already.
- Gluten free. We were voted the best gluten free restaurant in Toowoomba. Flag it at the table and we’ll talk you through what’s safe, because gluten free Indian is more than just skipping the naan.
- Halal-friendly. Speak to us about your requirements and we’ll be straight with you about what we can and can’t do.
Coeliac diners in particular should mention it at the time of booking rather than on arrival, especially during Carnival when the kitchen is running hot.
Groups, coaches and family gatherings
A lot of Carnival visitors arrive in numbers. Coach tours, extended families driving up from Brisbane, garden clubs, work groups. We can set the room up for groups of most sizes, but the setup takes planning and the Carnival weeks are the three busiest of our year.
For any group booking over about eight people during 18 September to 5 October, get in touch well ahead. Email info@restaurantstoowoomba.com.au, use contact us, or phone the restaurant and we’ll work out a table plan and a rough order so the kitchen isn’t starting from scratch when you walk in.
When to book during Carnival
Some honest advice about timing.
The Saturday of the Floral Parade, 19 September, is the hardest day of the festival to get a table anywhere in the Toowoomba CBD. Lunch that day books out first. If you want to eat near the parade route, book it now.
Friday and Saturday evenings across all three Carnival weekends fill next. Mid-week lunches are the quietest, which makes Tuesday or Wednesday a good day to combine Queens Park with an unhurried meal.
If your plans are loose, book anyway. It costs nothing to move a reservation and it costs a lot to spend an hour hunting for a table with tired kids in tow.
Finding us
Ice n Spice Indian Restaurant & Bar
177A-179 Margaret Street, Toowoomba City QLD 4350
Phone: 07 4659 7777
Email: info@restaurantstoowoomba.com.au
Opening hours (seven days)
Lunch 11:30am to 2pm
Dinner 4:30pm to 9pm
Margaret Street parking fills fast through Carnival, particularly on parade morning when sections of the CBD route are closed. The council car parks a block either side are the safer bet. Check the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers programme for road closure times on 19 September before you drive in.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers in 2026?
The 2026 Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers runs from Friday 18 September to Monday 5 October across three weekends. The Grand Central Floral Parade is on Saturday 19 September at 10am. Queens Park and Laurel Bank Park displays are free to visit throughout the festival.
Where can I eat near the Carnival of Flowers parade route?
Margaret Street is part of the parade route and one of the recommended viewing streets. Ice n Spice is at 177A-179 Margaret Street, Toowoomba City, which puts it inside walking distance of the parade, the CBD and Queens Park.
How far is Ice n Spice from Queens Park?
Queens Park sits at the eastern end of Margaret Street, the same street the restaurant is on. It is a straightforward walk east, or a couple of minutes by car.
Do I need to book during Carnival of Flowers?
Yes. The three Carnival weekends are the busiest of the year in Toowoomba. Parade Saturday lunch and the Friday and Saturday dinner services book out first. Phone 07 4659 7777 or book online.
Is Ice n Spice licensed?
Yes. There is a full bar alongside the dining room, so you can order beer, wine and spirits with your meal.
Do you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes. There is a full vegetarian main-meal section on the menu, and the kitchen can adapt most vegetable dishes for vegans. Mention it when you book so the kitchen can plan.
Do you have gluten free options?
Yes. Ice n Spice has been voted the best gluten free restaurant in Toowoomba. Tell the staff when you book and again at the table, and they will take you through the menu.
Can you seat large groups during the Carnival?
Yes, with notice. Coach tours, garden clubs and family groups are welcome, but table setups for larger parties need to be arranged in advance during the Carnival period. Email info@restaurantstoowoomba.com.au.
What time do you open for lunch and dinner?
Lunch service runs 11:30am to 2pm and dinner 4:30pm to 9pm, seven days a week.
Is there a quick option if I have a Carnival event to get to?
The lunch thali is the fastest full meal on the menu. Several dishes served together on one plate, which suits visitors working around parade times, garden tours or FEASTival sessions.
Do you offer takeaway during the Carnival?
Yes. Ice n Spice has been voted number one for takeaway in Toowoomba, which is useful if you are staying nearby and would rather eat in after a long day of walking.
Where should I park?
Margaret Street parking is limited through the festival and parts of the CBD route close on parade morning. The council car parks a block away are usually easier. Check the official Carnival programme for closure times on 19 September.