Namaste Café was one of my favorite restaurants when I was in high school. I went back a week ago for the first time in 8ish years. Sad to say it didn't fully live up to my memories. I love the values of Namaste and that there are so many veggie options, but the food didn't stand out to me. My curry wasn't that flavorful (may have been a spice level thing? I got a 3, so maybe should have gotten higher?). That being said, maybe it was just what I ordered? I got the cauliflower, peas, and potatoes curry. Noticed that have really good happy hour deals, so will be back to try those at some point. I also want to give their Indian street food a try. Still love love love their patio, a nice mix of people watching and greenery! read more

Namaste Café - Cauliflower, peas, and potato curry + palak paneer + roti - Indian Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

We celebrated a friend's birthday here and had a wonderful experience! Food was preordered & service was great! The team was attentive to making space for more plates, filling water, taking drink orders etc. We were not rushed at all and were able to visit and enjoy a meal together. If you do not like spice than you will be fine ordering on low spice. If you like some spice than I would suggest leveling it up!! The coconut shrimp with spinach was the table favorite. The cocktails were creative & delicious! read more

The review is only for the seasonal chai special I got - I got the strawberry pistachio chai. I was really excited to try this place but unfortunately we were too full from other food but I still wanted to stop by because I'd read online that their chai was good. The staff member recommended the strawberry pistachio chai but I didn't think it was very good. Two flavors I like separately but did not go well together in this drink. I would maybe try again next time I'm in town. read more

Namaste Café - Strawberry pistachio chai - Indian Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

i tried the fiery shrimp, pani puri, palak paneer, roti, chai butterfly (cocktail), and mango coconut mocktail (limited summer drink) and all were amazing! also got the cauliflower wings which were SO spicy read more

Namaste Café - Indian Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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My friends and I came here for a fun dinner last weekend. The restaurant itself is very cute and charming, with a convivial vibe. We definitely waited quite a while for the food, but the servers were very friendly and accommodating while we waited. We ordered the chole, creamy masala curry with chicken, and the namaste special curry with tofu to share. The chole was much spicier than I anticipated. Although my friend warned me and I can normally handle some heat, my mouth was burning up. It was pretty good, but I would steer clear if you don't want to breathe like a dragon at dinner. The creamy masala curry was the best by far, with a rich taste that's well-balanced. I would have liked the namaste special curry more if it wasn't pitted against the creamy. This was good too, flavorful, but not my favorite. I'd still come again for another date night, but will definitely be ordering the creamy masala curry and trying other entrees. read more

Namaste Café - Chole (top left), Creamy Masala Curry (top right), Namaste Special Curry (bottom right) - Indian Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

I've been going to Namaste for more years than I can count. It's been my favorite restaurant for so long. I love the ambience and the food is always top-tier. So good. As a Scandinavian girl with very low spice tolerance, I have to order the food at a zero spice level. It's always a beautiful and nourishing meal no matter what I order. I love Namaste. read more

Namaste Café - Chai, fish, and potatoes with yummy sauce sauces. My favorite meal at Namaste. - Indian Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Did a large catering order - it was so smooth. they delivered early with trays the insulated, packed neatly, and clearly labeled. So many great vegetarian options! read more

I used to come here with friends when I was in undergrad several years ago and was excited to bring my husband here when we were in town for a visit. The food was still pretty good, but I was really surprised that they no longer do the dim lighting that was more cozy and intimate feeling. The overhead lights were not as quaint and cozy as how it used to be. The food was really flavorful, but the amount of rice and curry in the main plate order is very low from what it used to be. I will say our server was friendly and attentive. Our mango Lassi was super tasty and served in a large glass though, which I appreciated! I enjoyed going for the nostalgia but I do miss how it used to be pre pandemic. read more

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We went there for our 33d wedding anniversary. They were fully staffed, very attentive to our table and the food was excellent! Paapri Chat, Almond and Shrimp Coconut curry, and aloo paratha. Wine, beer and cocktail selection were excellent. read more

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Wow wow wow. There aren't enough good words for Namaste Cafe in Uptown! This cute little Victorian style home turned restaurant is an urban oasis escape from the otherwise bustling Hennepin Avenue. There is a gorgeous outdoor seating area in the front of the restaurant that wraps around the left side with plently of trees and bushes to provide privacy and damped the noice of the street. There is also a relaxing water feature to enjoy. Inside you will find a small dining area with half a dozen tables and the kitchen in the back. The food is excellent. Everything sourced locally from sustainable farms and made with passion. I love their selection of the Indian street food - Chaat, as well as their curry option AND the famous Chai. For real the Chai is the best in the cities. You have to try it. read more

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Great lunch special for $15! Great service. I added a mango sikarni mini desert for $1. A nice touch on an amazing lunch read more

Namaste Café - Lunch Namaste Special Chicken bowl. $15. A steal - Indian Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

I can't believe this restaurant doesn't have at least 4.5 stars--I give it 5!! The food and drinks were absolutely perfect. I wouldn't have changed a thing. The server was very kind as well. This will become a new favorite for us. We ordered the Namaste Special Curry with fish (the fish was perfect, succulent, not "fishy"), the eggplant with garlic and scallions (omgggg this was our favorite. Don't think, just order it!), the fiery shrimp appetizer (wow.. so good), a side of plain roti, and a few cocktails. All of the cocktails were delicious. All the flavors were well-balanced, IMO. Nothing too heavy. read more

Namaste Café - Ginger Bourbon Masala (right) and Chai Butterfly (left) - Indian Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Wonderful dog-friendly outdoor patio with natural grape vines. This place has a huge collection of vegan/vegetarian dishes. Loved the maple pecan chai . Service was nice and our server even bought a water bowl for our fur baby ! read more

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Discovered this place when looking for Nepalese food and we were pleasantly surprised! It's a cute establishment with lots of room for dining in. Our take out meals were delicious and enough to share and have leftovers for the next day. read more

So so so good. I tried a LOT. Definitely try the Mamacha with lamb (momos) and the Creamy Masala Curry with chicken and a side of Bhatura. So I never knew the Golgappa was served cold - now I know! It's fresh like a ceviche but more like the chips and salsa of Indian food. The Chile Namaste with chicken is good too, as is the Aloo Paratha. Desserts: I've tried three, the Mango Custard, the Mango Sikarni, and the Rasmalai. In order of best to worst in flavor: Mango Sikarni, Rasmalai, and then the Mango Custard. Skip the Mango Custard. It's pretty, but I promise the others are better. However... the chai, and I've tried three, is nowhere near the stovetop version. It would almost be better if they narrowed down the selection and made it the traditional way instead of with the espresso machine milk frothing device. Sad face. So just drink something else. It's uptown so parking sucks especially in the winter, but park around the block and walk. The music and service are both peaceful and chill. The ambiance is great. I love the house vibe. I'll be back. I have so many more items to try. read more

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Food: stopped by for the lunch specials. I got the creamy masala chicken and I liked it a lot. I got a level 3 spice level and it wasn't too spicy. We also got the chicken roti wrap and got a level 5 spice level on that one, if you can handle your spice, a level isn't too bad. Service: it wasn't busy when we stopped by and the server spent extra time with us to explain some of the dishes and drinks to us and were overall very helpful and friendly. Ambiance: this restaurant is a house converted to restaurant and it feels very homey. That and the fact that the food is served family style makes it feel like you're dining at home. Overall, I really liked the food and ambiance, will be going back to try the other dishes! read more

Namaste Café - Creamy Masala Chicken Friday Lunch Special - Indian Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Great food and people. Those spicy potatoes and to die for. Love palak paneer as well. Tried the vegan sandwich at the time and that was great too. Fun cocktails too! read more

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This is one of the best restaurants I've been to in Minnesota! For sure the best Indian restaurant. This is a place that I will always keep locked-and-loaded for when someone asks for a restaurant recommendation and I want to impress them. That's how good Namaste Cafe is. The main thing is the food, of course. I've come here several times and the food is always high quality and often really inventive. The inventiveness is particularly noticable among appetizers like Golgappa, Bombay Bhel Puri, and Chana Chatpat, which have flavors that reveal themselves in pleasant waves. The menu is extensive enough that there are many options for both vegetarians and carnivores. Portion sizes are perfect; I'd say the spiciness is on the "careful, we're Minnesotan" side because I have sometimes wished I'd asked for it to be spicier. The service has always been bursting with kindness and a genuine affection for their cuisine. The building itself appears to have been converted from a house, and in particular if you sit outside you feel like you're at someone's cute old house. They have indoor seating as well but I love it out front. Prices are just a touch on the high side, but the quality merits it. I dig this place and I'm excited to keep coming back. read more

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One of my go-to spots in the twin cities.Delicious Indian-type cuisine, that "feels healthy." My favorite is their brunch menu; plus, you can't go wrong with a mango mimosa. If you don't like spicy, be careful of the fiery shrimp ... yummy but very hot! Cozy space, with indoor and outdoor options. If you can't dine in, it's also very easy to place an order for pick-up. I'm very lucky to live a few blocks away from Namaste Cafe, and they never disappoint! read more

Namaste Café - One word: brunch! Yum - Indian Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Does not taste like Indian food. There was raw veggies in the bowel. Indians do not eat raw veggies. Could not taste much spices. Place looks fairly run down read more

Namaste Café came strongly recommended from a friend and I now understand why! The food was authentic and delicious. I got take out with some friends and the pick up process was very easy with minimal contact. I loved the Curry I got because it was extremely creamy but also had a nice spice. Got an order of garlic and cheese paratha to share- loved both kinds! Strongly recommend the Spicy Fried Potatoes- the dipping sauces all were unique and added to the flavor palette of the meal. Lunch prices were very reasonable- especially when splitting multiple entrees as a group (highly recommend as to try as many dishes) read more

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This is definitely a decent lunch spot and meet up with a friend or get a cup of chai and hang out for a bit. This past spring/summer it was really nice to sit at their outdoor seating and enjoy the weather. And now they have indoor dining (does require proof of vaccination) but their outdoor dining porch has a thick clear plastic covering around it so it's not too cold. I also think their online ordering is really convenient and COVID-conscious. Whenever I come here, I always get the chai - it is delicious and there are also a lot of flavor options that you can pick to get the spices/flavors you like in the chai. I will say I think their entrees are decent but not the best i've had, although I will have to try more of their entrees in future trips. I really like the lunch specials they have because it is affordable ($10-$12) and good portion size. Free street parking either on Hennepin or in the residential streets to the west of Hennepin. read more

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I absolutely love this place!! Joel recommended us the most amazing dish! The aloo chat was so fantastic! Literally a tap dance of flavors on your tongue. read more

Splendid. The quality of the food really impressed me as someone who grew up eating Indian food in India. It's been 14 years since I've been to India, but Namaste Café made me feel right at home in Minnesota. The service was incredible and I really appreciated how we could take our time to look at the menu without pressure. They have a beautiful patio with outdoor seating and friendly smiles that just make it all better. Definitely will be back! read more

Namaste Café - Indian Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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I recently had occasion to enjoy some delicious food from the Namaste Cafe via curbside pickup. FYI: when eating at the cafe, service can be languid. As a child of the 60s, it hasn't really been an issue with me. It might be a different story if on a particular deadline. But if you have the time, my advice is to relax and enjoy the atmosphere and fare. Anyway, I had what I considered to be a huge appetizer of Chicken Chili. It consisted primarily of ~3/4" chunks of savory, lean chicken roasted with a variety of peppers and sliced onions. A very good (and generous) starter IMHO. For an entree I ordered a serving of the Namaste Special Curry. I found that it was similar to previously tried Masala Curry. But still different enough that I was happy to sample it. In a word, satisfying. It again had chunks of tender chicken swimming in a rich thick stew of tomatoes and other ingredients that blended very well together. The included Basmati rice was a perfect foundation. One quibble is that I discovered at home that the food was not as spicy hot as requested. But I'm guessing that they automatically tone down online orders until you establish a track record. As it was, they had no way of knowing me or if I really meant to order 5 star heat. The weather that evening was ideal. As such I saw more than a few patrons sitting out on Namaste's patio. Since this was my first curbside/pickup experience from Namaste, I thought it was a fairly simple and straightforward procedure. I placed and paid for my order as well as selected a time for pickup from their Website. Almost immediately I received a confirmation email. As directed, when we pulled up in front I phoned to alert them. I quickly saw someone appear at the main entrance carrying my goods packaged inside a common to-go paper bag. I honestly can't think of how to improve upon the process. BTW, plenty of curbside/pickup space in front. Actual street parking could be a bit of a hassle especially at peak times. As a fan of East Indian (and in this case also some Nepalese influenced) cuisine, I think Namaste is one of the best in the metro. Whether pickup or dining on site, I plan to return. My mouth is already starting to water at the thought of trying other sumptuous items offered by this wonderful place. read more

Great date night spot. The lamb curry was amazing. The patio is very cute. Highly recommend!

This place is a gem, and the food is wonderful! I've been here many times over the years and have never been disappointed. Their lunch bowl special is especially good, but everything else I've had there has also been tasty. The servers are friendly, and the restaurant is nice both inside and out. Usually it's easy to get street parking right out front, but there's construction going on through much of 2025 so you need to find a spot around the corner (which is easy enough). I highly recommend this place! read more

Honestly, we were pretty disappointed with this place. We had come here after a lot of rave reviews about it, but the food was very underwhelming. The ambiance was cool, and they had some nice sculptures of buddha. The service was also great. The bheendi we got as well as the mango chicken curry we got were all pretty lacking in flavor, unfortunately. The garlic naan didn't have any garlic on it. I would recommend trying other restaurants as there are a lot of great options in the twin cities. Their chai was good. The aloo tikki was good as well, but it's hard to mess up chaat! read more

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The food here was good, but the price for the amount of food that they gave was pricey in my opinion. I got the creamy masala curry (chicken) and it comes with white rice. I also got their roti. The roti was pretty big so it can be shared with two people. Also, when I went I had to seat myself and order through the bar code provided. And they don't have a parking lot, so it's street parking. read more

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It's a tiny little restaurant, so it's extra nice when the weather allows for patio use. The food is excellent and the dishes vary from much of what's offered by similar places. It's a great spot for both the vegetarian and the omnivore! read more

Great chai menu and the food was decent overall. The space is adorable and is a wonderful location. I took stars off because the service is horrendous. Be prepared to sit for a long time before anyone even bothers to take your order. Your drink glass will sit empty and you will be forgotten, even if you are in the middle of the room. They continually forgot to bring the entree for one person at my table even after being asked about it three times and it was finally received when the other people in the group were finishing dessert. Glad I tried it, but I won't be back. read more

I've lived in uptown for 7 years and have never been to this gem-I've been missing out! The food was delicious! It felt reasonably priced for the portions and the quality of the food. The egg plant was DELICIOUS-I search for egg plant like this and it did not disappoint. Crispy potato's and crunchy cabbage salad were flavorful and unique. It's a comfort food spot and we will be back for the patio this summer! read more

Made the trip to Uptown for some of the best curries around. Namaste is situated in a quaint house on Hennepin Ave and is the perfect setting for some homey comfort food. The chiya chili potatoes are a good warm up to any of the curries. Our favorites are the namaste special curry and the coconut, mushroom and tofu curry. Overall a great spot if you're looking to spice things up! read more

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Terrible service. We ordered an appetizer and it took an hour for us to receive bread, and we they brought it to us it was cold. The server did not keep us updated at all. Waited over an hour and a half just to find out that our food order hadn't been put in. So after being notified about that, they offered to take our order again but at that point I just wanted to leave. They offered us free drinks instead of just taking the drinks off of the order that we already had placed, which didn't make sense because we had only received tea, a margarita, and cold bread, which we were charged full price for after they messed our order up. It sucks because I was excited about this place. The waiter that we had didn't even have the decency to come and tell us about the mix up, another one did. read more

The food was delicious - chicken curry, shrimp fried rice, and vegetable noodle lunch specials, with excellent mango lassi and cardamom chai. I loved sitting outside under the grape vines and watching the birds drink water from the fountain surrounding a Buddha statue. Service was friendly and fast. I am a neighbor and really want to support all the Hennepin Avenue businesses during this rough construction period. Nice to see people enjoying summer on the patios. read more

food tastes really good! such good flavor! however service is incredibly slow. im with a party of 6 and have been here for an hour and only two dishes have reached the table, the sad part is that the rest of the cafe is empty. there's only us and probably one more table. so sad but the food is great, just wished the wait wasn't an hour :(( read more

Namaste Café - Indian Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

The positives I can say was that the place itself was clean, neat, and appealing, and the mixed drink I ordered was pretty good. That's all I can really say as good things though. After walking in, it takes a couple of minutes for the server there to tell me that it's seat-yourself. They should have a sign up about that or something. She then explains that it's not a "full service restaurant" (her words). I have to scan a QR code to see the menu and to pay. So, the server is basically just there to bring food from the kitchen and bus tables, I guess? I don't like those QR code systems at all. The food portion size was NOT generous, and the prices were fairly steep for a mediocre amount of food, especially when there wasn't a whole lot of meat in that curry. They definitely skimp on the protein. The food was so mild it was painful. They had a 1 to 5 scale for spice, I ordered a "3", thinking it would have some heat and flavor, but not be overwhelming. . .what they called a "3" I'd call a "1", it was totally not spicy, and barely flavorful. It was insultingly mild for Indian food. Then, lastly, as I was finishing up, scraping the bowl to get the last little bite of curry there was, the moment I put my spoon down, the server swooped in and started grabbing the bowl and plate and clearing off the table right in front of me. She didn't ask if I was done, or wait for me to leave. It honestly felt like I was being rushed out the door, and given that they were still going to be open for hours and had a number of open seats, it wasn't that they needed the table or were at closing time. . .she just wanted me to get lost. So I did. I won't be back. read more

Great outdoor patio where you order food from your phone and they bring it out. The iced masala chai with oat milk was probably the best chai I have ever had. The fried rice with shrimp was incredible. They also have take out options. Free street parking nearby. read more

Namaste Café - Fried rice with shrimp and lunch special bowl - Indian Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Took my parents to Namaste Cafe this weekend! We don't know a ton about Indian food but wanted to try. Our server was so helpful and informative! We tried so many different things and had such a fun time! My parents said it was their favorite part of the weekend read more

I would have to say I love the chicken masala so much here over the Indian palace because it's cleaner less grease and less veggie plus more curry in bowl I think you miss out on portion of you eat in... just my take on the little bowls they bring out to serve for dine in. I hate that they don't have regular Naan bread but they have their rotti and paratha that is pretty good but plain tasting bread it's just something about naan read more

Namaste Café - The chicken Creamy Masala Chicken - Indian Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota