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    Samay Chai

    4.6 (31 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 8:30 PM

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    Vada pav and chai
    Anoop I.

    We liked the sabudana vada and vada pav. The server who took our order was patient with us as we asked about non-spicy items on their menu. He gave us a taster of their pav bhaji, and we realized it was too spicy for my wife to have. So we ordered the paneer masala instead, which was decent. The seating outside was pleasant even on a hot August evening since there was enough shade. We do wish the menu was longer though; other than the pav bhaji which we found too spicy, we've exhausted almost all their vegetarian options in one visit.

    Sabudana vada
    Nikki V.

    When this food truck first started, it was really good - it offered a personalized experience. Some dishes that aren't very common at most Indian restaurants here are offered like sabidana vada and real nice flavorful chais. All of that still exists but this place is now run by people other than owners. A bit over priced and has the taste isn't the same either. Either ways, not a lot of options close to downtown so unless you're willing to drive for decent Indian food - this might be your only option

    Orange pistachio chai Ginger cardamom chai
    Abida H.

    Samay chai is fantastic all around! The food is on point, owner the nicest, and chai outta this world. We ordered butter chicken which came with garlic roti on the side. The butter chicken was creamy and flavorful, the roti thin and perfect to devour it with! It was my first time having vada pav and I'm sold! While I don't have anything to compare it to, I hope they're all this tasty. The bun was soft with chutneys on it, sprinkled with garlic crunch, and the aloo in the middle chunky and packed with flavor. Also loved the dahi sev puri, which was drenched in dahi and satisfied my chaat cravings! The only thing that could've made this even better is tamarind chutney on top as well. But the CHAI, Y'ALL. They have 3 flavors - rosemary, orange pistachio, and ginger cardamom. I love the creativity in flavors and I'll be back to try them all! I ordered the orange pistachio, which was magic in my mouth. The subtle favors came together perfectly and I could see the fresh orange shavings at the bottom when finished. It's chai szn, perfect for a chilly day! We chatted with the owner for a while after our meal and he told us a little about the origin of the name. Samay is a romanticized way to say "moment" in Hindi. It represents how chai creates reason for people to gather, to enjoy a moment together as they enjoy the beverage. Excited to see the success of this food truck. Go check it out!

    Sanket in his natural habitat
    Thomas R.

    Samay Chai was great! I just moved to Austin and my Indian boyfriend was worried that the Riverside area wouldn't have any Indian food. by first impression he was right, that is until we found Samay Chai. It's a food truck, so don't expect an expansive menu or table service. That said, the food they did have was great, and the prices were (compared to traditional Austin prices) really quite fair. We got the butter chicken and aloo chaat and both were delicious. The accompanying naan and roti was excellent as well. The seating area was cute and full of families and friends. A+ vibes. At the end the owner came and chatted with us for a bit also-- a kind act of hospitality not often seen these days.

    Samay chai
    Bhagyashree B.

    A friend recommended we try the chai at this food truck so we decided to stop by and so glad we did! The pistachio orange chai is such a unique take on the traditional Indian tea. I enjoyed the zesty flavor. The sabudana vada is served super hot and authentic. It is one of the hardest snacks to make and totally appreciate how crispy they were on the outside and perfect filling with peanuts. But the star of the food truck is the vada pav. This is hands down the best vada pav in Austin which I have strived to find in so many years. The pav is perfect (not burger bun that most other restaurants serve) and the green and peanut garlic chutneys reminded me of classic vada pav back in Bombay :) Papdi chat was very tasty too although potatoes/chole were missing. Service was a little slow but we didn't mind as it was a breezy evening and the truck n is in a nice spot with plenty of seating to hangout.

    Cardamom and Ginger Chai
    Subha R.

    We love Samay Chai! Worth driving in to town just to get their Sabudana Vada and cardamom Chai. This time we tried the Bun Maska (Jalapeño Cheese Bread) and the papdi chaat, although we've tried the Vada Pav in the past (not our favorite). The service is quick and prompt. They are friendly. We like that there are a fair amount of tables in the area and there is a canopy in the back with a couple tables. We like that it's outdoors and we can bring our dogs with the dog park next door.

    Dahi puri
    Bowie L.

    Stumbled upon this truck randomly on a cold day after kayaking and was really craving some hot chai. They have some unique flavors I've never seen, such as the rosemary which I tried. It didn't have very strong chai spice flavors but it surprisingly worked well and sweetness was perfect. I also got their dahi puri and loved the addition of pomegranate seeds on top. The owners were super friendly and told us about how they recently started this endeavor outside of their tech jobs which was cool. Highly recommend them!

    Vada Pav
    Asad E.

    Okay I'm gonna be vulnerable with y'all for a minute. I don't share this with everyone because it's a bit embarrassing as a South Asian. Okay here goes: I can't handle spicy food anymore . Luckily I found this spot because they serve fully flavorful desi food, with a nice tempered level of spice that was perfect for me! FOOD: Butter chicken was on point; vada pav was delectable; and the garlic roti was a refreshing change from the usual heavy naan places serve, plus it was included with the butter chicken. We also got the dahi sev puri which was good, though I will say a little more masala would strengthen the flavor. CHAI: Orange pistachio chai was different but delish, and the ginger cardamom chai is truly classic and rightfully named. There will definitely be crowds here begging for steamy chai as the brutal Texas winter drops temps to the low 60s. PEOPLE: Owners were super nice and even shared with us the story behind the name. Overall if you want tasty Indian food with just the right level of spice, leave the TUMS at home and come check this place out.

    Butter chicken
    Neha S.

    Most delicious butter chicken I have had in Austin in a long time! Enjoyed everything from vada pav, samosas and the chai and most importantly love the location!

    The best butter chicken and chickpea!!

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    10 months ago

    Pretty good! It's expensive for what you get with limited food options even for a truck, but the food had flavor.

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    11 months ago

    Amazing food! I asked for a simple meal yet delicious and my dear friend highly recommended this place and it was indeed delicious!

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    Best Indian food I've ever had! The service is fantastic! Barely any wait time for food! Right on lady bird lake off the trail! So pretty!

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    1 year ago

    Great food and service! The owner is so kind and makes amazing food! Don't forget to try their chai!!

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    3 years ago

    Hands down, the...BEST...chai in Austin! Come for the chai (pistachio orange is ethereal), stay for the sabudana vada!

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    Ask the Community - Samay Chai

    When are you open?

    Hello - sorry for not having our hours updated. Our operating hours are Friday thru Sunday 4pm - 9pm …… we sold out of everything this week and had to stay closed today (Jan 22nd)

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    Lucky Halal Mediterranean Indian and Nepali Food

    Lucky Halal Mediterranean Indian and Nepali Food

    4.9
    (23 reviews)
    2.5 mi

    Uber Eats Delivery. Overall good, not special, Indian food. The really good? Saag Paneer was…read moredelicious, more spinachy than most other restaurants, really liked it! And, the chicken korma was very tasty, great curry-like sauce. Yum! Alas, everything else was "meh." Shrimp chowmein lacked flavor and lacked shrimp. I had to check my order to see if I ordered what I thought I did ... and I did. The lamb was very dry and tasteless. And the garlic naan was way too flat and north bad, but not good. Great menu. Nice packaging. Too many options in this town to order from here again.

    My friend and I stopped by here after leaving the Nightmare Before Christmas light trail to grab…read moresome good food before getting on the road back home. It is very small and inconspicuous and if you aren't paying attention you will drive right past it! Nonetheless! They hit you with a MASSIVE wow factor! The service was top tier! They are so friendly, everyone was smiling. The mango lassi was so perfect. I wish I lived in Austin just to go there regularly. We both ordered the lamb fried rice and could not handle the flavor bomb going off! First off, the lamb was so freaking tender and had the perfect amount of fattiness to it. The rice was basmati!!!! Holy cow, basmati lamb fried rice!! Guys, when he handed us our food it was so hot I could barely hold it that's how fresh it was! I am so glad they have a long table with chairs where you can sit and eat because there's no way I was waiting. Granted, it is a very small seating area, could probably fit another table just to accommodate more people BUT you can always eat in your car. Anyway, this place is insane good, if you live in Austin or are visiting, you have got to try Lucky Halal!

    Photos
    Lucky Halal Mediterranean Indian and Nepali Food
    Chicken over Rice Plate
    Chicken over Rice Plate
    Menu

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    Electric Gravy Mumbai Bar & Canteen

    Electric Gravy Mumbai Bar & Canteen

    4.0
    (62 reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$

    Go here for their happy hour! Soooo good and amazing value for money…read more This place is basically Indian street food fusion with texas flavors. Their brisket curry was off the charts. They also have a really nice ambiance that transports you to an Indian island

    Omg! I took my husband here for a date night and I can't stop thinking about it! We sat at the bar…read moreand David took care of us. He was so lovely to talk to and gave the best suggestions. He was definitely not wrong when he said anything we choose we will love. The HH has all of the items on the menu for $5 which is fabulous. It is not a huge menu but a great one to start off with a cocktail, beer or snack before you dive into the full menu. Everything we tried was full of flavor from the cocktails to the naan. I had to buy 2 naan's to take home because I couldn't leave my leftovers so sad and missing the great pairing. My husband and I split everything. We started with the HH samosas which came in a set of 2 (perfect, we each got one and didn't have to fight over them). Then we got the Saag gravy with shrimp and the chicken Tikka. My husband favored the Saag and I favored the tikka but both were well balanced and FULL of flavor. We ended with a cocktail each. He got the Whiskey Uncle which I thought was such an interesting flavor profile but it WORKED! I have never had a whiskey drink with peanut and garam masala. I had the Mumbai 75. It was a light and refreshing drink that looks beautiful as well. I took a photo and instantly sent it to 2 people who NEED to come and get it. They will adore it.

    Photos
    Indoor vibe
    Indoor vibe
    Queso and cauliflower bites
    Queso and cauliflower bites
    Electric Gravy Mumbai Bar & Canteen

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    Madras Dhaba

    Madras Dhaba

    4.5
    (158 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $

    Milestone Review Time: I KNEW that the only way to celebrate my 450th Yelp Review is by being…read moreMadras Dhaba's 158th Yelp Review. I shall gate keep no longer and let everyone in on not only what/where my number one fav Indian joint is but why. So let's go! It's a food truck. Yup, a food truck off E. 6th in downtown Austin TX pumping out the Indian food of my dreams. Confession Session: I have never personally visited said food truck or been to this location. But every single visit to ATX includes me ordering Madras Dhaba delivery to my hotel. Turn around time has always been rather quick and accurate. So what are my go-to orders? They are their delish and slightly spicy two piece samosa, their paratha, and saag paneer. This place has odd hours, apparently closed on Wed, and I typically will order on Thurs nights. I have found that their menu offerings can vary depending on when you're ordering. On a Tues they didn't have Saag Panner on the menu so I opted for Panner Tiki Masala, still delish but not as good as that Saag Panner. Also their rice is S O good! I've recently found myself also ordering their Panner Tikka Tacos and yes...those have now become an absolute staple that I feel inclined to include in every order. Don't you judge me. I have also had their Veg Biriyani and was satisfied with that as well. TBH I have legit never been disappointed with anything I have had from Madras Dhaba. The flavors, the portions, the price. They all come together and create what I have previously described as my fav Indian joint. Will I end up visiting in person, I would hazard a guess and say yes, some day I will actually eat at the food truck. But until then, you can find me ordering delivery from them and having way too much food that is way too good to be as cheap as it is at my hotel. That's it. That's the review.

    Tried Chicken vindaloo and chicken curry…read more On all the curries, something is wrong with flavor / ingredients, chicken doesn't taste fresh either. To reiterate, favors / spices feel out of sort in proportion therefore tasting very far from authentic curries of the cuisine. Would prefer better quality even if price needs to be raised.

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    Food Truck Area
    Food Truck Area
    Veg Briyani
    Veg Briyani
    Chana masala

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    Chana masala
    Clay Pit

    Clay Pit

    3.9
    (2.2k reviews)
    2.4 mi
    $$

    I'm surprised this place doesn't have a higher rating because the experience a friend and I had…read morehere was one of the best experiences I've had with Indian food. The Chakra Martini was refreshing and had a perfect kick of heat. I love spicy food, but not spicy drinks. However, this was just enough heat with a delicious refreshing flavor, it's now one of my new favorite drinks. We started our food experience with the Dahi Puri, which were delightful, popping with flavor. Another new favorite. The main course we shared was the Khuroos-E-Tursh and it instantly became my new go-to dish when I go for Indian food. The magic in that was two-fold: chicken medallions stuffed with a creamy spinach, mushroom, and onion mix, and the pistachio-creamy korma sauce. Absolutely magnificent. Not only was the food a 10, the service was impeccable as well. I will call out that we sat at the bar instead of a table, but we were immediately greeted by the bartenders, who were conversational, charismatic, charming, and all-around helpful. I highly recommend Clay Pit and can't wait to go back for more.

    Celebrated an anniversary with an early dinner this week. Clay Pit is one of my favorite…read morerestaurants in Austin. The folks are friendly, the service as usual was exceptional, and food...so yummy. We started with the garlic naan as an app plus an espresso martini and a Mumbai Mule, we loved both. For dinner I had the butter chicken and my partner had the Biryani, plus an order of the cheesy garlic naan. We each loved ours, and took home enough food for two more meals. Took the chocolate cake to go, which also turned out to be delicious. Thumbs up all the way around. By the way, I used to work with a woman who moved here from India about 20 years ago. I asked her once what her favorite local Indian food was, and she said some Indians don't think it's traditional enough but my favorite is Clay Pit.

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    Clay Pit
    Clay Pit
    Clay Pit

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    Nimto Nepali Kitchen

    Nimto Nepali Kitchen

    4.5
    (33 reviews)
    0.5 mi

    Absolutely delicious! We came for the momos and ended up trying a bunch of different dishes…read more(including delicious momos). We came as a group of 5 during a soccer match and had no trouble getting seated- they did have the game playing on a large tv at the back but didn't bother us. The staff was very friendly, happy to answer questions, and also was careful to let us know when we were ordering crazier dishes but didn't push back when we said yeah we want to try it XD I forgot to write this review right away and I can't remember exactly what combo of fillings we got with our momos, but they were all great. The chilly sauce one was good though on the sweet side- some of the group weren't a big fan but I loved it I think the spice balances out the sweet. If we didn't have multiple flavors to try I may have gotten tired of it but I really enjoyed having all the different versions. I think the Jhol was my favorite- the spicy sauce was delicous and I dipped some of the other items in it once we finished the momos! We also tried the sandheko ones which were fun and unique- the herbs/veggies they were tossed with were great. We also tried the special khaja set- this was super fun and something I had never tried before. We all agreed that most restaurants in Austin advertising Nepali food usually serve typical Indian dishes plus momos, so it was fun and exciting to have other Nepali dishes I had never tried on the menu! The set was great, the flattened rice wasn't my favorite but it sure was interesting! I'd highly recommend it if you want to try something new! The only dish I personally didn't enjoy (this is the one the server warned us about) was a mutton dish. I can't pinpoint what menu item it is but it was just pieces of mutton with some spices to dip them in. My husband enjoyed this and ate a good portion but I found it to be so incredibly gamey I could barely finish the first piece lol. Absolutely no points off as it was definitely a personal preference thing and awesome that they have adventurous options! We also got a curry of some sort that was delicious, and some great mixed drinks. We all agreed that we absolutely must come back and try more of the massive menu!!

    Super delicious and fragrant! When I heard there was an Indian/Nepali restaurant open near where I…read morelive, I was so excited. It's where the old Cici's Pizza used to be! Honestly I wish I could try out the whole menu in one sitting. The only thing is I'm not very experienced in this cuisine, so I had to look up a lot of the foods from the menu on my phone. I don't remember what I got but these are both chicken! It was great though. It's calm and moody inside. The servers are kind and check up on you in a timely manner.

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    Nimto Nepali Kitchen
    Pani puri
    Pani puri
    Nimto Nepali Kitchen

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    Bombay To Kathmandu

    Bombay To Kathmandu

    4.4
    (71 reviews)
    5.9 mi

    Picture this...heavy thunderstorms...rain is so heavy it literally feels like cats and dogs are…read morehitting your roof. That is what happened today. It is the type of day that makes you want to eat comfort food. Bombay to Kathmandu was the ideal place for some lentil soup and naan. My soup was steaming hot and my naan quite tasty. Walking into Bombay to Kathmandu feels like being transported around the world. The beaded curtains, tin doors and other Indian Nepali artifacts made the place appear authentic. I placed my order with the cashier, who was warm and welcoming. The menu is remarkably diverse, offering classic Indian favorites alongside traditional Nepali dishes, which makes it stand out. The restaurant is known for its momos, curry dishes and aromatic sauces. Importantly, there are plenty of options for both meat lovers and vegetarians. Their creative fusion items, including curry inspired pizzas are their specialties. My soup was quite generous and filling. Prices are reasonable, and the food consistently delivers big on taste. The staff was friendly and willing to help with spice levels and menu recommendations.

    I had a platter of different dumplings and a chicken noodle soup. The flavors were very interesting…read morein traditional Chinese dishes. I ate everything, it was so good. I would definitely come back!

    Photos
    Bombay To Kathmandu
    Chickpeas with tomatoes, herbs and spices
    Chickpeas with tomatoes, herbs and spices
    A wholesome Nepali meal featuring Basmati rice, lentil soup, seasonal veg curry,  Nepali-style lamb curry, achar (pickles), desert and fresh

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    A wholesome Nepali meal featuring Basmati rice, lentil soup, seasonal veg curry, Nepali-style lamb curry, achar (pickles), desert and fresh
    RAS MODERN INDIAN

    RAS MODERN INDIAN

    4.6
    (42 reviews)
    1.7 mi

    Food was delicious and came out quickly. Perfect stop on the way to the airport. The samosa chat…read moreis a must, it was the best! We also tried the cremini, pea and paneer curry which was good. The trailer is not much to look at, which in our experience usually means great food! Orders are placed inside the store (they have a great selection inside of other items as well), then food is prepared and picked up at the trailer outside. There is nowhere to eat (we ate in our car) but a great option for takeout.

    How have I lived so close by and taken 5 years to discover the best Indian food in South Austin!…read moreBeing Indian myself, I am quite particular about preparations such as malai kofta and find that most places skimp out on the good stuff, but not here. First, there is so much variety on the menu, including several options for vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and soy-free customers. I ordered the malai kofta, which was absolutely decadent. They served 3 large kofta balls and plenty of gravy. All bowls come with rice. I can't believe they only charge $12 for this meal that can easily fill you up and satisfy. We also ordered the paneer fried rice ($10) and Gobi Manchurian. The quantities were similarly generous, preparations tasted fresh and flavorful, and prices were unbelievably reasonable. I might be addicted to this place already and can't wait to try other items, including their dosas.

    Photos
    Front of store and food truck
    Front of store and food truck
    Cremini, Pea, and Paneer Curry
    Cremini, Pea, and Paneer Curry
    RAS MODERN INDIAN

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    Samay Chai - coffee - Updated August 2026

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