Travelers Thali House

Travelers Thali House Will Close In June | Eater Seattle

"Sad news for fans of meatless dining: the popular all-vegetarian Indian restaurant in Beacon Hill that has operated since 2011 announced on its official Facebook page that it will be closing, with June 1–2 slated as its final weekend of service. I always appreciated its vegetable-filled thali platters—small stainless steel bowls with combinations of butter dal, smoky mashed eggplant, fried okra, and other Indian specialties—and its savory items like the crispy gol gappa stuffed with diced potatoes, tamarind chutney, and spicy pepper water. Travelers began as a Capitol Hill tea shop in the late ’90s and later converted a Beacon Hill house into an intimate, comfortable dining room, and that atmosphere complemented the food, which earned spots on Eater Seattle’s Incredible Indian Restaurants and Best Vegetarian Restaurants guides; praise from The Seattle Times for dishes such as asparagus tarkari and samosas; and a Seattle Met nod for having “the most interesting vegetarian fare going in Seattle.” Co-owners Allen Kornmesser and Leon Reed explained on the restaurant’s website that Kornmesser’s prior health problems, a contentious rent situation at their previous Capitol Hill location, and mounting debt made the business unsustainable, though the Travelers brand will continue to sell Indian spices and teas online and wholesale and another restaurant will take over the space (identity unknown). Thankfully, there are still a couple of weeks left for fans to indulge in those thalis and say a proper goodbye." - Gabe Guarente