"After winning the 2022 James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurant, chef Meherwan Irani’s lighthearted homage to Indian street food outgrew the tiny downtown space where it earned its reputation, and in May, moved to much larger digs in the old Buxton Hall Barbecue location on Asheville’s South Slope. The move has allowed the restaurant to expand its menu as well as its signature buoyantly colorful decor and joyful Bollywood verve. Menu favorites like the kale pakoras and lime-kissed matchstick okra fries remain alongside new additions, including crispy sabudana vada tots and bihari steak kebab. Chai Pani still doesn’t take reservations, but on weekends guests can wait for their table with a grand view of the dining room from the upstairs cocktail and pani puri bar." - Gina Smith
