Botiwalla by Chai Pani
Indian restaurant · Atlanta ·
Indian street food, wraps, burgers, skewers, high tea
Indian street food, wraps, burgers, skewers, high tea
"While their parent restaurant Chai Pani has the edge with a bigger menu, Botiwalla is a reliable spot for a fast-casual Indian meal. This Ponce City Market counter-service stall focuses on street foods. Think: puffed sev potato dahi puris with a sweet yogurt, a delicious chicken tikka roll on a buttery naan, and other eat-on-the-go dishes that make it easier to dodge strollers and wandering tourists. Plus, they do an Irani cafe high tea during the week from 3-5pm—precisely when we like to retreat for cardamom-spiced masala chai, cookies, and a general reprieve from PCM chaos." - juli horsford, jacinta howard, nina reeder
"Botiwalla is a fast-casual Indian street food stall from the popular Chai Pani team. But just one meal here brings this Ponce City Market spot out of the shadow of its sister restaurant and into its own spotlight as a must-visit. Perfectly puffed sev potato dahi puris pair well with any of the sandwiches like the very good chicken tikka roll, served with a fresh slaw in a buttery naan. The layers of flavors in every dish feel fine-tuned, like when the buns on the cumin lamb sliders are brushed with ghee before being slightly toasted. There’s nothing on this menu that’s skippable. Nothing. So you might as well invite along the crispy, dry-rubbed wings to your order, too. Come through when you want something quick but filling for lunch or dinner without sacrificing on taste. Food Rundown Masala Smashed Potatoes These crispy fingerling potatoes are tossed with salt and lime juice, and come out a little smashed. Dipping them in the sweet and spicy ketchup gives them an extra boost of flavor that helps start your meal off on the right foot. MG Road Wings You get six dry-rubbed wings per order. They’re super crispy and taste best dipped in their creamy, mildly spicy desi ranch. These make for a nice appetizer. SDP - Potato Dahi Puris These don't travel well, so only order them if you're eating inside. Six of the perfectly puffed puris sit on a plate. One bite of these explodes with a burst of yogurt, sweet chutneys, and chunks of potatoes. Botiwalla Lamb Burgers These two mini sliders pack a flavorful punch. The thin lamb patties have all kinds of seasoning—cumin, chillies, and cilantro. They’re topped with a cabbage mix, green chutney, and ketchup that combine to make the sliders taste light and fresh. You have to order this. Chicken Tikka Roll Their chicken tikka is good enough to eat on its own. But we like it even better when it’s wrapped in a buttery naan and mixed with a creamy cabbage slaw that has a hint of cumin." - Juli Horsford
"A local restaurant that pivoted to aid recovery efforts by converting its downstairs into a storefront for a demolished Christmas store, an example of how hospitality businesses repurposed space and resources in the aftermath of the storm." - Kayleigh Ruller
"Botiwalla serves tasty Indian street food, including puffed sev potato dahi puris and a nice variety of wraps. There are some standouts, like the chicken tikka, which comes with plenty of slaw inside a buttery naan. You can grab anything here to go, but there’s also an Iranian high tea ($6.95 for two people weekdays from 3-5pm). Turns out that sipping masala chai and nibbling Parle G cookies while a Bollywood soundtrack plays over the speakers is a great break from Ponce’s mayhem. Like H&F, this fast-casual counter service spot also has an excellent sister restaurant (Chai Pani)." - juli horsford, nina reeder, jacinta howard
"Set in Ponce City Market, this boisterous stall is part of the Chai Pani brand of restaurants, and the brainchild of award-winning chef Meherwan Irani. The hyper-casual restaurant stall with counter service offers popular Indian street foods like chaat and sev puri dahi puri or SPDP — a snack mix of puffed crisps filled with potatoes, doused in spicy, sweet, and tangy chutneys and smothered in chickpea vermicelli or sev. With a large selection of wraps like chicken tikka and lamb boti kebab rolls, tamarind glazed spare ribs, burgers, and grilled skewers, there is something for everyone at Botiwalla. It includes a few vegetarian and vegan options, too. The staff is happy to make recommendations for dietary preferences. The in-house spice blends from Irani’s Spicewalla are available for purchase here." - Nandita Godbole