Doaba Deli

Original Indian food taste. Being Indian and dining in most Indian restaurants in nyc I assure you, this is how food taste in Indian homes (not the restaurant). High end restaurants alter the food taste to fit the customer’s taste which is way different than original taste. If you are craving for original Indian food taste this is the right place. Space is small and tables are less. Consider ordering online if it’s rush hours or expecting great hosting experience. Rate is very low and affordable. I will recommend 10$ Thali and/or 5$ aloo paratha with curd and mango pickle if you are eating Indian food first time. It’s not a fancy restaurant and it’s run by an old couple. Restaurant is open and all foods available from lunch time to late night. It’s a pure vegetarian restaurant, no meat and no wines/bear is served.

They make paratha and roti like my mom. I hope they succeed for years to come. Love the daal.

BEST Indian food I’ve had since being in NYC for a month. I went two night in a row it was so good and I’m a meat eater but the flavors and spice is so perfect that I do not need the meat! The owner and his wife are so kind. You can tell they put all of their love into the food!

Had the thali tray ($10). with a choice of 4 items and 2 large freshly made rotis. All choices were vegetarian. Pretty flavorful. One dish was chili spicy. The rest were well spiced and each tasted different. Dine in, 3 tables, 11 seats. Bathroom.

Food was super tasty but too spicy for me. Definitely only eat here if you have high spice tolerance

The most comforting spot in NYC, I feel at home when I visit. Food is incredibly delicious and consistent, tastes just like home. Love the people here, favorite eatery in all of NYC

Absolutely the best healthiest vegetarian home cooked food you can get anywhere! Spiced to perfection with abundance of cumin seeds! If you want to get rid of fat, cholesterol and have other health issues, Fresh Punjab vegan Indian food is the way to go! With fresh baked Roti you will get addicted ..

Indian vegetarian done right. Among the best traditional Indian food in NYC and that is saying something. One of the places that you say - “if you know you know” Hole in the wall so don’t expect ambiance but the food is delicious.

You often seek refuge in restaurants that serve good food at an affordable price with a disarming smile--they remind you of home in a broader sense. Doaba checks off those boxes spectacularly well. The parathas and dal are freshly made. The chai is piping hot. All their food is vegetarian. And the ambience is the New York version of a hole-in-the-wall Punjabi restaurant in Delhi. While farther away for me relative to Punjabi Deli downtown, Doaba has more seating and is fairly easy to access with public transportation. It is a convenient stop for cab drivers looking for a quick bite or cup of coffee. I wish their restrooms were limited to use by paying customers, but the friendly disposition of the owners might come in the way of enforcement. Hard to believe I only tried them recently although they have been around for 15 years. I look forward to returning to Doaba when I am in the neighborhood again.

I was hoping this would be similar to the Indian sweets and Spices store and deli on the west coast but sadly it wasn't. I came by in the evening and grabbed a to-go plate of three sides and rice. The server was really kind. All the food was bland and lacking flavor, sadly. I won't be back.

Places like Doaba Deli make my heart go pitter patter. It's a hole in the wall with grimy, papered-over windows that serves a completely vegetarian menu for a pittance ($10 for three options as of April 2024). When you enter, you'll find yourself in to a tiny, narrow room with three sticky tables for eating in. Through a doorway to the right, you'll see a steam table with several options on offer and the small, connected kitchen in the back. On my visit, options on offer included aloo baingan, channa dal and matar paneer. To be completely truthful, I did not love the preparations I tried. The aloo baingan was overly soupy, with eggplants and potatoes cut into huge, unwieldy pieces. Channa dal had been soaked from dried (good!) and boiled with some salt, but had not been noticeably seasoned in any other way. (I have to wonder if the very sweet young man working the counter perhaps misunderstood its readiness level and served the channa dal before it'd been incorporated into a dish! It was from the back of the kitchen, not in the steam table.) The matar paneer was the best of the bunch -- a little too liquidy, but the paneer and peas were in good balance, the dish flavorful. (Unfortunately, in my mind, I can hear my Pardner's 80-year-old Indian aunt complaining about the food tasting like it was made by a man... and it was. ;) I did quite enjoy the samosas filled with potatoes and peas, which were somehow held warm, but not dried out and stale. And I'm a total sucker for chaats, so will likely return to sample that section of the menu -- as well as the aloo kulcha, which Alan S., one of my favorite Yelpers whose tastebuds I trust 300%, has praised. (Presumably the tandoor has been fixed since 2018?!) I also loved the mixture of patrons on my visit: polite, young, Desi college students; grizzled white hippies; Nepalese Americans, etc... Doaba doesn't serve the best Punjabi / Pakistani / Bangladeshi food to be had in NYC to be certain -- but the friendly, warm, welcoming feel of the place, the low-brow, sticky charm... and maybe the memories it evokes for me of friends, travel, street food... it all twangs my heartstrings.

Came at an off hour so maybe that's why it was flavorful than expected. The lentils were on the more watery side. The value is there but it's Ight.

Love the paranthas and rotli here and they're super affordable too! The perfect spot to get some chai and samosas. This is a cab driver favorite spot which make sense since it's super quick and reliable. Dahi here is also made fresh every day and it's one of my favorite things. The sabzis definitely lean oilier so they're not my favorite.

This had been on my list for maybe 2 years, with a decided Indian feel in the middle of Harlem. It had a voice. Lime colored walls and a large wall menu that looks like it's from the 70s. Of course the food smells great and you always see Indians eating there, It's a small place - hole in the wall for real. It's almost kind of hard to figure out where the door is, which fixes this Alice in Wonderland through the looking glass feel. Place is clean but maybe a little dusty and worn. In this day I popped in to look at the menu and check on office hours. A lone man, worker, cook sat in the small empty dining area with old wood chairs it was comfortable, although bright. The walls displayed abstract art, a dripped on mix of muted pastels. 'No menu'. He said, but in a friendly open way then added, "go inside". I walked up the step to the other area which was essentially the kitchen, where you choose your food selection from a hot bar. There were deserts too, pans of different colored balls and so on. A kind older man told me about what was for offer: cauliflower, potatoes, spinach, peas w ghee. I was stumped happy and told him I'd be back (after a few drinks at Bobs your Uncle down the way). ' 3 vegetables for $8" he said. He was sincere and humble and maybe 92 - makin the donuts. Hell yeah. So after a few drinks at Bobs, I came back and was surprised they took Apple Pay. I got a piece of this white stuff w almonds for dessert for $1. I devoured it when I got home. The cauliflower was spicy, the ghee? (Cheese cubes)was delish and the dessert yummy. Good cheap food by sweet people what more can you ask for. Side note ; everything's vegetarian.

Great food at a great price point! Doaba's combo lets you try three dishes and two roti (or rice) for $8. The portions are quite filling and tasty, and the food tastes comforting and homey. I would say it's less salty than some other restaurant food (but still plenty flavorful). The roti is made to order and is great! One thing is, it seems like not all dishes are always available (like naan). Also, the combo wasn't listed on the menu (and apparently there is a smaller, single dish size for $4 which I was also offered?), which was a little confusing for a first-time visitor. But overall, I'd recommend coming here for cheap, tasty, and filling food! Also, the hours are great--they only close for half an hour a day!

went on a recommendation from a lovely friend. Ordered a takeout of Missiparotta and butter roti but came home and saw it was something else, Methi Parotta no missi no butter rotti. what a disappointment. Well, samosa and chai were good!

Cheap and delicious no frills vegetarian Indian food. For $8 you get a big container of rice/bread with a choice 3 items. I went with cauliflower, spinach and chick peas. Cauliflower was my favorite but all were seasoned well without being salty or oily. We also got samosas. Potatoes were seasoned really nicely and dough had a slight chewiness. That might be my favorite item. Service was also great.

Doaba Deli is a small vegetarian space with big flavors. I got a $10 combo with two kinds of dal, eggplant with potatoes and chick peas. The samosas looked impressive - didn't get one tonight but I'll be back soon. The guy who worked there was very friendly and helpful in describing what was available.

1. Ordered shahi paneer and got mattar paneer 2. Entrees don't come with rice and don't tell you 3. Kadi pakoda super watery 1+2+3 = Will never order from this place again This is legitimately the worst Indian takeout I've ever had. $45 down the drain. Very disappointing as I had great expectations for this "authentic" spot.

This place is the ideal example of a mom and pop shop. The people there are so warm and homey. It's not very fancy from the outside or the inside but don't let it deter you from trying their food. The food feels like it's home cooked. The fare is all vegetarian but you won't miss the meat. I came here especially for the Aloo (potato) Paratha and the Paneer (Indian style cheese) Paratha. You can add yogurt as a side (suggested) . Their chai is also really good. It's prepared the Indian way with milk and sugar (sorry Vegans) . Nothing beats piping hot Parathas with chai on a cold day. Also took Palak+Sarso (Spinach + Mustard greens) vegetable which is my favorite in the winters. I'm sure their dals and other veggies would be as good as the Palak. The prices of their items is very nominal. You don't have to break a bank to eat good food. Do visit them if you're in the area. Hope they are here for a long long time.

Absolutely the best healthiest vegetarian home cooked food you can get anywhere! Spiced to perfection with abundance of cumin seeds! If you want to get rid of fat, cholesterol and have diabetes, Fresh Punjab vegan Indian food is the way to go! With fresh baked Roti you will get addicted ..

A small hole in the wall that serves good authentic veg indian food. The prices are cheap and the people that work there are nice.

I found my favorite go-to Indian takeout spot in my new neighborhood! Even though the exterior may not look super glamorous, the staff was so friendly and welcoming and the food truly tasted super homecooked and amazing! It's also really affordable -- one lunch plate is rice/roti plus 3 vegetarian curries/daal for just $8!! They typically have 8 options for vegetarian dishes a d they have yummy samosas and chai! I highly recommend this place if you are craving some delicious, flavorful, non-greasy and very authentic Indian food! I've already been here twice in the past week and my boyfriend and roommates love it too!

If you are craving authentic home cooked Punjabi vegetarian food - this place will hit all the right buttons. I had a combo meal with Black Dal, Rajma and Punjabi Chole along with a Tawa Roti and one Samosa and one Plain Lassi. Cost me $11. Filled me up. I could have forced myself to have another Tawa Roti....they are big though light and fresh!! Language is inadequate to describe the feelings I felt with every bite. IYKYK - the filling in the samosa - as Punjabi as it could get - took me back to my childhood weekend evenings with my grandparents where tea and samosas were somewhat of a routine. It's a trek from my midtown residence but I hope to make it more frequent. Requesting the community to support/frequent this establishments. We as a collective need to find a way to help these establishments survive. Especially in these troubled times.

Among the best Indian food I have had. I ordered Dal Tadka (a yellow sauce) over rice, Palak Paneer (spinach), Matar Paneer (green peas and cheese), Aloo Gobi (cauliflower), Samosas, and Chai Tea. Everything tasted great, but I'd recommend their Chai Tea, Samosas, Aloo Gobi, Matar Paneer, and Dal Tadka.

Simple, real, authentic Indian food. If you want a taste of home, grab a bite here. This is a home-cooked meal.

SETUP: Thanksgiving in the City CAST Me and the Suz RANK: Don't be scared... SCENE: In the upper west side, we there jones'en for lunch. Doaba Deli flew to the top of Yelp featuring 4.5 stars with one $ symbol. Sure. Ok. When we arrived, it was confusing and kinda scary -- looking like somewhere Manhattan (and India) forgot. After hedging (even thinking of passing), we dove in. With the kind Indian woman as our guide (we couldn't understand 1/2 of what she said) we received an $8 plate of goodness. Well, an $8 of anything in the city that is north of **** is great. And .. it was! So don't be scared -- go and get authentic India's food!

Very poor quality food with absolutely no hygiene. They also never give you a recepit, its a cash only shop as they change prices based their biases about how you look. I saw it first hand, when a non Indian person asked them about listed prices they quoted higher prices on each item while someone before that person just ordered from same menu for less. I did question the person at the counter about that and he asked me they do it all the time in native (Punjabi) language. I was shocked and left without ordering as not sure in this day and age people should be penalized to pay more based on how they look. They also had very poor hygiene. When I was their I saw a rat roaming around next to the counter that went right in the kitchen area next to where Chai (tea) is made. I bet, if people see that they will never ever come to this place. Just go across street or a block or two to get better Indian food.

Omg what an absolute gem. Was in Edgewater, NJ and had to her to Williamsburg so I jumped on Yelp to see what kind of vegan friendly joint I could find. After seeing over 4 stars I knew this was the spot. First off, the owner is super nice. Had a great talk and he hooked me up with this ridiculous seasoned bread. Then the prices. Unreal. $7 for a combo plate with 3 different veggies and rice. I got two plates with okra, eggplant, squash, Chana, dhaal and palak. Everything was outstanding as well as the Samosa. I don't get up to the UWS at all but definitely have to make a special trip here any chance I get. Don't miss out.

Great home cooked food , best taken home to eat! Pay cash at deli or Can also order on Seamless

This place serves authentic wholesome Indian food at a steal. The food is vegetarian and includes a good variety of items. The cooking is light and nuanced, much like what you will find at an Indian home. And the tea and samosas, chances are this place is worth a visit just to enjoy the tea and samosas. You can check out my post here for more details. https://www.instagram.com/p/CWzbE5wt6sn/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

I come here a couple of times a week. So cheap and flavorful and healthy. Great chai, some of the best I've had outside India.

Serious hole-in-the-wall, amazing deliciousness. It's vegetarian but has some serious umami. We paid $17 for a plate of food, two drinks, two naan and another bowl of rice with curry. The guy made the naan right in front of me! Plus it's open until 4am, so, perfect for getting your late-night snack on. The deserts are frightening though. Eat them at your own peril.

Kind chef, delicious vegeterian menus, free chai tea and flavorful lassi.

If you are looking for home cooked meals during your NYC trip then this is the right place for you. Do not pay attention to ambience or look of the place but just enjoy the taste of the food served here. Good value for money for awesome food.

I was very sad to learn about the malfunction of Doaba Deli's tandoor, as they once made what I considered to be the best Amritsari kulcha in the NYC area. It seems the owners are in hopes of reviving the operation, as they have not yet removed kulchas from the menuboard. In the interim, the parathas are delicious (although in my opinion could use a little more kala namak in the filling, if you prefer a kick) and pair well with a chai.

Great fresh home cooked Indian. Highly recommend the parathas and roti. Ordered several dishes and everything was very good. Will definitely return.

Delicious vegetarian Indian cuisine with several options, some interchanging. The best deal is the $8 lunch option for four veggies in a plate. I had chana masala, mixed veggies, rice, a vitamin mixed spicy vegetable option, and a tofu blend with peas. My friend got the same except with the spinach dish (delicious with roti dipped in!). Everything in the dish was yummy! I had enough for two meals. We ordered four samosas - THAT WAS TOO MANY!!! They're enormous!! They're also very soft, which I'm not used to, and are much better when tossed in the oven at home for a few minutes. They were out of naan bread on the day we went, but the roti was good. The owners are very friendly. As other reviewers have mentioned, there are only three tables inside. All in all, delicious vegetarian Indian options in a great location. Good for after central park. Pros: All vegetarian options, authentic flavors, great owners, very reasonable prices, delicious entrees, large portions Cons: Some options may not be available every day, when busy seating is very limited, samosas are a bit soft, it can be cold inside when it's cold outside

The most authentic Indian place you get! And not to mention the crazy cheap prices! They're so friendly and nice- we walked in not realIzing it's cash only and the lady said we can just grab the food and give her the money tomorrow. Obviously we went to the closest ATM and got cash immediately but wow!

This place is aactually known for the verifiable authenticity of its food-- but they'll talk to you in English! Samosas are not included in the meal deal, but it's really worth it to try one even for the extra money. The chai tea also "hits the spot," as the expression goes: somehow its a kind of tea that tastes as though it were made to go with milk. Featuring: two taxi drivers were my company eating here late at night. One of them, from turkey, declared to me solemnly that he generally ate one meal a day (here) before going to riverside drive to sleep; for somehow everything is Vegetarian yet more filling than if you had eaten meat

A hole in the wall but super authentic indian paratha place. We always get two parathas and one of the combos to share. The parathas are freshly made and taste very good and have a good amount of filling. The curries are consistently good and they arent the usual super rich curries you usually get in the states. It's not quite an ambiance place so I suggest box them parathas walk to the park and sit under a tree and enjoy them while the sparrows and squirrels look on in jealousy.

True story ~ first time I came here I was sketched out. Didn't make it in. Second time I reminded myself the best places are usually the sketchiest anyway. Boy am I glad I went! It's a tiny little place with three tables for eating (we ate with kind strangers) and to the right are a few steps to where the magic happens. A delightful old lady is there to serve you food. There's only one option (so ignore the menu board). You get naan or rice and four options. I got the spinach, potato and peas, chickpeas and eggplant. She added a fifth scoop of lentils for me ! Everything was yum. I'm very familiar with authentic Indian food, and this place is AUTHENTIC. They even have the candied fennel seeds and pickled mango for your taking. A must try.

The place is a dump and the bathroom is a horror but the lentils , chickpeas and other legumes are a star : the fresh buttered roti is crispy goodness. Skip the mixed veggies.

I would give this place 6 stars if it was possible. Please do yourself a favor and go in person or order over the phone. Ordering over a delivery app is inefficient since the menu changes every day and the menus on all of the apps don't update. Highly recommend the okra (which always sells out), cauliflower, peas and paneer, spinach, and most recently I've tried the radish as well as the squash. Samosas are always amazing. They also have a shelf of savory and sweet snacks and lassi in the fridge. Their paratha is made to order and can be filled with onion, potato or cheese. If you're interested in the biriyani, call ahead 30 mins before and place your order because the owner makes it from scratch for each person. There's so much love that goes into the food here and the folks who work here are exceptionally kind and welcoming to everyone. They have tons of loyal and repeat customers and there is a reason why! This place is truly a gem!

Delicious food & extremely reasonable - got the aloo parantha, sarson ka saag (mustard greens), palak paneer, chana masala, and bhindi. All were delicious and I'll be back soon!

Such a steal! Got the four curry platter for $8. The curries were delicious and I couldn't finish my food for the life of me. I finished my meal with some gulab jamun for dessert. I've never seen gulab so cheap other than when I was in Malaysia. $2 for two pieces! If you've never had gulab, it's like the Indian version of a donut hole, but much more dense and sweet since soaked in syrup. If you love sweets, give it a try :)

Maybe the best plate of vegetarian Indian food i've ever had! 4 vegetarian sides, a small salad, 2 large pieces of nann and a chai tea, all for only $7. What kind of sorcery is this?! I did not foresee my favorite meal in NYC that weekend coming from a hole-in-a-wall Vegetarian restaurant in the Upper West Side. I was initially a little bummed out about staying in the UWS, unaware of the food options in the area. However, I would stay there again just to revisit Doaba Deli. I ended up getting the chana masala (chickpea), aloo gobi (cauliflower), mattar paneer (peas and cheese) and a dal (lentil) dish. All the items were flavorful, without being too salty or spicy. You get a choice between two pieces of naan or rice. I'd say go for the nann, they were generously portioned and fresh. You know this place is legit, when there is a steady flow of cab drivers coming through the door every few minutes. That being said, there are only 4 small tables inside and it's not the most comfortable sit-down dining experience. With that said, the staff is extremely friendly. Doaba Deli should definitely be on your radar, if you happen to be in the Manhattan Valley area!

Solid Indian joint. Definitely considered a hole in the wall, and you know it's legit when you and your friend were the only 2 non-indians in the store. Got the combo platter, with 4 curries, a small salad, and a choice of roti, naan or rice. The curries I got were the cheese, lentil, spinach, and yogurt. My fav were the lentil and cheese. The spinach curry was a little too salty and oily for my liking and the yogurt curry was a little spicy for my taste. I chose the rotis (2 per serving) and they were made fresh to order. Yum. Got the chai as well; liked that they don't add sugar to it! A woman (probably the owner) came out with bowls of Kheer for the customers. Maybe they made too much? I didn't try it but my friend did and she said that it was a little sweet . Might stop by again to try the diff curries if I'm in the area. Be warned tho, only 3 tables and some standing room are available!

I think this place may have outlived its reputation. I've been there twice in the last couple of days, and neither time was I particularly impressed by the food. I'll probably give them another chance, but so far my experience has not been great. It's too bad because I was very excited to be staying in New York very close to here.

Food here was like therapy for the soul. As authentic as it can get! Low prices and generous quantities. Try the lassi and aloo paratha. Update: following visits have been disappointing. The place smells of urine. They're not cleaning those bathrooms well enough.

Had read great things about this place in AM Today newspaper and on Yelp so thought must pay a visit. When I got there was sorely disappointed. The prices were considerably higher then quoted on both the net and in AM Today by as much as 50%. I ordered a few dishes only to be advised none were available. Really it was the tray or samosa chaat. So why have a long menu? I looked at the vegetables and they all looked tired and I know enough about Indian food that can tell from the color and appearance if it will be any good. I decided to order a sweet lassi. Big mistake and it left a horrible aftertaste until I got a chance to brush my teeth as soon as I got home. I took a sip, that's odd it tastes likes its had twenty sugars added. Then the nasty spicy aftertaste hit me, I realized the same blender is used for spices and they hadn't cleaned it properly. Plus the lassi was very runny and full of ice cubes which was surprising for a Punjabi run place. As I left looked in the window and saw the Grade Pending sign, rounded off an already very disappointing experience. Got me thinking though that the man with the beard behind the counter, shouldn't he have his beard covered in accordance with food hygiene regulations? Perhaps its not a requirement in New York? Partially explains the Grade Pending though as glancing at the kitchen didn't look very clean.

We got takeout from here for lunch today. We asked for suggestion when we were at the counter. We were feeding 4. The food was outstanding. The Roti was freshly made and absolute delicious. We sampled 4 dished. All were fantastic. The okra was a bit spicy though for some. The paneer was spot on. The gentlemen working by cooking and serving were very nice and helpful. We will defiantly be back when we return to NYC at the end of the month.

On our recent visit to NYC, my sister Nish and brother in law introduced us to this gem. I have yet to come across a person who is as big a foodie as my sister, and when she suggests a place, you gotta try it. We are suckers for good paranthas (stuffed Indian breads) and when we learnt about this place , we obviously could not resist. Best part: its open 24 hours. Woot woot! After having a hearty dinner, we decided to hit Doaba Deli at around 11 PM in the night. We ordered Alloo (potato) paranthas and gobhi (cauliflower) paranthas with some indian curries. OMG, there was utter silence on the table for the next 10 minutes. It was a taste of Punjab ( state famous for parathas in India) in every bite. Doaba Deli will be our to go place on every visit to NY One minor gripe: They only have liquid butter. I wish they gave a dollop of Amul butter over every paratha.

We decided to pick up some Doaba thalis when driving out of the city. Not going to lie, driving while trying to eat cury wasn't the smartest take out food idea, but it was certainly the most delicious! So much so, that we have decided this will now be our new tradition when leaving NYC. No doubt about it, this place is a 5 star take out counter. There are about 10 choices of vegetarian cuties daily, all equally as delicious as the other. The flavours are authentic and spicy without being too spicy to enjoy. When you order the lunch thali, you get to choose 4 kinds of curies, so I naturally tried 8. I can't even name my favourite, they were all so good. From the dhal, to the paneer or the cabbage or potatoes, everything was crazy good. The value is unbeatable. For $8 you get a huge thali with 4 veg Punjab curies, rice, naan or paratha and a chai tea. You can eat here (there's a small dining room), but I suggest taking it to go.

Almost 2 years later, still just as delicious as I remember! :) Same people making amazing food in huge portions at affordable prices.

Great Indian vegetarian food for very affordable prices. This is a good place to swing by for college students and young working professionals to get a warm, no-frills meal. At first glance, it is a casual, hole-in-the-wall restaurant. But when you're actually there you feel transported to a time and place, an experience, when eating was an organic process. You come up to the front, choose some vegetables, beans, or lentils and then they bring your section styrofoam plate filled with your picks along with their just-made, warm roti. The owners endearingly serve you, always ready to enhance your experience--whether you want onions on the side or would like some chai during or after the meal. Their Punjabi Kadi I would say is their best offering, as the owners are Punjabi. Sometimes the flavors of the non-Punjabi offerings can be hit or miss. But there's no reason to not get a meal that tastes and feels home-cooked for a great deal!

I usually come here after my appointments at Mount Sinai. I don't know, man - I left NYC for a few months to stay in California; came back and ate here, and it's not the same. Maybe my taste buds are more refined now but for the first time, I ate half of the thali I ordered (I got it with dahl, sag paneer, a squash stew, and blanking on the other dish because this was in December), and threw out the rest. It tasted bland. I mean, definitely nothing some mango pickle can't fix, but it really was irreparable. Really sucks because the owners are so nice. Super kind, will go out of their way to help you in any way.