Munch India

Munch India operates with quiet rigor from a compact storefront just off Shattuck. There is no dining room, only a kitchen. The entire floor plan is devoted to the hotline and prep station. There is no freezer, only refrigeration. Ingredients are purchased daily, mostly from Berkeley Bowl a few blocks away. Orders are placed online each morning before noon; cooking begins after. The daily walk-in menu is limited, changes daily, and is prepared to order. The results are consistently superb. Spicing is precise, textures are balanced, and the dishes—drawn from across India—reflect deep training and care. The chefs, Diana Afroza and Nick Ahmed, have cooked professionally since the early 1990s, with backgrounds in Boston, Europe, and India. Prices are extremely reasonable given the quality and labor involved. They are searching for a larger, dine-in location. If they find one, their costs—and likely their prices—will rise. For now, this is high-level regional Indian cooking, offered at below-market prices. It smells wonderful inside and the people you’ll meet are awesome. Order while you can.

THE Best Indian restaurant I have ever tried. The place is small but cosy, the kitchen is open so you can see the preparation. The menu is rather small but changes frequently. Do not forget to book! A definite must go in Berkeley.

The Bombay butter chicken was reallyyy good 🤤🔥 the chicken was tender and sauce was delicious - the best butter chicken I’ve had in the US so far! But I had to leave 3 stars because everything else was just okay. I had the samosa, chana dal, basmati pulao, & garlic naan. The garlic naan was the biggest let down 😞💔 it was too thick (like pizza dough instead of the thin, flaky naan dough) & had big chunks of garlic on top, so the garlic flavor was unpleasant & overwhelming 😢😢. The people seemed really nice though.

Wonderful experience. Delicious food, great service. If feeling like we were in a family kitchen but fed Michelin star food. Will definitely visit again.

Authentic, delicious, and well curated! It's a family run business, and the experience is obviously crafted with care. Excellent vegetarian options -- try the gobi with all the sides. The pulao, dal, and phulka are a complete meal all by themselves. Attentive service, charming ambiance, and lovely hammered copper decorations are highlights. BE HERE

Munch is excellent. An absolute must among East Bay restaurants. The spice was so well balanced, the meat tender and cooked perfectly. We walked in and ordered to-go ~20min wait and worth every minute. Not sure if there's a seating area inside -If no, that would be the only thing this place is missing. Great conversation with who I'm assuming is the owner. Apologies not getting your name sir but my girlfriend and I will undoubtedly be back in no time at all.

I love what they're doing here. The food is insanely good and I think the ordering system is brilliant—allowing for less food waste and an expansive menu. My wife also wants to point out that it was ready promptly. Tbh it could have been an hour late and I still would have given in 5 stars.

Some of the best Indian food I've had in my life. It's a little complicated-- you either have to order well ahead of time or walk in for their modest take out menu, which has like only 5 items or so. And then after you walk in, it takes another 20 min or so( it's a tiny place, no seating). But everything we got was exceptional---