Taaza Indian Cuisine

I visited Taaza in Roanoke's Grandin Village to celebrate my mother's birthday. We ate lunch. On Sundays, lunch is served until 3. Then, Taaza closes until dinner hours begin at 4:30. The food was delicious and delivered quickly. I ate the Roasted Eggplant Bartha. The plating is more of a modern style. A variety of signature cocktails and mocktails are offered. If a dish is gluten free or vegan it is clearly labeled so on the menu. Several dishes were both gluten free AND vegan. Some street parking is available nearby, but paid parking is available right behind the restaurant. The server asked for the desired dish spiciness. I would suggest going for a lower level than you *think* you can tolerate (on a scale from 1-5).

This is a popular spot so it gets busy… not a knock on the restaurant but if you want something quiet and intimate it’s hard to get that here. The happy hour beers make up for all that though. The best part about this place is the affordability and the range of food as well. I know we say Indian food but this place really takes all of India and combines it into a menu. Good stuff. Thank you to the chefs and servers and bartender. Even through a power outage this place was still running good. Big thumbs up to the portions, I can order one dish and share it with my lover and we both feel satisfied at the end, that being said make sure you guys have the same spice level.. hahaha I definitely broke a sweat. Delicious though absolutely incredible.

First time having Indian Cuisine and I couldn't be happier! Amazing flavor, service, and overall beyond satisfied with this experience! 1000% recommend!

Great food, clean refined Indian restaurant. Service was spot on. I was with coworker & had him do all the ordering as he is more familiar with cusine than I. Goat meat was so tender, salad was refreshing. If I want to complain about one dish, it was cauliflower that I felt was more sweet and sour Chinese tasting, too sweet vs I was expecting Indian spices. Will return

Amazing flavorful and fragrant dishes highlighting the cuisine of Southern India.... excellent and professional service.... eclectic decor.... The only problem we had was it can get a little loud. Perhaps requesting a booth would help with the noise level.

We were rushed out of the restaurant and our food was way too spicy considering that we asked that it be less spicy and we have been here before and had a great experience but this was disappointing. We will try to go to a different restaurant in the future.

One of the tasties Vindaloos I ever hadm The tomato sauce mixed perfectly with the cardamon and other spices. The biriyani was very well balanced and very tasty. Dean brought us extra rice and kept our waters full: Dean is Great host, thank you 😉. The only thing that was surprising was how doughy the naan was, but it still was fresh and delicious.

My manager took me for lunch today. The service, meal, and atmosphere were amazing as always. Just delicious! It was a pleasure to see Sara the owner as we were leaving. It's been years and spectacular as always. Thank you

Great food, great service and a fair price! The ambiance is laid back, casual and up. Clean and located in Grandin Square area. Would highly recommend!

Taaza is very good!! Every time I go I always get the chicken tikka masala which is always delicious. There is paid parking on the left side of the restaurant and I've never had any trouble finding parking. The only reason they are not receiving 5 stars is that whenever I dine in the wait for the food is always 30+ minutes. I will order right as I sit down and the wait will still be long. However, everyone who works there is very nice. I would recommend if you're in a hurry to get take out instead.

Lovely dinner spot, whether you're looking to go with a date, family or friends. +10 points for multiple vegan options on the menu! Ordered a potato curry type dish: Aloo Gobi Capsicum with rice. I forgot to take a photo but it was very satisfying, flavorful and filling! Was disappointed that the menu said there was a plant-based dessert option but there wasn't. In the future, I'd suggest adding vegan garlic naan to the menu for +10 more points! Great for vegans and non-vegans alike!

For some time now I had noticed how busy this restaurant was every time I went by it. Indian Cuisine was something that hadn't attracted me much until reasantly that I had known some Indian people and was fascinated by their culture and this ignited my interest in their Indian Cuisine. So today I did not walk by this restaurant, but rather I walked in and asked to be seated to have dinner. The host greeted me with a warm welcome and brought me to the back seating area that was full with people having drinks and dinner. When my server arrived I was honest with him and admited that this would be the first time that would taste Indian food. Yet I was very opened minded and was looking forward to do so, and would highly appreciate his guidance in picking the entrées. First of all to drink I ordered the Mango Lassi. This was a Mango flavoredyogurDrinkdrink. For bread I ordered the Garlic Naan. For appetizer, with the help of the advice of my server,I picked the Gobi Manchuria which contained coliflower floflorets, onion, bell pepper, and Manchurian sauce. For my main course, ordered the Chicken Kebab. And for dessert, I ordered the Mango Rasmalai. The drink tasted very good. It was thick and with a wonderful Mango.flavor. The Garlic Bread was very fresh, soft, and tasty. The Gobi Manchuria apappetizer Was just amazing. One of the best flavors that I have ever eaten. However, I was disappointed with the main course Chicken Kebab. The description on the menu read: "Marinated chicken breast chunks." Yet these breast chunks were not real chicken, but rather like pressed chicken with a weird sandy texture that felt so bad I couldn't eat it. I urge the management of this restaurant to use good quality solid meat rather than this cheap imitation. I was about to give this restaurant 5 Stars if it not had been for this because the Mango dessert was also amazingly delicious as well. The ambiance of this restaurant was very elegant yet at the same time relaxed; and the customer service was superb. I would definitely recommend it for everything other than the chicken and look forward to returning to taste more of that extraordinary flavor of the sauces that make Indian Cuisine so wonderful.

The service was exceptional. The restaurant was clean and the food was delicious. I had saag paneer, malai kofta and the samosa. All were tasty and fresh. I would like to be baked. I did take a lot of food home and was still delicious. I had the bread pudding to go. It was very buttery. It reminded me a little of capirotada but creamy. The naan with paneer was also very delicious.

According to Yelp I first visited this restaurant more than 11 years ago. Apparently I was not writing very detailed reviews at the time so I can't tell what I had or how good it was. On this occasion, I dropped in and found no indoor tables, but it was a nice enough evening in Roanoke to settle for an outdoor seat. I was starving, and thus happily devoured an appetizer of lightly breaded and fried okra, which was texturally magnificent and tasty as well. I do not usually order paneer, but I took the chance this time to order a paneer tikka, which is a freshly grilled cheese. Ordering it 5/5 spicy was no joke, with a robust dried chili powder coating the dish. The included vegetables were wise as I find you really need fiber with paneer. I shared a little bit of a tofu stir fry as well, and it was a fantastic Indo-Chinese preparation with things like water chestnuts and peas and a ginger-y, spicy sauce that delivered satisfaction to the last bite. Notably, the place has broader options than most Indian restaurants and several of them are vegan, though you'll want to check to be sure (their channa masala for example, is marked as vegan but also listed as being with butter so perhaps you have to specifically ask for the non-dairy version). Of course, it speaks well of them that they were busy when I stopped in 11 years ago and they were busy when I stopped in now. I suspect my next visit will be much sooner.

We were passing through on a long weekend and wanted to find a place that had good vegan options and was casual. Ambiance and service was great, only giving it a four start because the food was missing the flavor that we would expect from an Indian place. The staff was so friendly and helpful with us ordering and understanding the spice level of things since we are working with dietary restrictions. We can normally take things spicy but always want to check with Indian spicy. We got four dishes, one korma curry, two tofu stir frys, and one spicy eggplant dish along with roti. All of the food just felt meh, there were flavors, but they all seemed like they were missing something and that we all left a little unsatisfied. The place was busy so it seemed like a good place.

We like Taaza as a source of unique and different meals. They have a great selection on their menu and the items have good descriptions. The staff is very attentive, willing to answer any questions, we felt welcome and not rushed on a Friday evening. Decor was nice, booth was large enough for 4 (we were only 2) and the music was noticeable but not too loud. An enjoyable evening, and food to take home! Recommend for parties large and small.

Amazing food and great service! Have to get the garlic Naan and add a side of humus. Tikka is great.

Visited this restaurant based on the high ratings it had while traveling through Roanoke. We ordered vegetable biryani, chicken mughlai, and garlic naan, requesting the spice level to be hot. The food was flavorful and the spice level, even for an Indian spice tolerance level, was appropriately hot, which we thoroughly enjoyed. However, the service left something to be desired. First, the food arrived very late, taking 30-40 minutes after we placed our order, even though the restaurant was only moderately busy. Second, probably the owners were having dinner with friends and were extremely loud while chatting and laughing. While I'm happy they were having a good time, the server should have reserved the space exclusively for them and seated us in a different area so we could have enjoyed our meal without the disturbance.

Too expensive to pay for a bowl of gravy and rice with little meat. Chicken overcooked and dry. Little lamb in a dish costing $22. Little potions for the cost. Naan is very good.

I normally go to Nawab, but coworkers told me the food is better at Taaza, so I had to try it for comparison. I strongly disagree. The chicken 65 was good but could have been spicier, and there was way too much cilantro on it. The garlic naan and biryani tasted pretty standard. The raita was too thick. The saag paneer and chicken tikka masala were both so light in color that they didn't even look right, and they tasted like watered down versions of what each was supposed to be, like there was no creaminess to either. The saag was nearly puréed to a baby food consistency. The ambience is nice and not what you would expect from the outside, but the food left MUCH to be desired, and I wouldn't eat here again.

Taaza, which is described on the restaurant's website as being derived from Urdu and meaning "fresh", is a modern Indian restaurant serving dishes made from local and organic ingredients. They serve award-winning Indian and Mediterranean cuisine. In July, 2023, a relative ordered a few dishes from this restaurant as takeout to supplement lunch at his place for 8 persons -- a combination of Nepalis, Indians, and Americans. We ordered: (1) chicken tikka ($17), which is chicken chunks in a creamy tomato sauce with cashew and almond paste; (2) malai kofta ($15), which are croquettes made from potatoes, cottage cheese, dried fruit, and nuts in a creamy sauce. Both of these were served with Basmati rice. All of the food was authentic, very rich, and tasty. We're not rating this as 5-stars only because the price point is high for the quantities provided. I can't speak to service and ambiance as this was a takeout order. I can say though that the food was ready when promised.

Taaza Indian Cuisine serves high quality indian food at low cost. I found the tandoori chicken moist, fragrant, and delicious. Would not hesitate to order it every week, especially with the nice prices, fast services, and attentive staff. The appetizers were not quite as satisfying, especially the tomato soup which was bland, thin, and too hot to enjoy. I recommend you stick with the meat based entrees and you will not be disappointed.

Pretty decent place I liked the atmosphere and the chicken 65 was to die for. The lamb was so tender but unfortunately the chicken entree wasn't that good. Garlic naan was good though

We visit Roanoke a lot, and like to eat here every time we do. Really first-class Indian food. Nice atmosphere in the restaurant, and friendly, efficient staff. Comparable to the best Indian restaurants in the DC area. It's a gem.

Delicious food, no nonsense and quick service. The rasam was some of the best I've had in the US. (Highly recommend especially if you're feeling under the weather). The lunch thali special is a really good deal and plenty of food. This restaurant was a nice little find as we were on our way from Northern VA to Smoky Mountains.

This was my second visit! First one didn't go too well. Second time around the food was fresher! The ambiance was nice same as last time. Service was prompt but the wait staff could be a bit more friendly. Overall GREAT food!

I'm not sure what happened to this place because it used to be one of our favorite restaurants in town. They must have gotten a new owner. We used to come weekly. We took a break for a couple months and came back to find it was completely changed. Our favorite dishes (vegetable nut pakoras and malai kofta) were altered. They essentially removed all the veggies from both--the pakoras are just spinach and the malai kofta are all potato and very gummy. The tomato soup was inedible. Just very watery over spiced broth with hardly any tomato. Not the delicious complex flavors that we had come to love. I guess they are trying to cut back on cost, and it shows. The atmosphere and service has gone downhill as well. They weren't playing any music, they were understaffed, and the service was slow and inattentive. Sadly, we won't be coming back.

Very disappointed with the food and service Never will go back again Ruined our special day Will never recommend it

We ordered the Gobi Manchurian, mustard garlic kebab, bread basket, Thaduka Dhal, chicken vindaloo, and the dil se cocktail. The Dil Se is wonderful! I highly recommend if you enjoy ginger ale/beer flavored drinks. It was served in a pint glass and was definitely worth it. I'm not a fan of a lot of cocktails because of the hard alcohol in them, but you don't taste the vodka at all. The gobi manchurian is Indo-chinese food and is definitely addicting. I enjoyed that a lot! The mustard garlic kebab was a little disappointing because it was four pieces of chicken, but they were good. Nothing too special. The Dhal was ordered at a medium spice and for the vindaloo we asked for as least spice as possible because I can't handle my spice. My goodness, the vindaloo still had a very strong kick to it! I dared to try the Dhal and although it was spicy, it was so good. I definitely had to eat both with rice and the breadbasket. The breadbasket contains roti, naan, and garlic naan. Definitely hits the spot if you're craving Indian. Would definitely recommend, but the wait for our food took quite a long time. People who were seated after us got their food before us which was strange.

Excellent Food and wonderful service!!! We had dinner at the bar and couldn't have asked for a better experience. Food was so good...Murgh Tikka knocked my socks off! So delish!

I've been wanting to try Indian food for the longest time, this place exceeded my expectations! The staff was super friendly, with knowledge about the different tastes of the different meals helping me find exactly what I wanted. The food was so fresh & AMAZING! This is now our go to spot & we always have leftovers! Still good the next day too!

Best Indian in Roanoke!! Every time my husband and I dine here we have a wonderful experience and leave happy/full. The staff is friendly/attentive and the food is delicious!! Yes the food can be spicy but they have different heat levels, I always get a 3, and for me it's just the right amount of heat. We always order more than we should so we can take home leftovers. Even the next day the food is so good! Also, I believe her name is Mare, she is the best! We love when she's our waitress, she always makes my mock-tails and cocktails perfectly! My husband and I appreciate good food and this is definitely a restaurant that cares about quality. We can't wait till next time!!

The closest I've been to Indian food recently is throwing a jar of commercial Tika Masala sauce over some chicken and cooking it. This restaurant, with its beautiful selection of Indian dishes, took it to a whole new level. I tried something I'd never had - saag, a creamy spinach sauce with exotic (and delicious) seasoning. With saag, you choose the protein (lamb, chicken, etc.) and it's served smothered in the delightful saag. I selected tilapia, and the fish chunks were nicely cooked and worked well with the saag. I tried some of my friends' dishes, and loved the Indian noodles with veggies. I also tried some grilled chicken from a kebab of mixed meats - deliciously tender but with a crispy outside that was nicely spiced. Diners can select mild, medium, or high "heat" with each dish....medium worked fine for me. The basmati rice accompanying all this was perfectly cooked - light and fluffy. And portions are huge - I was able to take enough home to make a second meal. Bathroom report: The ladies's room was attractive and immaculate. No changing table for Moms, though.

Fantastic food. Great service. I highly recommend getting the Bombay Street Food as an appetizer

The food wasn't what I was familiar with fir Traditional Indian. I frequented several restaurants in other states, Buffalo, NY, and some locally in Virginia. The food was better at these places, more traditional in taste and presentation.

It was absolutely delicious! The food was super delicious and the service was great as well. This will definitely be our go to spot for Indian food. The place had a variety of drinks and desserts and dishes which were great.

Food was fantastic. Service was attentive also. I would highly recommend this restaurant.

Great food, service and ambiance. just the right crunchiness to mixed vegetables, excellent paneer tikka and chole. What more to ask!

Busy on a Sunday night is always a good sign. Tried the Mugulai and Chetrinad sauce, and both were very good. Peschwari Naan was OK. Good food. Good service. Nice atmosphere inside.

This place used to be hands down the best lunch in town. Now they are doing dinner prices for lunch and have discontinued their lunch buffet. I think both of the Indian places in town are in solidarity about never bringing back the lunch buffet. I don't often have time to go in at night so I probably won't get back in there anytime soon. If you're looking for a good appetizer though, the nut flour pakoras are excellent.

Delicious Indian food. I especially like that you can add extra veggies to your meal for a small cost. I have had the chicken tikka masala and the curry chicken with vegetables. Both were excellent. The naan was a bit thicker than what I am used to. The raita is very good and the mint chutney is good but has a different taste than I was expecting. I've only had takeout. Staff were pleasant and prompt. Give this place a try!

The first time I went last summer it was pretty decent. Last time I went (a few weeks ago), my food wasn't served warm and it was pretty bland (too much heavy cream I think). Naan was not great this time either, really thick but also crunchy in spots. My partner liked his food though. I was disappointed and won't be back.

The chicken 65 and murgh tikka was very tasty and everything else. Service was helpful and nice. Would definitely go again

It's probably one of the best Indian restaurants in ambiance and decor but unfortunately that's where the highlights end. From being told a reservation was not required when I called to make one to getting there and being told it's a10-15 minute wait the hostess were in a state of confusion if they could seat us or not. We finally had a table 40 mins later. Food is very average with the exception of the murgh tikha being above average. Not sure if I would ever return if I lived in Roanoke.

Absolutely the BEST Indian food we have ever had! Tons of Vegan and gluten-free options. Even a Vegan chickpea brownie with homemade coconut milk ice cream. We have had authentic Indian food in every place we visit as it is our favorite cuisine, all over the US and Europe and this place blew us away. Definitely authentic full of flavor and prepared just right.

When this place is on, it's on. But I really wish they could be more consistent. Tonight I ordered mild Malai Kofta -- my go-to Indian comfort food that I've enjoyed all over the US and the UK -- and it had way too much heat. Yes, I'm a heat wimp but I've ordered the same dish other nights and it's been spot on. I can recall one transcendent night in particular during COVID -- so buttery and flavorful, I was in heaven. But my family has ordered Chicken Tikka Masala on previous occasions and had the same too-hot experience. I'm hesitant about ordering again, which is a darn shame since the flavor is there.

They moved to Grandin over a year ago and are in a MUCH nicer space. This location turns a lot so I hope they make it here. On my recent visit, we had a fantastic meal here. I'm impressed that Roanoke has such an innovative Indian place like Taaza. We only tried Indian not newly added Mediterranean. Here's the DL. ++ Food is fabulous (look at my pics...everything was good!) + Service is very good = Price is fair + Ambiance is bistro casual + Full bar that is prominently displayed = Parking is limited spaces next to the entrance, more in the back through the alley and street The server will give you a warm wash cloth at the end of your meal, which is sooo nice! Taaza is definitely worth your while - Enjoy!

So I found the atmosphere really lovely, good lighting and decor. The servers were fine, did well with our large group. The menu is extensive - a bit overwhelming for me as I was new to Indian cuisine. Food was pretty tasty but not especially unique. I suggest getting the naan sampler to try the various types. Some of the food that was described as "mild" seemed more on the "medium" spiciness side to me. Prices were decent - a little up there, but appropriate for a special evening.

Long time favorite of mine. Have used them for Christmas, Birthday & wedding catering, as well as other occasions

One of Roanoke's Top 10 restaurants. The chef/owner won the World Bacon Championships a few years back. This is high quality food. Whether you like 'Indian' cuisine or not - there will be something on the menu for you. My go to is the chicken korma, and I always, always get theGobi Manchurian - super spicy fried cauliflower.

So disappointed. Taaza used to be my family's favorite local restaurant. Not anymore. We went at a very slow time of day. Only 2 other tables had guests and they arrived after us. We waited 45 minutes to be served. We each ordered our favorite entree only to discover they no longer tasted the same. They were quite a bit spicier than what they used to be., And what happened to our favorite appetizer- the mixed vegetable pacora??

Simple but cool atmosphere, nice for a semi-formal affair or downtown date night. Food is delicious, flavors authentic and prepared well. Service was good, polite and attentive. Definitely going back to sample more of the menu soon!

I'd been meaning to come here for a while, and finally got around to it during a lunch break with a colleague. I'm conflicted between what it could've been and what it actually was like for me. On the plus side, the interior is somewhat more 'upmarket' than Nawab, the only other local Indian restaurant I've been to and that I really like, and staff were attentive and friendly. Besides, the lunch buffet here is less expensive than at Nawab, so all I needed for this to be an awesome experience came down to the food. Here's the thing: it's not every day that I go to a Indian restaurant, so when I do, I mean towards the classic faves such as veggie korma and eggplant curry. I didn't find either at Taaza, and the choices they did have seemed unconventional to me and didn't deliver. For example, the chicken tandoori was dry (even the yoghurt dressing couldn't save this), as the chicken curry, while tasty, was a tad on the salty side. I ended up getting a second plate of fish curry and seasoned cabbage instead. The lamb soup and the fish curry were the saving grace in this case. Would I go back? Maybe, but next time I crave Indian food, I know where I'd turn to.

We had a terrible experience at this restaurant. The service was exceptionally rude. I have never experienced such poor service in a friendly town like Roanoke. The woman at the front seemed frustrated with us when we were asking about parking. The staff wanted to rush us out of the restaurant even though it was completely empty. (I understand why now). We will never return.

INCREDIBLY RUDE SERVICE. Would give this restaurant Zero stars. Woman at the front very rude- did not greet us and kept yelling at us that the kitchen is closing at 3 (it was 2:10), and we knew that. No one was at this restaurant which should tell you something. Manager tried to apologize but at that point we felt very disrespected and unwelcome because We were told we would be kicked out at 3 even if we hadn't finished our meal. We left and went to Nawab in downtown Roanoke which was a GREAT experience and had VERY friendly staff.

The butter chicken (which is not a menu item but you can request it) had a string nut smell that wasn't pleasurable.

We came here on election night. To be fair they were incredibly busy with phone and to go orders, so our meal did come out a little later than we would have preferred. This would have been a really bad review had the food not been so amazing. We are Indian and we are traveling. So to run across a place with really amazing Indian food great presentation and a clean restaurant was a pleasant surprise. We weren't in town long enough otherwise we would have came here again. they have so many amazing options so if you are Indian I would probably recommend to try something out of the box. If you are not Indian you can rely on this place for some great food that doesn't make you feel awful. My only problem with my meal was that the saag paneer wasn't made out of mustard leaves and I think it was made out of spinach. It was still tasty but not what I thought I ordered or expected. The Naans are amazing as well.