Tilak
Indian restaurant · Bernal Heights ·
Chaat, curries, and tandoor dishes, with notable butter chicken and naan
Chaat, curries, and tandoor dishes, with notable butter chicken and naan
"When dinner time rolls around and pulling out your own frying pan to cook is out of the question, head to Tilak. It’s the poster child for destination-worthy Indian food in Bernal Heights—it’s also easy to walk into, actually open Mondays, and lowkey enough that you can roll up in sweats. And most importantly, they’re serving dishes we’d transfer bus lines twice to get our hands on. The menu covers everything from tomato-heavy Goan specialties to refreshing aloo tikka chaat bites to rich curries that pack enough heat to make your eyes water." - julia chen 1, lani conway, ricky rodriguez
"Tilak Gurung managed to reverse the usual trajectory for Bay Area chefs. After cooking for big tech cafeterias like Apple and Dropbox (where he says he served Justin Timberlake and the prime minister of Singapore, in that order), he opened his own restaurant at the top of Mission. He serves satisfying curries and tandoori to Bernal Heights, but also dahi puri chaat, those crispy street snacks, fully loaded with yogurt, tamarind, mint chutney, and bean sprouts." - Paolo Bicchieri
"Amidst the many casual weeknight dinner spots in Bernal Heights, Tilak stands out. The Indian spot with cheery orange walls is perpetually packed with families, entire Volo leagues, and couples huddling around a spread of curries and naan baskets. Walk in and join them—everything on the menu, from loaded biryani to the slightly sweet Goan prawn masala, will easily surpass your favorite hot yoga class as the highlight of your week." - lani conway, julia chen 1, ricky rodriguez
"Tilak in Bernal Heights is your Monday night spot if you’re rolling in with a group and want to fill up for under $20 a person. The cheery Indian spot is pretty easy to walk into, open past 8pm, and serves fantastic food—all marks of an exceedingly above-average place to start a week. Saunter in for rich meat and seafood curries, excellent small dishes like tamarind-y dahi puri, and fluffy housemade naan." - julia chen 1, lani conway, ricky rodriguez, patrick wong
"Tilak, an Indian restaurant in Bernal Heights, is the answer to virtually every “where to grab dinner?” text. It’s one of the rare weeknight dinner spots that’s actually open on Mondays (and past 8pm). You can saunter in for a last-minute dinner, and the menu has something for everyone—including your vegetarian coworker—from rich meat and seafood curries, to equally excellent smaller dishes like tamarind-y dahi puri. On top of fulfilling all of the aforementioned needs, this cheery spot has bright orange walls and friendly staff who'll make you want to stay a while. Keep the fluffy housemade naan coming, and instead of waiting on a text, just get a group of your favorite people together and come here. Food Rundown Dahi Puri Chaat These dahi puri are heavy on the tamarind, and topped with crunchy bits of sev for extra texture. A refreshing starter for the table. photo credit: Carly Hackbarth Aloo Tikka Chaat Bites Bite-sized potatoes covered in sweet yogurt and mint chutney. Order this. photo credit: Carly Hackbarth Goan Prawn Masala A thick, tomato-heavy hit. If you love prawns, you’ll love this. photo credit: Carly Hackbarth Chicken Biryani The biryani here is moist without being overly saucy, and loaded with sizable chunks of chicken. It’s evenly coated in a mix of “secret spices” that hit you right in the nose. photo credit: Carly Hackbarth Bread Basket If the words “bread basket” don’t make your heart flutter, we shouldn’t be friends. Tilak’s comes with roti, and warm, stretchy garlic and plain naan. Always order a basket for the table. photo credit: Carly Hackbarth" - Julia Chen