I think this place is up against it in a lot of ways. I didn't quite get the story as to how a NZ-based restaurant brand decided to open up in Asheville, but they did so right before the massive storm that flooded the region. Having said that, there are a lot of Indian restaurants in Asheville. One I liked just closed, while several others are routinely packed and this one isn't. I stopped in shortly after opening (but still before the arrival of some of their staff) to give them a chance. One might expect a New Zealand company to do well on dairy and perhaps they do, but I was tempted by a vegan menu and ordered some chickpeas and bread. My channa masala was freshly cooked, with a good mix of flavors and herbal notes, while a garlic naan, while not something I often order during my frequent Indian restaurant visits, was delicious. But for the money, which was more than standard for the area, I don't get it. They talk about using fresh local ingredients, which a lot of restaurants around here do, and I appreciate their open kitchen, but there was way too much salt in there. I'm skeptical that they're going to make it in a busy local restaurant scene. I wish them the best and there is some quality here, but as a reviewer I'm not optimistic. read more

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Large windows illuminate the pleasantly spacious, comfortable interior of this new Indian restaurant on Rankin. One of the partners, Anil, told me that this store is preceded by two others in Auckland, NZ, and is the first and only US outpost. The Mango Lassi was delicious and beautifully presented. My Kundan Makhani Paneer had a moderate spicy kick with satisfying complexity and depth of flavor. The Kheer (traditional Indian rice pudding) was refreshing, with just the right level of sweetness. Service was top-notch; thanks, everyone, I'll be back! read more

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Delicious Clean Excellent service! Highly recommend Definitely go back! Good location Parking across street read more

Big Tikka is the best Indian restaurant + food in Asheville. First of all, they source high quality ingredients for all their dishes. Everything from the oils to the meats are chosen with consciousness and care. The intention alone means a lot me, but its really about how I feel afterwards. My body loves their food. Good energy, good mood. Every time we go eat there, the chef and the waiters take time to connect with us. They are genuine people. The space is beautiful, too. I always dig the music. I love this place, and hope that more people will find it! read more

Went to their website to confirm their hours and looked at the menu(s). The website states they are open for lunch Fri. to Sun. and includes both lunch and dinner menus. We went to the business today for a birthday celebration lunch and they were not open. A printed sheet of paper on the inside of the door states they are only open evenings. If you have a website, as a business you should maintain it. Obviously they don't. They would rather inconvenience potential customers and lose business than update their website. That tells me the business is either not very customer centric or is on hard times and doing only the minimum to get by. In either case (or both), that pretty much guarantees an outcome of failure. When times are tough, you double down on effort to turn things around. There are many great Indian restaurants in Asheville that we're happy to give our business to. In fact, since this place was closed, we went to one of them we had already been to, Laila, for lunch today. We will not be going back to Big Tikka another time to try dinner. I'm expecting a For Lease sign coming here soon. read more

Very accommodating staff. The owner/chef is very attuned to healthy living-seed oil free and mainly organic. As someone that is health conscious, especially when putting things into my body, I appreciate restaurants like these so much. The lassi was the best I've ever had. I will definitely be back. read more

Outstanding service. Ragu is an incredible chef and puts a lot of love and care into his work! This is the healthier Indian restaurant that asheville needed. Looking forward to continuing to support this business read more

Big Tikka - Indian Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

This is apparently a new Indian restaurant in downtown Asheville. While the menu is a bit limited, the food is excellent and well spiced. You can adjust the spice level to your preference. I like Indian Hot. Even at that spice level the wonderful flavors of the food still come through. The entrees are served with a very tender fluffy rice. The dining area is very nicely decorated without being kitschy. I also love that you can watch the food being prepared in the well appointed kitchen. The entrees were fairly price for both the quantity and quality. The service is spot on. If you're in downtown Asheville, this is a must try restaurant! read more

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We had a wonderful dining experience at this gem of a restaurant. Every dish we ordered was absolutely delicious and best of all they did not use any seed oils! The chef created such a fresh and beautiful presentation of all the Indian dishes we ordered. The service was excellent and the ambiance was very peaceful as well. I would highly recommend this restaurant, especially for those who are wanting a healthier version of Indian cuisine. Margarita Davalos read more

Fantastic food, as good as Indian food gets. Really friendly service and good sized portions.

Delicious! The cauliflower appetizer tastes just like my mom's. Welcoming staff and the food is really good; close to your naniji's kitchen.

Been open a month. The food is top notch! Especially enjoyed the chili/cheese naan. They do not have a lunch menu. Therefore you are paying dinner prices at lunch. The pakora were delicious but over priced. $9 for 2. The staff is extremely friendly. Took one star off as they were not crowded and still took a long time for the food preparation. That may change as they get more time under their belts. Looking forward for when they start their Friday Buffet. Though we will be back for other meals. Food is definitely worth it. read more

The people who started this restaurant in Auckland NZ would be appalled by this rendition, I'm sure. Flavorless food, barely at room temperature, and the same 4 minute piece of music endlessly looping. Service was fairly attentive but on a slow Sunday it took a long time for the meal to arrive. They need to take a deep breath and start again. read more

We had a delicious meal and wonderful service! And the restaurant is beautifully decorated!

It was a strange experience, completely empty, barely any staff, spotty service, mediocre food, we didn't stay long enough to order entrees, weren't impressed enough by samosa appetizer and vegetarian options. read more

This place is just opening up. The food was great. Asheville has lots of good Indian restaurants. The service was great, beautiful restaurant. The place is brand new in a town full of wonderful Indian restaurants. We just live a couple of blocks away, and we are delighted to have them in the neighborhood. They are located next to a large, public parking garage in downtown Asheville, so parking is great if you are a tourist from out of town. Best garlic naan in Asheville. Nice lunch menu. Easy location to get to if you are shopping or in town for entertainment. read more

OUR NEW FAVORITE! This places uses clean oils (olive and coconut), and has absolutely epic vegan options. The Saag with Tofu is amazingggg, and the coconut rice. So happy to have such a clean and tasty Indian food option! read more

Incredible food and service. Bring your own liquor! Very delicious and we had a variety of selections. Chicken, lamb, korma, masala etc. All delicious! read more

Odd experience. Restaurant is sparse, no music, staff barely acknowledged us as we walked in. Had to wait a minute, looking over at them, before anyone came up to us. There were very few staff, very few patrons, and it took almost an hour to get our food. Waiter was very nice, but service was exceptionally slow and the food was nothing stellar for what you pay. It's a la carte and totally overpriced IMO. Some interesting spice profiles but not as spiced as Indian food should be. The rice was supposed to be aromatic with a few spices but it was just plain old white basmati. The butter naan was just plain naan. They never asked how we wanted our lamb cooked - for $36 you should ask! In the end, it's clear they are nice people using quality ingredients and some original although mild spice profiles, but the service end needs a hard reset or they'll be out of business in 6 months. read more

Just tried Big Tikka for the first time. We've lived in downtown Asheville for three years now and have frequented the other Indian restaurants often. I had the Kundan Lal Makhani (Butter chicken) and my wife had the Kundan Makhani Paneer (Butter paneer). We also had a side of garlic naan. Admittedly, we both had the same sauce so we really didn't experience different items. We were both in agreement that these two dishes were the best Indian food we've had in Asheville. The only thing that I would change would be that I like my naan a little crispier. The restaurant was not very busy tonight. From the dining room you can view the entire kitchen, there was one gentleman cooking and one gentleman handling the entire dining room. We had absolutely no complaints about the service or the wait times but I'm not sure how it would have been had they been busier. Great experience tonight. We'll definitely be back. read more

I momentarily paused when I saw Big Tikka had just opened a few weeks ago and only had 1 review on yelp. But I had a good feeling about it. To keep it brief I'll just say that the inside is bright, spacious and beautiful and The vibe is really nice. They're still working out a few smaller but important details like getting the menus clear about dietary options, which is coming. But overall this place is a gem. The food was perfectly cooked amazingly flavored and a joy to eat. read more

Tried this new Indian restaurant last week with a few friends. Most of the menu is curry based dishes- the server was very helpful with our choices. We shared the BT Kukkad Masala (which is their rendition of Tikka Masala), Kollam Kaju Kukkad, Punjabi Lamb Chop and a shrimp appetizer, Malwani Mumbai Kohliwada. Everything was beautifully spiced, lamb and chicken very tender. We all loved the flavors and there was plenty for second helpings with leftovers to take home. Great out of the way location on a quiet street within walking distance of Harrahs. Believe building used to house Noble Cidery. I will certainly be back to try more of the menu! read more

Totally over priced and small quantity of food. Would not suggest taking out if you don't have bowls or utensils with you

Great food & nice place, my favorite is Butter chicken and rendang beef which was the best of the best