Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Botiwalla by Chai Pani

    4.7 (40 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 8:30 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Order Botiwalla by Chai Pani Takeout or Delivery

    Botiwalla by Chai Pani Photos

    Business Info

    BOTIWALLA BY CHAI PANI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

    You might also consider

    More like Botiwalla by Chai Pani

    Recommended Reviews - Botiwalla by Chai Pani

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Rachel C.

    When I tell you this is one of the best restaurants I've been to I'm not lying. I honestly didn't want to go here I wanted to go to Chai Pani the sister restaurant. But wow am I glad that I did! It was amazing. I got the paneer bowl and it was so flavorful and delicious!

    Chicken Tikka Rice Bowl
    Charles E.

    First off this is slightly biased because I didn't realize the owner of Chai Pani was also on one of my favorite Bon Appetit YouTube video series about Indian Street Foods. I was able to meet him during my lunch and he gave my a chai to boot. Very cool person and recommend this place just on his good vibes, but back to the review. The location is great, the food is sublime, and the service is top notch. What also sets it apart from other downtown places is that the prices are very reasonable especially for lunch crowd. I will be going back for sure!

    (fried) fish roll -
    Cindy O.

    I guess I need to try a different food item. I had the fish roll =fried fish, slaw, seasonings in naan. We strived to find a spark, and found a little heat from the slaw, but otherwise, despite it being prepared fresh, with hot new naan - the flavors didn't WOW

    Upstairs area
    Demetrius J.

    Great place to eat, very busy which is a good thing... I can tell it's a very popular place... I had the tandoori chicken and fried okra which was a nice treat... My wife always gets the sloppy Jai which is similar to sloppy Joe but with a kick... I would definitely recommend the food and this place...

    Smashed potato app, lamb wrap, and Limca drink.
    Kara W.

    Quick service, lively atmosphere, and food is flavorful and delicious. Very reasonable pricing, I got an app, drink, and main for $24. What is not to love? Ps: get the lamb kebab sandwich.

    John B.

    The old Chai Pani space has been converted to a fast casual restaurant on the same label (Chai Pani has moved to a larger space and is still packed there). Here, I was able to order takeout and pick it up at a reasonable pace. You couldn't get drinks online, but a separate bar was in the shop, offering a spread of options. They also sell various spice mixes to go. The food I got was inimitably delicious. I was happy to deal with leftovers and thus got a salad with grilled paneer (the salad was the first thing I got from here back in the early COVID era), which comes with a sachet of crispy noddles and some spiced cashews and is both exciting to the tastebuds and very filling. Their ultra-thin fried okra comes with a lime garnish and its own hint of spice. A vada pav was delivered with ample chutneys and a spice rub and is always exciting. I continue to be a bit baffled at an Indian menu that offers basically no lentils or chickpeas; the vegan options here are not as good as Chai Pani or other Indian restaurants in general and I would be happier if I could get something bean based. The crowds here are less now that the menu is smaller, but it is convenient and it is still high quality food. Wisely, they have kept the tiger mural over the bar.

    Chicken bowl
    Heather P.

    Wow! I wasn't sure how I'd feel about this restaurant as I typically don't enjoy Indian food, but it was fantastic! I am working on being a clean eater, so no dairy, no meats, no processed food. So when I go out I try and look ahead at the menu. I found a DELICIOUS salad "plain" (without chicken, etc). The flavors were so good and the crunch was a wonderful surprise. Everyone was so kind, refilling my friend's chai, getting me more water, and holding our to-go until we were ready to leave. The restaurant was clean, the food moderately priced, and I left feeling full and satisfied. I will definitely be back.

    Outside
    Kat M.

    If you're looking for a tasty easy food to enjoy on the go as you walk thru downtown Asheville or just sit outside their establishment and enjoy with a bestie this was a real treat for us. The flavors just merry so well, crunchy and tangy and so satisfying and quite addicting. I wish I'd eaten more.

    Leslie Y.

    I was not expecting to find Indian food in downtown Asheville, which was our backup plan after we realized that another restaurant closed early for Easter. I am glad that we tried Botiwalla. I wouldn't call it authentic Indian food, but a reinterpretation of traditional recipes. The dosa filling was sandwiched between two toasted hamburger buns with a minty savory chutney. They went well together. The mango lassi was thick and creamy, but the cup was quite small. We ordered at the counter, but they brought food to the table when it was ready. We bussed our own trays afterward.

    Kelsey C.

    This place was amazing!! Everything we ordered was delicious and the service was great.

    Chicken tikka skewer and the amazing okra fries
    Tracy B.

    My husband and I went on a food tour while visiting Asheville and this was one of our stops. Literally the best place on the tour and if we weren't stuffed from all the places we went to, we would have returned for dinner. The meal we were given to try was the chicken tikka skewer and the matchstick okra fries. The chicken was good, but the okra fries were to die for!!!! I am salivating just thinking about them. Literally, every person in my group all said and did the same thing. Everyone voiced they didn't care for okra, but as soon as we all ate it, everyone kept saying MMMmmmm... after every bite. It was comical, but it tells you how shockingly delicious this okra was. The fries were cut super thin and they were so crispy. They weren't oily at all and actually tasted healthy. The chaat masala seasoning was fantastic. And the recommendation was to add a squeeze of lime on them and it set my tastebuds over the edge. Do NOT pass these up. I promise you will turn into an okra lover. If we ever get the chance to go back to Asheville, this restaurant will be my first priority!

    Fried okra, surprisingly good and I hate okra
    RaeLynn C.

    The food was amazing and very different from the many Indian restaurants we have tried. Cool decorations and vibe. We sat outside and it was great watching people go ny while we enjoyed our food. Wish they had bigger cups of water so we didnt have to go back inside multiple times to refill our cups.

    Mural behind counter.
    jim h.

    We enjoyed our meal at Chai Pani and wanted to try their other concept. So glad we did. It's a little more casual - order at the counter, take a number, etc. But the food is still top notch. We ate: - Maharaja Lamb Burgers - Chicken Tikka Roll If you are considering those, go for it! Especially the lamb burgers. Explosion of flavors. Sweet, spicy, cool, savory. I'm inspired to make a copycat recipe.

    Okra Fries & Mango Lassi!

    See all

    17 days ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    15 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Charles E.
    26
    82
    473

    13 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kat M.
    308
    555
    4289

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Rajat C.
    17
    60
    39

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 10
    Thanks 4
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dan M.
    19
    155
    15

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Tried a variety of menu items and our group enjoyed everything. Great flavors, the food was fresh and ready so quickly! Highly recommend!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tamara K.
    590
    38
    50

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Harold B.
    0
    248
    41

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    This place is phenomenal. I could eat the Desi Salad with chicken every day for lunch and be very happy

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ray S.
    0
    27
    0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Fantastic food! Order at counter. Lots of available seating. A very casual atmosphere.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    The food was amazing. Recommend trying the puri and then ordering a roll. The chicken tikka and paneer tikka rolls were great!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Amy B.
    0
    19
    10

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Stu C.
    0
    194
    4

    1 year ago

    Our bowls all tasted really good and the prices are reasonable. Super quick takeout too.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Ask the Community - Botiwalla by Chai Pani

    You might also consider

    Chai Pani

    Chai Pani

    4.4(1.8k reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$

    First time to their 'new' location (visited back there 2.5 years ago). They have what seems to be a…read moremuch bigger menu than I remember. We sat at the bar and made some new friends. We got right in as a result. The space is so much nicer as it is now really large. What a colorful and awesome place. We ordered the vada tots. This is a change up on tater tots with a great dipping sauce. The food came out incredibly fast! Both were not merely good, each was utterly fantastic!!! We eat at Indian places everywhere and have never had flavors this profoundly amazing. I can see why they earned the James Beard Award! We were traveling through and wanted to give them another try after 3 years. The owner is the Michelangelo in the field of amazing flavors! He has won us over and the finess with each flavor show his dedication to perfection. If ever you come to Asheville, do yourself a favor a definitely stop in, wait if you need to and then feast!!! Absolutely awesome!!!

    Chai Pani has been on my list for quite some time and it certainly did not disappoint. I got the…read morebutter chicken and my friend got the KFC sandwich. I'm used to a spicier butter chicken, this one was particularly sweet, but I did love the other curries it came with as well. It's quite a lot of food, I feel like two people can share it, especially if you get it with naan. The KFC sandwich was so good, I would definitely get that again. It's a nice mixture of American Indian food and the sauce is really where the money is. What I can't stop thinking about is the carrot halwa cake. It was incredibly moist, not too sweet and had a wonderful spice. I would definitely come back to try other dishes. Important to note it gets very busy and I ended up waiting about an hour on a weeknight to get seated. The service wasn't great, she seemed somewhat irritated that she was working, but could've caught her on an off day.

    Photos
    Chai Pani - Inside seating

    Inside seating

    Chai Pani - Butter Chicken

    Butter Chicken

    Chai Pani - Cumin/chili/ginger/lemon tequila and pani puri

    See all

    Cumin/chili/ginger/lemon tequila and pani puri

    Botiwalla by Chai Pani

    Botiwalla by Chai Pani

    4.6(113 reviews)
    2.3 mi

    Absolutely delicious every single time! Botiwalla in West…read moreAsheville never disappoints! Paneer Tikka Roll is a must-try. The paneer is perfectly charred and packed with flavor, and the combination of the buttery naan, Desi slaw, onions, cilantro, and green chutney is incredible. The Vada Pav is another favorite! So much flavor in every bite! Everything is always fresh, flavorful, and absolutely amazing. Botiwalla is definitely one of our go-to spots in West Asheville. Highly recommend!

    Having just been to Chai Pani the night before, we were excited to try this sister restaurant…read more We met Dustin, the GM and he gave us superior service! We could not believe how fast the food arrived! We ordered the Rice Bowl and were slightly disappointed as we felt it needed something more. We were allowed to instead have another Desi Salad. The salads were exquisite! Very light, tasty and so unique! We could do that everyday! My wife suggested that the rice bowl should come with additional 1-2 ounce containers of their other sauces as it would add another dimension to the rice and paneer. The chai tea was wonderful as well and was a perfect blend of spices, tea and milk. I also loved discovering their retail items such as their chai tea and other spiced items. Their Spicewalla name and variety are really nicely packaged. We really enjoyed the food and the service was absolutely a step above even the best restaurants in the world! Well done!!!

    Photos
    Botiwalla by Chai Pani - Interior

    Interior

    Botiwalla by Chai Pani - Chicken tikka roll

    Chicken tikka roll

    Botiwalla by Chai Pani

    See all

    Big Tikka - Kheer

    Big Tikka

    4.1(24 reviews)
    0.2 mi

    I think this place is up against it in a lot of ways. I didn't quite get the story as to how a…read moreNZ-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.

    Large windows illuminate the pleasantly spacious, comfortable interior of this new Indian…read morerestaurant 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!

    Photos
    Big Tikka - Interior

    Interior

    Big Tikka - BT Chicken Kabab

    BT Chicken Kabab

    Big Tikka - BYOB! Got Dissolvr down the stairs 30 seconds away

    See all

    BYOB! Got Dissolvr down the stairs 30 seconds away

    Botiwalla by Chai Pani - indpak - Updated September 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...