I ordered their signature dish that is made with honey and tomato but honestly the sauce tasted like sweet very bland tomato soup and the potato dumplings were nothing special either. My mom got a thali and I tasted everything on it. Nothing was horrible but nothing was really good either. Just not very flavorful. The garlic naan was amazing and the daily vegetable was also good. read more

Got takeaway from this nice Indian restaurant. Service was super fast and the waiter was really nice. We ordered two dosas, which are Indian crepes filled with different vegetables and spices. It reminded me of a burrito :) The two we ordered were Myore Masala and Paneer. I thought the Paneer and spinach combo was great but the Masala one was much better spiced. Both came with a lentil soup and yogurt sauce, which were delicious. We also got an order of the special kebabs, which were really tasty and unique. Made with kidney beans and chickpeas. The total was about 27 pounds, which I think is aptly priced for this area of Edinburgh and for the amount of food we got. Definitely recommend for all vegetarians and those who want to try good veggie food. read more

Went here with my partner, his sister and her partner. Came here on a recommendation from a friend as we were looking for good vegetarian food. As a meat eater I wasn't super excited but I came away full and not disappointed from the lack of meat! Had baked stuffed potatoes and it was delicious, the naan and rice were fab too and my partners okra curry was delicious. Definitely returning and absolutely getting my own okra!! Service was good and attentive, had a lovely waitress who was very cheerful and helpful. read more

Kalpna Restaurant - Pretty light! - Vegetarian Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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I have never been disappointed here. The vegetarian Indian food is always on par and full of flavor. The staff are always super friendly. For the quality and quantity you receive you'll go home with a full tummy and a happy wallet. I love their dal it's delicious and their plain rice is wonderfully garlic. Also good are the various paneer dishes. They even have the most beautiful mango lassi I have seen, and it's absolutely delicious. The downside was that their mango lassi was way over priced in my opinion. But this is a definite favorite in Edinburgh:) read more

Kalpna Restaurant - Lunch buffet so yummy - Vegetarian Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Food 5 // Ambiance 5 // Service 4 Lunch buffet is ON POINT! 8.5 pounds for an unlimited amount of food! And good, wholesome, vegetarian, flavorful, bold food on top of that!! Honestly -- even though the choices of food were a bit limited, there was enough diversity; I didn't fall victim to decision paralysis. Moving down the buffet table: dessert (gulab jamun, 1 pound), a salad station, a chutney station (tamarind, chutney, cucumber raita), puri (so soft!), roasted veggies (great spice profile),white basmati rice, chana (chickpeas) , yellow daal, spinach dish. I had a bit of everything and then split the gulab jamun with my friend. The gulab jamun was divine! One of teh best I have had. We also ordered masala tea for two (not on menu, but definitely as for it. Takes a bit to come out but got in right in time for desser) All in all -- I WILL be back! Everything tastes homemade and the lunchtime buffet is the perfect for either a quick or slow lunch; you get full autonomy! The traditional mosaic tile on the walls is so beautiful and different. Add this to your places to visit! read more

Kalpna Restaurant - Lunch Buffet. Look at that beautiful food ... oh and the wall! - Vegetarian Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Kalpna is pretty decent vegetarian restaurant which serves good food with pleasant service. One of my friends decided about a year ago that animals were getting more than they deserved off humans and so he went veggie. We went out for dinner with him to Kalpna and, on the whole, it was pretty good. I definitely like my meat, but vegetarian cooking is as good as any other and Indian varieties are no exception. I went for the vegetable Balti which didn't take too long to arrive and was delicious when it did. They'd included a great combination of peppers, onions and root vegetables in a tasty, spicy sauce. They must have had some problem with one of my mate's mains, however, as she was waiting for about ten minutes after we all received ours. I'd come here again, but I'd expect better service to go with their great food. read more

Kalpna Restaurant - Vegetarian Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

I come here most weeks with my husband it's a firm favourite. Usually he'll order the vegan thali while I have the royal. We have never found the food to be less than excellent. Only downside is we tend to wait ages for the bill and there's a service charge. Ok it's small but that just annoys me anywhere. We'd probably leave more of a tip if it wasn't cheekily added already tbh. It's still more than worth the amazing grub read more

I'm sorry but I have to dissent from the majority of reviews about Kalpna, very flattering indeed; unfortunately my experience in this vegetarian Indian restaurant has not been completely satisfying. The food was ok, I must say: I went for a main course of mixed vegetables and nuts pineapple with tandoori roti bread. Quite good, but not enough to make up for the service. Being lactose intolerant, I asked the waitress (twice) if it was possible to have the food without cream; she said that she was going to ask the chef and she would let me know. She didn't, and the food was served with cream anyway. Luckily I did notice it, and my intolerance is not that severe either, but I reckon they should pay more attention to such things. The payment procedure has been very slow, and this as well because the waitress seemed very confused about payments by card and receipts, so that at the end she needed to ask another member of the staff that did it for her. read more

I have been coming here for years, I lived across the road in my student days so the lunch time buffet was always a go to for vast amounts of healthy food. Sadly I am never in town these days at lunch, but I have been in for their evening service many times in the last few years so my review is more focused on that aspect. Birthday meal for the missus last night who had not been here before and is vegan, so a dedicated veg/vegan curry place was ideal. First impressions were I liked the new decor. Service was efficient and attentive. Now the food. I always opt for the Thali (All three courses served at once on a tray containing little dishes) in here on the a la carte, alas my favourite the southern Indian Thali hasn't been on the menu for a while. I opted for the Royal Thali and the missus the vegan thali with popadoms to start. The poppadoms turned up with pickles and a "with compliments" ... grand. Everything was great they even presented us with a new pickle we hadn't tried before, which was sag and chilli pickle. The mains arrived promptly and what a feast to be presented with lots of curry options, great nan and amazing parkoras. We were too full for the deserts but tried a little of the vegan desert and the rice pud, which were very nice. The food was excellent and filling, just what we needed. One of the best Dal's I have tried. The missus loved her offerings too. The food was 5 stars for me. The only downsides was when I paid up and left without checking the bill. It sounded roughly right but i was in a hurry. We were charged extra for the pickles that were presented "with compliments" that we didn't order, the service charge was on there and the beers were not terrible just not good. The taps really need run through a bit. All in well worth a visit for the food. I will be back for the buffet one lunch time, but the extra costs lost a point for what would have been a 5 star review. read more

I've got a friend who's a veggie, not for ethical reasons, but because he doesn't like the thought of eating something that shits. It's a more honourable reason than most, but even though the grub at Kapla is interesting enough to be worth a look, nothing will ever come close to spilling the blood of a wretched, twitching beast and gorging on the flesh and innards inside. Still, considering the dubious quality of the "meat" you often get in curry houses, perhaps it is one of the cooking styles most suited to carrot chompers. The curries here are good, but still can't beat the king of all veggie curries at the Mosque Kitchen. read more

I went to Kalpna for one of my flatmate's birthdays, as he was curious to see if there would be any difference between vegetarian dishes served by a specifically vegetarian restaurant to those served by regular restaurants. The food was certainly interesting, although personally I was left underwhelmed. We opted for the lunchtime buffet and at £7.95 per person, it seemed reasonably priced. However, upon getting to the buffet table, the choice was very limited. There were only three main dishes available, a chick pea based dish, and two generic vegetable dishes which were very similar. While the chick pea dish was delicious, the other two were rather bland and left much to be desired. However, the side dishes were interesting and included a deliciously greasy crispy naan. The drinks were a bit pricey too. My mango lassi (yoghurt drink) was around £3 and wasn't quite as large as I'd hoped. Yet the staff were very friendly and the interior simplistic and well presented. As has been mentioned in previous reviews though, you simply cannot beat the mosque kitchen for vegetable curry and I believe that had I not already been a regular there, I would be rating Kalpna more highly. read more

Kalpna was an excellent choice for vegetarian Gujarat/South Indian food. Vegetarians will be excited by the plethora of options. Several Thallis and dosa dishes to choose from. Just wish my stomach was larger. Clean and nice interior with brightly colored mosaics on the walls. The three of us shared the Bhindi masala (okra), dosa, nan, and another dish. We left delightfully stuffed and happy. Bottom line: Don't dine here without ordering the dosa. Crisp, flavorful, and memorably great. read more

Kalpna offers vegetarian dinning to the street of Newington. Although it's location is a bit bizarre (and parking can be an issue) it's quality is still great and service very efficient. What really bugs me about this place is the decor. It's going for an Indian-Style but man is it busy! All the walls are covered top to bottom with little mirrors which in my point of view is a bit tacky and rather distracting. Other than this I am not big fan of the interior layout, the tables giving a feeling of limited space and too clustered together. However, it's a decent vegetarian Restaurant in the area. read more

This is one place I remember in my 2-day trip in Edinburgh. We pretty much found the place while walking down Bridge St. My friend, being vegetarian, called the shot. After some sickeningly sweet and over coconutty chicken tikka masala in London, this turned out to be one of the better surprises. We just went to the market and had picked up a couple bags of food and drinks for breakfast. The waiter jokingly asked if we bought our own food. I had paneer masala. It was rich and creamy if a little blend. I liked Vijay's Saam Savera better, nicely spiced and flavourful. After the trip, I talked to someone at work who has lived in Edinburgh for years and he agreed that Kalpna was one of the better Indian restaurants around town. read more

This is a nice place for a quiet drink and a curry! I am a huge fan of decent veggy curry (when it's done well) and Kalpna was just right. Edinburgh was beautiful (if freeezing) last week...and happy warming veggy food was just what I needed. My friend and I munched our way through the saam savera and the paneer butter masala with some naan bread. I would recommend it all!! It was delicious, if a teeny bit pricey. I think this place deserves 3.5 stars...but I am in happy mood, so I'm rounding it up to 4. :) read more

I've been here twice in the last month. Each time the food was great and very delicious. It is a bit on the pricey side, in my opinion, for the small portions they give. They have great vegetarian options though, so it was definitely worth it for that aspect. When we went this last time, we were still hungry after ordering and eating everything that we had to order another dish. I know that doesn't sound like a big deal, but I've never been to a restaurant where I had to order more food because I was still hungry, so that kind of turned me off a bit to it since the portions are so small. Otherwise the service was decent and, again, the food was very tasty! read more

Freshly refurbished, Kalpna is once again open for business after being closed for what seemed like an age. This place, which has always been a vegetarian restaurant used to be a great place to come to get food - whether it was a large group who were looking for something abit different, or just you and a friend looking for some quiet time, Kalpna could provide. Now however, it has taken on a new role - it still tries to be the place where you can go for good vegetarian Indian food, but some of its sparkle has gone, and really I'm not sure what it is. The whole place just doesnt seem welcoming, and its abit too modern for my liking. However, the food still remains great, and as ever the staff are friendly, so iots not like everything has gone down hill. I will be back here, although I might just have to put up with the new decor and general atmosphere. read more

Kalpna Restaurant - Vegetarian Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

I would agree with many of the reviews below except for one distinct factor; any places that charges gratitude automatically, unless its a large group, automatically loses a star in my book. There is nothing that I find more irritating. Standard mediocre food, I have had amazing vegetarian Indian food (having lived with someone from India) and as harsh as this is to say, Kalpna simply isn't trying. There is so much potential, but all gone to not. read more

Although I do like a nice chicken curry, it is quite refreshing to go to an Indian restaurant that caters solely in vegetarian food. The decor may leave a bit to be desired but the food certainly does not. There is a lot of delicately spiced, tasty vegetarian fare at very reasonable prices as well. There is an especially good value buffet on at lunchtimes which is well worth a try - there isn't a huge range but you will not be disappointed with regards to value for money. Even if you are a carnivore, you are sure to be impressed with the standard of food. read more

Even amongst non-vegetarians, Kalpna is regarded as one of the best Indian restaurants in Edinburgh, and not without good cause. I have come back to Kalpna again and again for its exquisite decor, the excellent service and for the best damn curry this city has to offer. Perhaps, as a vegetarian, my opinion is somewhat biased. For those not convinced, I urge you to go to their lunchtime buffet. Outstanding. read more

Kalpna made a big impression on me before I had even eaten there, with its sign proclaiming, "You do not need to eat meat to be strong and wise." That little mantra was painted over during the renovation a few years ago, but still rings strong inside. The lunchtime buffet is reasonably priced and delicious - while not as cheap as the nearby Mosque Kitchen, you get more of a variety of food and the luxury of sitting inside an actual building. I would especially recommend Kalpna to vegetarians dining with non-vegetarians, and carnivores looking for a place to take a vegetarian. The cuisine is very hearty, and I have never had any carnivorous friends complain about (and in one case, even notice) the lack of meat. Staff are friendly, only downside is the elbow-rubbing you may do with other tables as the inside can feel a bit cramped (in my eyes, a small price to pay for the quality and quantity of the cuisine). Location is perfect for a mid-day break from George Square campus. read more

I have been this place twice. Based on my first visit i would give it a 5 but this second time a 2-3 stars. The service of the staff is GREAT!!!! Decore is amazing. Little disappointed about the food. The quality was very bad compares to the first time we went. Orders Uttapa and the was half cooked. Dosa was as thick as a naan bread. We also got Mugal Kofta which was ok not great but not bad. Naan wasn't great either. Overall very average almost below average. read more

This was our first visit here and we really enjoyed it. The portion of rice is massive, so I suggest that it is shared by two people. The mains were delicious. I had a spicy aubergine dish and my partner had a creamy spinach dish. I finished with the Indian carrot cake which was much more like a chuck of caramelised carrots than cake, but still nice. read more

The second time went to Kalpna. A bit disappointed is the lunch is buffet which means we didn't have much choice. The dinner in Kalpna is really nice. The service is OK as there are always lot of people. The atmosphere is perfectly Indian. read more

Great saffron kulfi - tastes fresh and homemade. Dum aloo banarasi spicy was the bomb, only two pieces though!!! Mughlai Koftas were mild, I believe they would have tasted better with a little kick to them, given this was our first time we did not know what spice levels to order. It was good that both vegetables had different curry bases and flavors, spices were on point. Naan and laccha paratha were good, veg biryani was decent+. The only major disappointment was the veg samosa, came out hot but filling was not fresh and borderline stale - we did not complain about it but would not order again. When we decided to go there, were concerned about service issues reported in other reviews but did not notice any issues - food came out fast but we were also late in the day an hour before their closing time and that may have something to do with it. Big plus that they are an all vegetarian restaurant - would like to support them. Would love to go back to try other things. Price 4*, Food 4*, Service 3* - go give it a try when in Edinburgh - you won't be disappointed. read more

If you're vegetarian this place is well worth the visit. Carnivores like myself will find limited options, but they are still very tasty. The garlic naan was excellent. Service was a bit slow, but not terrible. read more

I am afraid I am not a vegetarian but visited this restaurant because my daughter and husband are! However, apart from missing fish, I absolutely recommend this restaurant as having fine Indian cuisine. The dosas are a treat and sauces delicious. The service is friendly and each meal excellently delivered. I would definitely go again and look forward to that visit in the future. If I was a vegetarian I would give this restaurant five stars!! read more

Food very average. Toilets simply disgusting and should be enough to close this establishment - to me toilets so filthy also indicates the attitude in the kitchen - nearly threw up. read more

It seems like this restaurant doesn't even give a quarter the amount of importance to customer service as they do to decorations. Mediocre food and poorest service I've encountered in Edinburgh. We had called in advance to ask if we could pay with card, and the gentleman who answered assured us that we could. We were told that there would be a 20 minute wait for a party of 6, but when we arrived we were made to wait for an extra 20 minutes. When we were finally seated, it took them additional time to even get us a menu, and our tables weren't set. One waiter threw a handful of utensils on the table later on, which we were expected to distribute and set ourselves. We asked for water twice, but we finally only got it with our food, which again took a long time to arrive. Our Thalis had repeated curries, as if no one had even paid attention as to what was going on our plates. Finally, we were told that their machine wasn't accepting cards and that we'd have to pay with cash. As an Indian, I can confidently say that this restaurant is not a proper reflection of good Indian cuisine and customer service, and your money is better spent elsewhere. read more

Super delicious Indian! I've had it all over the world, but this was the best. Definitely get the Mateer paneer, the peas were fresh! The coconut rice was insanely delicious. The main thing we noticed was that we weren't overwhelmed by the spices, the vegetables themselves were the stars. We even has desserts, and they were all perfect, not overly sweet. Even if you're not vegetarian, don't miss this food! read more

We visited the restaurant on 30/6/17. We had ordered kofta curry and bhindi masala and I had confirmed with the waiter that bhindi had no nuts and made very clear my daughter has severe allergic to nuts. He confirmed and was very sure that there were no nuts and as soon as she ate it she had allergic reaction. We did not feel the quantity was as per money and the taste was very poor too. Would never recommend this restaurant to anyone. read more

As a life-long vegetarian I have come to know the best (and worst) providers of veggie fare in Edinburgh. Often some of the best food is actually in restaurants that are not exclusively veggie. However, the Kalpna has to be one of the most superior all-vegetarian Indian restaurants on offer. Their lunchtime special 'all you can eat' has been known to encourage embarrassing displays of gluttony. I could (and do!) happily eat platefuls of their delicately spiced, lightly fried potato fritters. Then I move onto their perfect lentil dahl and spinach saag. AND still I have room for a delicious authentic pudding - kulfi ice-cream laced with honey, pistachios and condensed milk. Feeling hungry yet?! read more

I've been eating at the Kalpna since it opened 1981 I think. It's always been good, but the quality does vary depending on who the head cook is! You're sure of a good meal delicious, authentic South Indian food, excellent breads. Well worth going for the lunchtime buffet, great value for money. read more

I really enjoyed the vegan Thaali. The service was nice and efficient, although it was quite crowded. They could work on the interior design, though. Still, food-wise one of the best Indian restaurants I have been to, so far. read more

Excellent food, lovingly prepared. Portions are small but service is excellent and the dishes are unusual in presentation and flavour. Recommend. Try the Saam Savera and Paneer Butter Masala. My kids loved the coconut rice. Whatever you do, do not miss the desserts. read more

Kalpna is not a big restaurant but has managed through the years to establish a big name. It is one of the best Indian and veg restaurants in the city. Expect nice food, excellent service and a bit pricey meals but it is all worth the experience. The place is warm and with a homelike air. I strongly recommend it. read more

We ate here on Friday 24 September, and were not very happy with the service or food. my wife and I are vegetarians and thought that this place would be a good place to eat, we do not eat onions or garlic and thought this would not be a problem as their website talks about fresh food. When ordering we were told that pretty much every dish apart from the rice or nann was pre made and could not be made without onions and garlic, which was a big let down as all we could eat was the one panner dish. We did ask if a fresh dish could be made but he said no as everything is pre prepared even the bhindi and paneer dishes and no other fresh items were available, but then our waiter did attempt to have made a jeera aloo dish with mixed veg which wasn't on the menu, so thanks to him for that. Finally, after paying a bill of £33 for 1 starter, two main dishes and two drinks we had to request the after dinner mints. In terms of service, this place is not great, but the decor of the restaurtant is nice if that helps. read more

I went to Kalpna with two friends, and we had a lovely meal. The place was quirky and nice, the food was decent and well presented, and up until it was time to pay the bill, it was a great experience. For that alone, they get one star, instead of zero. When it came time to pay, it was a different story. We wanted to split the bill three ways so that we each paid 15 pounds. The owner came over to us and gave us a sob story about how he has to pay for each card run and how it's too expensive for him to run three cards. I commiserated, even though there was a service tip charge added to our 3 person group (of 4 pounds!) but explained that we didn't have cash on us so we had to pay with cards. He said he wanted us to put it all on one card and then settle it between us. That would have been inconvenient for us, and I wasn't budging, so then he says he has a 20 pound minimum, which isn't true, as I've used a card to pay for less than 20 on other occasions at this same establishment. Finally, I said that I would be sad not to come again, but that this experience was becoming unpleasant, and he responded by chastising me (loudly) for "threatening" him. I wasn't threatening him, but we'd been discussing this (him in a VERY loud voice) for well over five minutes, and we just wanted to leave at that point. Ultimately he ran the three cards, and was incredibly rude about the whole thing. He turned what was a fun, relaxed evening into a terrible, unpleasant experience. I will definitely not be going back there, and I definitely will be warning people against this place. There are better restaurants with a LOT less drama required when all you want to do it pay your (4 pound inflated) bill. read more

My family and I went to this restaurant based on the many positive reviews. The place has a pleasant vibe to it. However, when we walked in, the hostess/waitress greeted us with a surprised look and asked if we had reservations. We did not. After looking around for an empty table (there was only one other couple having dinner), she seated us. We noticed that she gave other people who walked in after us the same "welcoming" treatment. We ordered our food but they forgot to bring us the appetizer. I mentioned to the waiter that we had ordered an appetizer after he brought us the main course and he looked very confused. We were later informed by the hostess that they were out of that particular appetizer. The food was mediocre. It did not have the flavor of good Indian food. Despite everything I mentioned above, I would've given it three stars until I went to the bathroom. There was a distinctive smell of urine around the entire lower level, which is where the bathrooms are located. I wouldn't recommend this restaurant. read more

Having just finished exams, I visited Kalpna for the third time last night with my boyfriend, to celebrate. Whilst I can understand the criticisms of others regarding the compulsory service charge of 10%, if you mentally calculate it while ordering your meal, it doesn't actually make this an expensive meal. Sure-it would be better if they let you decide how much of a tip you want to give regardless... Aside from this, I cannot praise the food anymore than I already have. I went for a memorable masala dosa again, and it didn't disappoint. It was crispy, the filling was spicy and full of flavour, and the sauces absolutely delicious. I was offered a refill of the sambar when I eagerly ate it before touching the dosa. The peanut and chilli dip was really quite special, the coconut cooling and creamy as it should be. There were so many exciting flavours going on! Robbie's thali was equally exciting: he got a few fried starters like pakoras with two dips, 2 fresh-from-the-oven naan, two mini portions of curry: one aubergine, the other okra, a lentil dhal, steamed basmati rice and a cardamom and pistachio rice pudding. It was beautifully served on a traditional silver thali plate, garnished with salad. It looked doable, but he soon found himself struggling with a huge quantity of food. Fortunately, it was so good that he did find that extra room in his stomach for everything. For pudding I opted for a saffron kulfi. It was creamy, extremely delicious and dense, unlike European ice cream with it softer and airier. The taste of saffron was very present. The dosa cost £8.75, the thali £12.50 and the kulfi £3.50. Having tried just about every South Indian in town, I must emphasise that this is the most authentic. Dosas are naturally vegetarian, and the addition of chicken and other meat is a Western variation. On a par with woodlands in London. read more