This is the best place for Indian food in the Burlington area. The dining room is cozy and colorful. I enjoyed my meal there and will return whenever I come back to town. The staff was friendly and fast. Start to finish, it was an outstanding dinner experience. Rose lassi - not readily available in most Indian restaurants so this was a treat, I wanted two but stayed with one. Sweet but not distractingly so. Manchow soup - first time I've ever had it and it was amazing. I've never seen it before and I wished I could've taken some with me. It was flavorful and spicy hot in the best way possible. Highlight of my meal. Vegetable samosa chat - another outstanding dish. If you like samosas, you'll like this. Though with chickpeas and a similar spice profile. A nice curry also then topped with fresh pomegranate seeds. Chicken pakoras - battered, deep fried tandoori chicken, just like mother used to make. lol Vegetable samosas - a nice crispy crust with just the right thickness. Spicy and the chutneys (mint and tamarind) really balanced the dish. Special naan - savory, spicy, spongy goodness, toasted to perfection. Jeera rice - this was a different flavor profile than I'm used to but I have only good things to say about it. Savory goodness. I know Indian food is usually served with naan or rice but I prefer both. Always have, always will. Butter chicken - diced tandoori chicken in a tomato based curry, medium spice but maximum taste. A little sweet, a lot savory and a hint of smoke. Everything butter chicken should be. I only took home about 5 to go boxes and had 3 meals at home out of all this. Loved this place and loved the food. Go for the soup, chat and rose lassi, you'll be happy you did. read more

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Amazing amazing!! I am from LA and there's plenty of mediocre Indian food, but in Burlington?? Wow. Food was tasty, creamy, great portions, and well priced. The service was excellent. The samosa, the naan, the tiki masala, curry and basmati were all great. I got the highest level spice and it was spot on... I'm coming back. This is a MUST TRY!! Thank you . Your food was awesome. Bon appetit read more

Masala Elaichi - 3 curries. Basmati rice and naan - Indian Near Me - Burlington, Vermont

The food is always very good! Authentic Indian flavor. This has become one of our favorite places to eat. Staff are friendly and have been consistent with getting our orders right with fast service. We also love their Sunday buffet lunch special! read more

Best Indian food in the state. Chana masala is to die for, as is their naan. I go here very frequently, portions are big and I'm never disappointed. read more

Ordered a late night takeout and although we usually find the food here very good and worth the slow service, tonight's presentation was definitely not up to standard. The Butter Chicken and Tandoori Chicken was so dry as to be unpalatable, as was the Buttered Garlic Naan, which was burnt, had no garlic or butter and was, of all things, soggy! WE are very disappointed! read more

Masala Elaichi - Indian Near Me - Burlington, Vermont

Amazing food. Best place for Indian food in Burlington, VT. The samosa chaat tastes incredible for the chilly weather. But need to have lot of patience until the food is delivered, hence giving 4.5, else it would be 5. read more

Elaichi has potential. We went there on a Friday night in October, frankly because all restaurants in downtown Burlington were "fully committed" or "fully engaged". It is about a mile up Pearl from Church and parking is available across the street. The food was good but honestly the most memorable aspect of the evening were the Westminster chimes erupting from the outer and inner doors when any customer entered or exited. Volume dialed at around a 7, every second or third bite our delicious samosas or bangin bartha was punctuated by the 8-note chimes. DING ding ding ding....ding ding DING ding. Aside from the chimes, the food was overall very very good. Veggie samosas hot and crispy, masala dosa likewise--tangy crepes rolled around coriander infused potato, bangin bartha spice forward eggplant puree. The only conspicuously bland dish was the chicken tikka masala. The interior cafateriorish. And, of course, the incessant chimes--they were unpleasant but made the evening so bizarrely memorable that I'm presently uncertain how to feel about them. I'll think on that. read more

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Had a very bad experience STALE FOOD THEY DONT CARE at masala elahchi restaurant in Burlington Vt STALE FOODby Chef SHARMA The server Sonu took 20 min to approach the table Forgot my coke until called while there was just 1 table occupied . Ordered a chicken tandoori which was stale After a bite felt raw and smelly in the centre The kabab felt like just taken out of the freezer warmed n served . The lamb masala was better than the starter When told to the Server to let the chef (Sharma) know that the food is frozen from a long time and dont serve the same to another guest The reply from the Chef Sharma was this how we serve it . That really disappointing especially when you're expecting freshly cooked food n the chef's response was dismissive. I Hope they have a food inspection and the health department look over it . On my way home I already was getting some weird bumps in my stomach glad I dint eat the whole thing n sent it back. I still had to pay for everything even tho I sent it back I gave a 20% tip to the server and told them I won't recommend their place or even come there for an unhygienic experience. read more

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This place is amazing!! The food is so good, the staff goes above and beyond to make sure you enjoy your meal. The inside is super cute and the decorations are a nice touch. My server even came to offer us a sample of a new menu item and give us warm towels after. Would totally recommend!! read more

Masala Elaichi - Indian Near Me - Burlington, Vermont

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Not going to split hairs here. In late August, my daughter and I went to this Indian resto and had a pleasant dinner. My food was not spicy and tasted decent. Within 2 hours I started experiencing bad stomach pains and cramps. With in 2 days I had a full blown Food Borne Illness that lasted almost 1 month. This restaurants sanitation scores were recently posted and they have one of the lowest scores in Burlington. Eat here at your own risk. read more

Service is honestly amazing. I would come back just for the friendly service. Huge and good portions for the price. So delicious. It's a quiet but not small. Good sized place and nice decor. Highly recommended!! Sandeep Ji helped me and especially the best waitresses ever!! read more

I'm not lying to you this is some of the best Indian/South Asian takeout I've ever had. I started calling my weekly order from here "Masala Monday" but I can't constrain myself to only one day of the week. I order two garlic naan and eat them before I even make it home, I told my parents about their tikka masala, this place could be one mile or six miles from where I live and I'd still walk there to get dinner. I swear to the Lord On High it's so good. read more

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Food was excellent. Hot and sour soup plus tandora appetizer were great. They only had one server so service was a bit slow. I will get takeout next time! read more

Love this place. Spices were wonderful. Best Indian in BTV. Brought friends who loved it as well

Absolutely delicious. Friendly servers. Nice atmosphere. We were missing Indian cuisine. This establishment hit all the right buttons. Looking forward to our next visit. read more

Massive servings! Very filling! Staff is super friendly and nice. Not a huge fan of the music - when we went it was one song on loop the whole time. read more

I had the Thali Vegetarian platter. When the waiter handed me the Gulab Jamun first, I asked if it was okay to save it to the end of the meal, and she said she could get me another one then. The portions of all the dishes included were generous. The dishes stood out from other trips to Indian restaurants as complex combinations of complementary flavors from the varieties of ingredients and spices. The yellow (turmeric or saffron?) rice had whole cloves, cardamom pods and a small seed (cumin?) in it. The Medium spiciness level was in the upper part of my preferred range. My son's Medium Lamb Biryani was above his. Both of us are experienced, albeit Caucasian, consumers of chili pepper. Afterwards I thought I should probably make a policy of starting at the mild spicy level when I go to a new restaurant. I expect to go again and would recommend Masala Elaichi to those appreciating or curious about Indian food. read more

I wish I had good things to say but this is yet another disappointing Indian restaurant in the Burlington area. I made sure to eat here on several occasions, spaced out over a year to give them an opportunity to improve. My first visit by the way was right when they opened. Beginner's woes, they call it. Give them a chance to improve, they said. 12 months later, I came back and ordered several dishes. Any change? Not a single bit. The food is just not authentic and borderline appalling. Take for example the lamb biryani. I've eaten biryani for 20+ years so I know what to expect. The biryani here is just rice sautéed in random spices and bell peppers with a few chunks of lamb thrown in. It has no semblance of a real biryani dish. The spices used in the dish were oddly chosen and didn't even go well together, to the point where my tongue was asking "what the heck are you even eating?" Another example, the chicken tikka masala. This is supposed to be charbroiled (tandoor grilled) chicken tossed into a creamy tomato curry (hence the name chicken tikka - google it). Not only was the curry sauce subpar, the chicken they use are just pieces of dark meat thrown in. Pure complacency (or laziness, call it whatever you wish). They surely know these recipes are not authentic but there doesn't seem to be any incentive to deliver at a reasonable level (and definitely won't be given all the rave reviews). I have more I could share but I'll stop there. Very disappointed. Back to Trader Joe's for Indian food it is. read more

My go to spot for Indian food. You need to order everything spicy- it burns but it's a good burn. Don't miss their: Chicken and olive samosa Samosa chaat (smashed samosa and yogurt/chicpea "salad) Rogan Josh (lamb) Butter chicken Extra garlic naan They have the best rice in town with whole steamed spices. Service is always friendly. read more

Paper masala dosa looks more like floppy yesterday's crepe leftover. The chai isn't bad. read more

Masala Elaichi - a flat bread and a bowl of soup - Indian Near Me - Burlington, Vermont

Excellent service! Food came out in minutes, and was hot and delicious. We had the Shahi Mutter Paneer, Curry Chicken, Lamb Vindaloo, Garlic Naan and Vegetable Samosas. We have been here a few times in the last 6 months and everything has been outstanding. Street parking is tough, but there is a UVM lot across the street that doesn't require a permit after 6pm. Hot towels to clean your hands at the end of the meal was a nice touch. Only complaint- annoying pop music blaring from a TV, which we were directly under. Last time there was traditional Indian music playing- we much preferred that to the bad Top 40 covers. read more

Went for the first time for their Sunday buffet. It was really good! The selection was good and everything was fresh. It was about $14 a person and included Masala chai, which was really good!! The immediate area had a lot of resident only parking. Being the first time there, it was a little hard to figure out but once we did, it was wasn't bad and it was pretty close by. Definitely plan on going back! read more

Hands down the BEST Indian food I have ever had! Amazing service and quality food. The owner and servers are all really friendly. Unlimited buffet on Sunday read more

Masala Elaichi - food - Indian Near Me - Burlington, Vermont

Food was great! Currys and masala delish. Garlic naan was fresh and crunchy. will definitely be back!

In my opinion, the best Indian food in Chittenden County. A few issues though. Kitchen is overwhelmed on weekend nights. Ordered online, order confirmation page says meal ready in 35 minutes. Arrive 35 minutes later only to wait another 25 minutes for the meal. They need to manage customer expectations better. I was one of a half-dozen customers waiting for extended period of time. Menu missing Dal in any form. Dal Makhani? Buttery Dal? Dal Tadkha? No dal at all. Take out items are not marked as to what they are. Okay, the green is clearly spinach but all the rest are a mystery. My houseguest ordered chicken, allergic to cheese, got served the paneer masala. The strict vegetarian got the chicken. They took the time to write mild vs med, they only needed to write a V on the vegetarian items, or Chik or Cheese. Sounds petty but it is irritating nonetheless. Would I eat here again? Yes but with trepidation. read more

We have been looking forward to this restaurant opening for some time! Since moving to VT, the food whether farm to table or non-farm to table (essential options), is very bland. Our takeout items included dal makhani, butter paneer, bhaigan, vegetable biryani, pakoras. The Dal and butter paneer were "watery". The dishes lacked flavor and the paneer which was ordered "spicy" tasted the same as the other mild dishes. For VT, this place will blend right in. For those hoping for a NYC indian restaurant transplant, this didn't live up to those expectations. However, open to try it again read more

Awesome Indian food. The Naan and pollack paneer were great. Only giving three stars as the atmosphere wasn't the best due to the entry door having a loud sounding digital chime bell every time someone walked in. read more

Firstly, parking is difficult. We didn't try a lot of dishes but whatever we ordered was really bad. Lamb biryani was the worst! Went there due to the good reviews but came out disappointed. read more

LOVE their website, literally so efficient. Their lunch specials are good also! Tuesday is my favorite.

This restaurant has top quality Indian food. The waiters and waitresses are knowledgeable about their menu, and the food was really just phenomenal! The mango lassi is the best I've ever had in my life. I will definitely be dining here on the regular! Compliments to the chef :) read more

I am Indian and continue to seek reliable and tasty Indian food in Vermont. I am still waiting. I will admit that when we ordered the first time that I was impressed. Dishes were tasty. But I just ordered online the second time and was ENORMOUSLY disappointed. They are one of the only Indian restaurants that claims to serve certain things like fun street foods such as pani puri and the very rare Indian dish Kadi. Kadi is almost NEVER available in most Indian establishments. They never had it when I called in the past. And on one occasion, I had been directed to order it on Sundays. So, I did. I ordered both pani puri and Kadi and they did not deliver the very essential broth that comes with pani puri (the pani) and they did not give me kadi at all and instead substituted it with a dish that was nothing close to it. And, despite calling to tell me that my order would be ready in 15 minutes, the guy could not be bothered to tell me that they were NOT going to give me the Kadi I ordered. Also, everything they did manage to throw together had the disappointing quality that is true of many Indian restaurants where everything tasted the same. IMPROVE Elaichi!!!! And provide, at minimum, the dishes that someone orders. That is a basic expectation. read more

I think this place was okay... basically just get takeout and you'll have an okay time. Yeah yeah yeah. Sooooo that's that. I hope this review helps in your decision making process. P.S. wine on weekends= absolute bust read more

I think this is the best Indian food in Burlington. It's great. Had the chicken tikka masala and it had excellent depth of spices (I hate when it's watery which I find sometimes). The dosas look amazing too but they weren't making them that day. Can't wait to go back. read more

My mother and I had the Thali Non-Vegetarian so we could try a variety of dishes and we enjoyed them all: lamb, chicken, lentils, a wonderful white sauce, delicious rice, naan and gulab jamun, a delightful pastry. My mother's first time eating Indian food (she's 95) and she loved it. We got medium spice level and it was perfect. So much food we had leftovers for another meal. Finally, the best cup of Chai I've ever had. The colorful decorations gave the place a fun feel. And the prices can't be beat! Can't wait to go back - I want to try everything on the menu, and it's a big menu! read more

Very flavorful! Serves with a smile. Probably the best Indian restaurant near Burlington!

Just ok. The vegetable soup was inedible, but the breads were ok. Wouldn't go out of my way to go back

Elaichi was *awesome!* I've been spoiled with wonderful Indian food for most of my life, and I was really excited to have a new option in Burlington. They do not disappoint! My two go-to's, the chicken tikka masala and the butter chicken, were both delicious and flavorful, and the food was prepared super quickly. I'm excited to try some of their specialties, and their takeout operation was seamless so I'll be returning soon! Highly, highly, highly recommend. Side note: they were very covid conscious, were wearing masks and had clear signage to enable social distancing. I felt very comfortable picking up takeout! read more

Ordered take-out - super efficient online ordering. Food was excellent! We ordered two different pakoras, two naan, and a lamb dish (can't recall the name). Our only disappointment was that they don't offer dosa for takeout....hoping they figure that out. read more

It's easy to see (taste) that the people at Elaichi take great pride in the food they prepare. You can taste the freshness of the ingredients and the authenticity of the recipes. And the people working there were lovely! I'm so glad they're open for indoor dining again! One thing to keep in mind: It was BYOB when we went. read more

We've gotten take out several times and have been consistently impressed. The rice is delicious, not just plain white rice but has spices (cardamom, saffron and more) and the veg pakora appetizer with two sauces was scrumptious. Our main dishes were perfectly spiced and very good. I would highly recommend this restaurant for takeout. Haven't been in to eat but we will be back again for takeout. read more