Namaste is really reminiscent of the India Sweets and Spices chain: half grocery store, half vegetarian steam trays. We stopped by for lunch and shared two lunch specials and threw in a Mysore Dosa for good measure. For the lunch specials, you can pick from about 4 -5 dals and curries if the day in compartmentalized trays with rice, naan, pickled vegetables. This was not my favorite. Everything was very salty and a little too pungent for my tastes. For example, the pickled vegetables were too salty to eat and the curries seemed like they had wayy more curry spices than usual. They were, however, generously sized and two people could easily share one plate. The Mysore dosa, on the other hand, was incredibly good. This version smears a red, hot (but not too hot) chili paste over the dosa and is filled with potatoes. I want to come back for just this! read more

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I came here for some groceries and wanted to also check out their menu. Their menu offers vegetarian food only. I got some samosas for the family, a mango lassi, and some hot chai. I can't speak on the samosas, since I didn't have any. The mango lassi was already made and refrigerated. I don't know how long it's been sitting there. It didn't taste fresh, either. There was an unpleasant after taste. The chai was just disgusted. Granted, I'm a chai connoisseur and I'm very critical when it comes to judging them. However, there was no taste but the burnt taste of it. The worker at the cashier also did not give me some sweetner, napkins, and spoon as I had requested. I had to go back in to get some. This is fine. Food are sometimes a big hit or a miss. This is my real complaint earning this establishment 1 star. At the back, in the produce section, there was loose wire just sticking out. A customer walking down the aisle tripped on it. Thankfully, he was able to hold himself up preventing a hard fall. The picture I had posted is after the man had tripped over it and kicked it under the display area. I told a worker and he rushed toward it. I am unsure whether this issue has been fixed. This is a very dangerous blunder on many different levels. Safety is utmost important, so I hope they took care of it right away. read more

Namaste Spiceland - Mango Lassi and Large Chai - Indian Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I love going to Namaste for their amazing variety of foods, rice and spices. I also love their hot food counter, we absolutely love their samosas. Great customer service and very helpful. read more

Namaste Spiceland - Samosas are my favorite & Namaste makes it the best - Indian Near Me - Pasadena, California

Good place to pick up some Indian food, spices and other groceries which is not available in traditional American stores. The freezer section has a lot of frozen Indian treats but very disorganized. The stores is decently sized and the isles are small enough where two people can walk simultaneously but if you have a doing cart that may me an issue. They have a restaurant in this shop that attracts a lot of folks of various ethnic backgrounds. Stuff is priced decently and you will find most things that you need. There is decent parking around the business. I would visit the place again read more

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Really authentic Indian cuisine. The food is very nice tasting, and a lot of food for a very reasonable price! I ordered a "three veggie@ combo, and it was surprisingly big! I got to chose 3 options of vegetables (paneer tika, lentils, eggplant, chickpeas, and vegetable mix were the options) and it came with: rice, naan (I changed for roti), samosa, and curd. Very nice service, fast! For dessert, they have many options, I tried the Shrikhand (yogurt with honey, saffron and cardamom) - great taste! They also have a supermarket with original food you can find in Indian's supermarkets. Very nice place! read more

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Fantastic resturant and marketplace. Very friendly staff, my week is not complete without a visit!

My second review for 2018 goes to you Namaste Spiceland. I'm so fortunate to live so close to you guys! FRESH food daily is something not many places can offer. To be honest, you guys deserve all the praise. I'm not Indian but I used to help out at a friends Indian restaurant and oh my...you do NOT understand how much WORK it takes to make Indian food! I'm Persian and I will still tell you, nothing compares to the amount of manual labor it takes to make a dish. This is not an American store where you take a piece of bread and make a sandwich. No sir-! This type of cooking, work and love it takes to make Indian food is NOT easy! Thank you guys for all that you do to bring us AFFORDABLE freshly prepared meals. Just know your hard work, care and love you put into the dishes do not go unnoticed! See you guys later today for some chai! :) read more

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Finally a decent Indian food option in the area. A few favorites: 1) Chana Bhatura (chickpea stew served with two glorious fried bread pillows). 2) Any of their Parathas (stuffed roti cooked on an oiled skillet). My fav is the OPG. Flavor warning! 3) Samosa chaat. (A samosa topped with a delicious concoction of randomness) They stay unapologetically true to the flavors and I commend them for it. If what you ordered is too hot for your tastebuds, get something else. Great value for money as well. Their grocery section is on point as well. Always well stocked and clean. A wide variety of products. This place keeps me coming back, a few times a week at least. Keep up the good work Namaste! read more

Namaste Spiceland - Indian Near Me - Pasadena, California

I've been here a couple times now, and have been utterly blown away by the AMAZING flavors! Like WOW! Seriously, if their curries had boxing gloves I'd be KO'd within 1 bite, then be crawling back for more! I'm usually VERY picky with my Indian food, but I couldn't find fault at all! Who cares if it's all vegetarian--meats overrated, anyway! Now I know why this spot always has quite the crowd--not overcrowded per say, but a constant stream of customers of all ethnicities and backgrounds. They offer a large variety of desserts (YUM!) and all sorts of yummy Indian snacks and groceries, in addition to their chaat and everything else. Their mango lassi is one of the best I've had in the state, and I love that they don't give it to you with ice as that dilutes the flavor and texture! Also, their garlic naan is actually ultra garlicky and comes out DELICIOUS! Honestly, I can't wait to come here again and try more of their goodies--I'm drooling already thinking about it! read more

Picked up some quick Indian food. On my way home from school. It was pretty good. We liked the Dahl the best. All the prepared food was good. Picked up a can of Indian soda. It was old or something. Tasted off. read more

Someone unaccustomed to eating Indian cuisine might worry that their order will be too spicy, as in hot. Here at Namaste Spiceland, however, even a "seasoned" lover of Indian cuisine has to worry about how salty their meal is. They definitely don't hold back on the salt here! It may be a combination of too much salt AND too much pepper or mustard seed. Whichever it is, one thing is clear: the food here is salty af. I have to wonder if they taste test what they serve? To be fair, my masala dosa was okay. But the vegetables and dals have really been over the top salty my last few visits. This together with the less than pleasant customer service makes Namaste Spiceland a less than ideal eatery. The market, on the other hand, is well stocked and clean. A positive. read more

I came in here with very modest expectations, but they were all too high. The clerk who took my order, ignored every single request my partner made, and required me to repeat it to him in order for it to be acknowledged. To add to this very questionable behavior, he overcharged me, by atleast 25% or so, and even refused to give me a lesser quantity of pastries(a box of 10 or so) when requesting it. I chose to overlook these frustrations and concentrate on the food. While it did taste really excellent - I found myself only minutes later feeling immense inflamation and fatigue. Another reviewer claims they deep fry with canola oil, which I have learned from much experience, is extremely unhealthy and toxic for me and well most anyone. Without exaggeration, this relatively casual transaction has been one of the worst I have had with any business in years. I don't think they are sound to operate. The food is - despite its incredible flavor - poisonous. read more

Absolutely love the food here. Everything is made fresh daily and ready to order. Good place to go and pick up authentic Indian food. read more

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I don't want to do this. I like the store, and I like the people who run it, although they are a little brusque sometimes. But I have to because I accidentally "poisoned" myself by eating here, naively believing that they wouldn't do such a thing. What am I talking about? Two words: canola oil. They fry the samosas, the vadas, the pooris, and God only knows what else in this foul-smelling sludge. I have sampled many Desi (Indian) restos in the southland and could never even imagine one using that liquid feces. I noticed I felt a little off after eating there, and one day I had the presence of mind to ask. Sure enough. It was like a dagger through the heart, emotionally, nutritionally, and literally. Look, eating foods deep-fried in oil isn't exactly healthy, I know that. There are issues with other oils, too, but canola is a particularly nasty offender. I won't lecture about it - do your own research. There are numerous YouTube videos about it. And it certainly is NOT an oil that commonly would be used in India! Just by way of contrast, India Sweets and Spices in Los Feliz, which is in a similar gamespace being a North/South Indian deli and supermarket, assured me they would never use that lipidous junk. They use soy, which one could argue is not much better, but at least it isn't just as utterly foul as canola. I am sorely disappointed. Please forgive me, but I have to "speak truth to poori." read more

May be a good market, but the food is awful Too spicy too salty.They need a new chef for sure. Customer service needs some work too. read more

The prepared food is delicious. There are lots of choices from chana masala to prasadam to samosas. You can get a 3 piece combo - rice + 2 choices with chapati or naan. The service is with a smile, and if it's not too busy, they'll tell you about how the food is enjoyed in India. The ambiance is not great -- it looks like a dingy grocery store and has flourescent lights. I wouldn't bring a first date here to dine, but would def get stuff to go for creating a feast at home. read more

I'll start by saying that he AC wasn't an issue the day I was there and it was 95° outside. The cafeteria style was nice for getting instant food. But the variety seemed a bit limiting. The nan bread was very doughy, it was not cook nearly enough for the yummy flaky taste we're used to enjoying. I will definitely return for another delicious meal but this time I'll order off the menu. I hope that it will be a yummy experience. read more

I like almost everything about this store! Ok every time I shop there I have to scrutinize my receipt, every time I am over charged for items. I question it and excuses are made, I point out the price posted by the item on the shelf and reluctantly it is corrected and price is adjusted. Vegetables are usually old and wilted and no one around to sort out the rotted ones. Please pay attention to your prices and vegetables. I don't always have time to go over my receipt and catch your overpriced items. My purchases are always over $100 and don't appreciate being over charged! read more

So glad to have this place in Pasadena. It's excellent, both as a grocery store and as a deli-style restaurant. Have been back since the pandemic, but can't wait to return! So nice to have a little taste of India so close to home. read more

BEST Indian food in town. You get a big plate with lots of variety. All delicious. I travel from quite far to go here

Food is okay at best. I just come here when I need a fix, especially for a little pani puri or samosa. Everything else is too heavy and tastes the same. But I would let that slide if the service was better. The guys behind the counter act like they give zero f**ks about you. They will give you a minimal response and you can forget about actually getting a smile. Is it because I am a Desi too or do they treat everyone as badly I wonder. Not a good example of Desi warmth I am afraid. read more

Used to be my go to place for North Indian foods & groceries. Still the place is very clean and hot food they serve are pretty decent. But their customer service and sweet selection sucks. In recent past I have realized that the quality of Indian sweets are very poor and sometime so old that is beyond edible. This happened in multiple occasions. Not once, not twice but multiple times to multiple people. For that reason, yesterday I asked an employee when a particular box of sweet was made before buying. The cashier assured me that it's fresh and made just this morning. After purchasing when we tried to eat it, the food was crumbling and clearly she was not very honest. We were still in the parking lot so I went back in the store and explained their manager the problem. Her answer was "the lady employee is a part time staff so she doesn't know much". Really? You don't train your employee? She gave me back my money without any questions that is a clear indication that they are well aware of the fact that their approach is not being very honest. This doesn't leave a great taste in your mouth as a customer. It's relatively easy to open a good business but very hard to keep the high standard and customer service. I hope their higher management and owner is well aware of this & their not so exciting practices executed by their front line employee. Be aware as it's not that cool. read more

Is this place closing down? They hardly have stuff on the shelves . It's the bare minimum. Their frozen food was not really fully frozen as the freezers are not working properly. I regret going there for groceries . read more

Very Tasty Vegan Food I eat it a few times a week and am never disapointed...... 9/10

I went in Monday morning around 10:30AM. I went up and down each aisle. The place looked as tho a bomb had gone off. Product all over the place, empty shelves, items on the floor, a dirty knife sitting on top of some spices on a shelf. I saw a person in the kitchen and one person standing on a box putting items on a shelf. No one said a word or asked if they could help me, but then again, I did not speak to anyone. I try to support individual businesses, but a place that looks in such disarray is not good. read more

I love the food here and even though I live nowhere near this place I'll still go out of my way to pick up my lunch/dinner here. Everything I've ate here has been amazingly delicious. Why the less than 5 stars then? The combos supposedly come with "pickles and onions", it's right there on the menu. I never get these pickles and onions and yes, I love Indian pickles! Today I asked for them to include the pickles and I was told they don't have pickles. What the? And the other no star. I watched the guy dishing up the food for the person in front of me. Big servings, and topped the rice off too. And for me, much less of a serving, and no rice being topped off. This isn't the first time I've noticed this here... read more

Namaste Spiceland is part Indian groceries and dry goods, and half a kicking Indian takeout restaurant. I've visited both sides of the house, and their spices, dried goods, chutneys and sauces, frozen samosas and naan, are varied, fair priced, and really well organized. The store is clean, follows Covid guidelines and is a wonderful place to shot and fill your spice and simmer-sauce rack. I bought an entire array of spices to restock my pantry and they had absolutely everything I was looking for and more. The takeout side of the house is the real meat(well, not really) and potatoes, though. They offer several Indian dishes, an assortment of breads and fried sides, and the prices are pretty low for what you get. We took home a couple plates of the three veggie combos, which included a wide assortment of their items, lentils, a tiki, a really wonderful mixed vegetable, and some incredible cilantro rice. Also had to snag a few pieces of garlic naan, worth the extra buck and loss of an item from the combo. It's a pillow soft naan with really nice garlic flavor. It complemented the meal nicely. Honestly, $10.99 a plate plus a buck upgrade for the naan saw each of us with too much food. I could easily drop that down to the cheaper $8.99 two veggie combo and be super satisfied. All things said, you get a lot for your money here. They also packaged the to go very well. We visit Pasadena routinely, but thanks to Covid we've been taking much of our food back home with us to DTLA. So, that's a winding, possibly sloshy trip back on the 110 with super-stain-friendly curries, but no drama, no mess, everything was perfect when we arrived home and dove in. It was a little crowded on a weekend, and we didn't help matters by coming near dinner time. I'd delay that in the future to wander in a little after the rush. We also missed out on a couple items from our combos. I'm pretty sure we were supposed to get samosas... Maybe I just had samosa on the brain, but alas... no samosas in our bag when we got home. We also only had a single piece of pakora, but tbh honest here there were no complaints (other than telling my brain you weren't getting a samosa today). There was so much food and I was very satisfied. We'll definitely be back, probably a little earlier or later next time, and especially when Covid restrictions start winding down, it will be super nice to sit on one of their picnic benches outside of the store, with the dog, and enjoy a nice hot meal. Hopefully in the near future. All and all, great spot for your Indian cooking (and home prepping) needs, and some really nice and affordable takeout when you'd rather someone else do the cooking tonight. read more

Namaste Spiceland! Previously we have been trying satisfy our frequent Indian food itch with expensive take-out restaurants. An Indian friend of mine who grew up in Mumbai recommended Namaste Spiceland as the best (and entirely vegetarian) Indian food in Pasadena. Oddly enough it still took us two solid years to try it. Now, there is no turning back! In addition to being an Indian grocery store, Namaste Spiceland has a cafeteria-style fresh hot food bar that is safely operated in the setting of COVID. We often get one of their large dinner platters and garlic naan, which comes out to $13ish for TWO people. This includes a large portion of rice, papadan, a humongous samosa, and three dishes that my husband and I split between the two of us. Everything we've had so far has been outstanding; last night we had a creamy paneer dish that was phenomenal, and they have an aloo gobi dish that is one of my favorites as well. My husband loves the bindi masala, a spice-filled okra dish. Great blends of spices and flavorings, and the available dishes rotate frequently so it's always a delectably fun experience. Several super-sweet dessert options are available too; occasionally we treat ourselves to gulab jaamun, which I believe is some kind of dried-milk ball drenched in a sugary syrup. We love Namaste Spiceland and hands down they are one of our favorite go-tos for relatively healthy, inexpensive, and fresh take out food, especially during quarantine. read more

UPDATE: Now that I've been here a few times, it doesn't feel so awkward. The food is absolutely Deelish and the Customer Service is MUCH better. I'm guessing that it's not poor customer service. Rather, it's more of a language barrier. I'm really glad I gave them another chance. read more

Great fresh food and reasonably priced also the pumpkin curry is delicious definitely recommend this place

This is another one of my favorite. Here you can get authentic South Indian meals, hot and fresh. I usually get some tofu w basmati rice and some Naan with some mango lassi to go. The portions are huge so for a foodie like me the 2 entree w rice deal is good for one and a half meals at 7.99 that is a really great deal. The grocery store part has basically everything you need with all the basic spices and ingredients you need to cook home cooked authentic indian food. But omg their mango lassi is sooooo good. Love this place!! read more

Genuinely such amazing food and even better customer service! I am vegan and ordered the combo plate. It came with A LOT of food for only $13.99, I think I might be full for a couple of days, haha. 10/10, if you are vegan and want some good Indian food, you've found the place. Plus, there's indoor and outdoor seating attached. There's also a market. read more

Namaste Spiceland is a nice oasis of Indian goods in an area that is dominated by American fast food and East Asian cuisine. I've come to appreciate Indian food ever since I've moved to LA, and to be specific their curries. All forms of curry probably originated from somewhere in India, and has spread the world over and has been transformed by so many different cultures. That being said, Indian curry is still one of my favorite curries to have and I can't get enough. Namaste Spiceland is part grocery, part deli counter where they serve a wide assortment of hot dishes and desserts. I wish I knew what each of the foods was and how they were prepared, but alas, I am but a noob in that area. All I know is what my tongue tells me and that is, everything is good. If you're unsure of what to get, go with the chana masala, it's a classic, and it tastes great. They have so many spices in it, that I can't begin to explain the flavor. The sauteed cauliflower is also incredible. At if you feel extra hungry, grab a samosa. For $1 each, they are a steal! Each one is about the size of a tennis ball and packed full of potatoes, peas, and spices. So gooooooddddd. read more

Special #2 + extra samosas. That is my go-to delivery order and it lasts so many meals. The value of these samosas (which admittedly are kind of starch bombs, but so good) is off the charts. Again, as I've only ordered delivery, I don't know what the inside of this place is like but the food is absolutely a winner. read more

Love this place. I come every Saturday because for some reason their Saturday food is way better than the weekdays. On Saturdays I get a #3 combo with rice, dal makhani (creamy lentils), paneer (tofu-like cheese in sauce), and Gobi Manchurian (kind of like a delicious Indochinese version of Kung Pao cauliflower) with garlic naan. Other really good things they have are Chana bhatura with a lime (fried bread with tangy chickpeas), bhel puri (potato/crunchy/vegetable snack mix - acquired taste but awesome once you get used to new spices), pakoras with chutney (veggie fritters with sweet and minty sauces), and aloo paratha (a flatbread stuffed with potato and spices - eat it with their raita yogurt). The staff is also really nice once you get to know them, and if you ask them to write your order down for correctness, they will. Sometimes it gets busy. Enjoy!! Come on Saturdays, you won't regret it :) read more

OKAY! So, for those who have read my last review regarding Indian food..I have seen the light. My bf and I pass by this place frequently, and he's been saying we should try it out. I agreed..despite the horrible experiences I've had in the past, I said..why not. We were nearby one night and decided to go in and take a look see. On the side of the signs it says Vegan and Vegetarian. In my head, I thought it was just having those as options. Turns out..ALL of it is either vegan or vegetarian. All good! I'm not going to fake the funk, I have really no idea what I ate..but they were all damn delicious. It's an order at the counter, pick your sides type of deal and they have different options. Bf and I chose the same one where you get rice and 2 sides. We got the seasoned rice and I got this potato mix and curry. SO..GOOD. SO FLAVORFUL. OMG, I wish my first Indian food experience could've been like this. Like..wow. I think the meal was like $6.95..so it's super affordable and you get such big portions. My bf got this cauliflower mix that looked kind of like orange chicken..and legit, it tasted very similar. I wish I got that one instead. It was super delicious. Bf also bought us a dessert to go and it was, what looked like a fried little donut hole..but it was very dense and sweet. One of those will make you full for sure. So glad I decided to give it another go! read more

I've been a regular since they opened but tonight was my first visit since Covid. They have 6-foot-distance stickers on the floor, and all customers and staff were wearing masks. Not very crowded, and I felt comfortable being there during the short wait for my order. I was craving a masala dosa, and even though the crepe doesn't stay crisp after the ride home, it was still delicious! Filling was fresh and well seasoned. I also ordered dal makhani (creamy dal with lentils and kidney beans) and it was so good, I wish I'd bought a larger container. I picked up a sleeve of McVitie's chocolate biscuits from their big selection of Indian-British groceries. Crunchy and fresh. The frozen and fresh foods sections have all kinds of treats and staples. Really worth browsing. read more

Driven by this place many times without stopping, but I'm glad I went here for lunch today. If your looking for a quick vegan Indian meal, this is the place to go. The food is reasonably priced and the flavors are excellent. I ordered a combo #3. It came with a choice of 3 vegetables along with garlic naan and a samosa. I was surprised at how much food they give. The portions are big. Good food and a good value. I'll come back here more often. read more

Namaste Spiceland - Indian Near Me - Pasadena, California

They are vegetarian and I am carnivore. Just be aware before you come. Clean, well stocked, organized market and good variety of vegetarian hot dishes. Couple small tables outside to eat on. read more

Welcome to Pasadena, Namaste Spiceland. Bhanu now has decent competition in the SGV for homestyle Indian food. While Namaste is similar to Bhanu in that both operate as 1/2 cafe and 1/2 market, and both appear to serve Punjabi meals and Gujarati street food, Namaste only prepares pure-vegetarian food presented at a steam table (about 6 choices rotating daily). On the other hand, Bhanu serves non-veg & veg items that are cooked to order in individual batches. At Namaste, the vegetarian and vegan dishes are likely cooked using ingredients sold at their expansive grocery section. The menu varies day to day, possibly depending on what the chef feels like cooking. Everything is prepared with a mild spice level but is still generally flavorful. I've had good experience with most of the dishes, with exception to the dal fry that I found to be too salty. In particular, I appreciate that the palak paneer here is not the super creamy and milky type. During my past 3 visits to Namaste, I've ordered tindora, karela, and dudhi, which aren't the typically vegetables found in the thalis at Bhanu or other Indian restaurants in the area. I like that many of the sabzi options here are the dry kind rather than gravy-based, so I've never run into the problem of ordering two items that had the same base flavor. The combo meals at Namaste can be paired with roti, poori, or naan. Roti is most healthy, poori is puffy and somewhat oily, and yes naan is an option here, but I wouldn't recommend it. It's tawa naan that is not cooked in a tandoor, so the texture is a bit softer than the ones served at restaurants. Bhanu owns a tandoor oven and uses it well, while Namaste... just doesn't have one. Despite some differences between Bhanu and Namaste, I enjoy them both. I would consider the dishes prepared at Namaste to have more of the "home made" taste than Bhanu's food, which seems to be more like restaurant food to me but somehow it's cooked extremely clean and non-oily. Namaste provides better value and bang for the buck when I'm looking for a homemade cafeteria express meal to finish within 30 minutes, while Bhanu is a better option for a more formal event like catering or an office lunch. read more

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