Gandhi Cafe: An Authentic Indian Gem in the Heart of NYC's West Village

Gandhi Cafe Introduce

For decades, New York City has been a melting pot of cultures and cuisines, and among the city's diverse dining landscape, the authentic flavors of India have carved out a special place. Nestled in the heart of the vibrant and eclectic Greenwich Village, Gandhi Cafe stands as a testament to this rich culinary tradition. A true local stalwart, this beloved Indian restaurant has been serving the New York community since 1989, earning a reputation for its comforting, flavorful food and welcoming atmosphere. For those craving the rich, aromatic spices and time-honored dishes of Indian and Anglo-Indian cuisine, Gandhi Cafe is a destination that delivers an experience as satisfying as it is delicious.

The restaurant's longevity in one of Manhattan's most dynamic neighborhoods speaks volumes about its quality and consistency. It's the kind of place that feels like a hidden gem, a cozy escape from the bustling city streets, where every dish is prepared with a touch of warmth and tradition. Whether you're a long-time resident of the West Village or just passing through, Gandhi Cafe offers a genuine taste of India that feels both authentic and distinctly New York. It's a place where the simple act of sharing a meal becomes a memorable occasion, a culinary adventure that captures the essence of a family-operated establishment dedicated to its craft.

Location and Accessibility

Gandhi Cafe is conveniently located at 283 Bleecker St #4107, New York, NY 10014, USA. Situated on a tree-lined street in the historic Greenwich Village, the restaurant is easily accessible from various parts of the city. Its location in the West Village makes it a perfect stop for a meal before catching a show, exploring the neighborhood's unique shops, or simply enjoying a walk through one of NYC's most charming areas. The intimate space is a classic "hole-in-the-wall" gem, exuding a cozy, unpretentious charm that immediately makes you feel at home. The restaurant is well-connected and central, making it a simple journey for anyone in the Manhattan area. The dining room, though small, is thoughtfully arranged to create a comfortable and quiet atmosphere, ideal for both a romantic dinner or a friendly group gathering.

While the physical space is intimate, the accessibility of Gandhi Cafe extends beyond its front door. The restaurant offers a variety of service options to cater to modern New Yorkers' busy lifestyles. Whether you're looking for a quick bite on the go or a quiet evening at home, Gandhi Cafe makes it easy to enjoy their food on your terms. They also welcome reservations, which is a great option, especially if you're planning to dine during peak hours and want to ensure a table is available. This combination of a prime, easily reachable location and flexible service options makes it a convenient choice for any occasion.

Services Offered

Dining Options: Gandhi Cafe provides a full-service dining experience for both lunch and dinner. The cozy and romantic atmosphere, coupled with attentive table service, creates an ideal setting for a leisurely meal.
Delivery and Takeout: Recognizing the fast-paced nature of New York life, the restaurant offers both traditional takeout and no-contact delivery, allowing you to enjoy their delicious cuisine from the comfort of your own home or office.
Special Menus: The menu at Gandhi Cafe is designed to accommodate various dietary needs and preferences. They offer a range of healthy, vegan, vegetarian, and halal options, ensuring there's something for everyone to enjoy.
Reservations: The restaurant accepts reservations, which is particularly helpful for planning a special evening or a group outing, guaranteeing a seamless dining experience.
Payment Methods: For convenience, Gandhi Cafe accepts a variety of payment methods, including credit cards, debit cards, and NFC mobile payments.

Features and Highlights

Outstanding Food Quality: The core of Gandhi Cafe’s appeal is its commitment to authentic and flavorful Indian cuisine. From savory curries to crispy samosas and freshly baked bread, the food consistently receives high praise from customers. A notable highlight is the "Anglo-Indian cooking style," a unique twist on traditional recipes that showcases a rich heritage. The spices are balanced and aromatic, and many dishes, such as the Chicken Tikka Masala and Lamb Tikka, are frequently highlighted as must-tries.
Fast and Friendly Service: Patrons often commend the staff for their quick and attentive service. The owner is particularly noted for his kindness and dedication to ensuring every guest has a great experience, adding a personal, welcoming touch that makes the restaurant feel like a true community spot.
Extensive Menu: The menu is expansive, offering a wide array of options across many categories. You'll find everything from classic Tandoori Delights, cooked in a traditional clay oven, to a variety of Seafood, Biryani, and Curry specialties. The selection of homemade breads, like the Garlic Naan and Cheese Naan, is a standout, perfect for pairing with any dish.
Great Tea Selection: For tea lovers, Gandhi Cafe boasts a great selection of teas, providing the perfect accompaniment to a spicy meal or a comforting end to a delicious dinner.
Welcoming Atmosphere: The atmosphere is described as casual, cozy, and quiet, making it a great spot for various occasions. It's particularly popular for solo dining, a casual date night, or a relaxed meal with a group of friends. The quiet ambiance allows for easy conversation and a truly peaceful dining experience.

Contact Information

For reservations, takeout, or delivery, you can easily reach Gandhi Cafe using the following contact details:

Address: 283 Bleecker St #4107, New York, NY 10014, USA
Phone: (212) 645-1456

What is worth choosing?

Choosing what to order at Gandhi Cafe can be a delightful dilemma, given the extensive and appealing menu. For those new to the restaurant, a great way to start is with the Set Meals, which provide a complete and balanced dining experience for a single person at an excellent value. These set meals often include an appetizer, entrée, side of naan, and dessert, offering a perfect sample of the restaurant's best offerings. The Vegetarian, Meat, and Seafood Set Meals are all popular choices and provide a perfect portion for a fulfilling meal.

If you're looking to explore specific dishes, the Tandoori Masala section is a fan favorite. The Chicken Tikka Masala is consistently praised by patrons for its rich, creamy, and flavorful gravy. Another popular choice is the Butter Chicken, known for its smooth texture and comforting taste. Both are excellent choices for those who enjoy classic Indian curry dishes. For a more adventurous palate, the Vindaloo Curry is recommended for its powerful, spicy kick, while the Lamb Tikka is a must-try for meat lovers. To balance the heat and flavor, consider ordering a side of fresh, fluffy Naan or the savory Garlic Naan, both of which are baked fresh in the clay oven.

The Biryani Specialties are another highlight, with the Mixed Biryani offering a hearty and aromatic rice dish packed with various meats. For those who prefer vegetable-focused dishes, the Vegetable Specialties section has a wealth of options. The Saag Ponir, a classic dish of spinach and cheese, is a comforting and flavorful choice, and the Chana Masalla, made with spiced chickpeas, is a popular and healthy option. For a lighter start, the Samosa Chaat is a flavorful and satisfying appetizer. Regardless of your choice, Gandhi Cafe consistently delivers on taste, portion size, and overall quality, making it a standout in New York City's diverse dining scene.

Gandhi Cafe Menu

Beverages
Soft Drink $2.75
Lassi Mango $4.50
San Pellegrino $3.00
Lassi Rose Water $4.50
Mango Juice $3.00
Perrier $3.50
Iced Tea $3.00
Ginger Beer $3.50

Seafood Specialties
Shrimp Vindaloo $14.50
Cooked in a very hot sauce with potatoes - madras style, served with rice pilaf or brown rice and house condiments.
Lobster Curry $17.50
Lobster cooked with spices in a flavored sauce, served with rice pilaf or brown rice and house condiments.
Fish Masala $15.50
Fish cooked with diced onion, tomatoes and green pepper. Served with rice pilaf or brown rice and house condiments.
Shrimp Curry $15.50
Shrimp cooked with medium spicy flavored sauce, served with rice pilaf or brown rice and house condiments.

Tandoori Delights
Shrimp Tandoori $14.95
Jumbo shrimps marinated in lemon, yogurt, ginger, garlic, lemon and mild spices, roasted in a clay oven and served with basmati rice. Complementary masala sauce on the side!.
Tandoori Mixed Grill $17.95
Tandoori chicken, chicken tikka, lamb tikka, tandoori shrimp and sheek kabab, served with basmati rice. Complementary masala sauce on the side!.
Half Chicken Tandoori $13.95
Lean spring chicken marinated in yogurt, ginger, garlic, herbs and mild spices, roasted in a clay oven and served with basmati rice. Complementary masala sauce on the side!.
Lamb Tikka $14.95
Cubes of lamb marinated in yogurt, ginger, garlic, herbs and mild spices, roasted in a clay oven and served with basmati rice. Complementary masala sauce on the side!.
Chicken Tikka $13.95
Lean boneless chicken marinated in yogurt, ginger, garlic, herbs and mild spices, roasted in a clay oven and served with basmati rice. Complementary masala sauce on the side!.

Salad
Mushroom Salad $6.95
Mushroom, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and carrot, served with house dressing.
Green Salad $5.95
Crisp lettuce with tomatoes, cucumber and carrot served with house dressing.

Biryani Specialties
Mixed Biryani $15.95
Combination of lamb, beef, chicken and shrimp with medium and mild spices.
Shrimp Biryani $15.95
Fresh shrimp sauteed in herbs and medium and mild spices cooked with basmati rice.
Biryani $15.95
Choice of meat cooked with Indian basmati rice and 20 exotic medium and mild spices.
Vegetable Biryani $13.95
Distinct flavored basmati Indian rice cooked with fresh vegetables and nut, suffused with the aroma of saffron, medium and mild spices.

Curry Specialties
Sagwala Curry $15.95
Your choice of meat cooked with spinach in a medium curry sauce, served with pilaf rice or brown rice and house condiments.
Madras Curry $15.95
Your choice of meat, medium hot and sour with green pepper, onion and tomatoes, served with pilaf rice or brown rice and house condiments.
Mild Curry $15.95
Your choice of meat cooked in mild curry sauce, served with pilaf rice or brown rice and house condiments.
Bhoona Gosht Curry $15.95
Your choice of meat cooked with tomato, green pepper, onion and thick gravy, medium spicy curry served with pilaf rice or brown rice and house condiments.
Dhansak Curry $15.95
Your choice of meat, medium spicy, cooked with lentils and spinach, served with pilaf rice or brown rice and house condiments.
Jalfrazie Curry $15.95
Your choice of meat cooked with tomato in onion in chef's special sauce, served with pilaf rice or brown rice and house condiments.
Keema Mottor Curry $15.95
Your choice of ground meat cooked with tomatoes, onion, green pepper, herbs and green peas, served with pilaf rice or brown rice and house condiments.
Chicken Tikka Masala $14.95
Cooked with cream tomato sauce and herb in a mildly spicy gravy served with basmati rice.
Phall Curry $15.95
Spicy. Your choice of meat, very hot with potatoes, served with pilaf rice or brown rice and house condiments.
Vindaloo Curry $15.95
Spicy. Your choice of meat, very hot with potatoes, served with pilaf rice or brown rice and house condiments.
Dildar Curry $15.95
Your choice of meat with garlic and ginger in mild curry sauce with chickpeas, served with pilaf rice or brown rice and house condiments.
Ro Gon Gosht Curry $15.95
Your choice of meat cooked with tomatoes, onion, green pepper and garlic in medium curry sauce, served with pilaf rice or brown rice and house condiments.
Sabjee Curry $15.95
Your choice of meat cooked in mild gravy with fresh mixed vegetables, served with pilaf rice or brown rice and house condiments.

House Special
Baiti Gosht $16.50
Choice of meat cooked with onions, tomatoes, green pepper and herbs, medium spicy, served with rice pilaf or brown rice and house condiments.
Goat Vindaloo $15.50
Goat cooked in chef special sauce with potatoes, very hot, served with rice pilaf or brown rice and house condiments.

Homemade Bread
Aloo Paratha $5.95
Stuffed bread with spiced mashed potatoes, baked in a clay oven.
Naan $3.95
Unleavened bread freshly baked in a clay oven.
Onion Kulcha $4.95
Naan stuffed with spiced onions, baked in a clay oven.
Cheese Naan $4.95
Baked in a clay oven.
Roti $3.95
Whole wheat bread baked in a clay oven.
Peshwari Naan $4.95
Unleavened naan stuffed with coconut, almonds and raisins, baked in a clay oven.
Garlic Naan $4.95
Unleavened naan with garlic baked in a clay oven.
Poori $3.95
This is the fluffy one, baked in a clay oven.
Paratha $3.95
Multi-layered, grilled with flour bread and topped with melted butter, baked in a clay oven.

Dessert
Rasi Malai $3.00
Cottage cheese cooked with cream and almond sauce.
Firni $3.00
Rose flavored Indian pudding.
Gulab Jamon $3.00
Fried rounds of cheese dipped in honey syrup.
Mango Ice Cream $3.00

Malai & Kurma Specialties
Malai $15.50
Choice of meat cooked with coconut, almond and cream mild and sweet sauce, served with pilaf rice or brown rice and house condiments.
Shrimp Malai $14.95
Shrimp cooked with coconut, almond and sweet spices, served with pilaf rice or brown rice and house condiments.
Shrimp Kurma $14.95
Cooked with cream, almond and sweet spices, served with pilaf rice or brown rice and house condiments.
Vegetable Malai $14.50
General spiced mixed vegetable cooked with coconut and banana in mild and sweet sauce, served with pilaf rice or brown rice and house condiments.
Vegetable Kurma $14.50
Mixed vegetable cooked with cream, almond and sweet spices, served with pilaf rice or brown rice and house condiments.
Kurma $14.95
Choice of meat cooked with cream, almond and sweet spices - mughali style, served with pilaf rice or brown rice and house condiments.

Rice Special
Limon Rice $4.95
Basmati rice perfumed with lemon, curry leaves and mustard seeds.
Saffron Rice $4.95
Basmati rice cooked with saffron, onion and green peas.

Soup
Mulliogatawny $5.95
Delicious lentil soup cooked with tomatoes, lemon, herbs and mild spices.
Vegetable Soup $6.95
Mixed fresh vegetables with mild spices and a lentil base.

Starters
Papadam $2.95
Thin bean wafers.
Salmon Pakora $7.95
Salmon mixed with chickpea flour and authentic Indian spices to be fried for crispiness.
Onion Bhaji $5.95
Vegetable pakora. Four per order.
Fresh Shrimp Poori $7.50
Shrimp cooked in Bengal fashion, served with light fluffy bread.
Chana Poori $6.95
Fried chickpeas served with light fluffy bread.
Samosa $5.95
Turnovers filled with vegetable, meat or coconut. Two per order.
Samosa Chaat $7.50
Samosa mixed with chickpeas, yogurt, tamarind sauce, and coriander

Vegetable Specialties
Saag Ponir $13.95
Fried cottage cheese cooked with spinach tastefully blended with tomatoes. Medium spiced, served with basmati rice.
Vegetarian Thali $16.95
Assortment of three vegetable curries with roti bread. Medium spiced, served with basmati rice.
Mixed Vegetable Curry $13.95
Spicy. Daily fresh vegetables cooked with mild spices and served with basmati rice.
Chana Masalla $13.95
Chickpeas cooked with diced onion, green pepper and tomatoes. Medium spiced, served with basmati rice.
Malai Kofta $13.95
Spicy. Fresh mixed vegetable balls cooked in mild creamy sauce, served with basmati rice.
Begune Bhartha $13.95
Whole eggplant roasted in clay oven and blended with herbs, sauteed onions, tomatoes and peas. Medium spiced, served with basmati rice.
Aloo Mottor Gobi $13.95
Potatoes, peas and cauliflower cooked with delicate medium spices, served with basmati rice.
Chana Saag $12.50
Chickpeas and spinach cooked in a medium spice flavored sauce, served with basmati rice.
Tarka Daal $13.95
Your choice of yellow lentils.
Bhindi Masalla $13.95
Okra cooked in herbs and medium Indian spices, served with basmati rice.
Mottor Ponir $13.95
Fried cottage cheese cooked with green peas tastefully blended with tomatoes. Medium spiced, served with basmati rice.
Vegetable Dhansak $13.95
Spicy. Mixed vegetables cooked with lentils and medium spices persian-style, served with basmati rice.
Vegetable Vindaloo $13.95
Spicy. Fresh mixed vegetables cooked with hot pepper and highly spiced, served with basmati rice.

Condiments
Mango Chutney $3.95
Sweet and sour.
Lemon Pickle $3.95
Hot and spicy.
Mango Pickle $3.95
Hot and spicy.
Rayta $3.95
Whipped yogurt and chopped cucumber garnish with herbs and mild spices.

Tandoori Masala
Tandoori Shrimp Masala $16.95
Jumbo shrimp ooked with cream, tomato sauce and herb in a mildly spicy gravy, served with basmati rice.
Butter Chicken $14.95
Cooked with cream, almond and butter, served with basmati rice.
Lamb Tikka Masala $14.95
Cooked with cream, tomato sauce and herb in a mildly spicy gravy, served with basmati rice.
Paneer Tikka Masala $14.95
Cooked with cream, tomato, sauce and herb.
Chicken Tikka Masala $14.95
Cooked with cream, tomato sauce and herb in a mildly spicy gravy, served with basmati rice.

Set Meals
Vegetarian Set Meal For 1 Person $18.95
Appetizer of samosa, bhujia (including house condiments) and your choice of two vegetable curries, of which Paneer Tikka Masala is also an option. Served with basmati rice, naan bread and dessert firni .
Meat Set Meal For 1 Person $20.95
Appetizer of samosa and bhujia (including house condiments) and your choice main entree. Main Entree Choices: Any dish from main entree: chicken, lamb, beef or tikka masala. Served with basmati rice, naan bread and dessert firni .Please specify which you would like in your order.
Seafood Set Meal For 1 Person $21.95
Appetizer of samosa, and bhuja (including house condiments) and your choice shrimp or crab meat curry or tandoori shrimp masala . Served with basmati rice, naan bread and dessert firni.

Gandhi Cafe Details

Service options
No-contact delivery
Delivery
Takeout
Dine-in

Highlights
Fast service
Great tea selection

Popular for
Lunch
Dinner
Solo dining

Accessibility
Wheelchair accessible entrance
Wheelchair accessible parking lot

Offerings
Alcohol
Beer
Coffee
Comfort food
Halal food
Healthy options
Late-night food
Small plates
Vegan options
Vegetarian options
Wine

Dining options
Lunch
Dinner
Dessert
Table service

Amenities
Restroom
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi

Atmosphere
Casual
Cozy
Quiet
Romantic

Crowd
Groups

Planning
Accepts reservations

Payments
Credit cards
Debit cards
NFC mobile payments
Credit cards

Children
Good for kids

Gandhi Cafe Photos

Gandhi Cafe Location

Gandhi Cafe

New York New York County New York Bleecker Street

283 Bleecker St #4107, New York, NY 10014, USA

Gandhi Cafe Reviews

An average rating of ★4.3 from 512 user reviews.

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★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1

The perfect place for some comfort Indian food! The service is great and the restaurant owner is the sweetest man. He makes sure everyone is taken care of and goes out of his way to ensure guests are enjoying the food. The food is amazing too! Presentation is great. Overall, I highly recommend this restaurant to everyone.
August 30 · Tasmila Tabassum
Excellent little find. The food was delicious and the lunch special was very reasonable. For $9 you get a small appetizer soup combo, entrée, side of Nan, and a small dessert, perfect portion. Service was friendly. Second time was just as good. This place should be packed at lunchtime. Every visit is consistently good.
July 11 · tim
Not so conventional Halal Indian restaurant, offering unique dishes with some twist. Tried their salmon pakoras, lamb coconut kurma, lobster curry. Sorry to say, not my cup of tea, and didn’t enjoy that much. Nevertheless, good experience.
July 22 · Nabil Ibtehaz
Great place! Food was delicious, the staff was very kind and friendly, prices very good.A must for Indian food! I will come back soon!
July 31 · Roberta Duca
What a gem! One of the best lunches we've had in Manhattan and by far the least expensive. My one criticism is that from the outside the cafe looks a bit rough and unappealing. Once inside though it's much nicer and the service could not have been better.
September 08 · Alison Whitmore