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Botiwalla opens doors in Raleigh
The Indian street food restaurant is part of the Chai Pani group, whose Asheville flagship won a James Beard Award in 2022.
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Malvika Choudhary - Mon, 08, Jun 2026
- 18:06 EDT
- 45
Botiwalla / Instagram/ @botiwallaraleigh
Botiwalla, the Indian street food restaurant from the team behind the James Beard Award-winning Chai Pani in Asheville, has opened a new location at Raleigh Iron Works.
In a social media post following the June 2 opening, the restaurant thanked customers for the strong turnout during its first days of operation.
Also Read: Indian restaurants, chefs among 2026 James Beard nominees
"The way you all have showed up for us has truly blown us away," the restaurant said. It also expressed gratitude for the support, patience and kindness shown by the Raleigh community.
Botiwalla said it will operate Tuesday through Saturday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. during its first two weeks, with lunch service, delivery and expanded hours planned in the coming weeks.
Inspired by the Irani cafés and street grills of India, Botiwalla specializes in charcoal-grilled meats, kebab rolls, rice bowls and chaat-style snacks. The menu also includes dishes such as lamb burgers, okra fries and masala smashed potatoes, along with beverages including chai, lassis and slushies.
The new restaurant, located at 2221 Iron Works Dr., Suite 120, is the fifth Botiwalla location and joins existing outlets in Asheville, Charlotte and Atlanta. The 4,000-square-foot space seats about 80 guests indoors and 30 on an outdoor patio.
The Raleigh location features the largest kitchen in the Botiwalla chain, allowing for an expanded menu and additional vegetarian offerings. Raleigh-exclusive items include Aloo Tikki Chaat, while favorites from the Chai Pani restaurant group, including Bhel Puri and MG Road Wings, are also available.
Irani and his wife, Molly, founded the Chai Pani Restaurant Group in Asheville in 2009. Their flagship restaurant, Chai Pani, won the James Beard Foundation's Outstanding Restaurant award in 2022, becoming the first Indian restaurant to receive the honor.
The couple are also finalists for the James Beard Foundation's 2026 Outstanding Restaurateur award.
Discover more at New India Abroad.
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