Dvaraka Indian Restaurant

Our visit to Dvaraka was fate-filled, since it was one of few restaurants in Princeton's downtown that dared to be open during a serious snowstorm. We would have been grateful enough for a warm restaurant and decent food, but I certainly didn't expect to find my favorite Indian food in New Jersey here (I know that's a big claim; it was just that good). Let's address the elephant in the room here: sometimes Indian food doesn't look camera-ready. For instance, my absolute favorite thing here was the chana palak, an extremely flavor-packed curry with chickpeas and spinach. What shows up (regretfully) as a greenish mud in pictures is actually an absolute flavor bomb in the mouth. Truly, I still have dreams about this dish. If looks matter to you, I also highly recommend the salmon tandoori special. It arrived on a sizzling platter (the kind that makes heads turn and eyes lock as it approaches the lucky table). There was more flavor to be had here, and I adore a dish that's hot enough to carry a blister risk while eating...especially in the middle of an icy snowstorm. Service was incredibly warm, welcoming, and efficient. Our server checked in with us the exact right number of times, and he repeatedly checked in with us about whether we wanted to take leftovers home, the way a friend or kind auntie might after you've dined sumptuously at her table.

Whenever I want to take care of my personal needs, I treat myself to goat curry here. It's super fulfilling and makes life worth the hassle 😜 They offer complimentary rice refills. Just ask for it but be sure to tip for their kindness. Rahul, the server, is excellent at his job too.

The food here is bussin! Authentic and made to order Indian food. The chicken tikka masala had the most tender chicken, herbs and vegetables in it. The garlic naan was made fresh with real garlic and herbs- cooked thin and crispy. I am huge fan of Indian food and this place probably is one of the best I have ever had. It is so worth it. I did not do the lunch buffet, but did the à la carte menu. The decor is cozy, colorful and lovely music. Come here for the delicious and savory food with great service!

Really good meal. The biryani portion was comically large and everything was delicious, especially the paneer. Best mango lassi I’ve ever had and heard other people say same while we were eating. Definitely will be back for dine-in.

The food was great. We enjoyed the chicken 65. The person who served us helped us taking our family pictures as well. Excellent customer service. At the end he gave us a complimentary dessert. Their bathroom is nice and clean. Highly recommended.

After hearing about their lunch buffets on Friday and weekends, we decided to check it out on Saturday. I was pleasantly surprised with the chicken samosas, butter chicken, and their gulab jamun. Everything was delicious and their complimentary butter nann was excellent. The buffet is a little expensive (around 19 dollars) but so worth it!

The food was great. The service was also very good. The booth chairs we sat on were a bit shaky but it didn’t take away from the great buffet and fresh naan.