Kolapasi Indian Canteen - Charlotte (Steele Creek) — Restaurant in Belmont

If you’re looking to try something new, or, you think you’ve had Indian food in the past, you’ve not had anything as fresh, delicious, and quick as Kolaposi!

From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with warmth and hospitality by the owners, who went above and beyond to make us feel at home.

The restaurant itself and the dining area was spotlessly clean, and, we could see into the clean kitchen. A+

Alot of the menu was new to us so they let us sample a variety of combinations/dishes, tailoring their recommendations based on our individual tastes—what an awesome touch!

(If you’ve not been before: think of ‘Cava’ or ‘Chipotle’, but, better quality, and a much tastier version of Indian food.)

Now, let’s talk about the food: Wow. Just wow. Every dish was a masterpiece—bold, vibrant, and each packed with distinct flavors. It was hard to choose from the vast selection. -The freshness of the ingredients really sets Kolaposi apart, and the execution is flawless. -It’s clear they take pride in not just the building of flavors, but, in the overall experience. -On top of that, their commitment to sustainability and corporate responsibility is something we truly felt, appreciate, and support.

As a bonus, we didn’t get up-charged an additional $2.50 for a soft drink, the sparkling water was free! - The food was amazing and it makes for a memorable bang for your buck!

After sampling several enticing options, I decided on the ‘Nilagiri Chicken’ (delicious) with Ghee Rice, and would suggest asking for a side of ‘Raita’ (a chilled yogurt-based side that takes the flavors to a whole new level!)

Bottom line: DELICIOUS. The food alone has us already planning our next visit—tomorrow, in fact!

In Summary, Kolaposi has a wide variety of phenomenal food for almost any pallet, they offer meat, vegetarian, and vegan options, it’s a great value, and a must-visit for anyone who is interested in trying something new, or, if you love authentic Indian cuisine.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ + + +

We’ll be...

This is a great Quick serve Indian restaurant. I have been several times and I have turned on several others also who all agree they are a really good option for lunch or dinner.

The rice selection is awesome and even includes a gluten free option. My favorites are Ghee and Biryani.

The meat selections are out of this world and all very good. Indian food is rich and flavorful automatically and they dont dusappoint. My favorites are: Butter Chicken over Ghee, Mutton over Biryani, and Nilgiri Chicken over Ghee. I think there is something there for any taste buds though. 😋.

The flaky Parotta is small but very yummy. Its always freshly made and warm and it pairs so well with every dish so just get it.

I also love how when you go in person, they ask to top every dish with cilantro and/ or chopped onions.. This is a nice additive to the dish and I hope they add this option to Doordash to select for those not going in person.

It is very clean and they take pride in everything they do so I appreciate their effort and dedication to make you enjoy it. They also offer in person a small cup of savory yogurt raita sauce with each entree that again should also be included as an option when ordering online .

They provide free water, but there are no soft drinks or sweet tea available. This would entice those of us to eat there more frequently or eat inside, just FYI.

Sometimes the service does move sloww, but it's because people are I'm sampling mode and they dont have help to keep the line moving, so keep that in mind. I also recommend they invest in To-go utensils especially for to go orders, because open utensils today isnt necessarily the best move 😉.

Overall, I am pleased with the start of this business and I will continue recommend them to folks in and outside of this area . I pray the quality and effort put into the food and prices stay the same.

Good job Kolapasi! Keep up...

Kolapasi Indian Canteen, originally from India, has expanded internationally with locations in Canada, Australia, and now the United States. The Steele Creek location is the second in the U.S. after Greenville, SC, and they have plans to open more locations in Charlotte before expanding to cities like San Francisco and Jacksonville.

This fast-casual concept feels like an Indian version of Chipotle, where you can customize your meal with a variety of curries and rice bases. One of the standout features is their “try before you buy” approach, allowing customers to sample different curries and spice levels before making a decision. The staff is friendly and patient, making sure you find the perfect combination.

You can choose between a single or double curry bowl, with bases like coconut rice, lemon rice, biryani rice, ghee rice, lentil soup rice, rasam rice, or a keto yogurt option. I went with the double curry bowl over biryani rice and chose the Classic Butter Chicken and Cashew Chicken. The butter chicken was flavorful but had more sauce than chicken, while the cashew chicken was mildly sweet with a much better portion of meat.

Instead of naan, Kolapasi serves parotta, a flaky, layered Indian bread that comes with a yogurt dipping sauce. It’s a nice alternative and pairs well with the curries. For drinks, they don’t have soda or iced tea machines, but they offer still and sparkling water as well as mango lassi. If you want to finish on a sweet note, they serve Indian desserts like halwa and payasam.

There is a 3% service charge added to the bill, though it’s unclear whether it covers credit card fees or the cost of providing free samples. If you want to skip the line, there’s a self-order kiosk near the entrance. While Steele Creek is a bit of a drive for me, I’d definitely stop by again when I’m in the area. I just hope they’re a little more generous with the butter...