RIVAYAT CREATIVE INDIAN — Restaurant in Charleston

Pics from our night out at RIVAYAT this past Saturday.. if you like Indian food it’s a don’t miss amazing meal… I think the server told me they’ve only been open for 3 weeks but they’re already serving fantastic Indian food, classic cocktails with an Indian twist and doing it with great service. They specialize in South Indian food but the menu covers everything. By far my favorite chicken tikka masala and gun powder dosa I’ve ever had. Highly recommend.

My last name is Smith so naturally everything with spiciness was ordered mild.

Pictures in order

1.Pani Puri chatt. sweet & savory with a fried outer “bugle chip” like shell that gives it a crunchy texture. The “flavored pani of the day” what you pour inside the little chatt ball was strawberry I believe Highly recommend!!

Gun Powder Dosa.. amazing crispy ghee dosa with an awesome potato filling and served with two chutneys and some very authentic sambar that was perfect.

Bahaar Kale Salad. I’m not a huge kale fan so I ate some of the peaches, but my sister and Wife said it was good.

Burrata Saag. Really good. Very almost buttery to me. My wife ordered it and when it came out it looked like palaka paneer but with Barada instead of cottage cheese. Tasted totally different than what I was expecting but still loved it. My Wife told me they’re different dishes and they taste different and she was right lol.

Fish Makhani with sword fish. It was bold with a fish/seafood flavor but still managing to not be “Fishy” tasting if that makes sense? The creamy tomato with cashew paste was a great flavor blend. They use a dense piece of local swordfish since that was the fish of the day.

-side note on the wall of the restaurant they post where the seafood they are using that day was sourced from. The night we were there I saw CudaCo up there and a few other places.

Chicken Tikka Masala .. Show stopper. Seriously fantastic, it had that deep Indian spice with a mix of creaminess and just a hint of heat that just makes you say “This is what I always wanted Tikka Masala to taste like!”

7 & 8. Dessert, really good but we were already stuffed. I think it was an Indian take on tres leches and some sort of sorbet

Cocktails awesome: -Punjabi Old Fashioned: Bourbon, garam masala jaggery syrup, ginger bitters, orange, anise infused ice cube -Seva Spritz: Cucumber infused aperitif, cava, coriander, mint. -I can’t remember what drink is at the top but it had an onion in it, and my sister liked it. -not pictured but very good: Chai Espresso Martini Canon chai tea vodka, fresh espresso, vanilla, espresso liquor, toasted cardamom pods.

Ive been a firefighter for 13yrs and work with the pickiest food critics you’ve ever met.. This place was so good I would even send them here.

This was a FANTASTIC meal, Indian food like you’ve never had it before and not just because it didnt come in a take out box. The menu, the service, the quality of the ingredients, the depth of flavor in every dish, it’s everything you could possibly dream of. We cant go wait to go back.

P.s I wrote this review for a foodie Facebook group I’m in and thought I should post...

Wow! We had an exceptional experience at Rivayat during their opening week. From the moment we stepped in, we were excited but a bit skeptical—could the ambitious menu really live up to the hype? Spoiler: it absolutely did.

We ordered a variety of dishes, each more impressive than the last. Tandoori Oysters were the perfect start, followed by the Pani Puri, crisp and full of flavor, as well as the Samosa Chaat which delivered the perfect blend of textures. Lamb Pista Korma was rich and savory with the perfect balance of spices. The Meen Pollichathu and Chemmeen Manga Curry showcased fresh, vibrant seafood dishes with complex, aromatic flavors.

We wrapped up with their Cardamom Honey Gelato, which was the perfect, subtly sweet ending.

I honestly couldn’t pick a favorite—each dish was outstanding in its own right, offering different spice profiles and textures. Rivayat is setting a new standard for Indian cuisine in Charleston and could easily hold its own against the best spots in New York, San Francisco, or any other major city.

The food alone is reason enough to visit, but the restaurant has also nailed the ambiance. Many top-tier places miss the mark when it comes to the overall atmosphere, but Rivayat has created a space that strikes the perfect balance. The music is just right, the lighting is warm and inviting, and they’ve even gone the extra mile with sound dampening to create a vibrant yet comfortable environment. It's lively, but you can still have a conversation without yelling across the table—a small detail that makes a huge difference.

If you’re lucky enough to snag a reservation, I highly recommend it. With how incredible this meal was, I have no doubt Rivayat will be fully booked...

Spice Palette in Mt Pleasant, SC came first and has been our all time favorite and go to for Indian cuisine since it opened a few years ago. Kudos to Sujith for recently opening up his second restaurant Rivayat in downtown Charleston, SC. We just had lunch there with our family this past weekend. OMG, the food, service and atmosphere is top notch!! No joke, eating this deliciousness makes one feel emotional. I always say that food is love! You sure can feel it being warmly welcomed in and then the wonderfully intoxicating mouth watering fragrances hitting your olfactory senses. Then, there comes the enjoyment of the adventures of every delightful and delicious mouthful! It's such a full and extremely satifying experience and meant to be savored! We cannot wait to go back for dinner!! It is a beautiful treat and we are thankful to now have both options. It will be a hard choice!! Lol! Sujith and his staff do it right regardless if you head into Spice Palette in Mt P or the brand new Rivayat downtown. OK, my mouth is watering! We may have a bit of an addiction. Haha! Cheers to both and thanks for sharing the great food love here in the lowcountry!!! :) Oh and that chai espresso martini... Just...