Kolapasi Indian Canteen - Greenville SC — Restaurant in Greenville

Kolapasi is an up-and-coming establishment with the focus of educating customers on creating their own culinary journey within South Indian culture. Kolapasi translates to "hungry", in which you will want to be upon arriving. The restaurant offers a "build your own plate" -type of aesthetic within a warm, and welcoming atmosphere. This was my girlfriend and I's first time coming in. As a chef, foodie, and critic, I am going to breakdown my ratings to four different areas: Food Quality, Pricing, Service, and Atmosphere. Not only is this my own rating, but also my girlfriend's rating too, as this is her first time ever trying Indian Cuisine.

Food Quality: 5/5 Before even ordering our food, we were given samples of every item offered on the menu. Their belief in "try before you buy" is truly admired, as you don't find that quality anywhere within a "build your plate" establishment. Every single item of food that we sampled was excellently described, beautifully cooked, and packed with rich flavors that made each bite better than the one before. You can tell that every protein was slowly braised to perfection, with no corners cut on the quality of meat. Kolapasi offers a well-balanced variety of both meat and vegetarian options, with options for a keto rice made with yogurt and coconut! With the both of us having restrictive diets, we were able to enjoy our plates to their full extent without feeling like we over-ate. Well-blended in flavor, and not too heavy!

Pricing: 4.8/5 I give the pricing a slightly lower rating because it can be a bit expensive, but that is not a bad thing. I truly believe that you are getting what you pay for, and unfortunately, inflation does cause for higher prices in product. The food quality is very high, and the portions are well-balanced. However, I think that with the prices being fair as they are, there should be a little more variety in what is offered for beverages. I would love to see, and pay for, the experience of trying different imported Indian drinks, or even the high-favored teas. That is just my opinion though, so please do not take it to heart! Overall, you'll be paying anywhere between $13-$16 per plate, and it's extremely well worth it!

Service: 5/5 The service was excellent! Each employee was attentive to our requests, and made sure every detail was not spared in describing the flavor profiles of each item. They greeted us as soon as we walked in the doors, and did not hesitate to work with us. As we were finishing up, the owner came up to our table and chatted with us for a bit. He was extremely friendly, and passionate about his business. After speaking with him, he gave us a to-go cup of Halwa (Indian bread pudding) for us to try on the house. You can tell that they are a family-owned business full of hard-working and generous people with a strong ambition to establish a new food scene in Greenville! Keep it up!

Atmosphere: 4.9/5 The atmosphere was really warm and welcoming, giving a laid back and comfortable environment to eat in. It made you feel like you were enjoying the classic street-food vibe with the spice-filled aromas, lively music, and open seating area. The only issue we had was that it was hard to hear the server talking to us, and I think it was due to the acoustics of the space being so open. I have sensitive hearing, which is why it was a little over-stimulating, but the overall vibe and aesthetic was very fitting to the cultural aspect, and that, I can respect 100%. Again, this is my own personal opinion, in which there are more people that don't mind the noise, so don't take it to heart either!

In all, Kolapasi has the potential to become one of the top food spots in GVL. It is a truly unique experience that offers incredible food made by passionate people who do their best to make you feel welcome in their establishment. The overall score was so close to 5/5 that this is worth rounding up to a perfect score! It is a must try for all the foodies, chefs, and culture...

This place deserves your business!

For most of my life, Greenville has had Indian restaurants, but they’ve all been slow, sit-down places. This is Indian food, Chipotle-style. You can see it, sample it, order it, and be on your way in 5-10 minutes. The food I got was delicious!

The other reason you should go here is because the staff is really friendly and helpful. Even in a city like Greenville where most people are friendly, the staff here stood out. You’ll walk away like I did, happy to give such deserving people your business!

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What a wonderful experience! Everything about KP is amazing, from the delicious foods to the superb and unparalleled customer service!

Saturday was my wife's and my first visit to KP. Upon entering, we were a little unsure about how to place an order since this is not your traditional Indian restaurant. (It's more like a Chipotle system of ordering.) However, we were immediately greeted by Vishnu, KP's sweet and cheerful owner, and he easily guided us through the ordering process which was filled with free samples of every meat, sauce, and drink on the menu. This was, beyond a doubt, one of the finest customer service experiences in my life! (And I'm 50.)

We placed our orders and found our seat. The food was unbelievably delicious and freshly made with zero additives, preservatives, or food coloring. My wife and I instantly agreed that KP is our new favorite Indian restaurant, albeit in a non-traditional restaurant setting.

A few minutes later, Vishnu came by to check on our dining experience, and we were able to chat with him at length about his new restaurant (the first Kolapasi in the USA), its foods preparation methods (everything is made in-house with fresh with pure ingredients), its traditional recipes (just like his mother and grandmother made), as well as KP's business philosophy. (Honestly, If all companies adopted a similar business philosophy, then this world would be a much, much better place.)

To be clear, I seldom leave reviews of any kind (positive or negative), but our experience at Kolapasi was so outstanding in every way that I'm compelled to state unequivocally that Kolapasi of Greenville easily deserves 10...