Peppers Indian Grill and Bar — Restaurant in Jamestown

This spot is actually a little gem. I have watched this building swap businesses quite a few times, but Namaste Lumbini is a really fantastic restaurant that brings well-made Indian, Nepalese, and Tibetan food to the area. I ended up getting the Vegetarian Thali to try small servings of a number of classic dishes, and genuinely I loved all of them. I was extremely impressed by the execution of each of the dishes, considering I've been blessed to try similar restaurants in London, Chicago, and (the much closer) Raleigh. This place might be unassuming, but I highly recommend giving it a try. It's VERY GOOD.

I ended up dining in with a friend who is vegetarian. The dining room is an adorable amalgamation of the many past businesses that have inhabited the building over the past thirty or so years. I recognized many aspects of the original restaurant from my childhood and some of the iterations I've seen come and go since its closing. I found the warm decor quite endearing, as I know the building's history quite well and was happy to see things I recognized. The dining room was bright, warm, and cozy with a large family eating a meal already seated, which is always nice to see in a smaller town.

We were given water to start, a drink menu (for alcohol), and menus that organized the appetisers and meals by meat (or lack thereof), so it was easy to order. All the entries had descriptions which made it easy to jog my memory of which dish was which, and makes it much more accessible to anyone not familiar with the cuisine. I found the listings for their Thali offerings (think of it as a sample size of multiple dishes—I highly recommend starting there) which includes a meat and vegetarian option. I opted for vegetarian. We were given papadam to start (cracker-like and herbal, very delicious) which was served with mint chutney and tamarind sauce to dip (although they're delicious plain too).

My friend's meal was served in a traditional metal bowl with a side serving of basmati rice. My Thali came in the most adorable metal lunch-tray with divots for four dishes plus a square divot for basmati rice. We each were given plates to place food on and share with one another. My friend requested his spicy, I opted for the base mild. Overall, we got to try five dishes and we agreed they were all phenomenal. I definitely spent a little bit of time gushing about how much I loved the Thali serving dish. My Thali also came with a serving of delicious naan (it had excellent texture) and a rice pudding for dessert. My friend had to order a rice pudding as well after he saw mine. I ended up bringing three of the four dishes home as leftovers (along with some naan and rice) and shared it with my mother (who is very new to India-centric cuisine). She was also extremely impressed.

The dishes we tried (and can absolutely recommend) include: Vegetarian Thali (vegetarian sampler); Saag Paneer (spinach & cheese cooked in spices); Aaloo Gobi (potato & cauliflower cooked in spices); Dal Makhani (lentils cooked in tomatoes & spices); Paneer Tikka Masala (cheese in a spiced tomato creamy base); Vegetable Korma (vegetables in a cashew spiced creamy base); Naan (similar to pita bread but infinitely better in my opinion); Papadam (herbal, cracker-like appetizer); Rice Pudding (perfectly sweetened and not overboard, very lovely and light).

Honestly I cannot recommend this little dive enough. I will be...

UPDATE Namaste Lumbini has since rebranded as Peppers, but my recommendation for this place still stands. The weekend lunch buffet has a wide range of offerings, and the regular menu boasts both classic (North) Indian dishes and several Nepalese and South Indian specialties. Flavors are excellent, and they WILL match your desired spice level. Portions are generous, especially among the biryanis.

(4.5 stars)

The latest eatery to occupy the former Penny's and El Agavero location, Namaste Lumbini brings something different to the Jamestown area. Time will tell if it has staying power, but service and food quality are strong right out of the gate.

My wife and I arrived before 6 p.m. on a Saturday to find Namaste Lumbini mostly empty, not a good sign. By the time we left, however, business had picked up considerably. The restaurant has the space to accommodate groups should anyone need a place for a get-together. While the building is old, the interior has been touched up nicely.

Namaste Lumbini's menu is impressively deep. It boasts many familiar Indian dishes - tandooris and tikkas masalas and biryanis - but it also offers Indo-Chinese selections as well as momo (Nepalese dumplings). There are plenty of vegetarian options, and there are also thalis for the indecisive/those who want to try a little bit of everything.

My wife and I opted to split a vegetable samosa, a chicken 65, and a vegetarian thali. Our food came out promptly, and it was preceded by a complementary papadam with tamarind and mint chutneys. I will offer a caveat in that if you want your food spicy, you will have to request it as such. Only the billed-as-spicy chicken 65 brought any heat, and it was about medium. That said, while spiciness may have been subdued, flavors were not. The chicken 65 was nice and tangy, and the thali's saag paneer, aloo gobi, and dal were tasty and comforting. Naan was included, and it performed sauce mop-up commendably.

Namaste Lumbini's service is attentive and polite. We were greeted upon entry and checked on throughout the meal. Prices here are moderate with entrees in the teens.

Given the food and service quality and the vast swaths of menu left to explore, we will almost certainly be back. If its execution remains consistent, Namaste Lumbini could easily become the go-to for Indian eats in the Jamestown/east...

Ok I am Cameroonian & Gabonese born and raised in South Carolina right. Namaste Lumbini Restaurant has got to be one of the best I have taste yet from India and Nepal; I guess that makes us cousins some type of a way but we will figure it out later in history so ok: Chicken Fried Momos are so flavorful, fresh and culinary looks great! So delicious I forgot to dip into the Cucumber Raita because within minutes the appetizer was all gone. No problem because I ordered Chicken Fry Rice with Egg. Chicken Fry Rice with Egg culinary art, flavor, moistness, spiciness and portion is ridiculously off the charts. Sorry no pictures but I'm serious as it is not your average Chicken Fry Rice with Egg especially the portion and good rice. Next Chicken Curry is great...I was hoping for some onions in the Chicken Curry but I forgot this dish is original and not another version from another country of Asia. Now without further due, the Garlic Cheese Naan was on point and I almost bit my index finger but eh when enjoying scrumptious food situations happen out of control. Next. The fresh Mango Lassi and I mean fresh Mango seriously as in blended and I appreciate that too including the fruit fibres to go along with it as every part of the mango count for good health. When I saw the consistency of the Mango Lassi automatically I was like yeah this is fresh dang oh my goodness I have a fresh one. Usually it is already carton but not this one. I really love the Mango lassi I I really do too. Next. Last is the Rice Pudding because I am ole school so I like my Rice Pudding! Very good might I add. I have yet to taste the Jamuns because that is tomorrow but they look fabulous! Oh and I have a order of fresh white rice which came with the Chicken Curry. Two day to three days worth of food. I am going to worship my freshly made Mango Lassi slowly sipped to myself and fall asleep. Do not miss this...