Mowgli's Tiffin Indian Street Food — Restaurant in Saint Petersburg

I’ve eaten here three times. My first experience here was absolutely fabulous, best food I’ve put in my mouth literally all year. I ordered the minced mashed with the vegetarian option. It came with a salad. The minced mash gravy was out of this world. I savored each bite for it’s texture, taste, and aroma. I recall a black man working in the kitchen at the time because my waiter discussed with him about how spicy my food should be. IFAIC, he was Caribbean. I know there was a second person in the kitchen but I never saw who. I couldn’t wait to come back. 5/5

Second visit was fine, I ordered the buttery bird with my son. We both enjoyed the food but weren’t blown away. I didn’t notice who was in the kitchen. 4/5

The third time was just a whole new experience. My son ordered a lamb sandwich which he enjoyed. I tried the minced mash vegetarian again. It was inedible. There were whole spices - not powder - in my dish, no gravy/sauce, and I had to spit out mouthfuls into my napkin. I tried different areas of the dish thinking it was a one off, but it was consistent. My son tried it and he spit it out too. I tried the salad, and also couldn’t eat that. What previously was a delightful little salad was this time a few greens in tremendously thick, heavy salad dressing. There was a Caucasian woman working in the kitchen with short dark hair, plus a second person I didn’t see.

The owner and waiter both tried to make it right. They comped my dish and offered something else off the menu complimentary. I tried declining repeatedly, but they weren’t having it. They sent me home with another minced mash to go that they insisted would be made correctly.

Much discussion ensued at home - everyone weighed in on if anyone should try it. I was team dumpster but was eventually compelled to try it again, along with my son. It was the same as in the restaurant. Whole cardamom seeds, no gravy, just a literal assembly of ingredients without preparation. It was as though you were making a cake and just put the ingredients plus a whole stick of butter into the oven and cooked it, thinking that’s all you do, right? Dumpster was the right call after all. I regretted capitulating to family optimism. I ended up making myself a sandwich at home after waiting hungry for over an hour. 0/5

Service is funny here. They both wait on you and don’t. You order at the counter, seat yourself, then food and drinks are brought to you. You don’t bus your own table, but you’re also in a super casual atmosphere where you’re compelled to accommodate other guests as people scramble for a table in a tiny space. The waiter, if you get one, is very formal.

This is a new restaurant with promise, but it has serious issues that need to be...

I rarely write reviews, but I was so impressed with my visit to Mowgli's that I had to spread the word. It's a small, but lovely space, with nice views of passerbys on the street. I ordered at the counter, where the owner kindly answered my questions and invited me to take a seat and she would bring my order to me. I chose the Pop Goes the Puri and the Gobi Manchurian. The puri is so much fun...little flavor bombs. The gobi was crisp and so flavorful. Addictively good. I knew I would have leftovers, so I took most of my gobi home, where it reheated perfectly in the air fryer for a delicious bonus meal. The restaurant has wonderful vegetarian and vegan options, which was a huge plus for me. The owner told me they eventually are planning to expand the menu, but honestly, if they kept it as-is, I'd be more than happy. The menu currently focuses heavily on street food (both entree-sized and snackable), which is so hard to find as a vegetarian, and I enjoyed it so much. I think the perfect meal would be to bring a couple friends and order several dishes to share, as one would do in a tapas restaurant. I adore this new place and will definitely make what for me is a considerable drive to frequent it regularly! Note: I took a bite of each of my dishes before snapping a photo. They were even more yummy-looking before I got my...

A must-visit new gem in St. Pete! This fresh Indian spot brings the heat with a delicious blend of familiar classics, flavorful street food you won’t find elsewhere, and inventive monthly specials that add a fun twist to the menu. The owner originally opened the place to showcase Kati rolls—think a richer, more buttery version of a pita wrap or burrito—and they absolutely deliver. I had the chargrilled chicken tikka roll and it was packed with flavor. You can tell the ghee is made in-house, the chicken was perfectly moist, and the greens were fresh and generous. The side salad and dressing were so good I could’ve eaten a whole bowl of just that.

The space itself is cozy and intimate with vibrant decor, lush live plants, and a fun, upbeat playlist that gives it great energy. I’m already looking forward to coming back to try the rotating blackboard specials. So happy to finally have a standout, authentic Indian option in St. Pete—do yourself a favor and...