Annapurna Cafe

My friend and I went here for lunch. We were quickly seated and it didn’t seem that busy. The first thing I noticed was how ethnic the café looked. The atmosphere really made me feel like I was in a different country. It’s dimly lit with a candle on each table, perfect for date night! I loved how they served drinks in copper cups, definitely different than your average glass of water. When our food came, I was so excited to try their tikka mansala with tofu. Unfortunately, I found myself constantly having to add salt and pepper because it tasted so bland. The tofu tasted pretty raw and it wasn’t as good as I expected. I’ve heard a lot of good things about this café and I reaaaally wanted to like it but the food just wasn’t flavorful. Even my friend’s dish (I forgot what it was) was bland! She also had to keep adding salt and pepper. I wouldn’t go out of my way to come here again, but if I’m in the area I would come back and try something else.

If you’re like me and you live in Boston — the land of Panera and Dunkin — it’s hard to come by Nepalese food. That’s why, on a trip to Seattle, I was so glad that Annapurna was my first experiencing trying this cuisine.
Pro-​tip: the restaurant is actually downstairs while the first floor is a connected bar. You can order a drink at the upstairs bar and then bring it downstairs to eat with your food, no problem. I also checked– in with Unilocal and got $ 1 off my drink.
The café itself is very low-​lit and cozy. Now I’m no expert on Nepalese food — which is kind of a mixture of Tibet, Nepal, and India — but I do know tasty food. And goddamn this food was tasty.
The naan is phenomenal — flaky but super soft and easy to pull apart. Try all the naans — we got the garlic and paneer naan. We also tried the vegetable momos — which are basically like small veggie dumplings and were a funky green color. I also got the Vegetable Kofta — basically naked vegetable and cheese balls stewed in a tomato sauce — which let me tell you was DA BOMB and got me a few side-​eyes and «what did you order Anna?»

I was pretty disappointed by their herbal tea. Only tea leave and hot water but $ 3.5. Seriously? Masala tea/​Chai (with milk and spices) in most of the restaurants cost only $ 2 or $ 2.5. I would suggest Everest kitchen over this place.
Foods were fine but didn’t find it so special. However, Malai Kofta’s gravy taste like Satay’s sauce (peanut butter and sugar). Pretty sweet for a dish!

The food rocked! Fresh, HOT, and so good! The staff was friendly and their service was great — always quick and attentive to detail.
Gao curry with chicken, tofu veggie dish with a cashew sauce, and freshly fired roti. So good!

We went here on for dinner over a girls weekend, and we loved it! The menu was extensive with a huge variety of options. Every single dish was amazing, and the servers were great. The mixed drinks weren’t so good, but the food more than made up for it.

This is unique in its own way
There is a subtle difference between this food and Indian food. Although they do serve food which is very similar to Indian I do urge everyone to try their authentic nepali cuisine.
Please do try their unique Nepali items (People tend to lean towards traditional indian food coz its slightly more heard of)
From their online menu here is a list of items which I found differnt from Indian: —
Momo (i personally liked Tensing (Chicken) momos)
Kukhura ko masu
Chicken tse nanzom
Kauli ko tarkari
Chow Chow
Motuk Soup
Chatamari (personally I dint like this very much… but hey who knows what floats your tastebuds’ boat)
I havent tried others yet. They do have some specials which are worth a try.
Overall taste is excellent :)
Ambience is very cozy warm.
It is kinda an underground feeling but you would love it!!!
There is abound to be half hour wait time atleast for dinner (I have only been here on weekends)

First up, very noisy place. Food is weird, doesn’t seem Indian. I feel it’s hyped a lot then what it is. Garlic naan is not cooked naan with uncooked garlic sprinkled on top. And like most other Indian restaurants any vegetable curry seems like it’s made with frozen vegetables.
Spinach momos was nothing special and the fish in pakora didn’t taste fresh. Never really understood the flavors of chow chow noodles.
I wouldn’t go there again, mostly.

This place is great. The food is fresh, very flavorful and the service is prompt. Your water glass will never be empty since they have a gentleman hovering in the room to make sure you don’t run out. The butter chicken was excellent and the naan is very good. We tried many different things on the menu and I took pictures of most but failed to write down the names. The pictures pretty much speak for themselves though. I thought the prices were a little high but I don’t mind paying for good food so don’t expect a deal here. Their Happy Hour is upstairs in the the bar only and it was completely deserted when we visited but the restaurant downstairs we busy and by the time we left, there were customers lined up for our seats.

This was one of the best & most unique meals we’ve had in awhile. It’s more Himalayan/​Tibetan/​Nepalese than Indian, which usually means lighter and more subtle flavors… but they still do not skimp on the spicy!
This place looks kind of divey on the outside (though the Yeti Bar looks interesting), but when you go down the stairs, try to get a seat on the left side. It’s a cute, romantic atmosphere. The right side is equally good for food but appeared to be more of a cafeteria-​ish setting.
We were really hungry, so we ordered 4 dishes for 2 of us… for appetizers we got a a lamb and vegetable dish (it was like deconstructed street food) and the award-​winning spinach momo, which included six freshly made vegetables dumplings (the shell was made with spinach so it was green) and had three delectable sauces; peanut, sesame, and tomato! Peanut was so savory but the others were good too.
For main dishes, we got the lamb kofta (the most Indian dish we got), which was fantastic! The cashew sauce was savory, slightly sweet, and just the right amount of rich. The lamb meatballs were tender and soaked up the sauce. We also got Lamb Sipen Luk Tentuk, a lamb noodle soup which was advertised as «hotter than hell». It was not false advertisement. It took me awhile to finish it since it was so hot (lots of minced peppers), but I enjoyed every bite! The thin egg noodles were nice and springy, and the Tibetan spices were just right.
Limited beer on draft, but they do have a couple interesting craft selections (Pike Kilt Lifter, Scuttlebutt IPA, etc.) Prices are about on the high end of average, but so worth it!

The curries are my favorite, they have a lot of spices and flavors that put my mouth in curry heaven.
The mango lassi is okay, a little too much yogurt.
One downside to the place is not being able to talk to anyone because it is so dang loud, there are no sound buffers or whatever you call them so you basically have to shout to talk to your friend.

Don’t be fooled by the outside, once you go down the stairs, this place is a gem and you feel that you have been dropped in Katmandu. The food in this place is authentic northern Indian and Nepalese and is very good.
A group of us ordered a variety of things, but the fresh Nan bread, and the chicken, lamb, and vegetarian curry dishes are a sure bet. We also shared a couple orders of Samosas. Full of potatoes and spices, these were a wonderful start. If only 2 people eating, only order one dish as they are quite large. You can order your dishes with spice ranging 1 – 3. Be warned that they mean spicy and unless you crave something that will cauterize your taste buds, keep it at the 1 – 2 range.
The staff was very knowledgeable and attentive. Not hovering but we never wanted for water, top offs of drinks, or suggestions. After a day at Pikes Place and some of the overpriced dining choices, this place is a treat.

Oh my yum! Walking into this restaurant is like entering another dimension. There is just one door separating all the Broadway flair from Annapurna’s intensely animated underground cove of delicious food. For real though, they take their decorations very srsly and it’s incredibly cozy in there. A tad dark for my taste, otherwise I would’ve taken a pic for my review. We were seated right away for dinner on a Sunday night and ordering took a while only because I wanted to pig out on everything. In the end we got the chicken tikki masala, Annapurna curry with lamb, garlic naan, and a khukuri beer. The dishes were flavorful in all the right ways and I loved how distinct the two entrees were from one another. If you’re getting that drink, keep in mind you’ll be getting three full glasses of beer from that single bottle. Overall, just great. Make Annapurna your next hearty eat-​out meal!

YUMMMMMM
i LOVED this place! I’ve had a couple indian places in socal but this place… i loved it!
The spinach and chick pea, fried eggplant, lamb curry and chicken masala… perfect texture and portions. not to creamy but perfect with rice and naan!
i recommend all of it. semi slow service and it gets BUSYY but worth it!

this place was insanely packed during dinner on friday.
we made reservations but couldn’t get a table til 30 mins-​1 hour later. however we did have a party of 10 or so.
the ambience is great inside, dimly lit with lovely lights. i think it’s a great date spot though a little on the louder side.
i love southeast asian food and everything was delicious as hell.
i would gladly come back!

After time after time of walking by this place and smelling the amazing smells, finally found an excuse to come here. Was hungry, which helped. The inside of this place is almost worth the trip! It’s in the basement, hidden away, and the people working there are really nice.
So many dishes to choose from and all of them looked excellent. We couldn’t really decide, but basically just picked something. We were not disappointed as our app was great and our mains really did the job.
To be fair, I’ve had better elsewhere but I would gladly come back to this place if it was proposed or simply if I were in the mood for Himalayan cuisine. I don’t think there’s anything else this good nearby.

Very intimate environment, which is great until the rush crowd start coming (and they will!). Service was very friendly and attentive. Everything was cooked really well and paneer had that super fresh, definitely house-​made texture — yum!
I’m definitely looking to coming here again, this place is great!

My time in Nepal started my insatiable love for Nepali food. The first time I came to Annapurna about a decade ago I felt as if I was entering a restaurant in the Thamel District of Kathmandu. It’s nice to see it is still a visual experience to enter this restaurant.
There is an unassuming blue sign outside that leads you down a walkway. As you through the door to the restaurant you begin your journey from Seattle to Kathmandu. As you descend the stairs you are greeted with bright red walls and a corner shrine to Ganesh with candles & an offering of flowers. There are also colorful Tibetan/​Nepali style cloth wall decorations. As you walk down another set of stairs you are in a bright yellow hallway with some wall pictures & prayer flags. On the next landing there is a large lit sign with a picture of Annapurna. Continuing down the stairs there is a painting on the ceiling of the top of the Swayambhunath temple which is one of the most sacred & beautiful places in Nepal. As I saw it I smiled because it brought back memories of climbing the stairs to the temple to watch the sunrise from Swayambhunath over the Kathmandu valley. When I finally reached the bottom of the winding stairs & entered the restaurant I looked around & felt as if I was in a restaurant in Nepal. What a wonderful experience & I haven’t even eaten yet!
The restaurant is divided into two sides. On the left the room is darker & to the right the room is much brighter. I was greeted by a gentleman who was very polite & showed me to my seat on the brighter side of the restaurant. I was handed a menu & he poured water in the copper cup which also helps to lend to the experience. Before looking at the menu I continued to look around & I loved the eight auspicious symbols painted on the ceiling. There is a lot see! Where I was seated I also noticed a painting of the Boudhanath on the wall. I just love the ambiance of this restaurant. If you have been to Nepal you have probably been in a restaurant just like this!
As I looked to my immediate right there was a half-​wall and on the top were numerous spices in small glass containers. There is also a genuine prayer wheel that you might have seen if you were at the Boudhanath, Swayambhunath or most other temples in the Himalayan region. I gave it a spin & sent some prayers outward & felt I was ready to order.
The menu is large & there are so many great things on it including Nepali, Tibetan & Indian food. I decided on the Dal Bhat Ra Takari from the Nepali Khana selections. It comes with Dal Bhat /​kentil soup, Mula Achar /​pickled veggies, Sag Sabji /​cooked greens, spicy tomato chutney, a curried veggie mix & basmati rice. I also ordered a side of garlic naan as well.
They first brought a bean soup filled with all kinds of legumes. It was tasty and the beans were not soggy at all. All of the rest of the food was served on a Nepalese thali tray. It was very fresh & I liked the mix of different flavors and textures. The curried veggies were spiced well & the tomato chutney went perfect with it. The Dal Bhat was thick, creamy & fragrant while the mixed greens were lightly sautéed. The curried veggies were a mix of cauliflower, peas & potatoes with a heavenly aroma! The basmati rice was cooked perfectly. The side of garlic naan was huge & tasted wonderful.
I ordered a pot of Tibetan Herbal Tea & I’m glad I did. It is best to let it seep for about 5 minutes to get all the flavor from the herbs. I took a picture of the ingredients they used in the tea so check out the pics! They also have a Nepali herbal tea which is good & is also caffeine free. I have also had the chai in the past & the spices were well balanced. If you want a refill on the chai you will have to pay half-​price for each refill while you can get a free refill of hot water for the pot of your TIbetan or Nepali herbal tea.
As far as the beer selection, I have had the Khukuri which is a Nepali beer which is light and has a bit of a flowery taste to it. They also have Yeti Imperial stout but that’s an American beer. If you’re going to have a beer try the Khukuri for the full Nepali experience.
Staff were very attentive and asked me several times if I needed a refill on my water or more hot water for my teapot. They were also friendly and professional.
The restrooms are down a hallway on the right. I like the way they have the restroom doors painted with people on them. A male on the men’s room & a woman on the women’s room door. In between the restroom doors is a poster of endangered birds from Nepal which I actually saw in a bookstore in Kathmandu!
Annapurna has great food, great ambiance and attentive service. I love this place and will definitely be back. Thank you for a wonderful dining experience.

Stopped here for dinner based on reviews and word of mouth and was pretty good. The actual restaurant is down some stairs which is different. The lighting is dim which I’ve come to expect from most Indian restaurants but I have seen worse. The food was very good. I had the khasi ko Masu (goat curry nepali style) it was quite good, with the right amount of spice, I was a bit let down by my garlic naan, a piece was burnt and it was lukewarm when it came out. I had some of the jaipur curry which was ok and the dal bhat lentil wasn’t bad either. The servers were good as well and kept the water full which is something I value. The other thing I don’t like is extra cost for splitting card payments regardless of the amount of people splitting. They also have an unsettling sign that states they can refuse serving you. Otherwise very very good food!

I would definitely recommend Annapurna! There are always pros and cons to any place, but at least you can try out some deliciously flavored Indian, Nepalese, and Himalayan food.
The following yummy eats I would try again:
–Spinach Momo: Momo what, you say?! (6) Spinach steamed dumplings that were oh so tasty. The peanut dipping sauce was bomb-​diggity.
–Chicken Tikka Masala: Creamy and moist chicken that went well over basmati rice.
–Spicy Lamb Vindaloo: tender lamb but pretty spicy, so I recommend asking them to make the heat a level 2 or below (unless you like it very hot).
**Note: We also tried the samosas and the garlic naan, which were solid sides. The mint chutney that came with the samosa was bright and fresh.
**Some Cons:
–Pretty small portions and bowls
–The area can be a bit sketchy depending on the time of day (Well, it is Broadway in Capital Hill afterall). We had a strange guy call out to us on the street on our way in.
**Overall Pros:
–Yummy food with some nice heat and spice (if you dare!)
–Attentive customer service
–The place is located underground, making it feel like a hidden gem

So bummed out from my last visit to Annapurna. I’ve dined here with a group of friends before and had an amazing experience, no complaints! The food was cooked perfectly and well spiced. They were pretty accommodating to a group of 6 and all of our food came out in a timely manner. Much appreciated, Annapurna.
I came back here for a to-​go order and it was the worst to-​go order I ever had! The driest tandoori chicken, undercooked rice, and plain + burnt garlic naan. The tandoori chicken was under seasoned and over cooked. I was so sad to open my to-​go box and see how dry the chicken was. The bottom of my naan was burnt and I’m pretty sure it was regular naan when they charged me extra for garlic naan. My order of the Annapurna lamb curry and spinach momos had to make up for the rest of my meal. There goes $ 47 I’ll never see again :(
At least the spinach momos have never failed me!