I don't give out a 5 star rating lightly. We went here for dinner on a Thursday evening and everything was perfect. The service was friendly and attentive, and the food was amazing. We started with the summer rolls, which were delicious. They came with a very good sauce. I had the crispy catfish, which was flavorful and delicious. For dessert we shared the chocolate cake with coffee ice cream... And I wished I had it all to myself. The chocolate cake was a bit like a souffle, with a soft gooey inside. It is a little pricy but worth it.

Matthew Randall

Staff and owner truly make you feel like family. They go out of their way to make sure you have an exceptional experience. It’s no wonder that this place a staple in the chapel hill community

Jocelyn Tsai

Excellent restaurant and caterer! Vimala catered my wedding. She and Rush listened attentively and offer great ideas that fit our budget. The food was so delicious that years (!) later my wedding guests still rave about how good it was.

Rupali Gautam

The food was delicious and authentic. Perfect spices. And service was prompt and fast for a sat busy night. The owner Vimala is really sweet she checks on her guests and went out of the way to make my son happy. Being gluten free is hard but this restaurant was perfect and very mindful of allergies. My parents enjoyed the food alot.

Natalia Pinzon

I’ve eaten a lot of Indian food in my life- traveled across the Indian subcontinent and eat South Indian food every chance I get across many US states . Vimalas is absolutely among the top restaurants I’ve ever been too. Excellent quality ingredients, impeccably done curries, chutneys — soo flavorful. And the staff is lovely , kind, welcoming. Highly recommended . You can get dosa batter to go.

Kristin Ranson

Highly recommend! Service was personalized to accommodate our different food sensitivities. We really appreciated how careful and kind the staff was. The hot chai was terrific. I had lunch Kofta curry & rice. My daughter had vegetable samosas. My husband had tandoori chicken. Everything looked & smelled amazing. My curry was delicious. My husband & daughter enjoyed their plates as well. We look forward to eating here again in the future.

TeeTee Fx

Always amazing food and friendly service. We cannot recommend this place enough and we always make sure out-of-town visitors check it out.

Jamie Gardner

We were first-time visitors to the restaurant, and we’ll definitely return. We were warmly welcomed when we arrived & shown to a table in the sheltered courtyard area. The menu is extensive, with plenty of choices. Ordering & payment was done through an app, which was easy, although I think both could also be accomplished ‘manually’ too. We dined on a quiet Tuesday, and our food arrived (very) quickly. The staff were kind, attentive without being intrusive, and we enjoyed our brief chat with the owner Vimala who came by to say “Welcome”, which was a nice touch.

Tim Rodgers

We had a delightful time here last night. I had the Beef Biryani(Boneless local beef layered in rice with aromatic spices) which was very tasty, and enough so I ended up taking some home. My wife really enjoyed the Curryblossom Herb Tea, which had a delightful blend of flavors, without smaking you in the face with too much flavor. This tea is a concoction of the owner, not something you can get elsewhere. Service was very attentive, and the courtyard was a very nice atmosphere. It was especially nice with the special entertainment of an accordionist and guitarist for the evening.

J

I had an absolutely wonderful experience at Vimala’s! The food is creative and delicious, the atmosphere is great, and the service is excellent. Vimala is a gem in our community and I am so grateful to have her and her team here! Highly recommended.

Gabriel Young

It’s a lovely spot inn Carborro. We sat indoors, which was very cozy. They have outdoor seating in a large courtyard as well. The service was fast, the staff was friendly and made great recommendations. We got vegetarian options and spinach naan. All very good.

+4

Viran Patel

I love this place! The food was well presented, and absolutely delicious! You can taste that the food was made from scratch from the freshness of the spices, giving it a home made feel! The staff were very pleasant and we were lucky to sample some other dishes on the menu. There are gluten free options too. Excited to go back and try more dishes!

+1

Laura Fu

I've heard so much about this place but it took me until now to try it. It's hidden back a ways from Franklin, so it has a nice, quiet ambience. There are lots of tables outside too. I arrived around 1pm on a weekday and there were several patrons dining in. It wasn't clear if I was supposed to sit down or place an order with someone or what. Someone at the bar eventually took our order. He gave us the wrong table number, but the staff figured it out and got the right dishes over to our table. The staff was very friendly and attentive. And I didn't know exactly what to expect (I've only had Indian food once or twice). I ordered a rice and lentil small plate and the plantain fritters. Both were delicious! And quite filling for the price. There's a lot of options on the menu, so maybe I'll be adventurous and try something new.

Isabella Grandic

Vimala is a super sweet lady and her Indian food is incred! Saffron rice + misc curries = so yum!! :) pictures from our caterer picnic below. Salad was fresh and there was a ton of variety. She made a pudding dessert for bonus and it was quite good! Can feel motherly love vibes within every bite

Ian - The Payment Scout

Loved this place. Tried the Crispy Okra, Goat Biryani, Green Bean Subji, Chicken Curry Dosa, and Curryblossom Herb Tea Pot. Some highlights included the Tamarind/Date chutney that comes with the Crispy Okra and the overall richness of the Goat Biryani. The portions are large and we took a fair bit home for leftovers which were excellent reprise. There is a bit of mystery to finding this place, at least if you approach on Roberson from the South. For us, this was an adventure. Will definitely return.

+1

Nikolas Carlton

All I can say is I am beyond impressed. Vimala herself actually saw to my date and I and made it an exceptional evening. From the delicate and flakey Samosas that I ate too fast to even snap a picture of, the wonderful homemade tea blends, to bar none the best chicken briyani I have ever had and an equally impressive tandoori. Generous portions of wonderful food with an owner that treated us like an old friend. This is the best place I have found in chapel hill.

Fusion food with local fresh ingredients. We went there for dinner. Not too many options on menu which is not a bad thing. Ordered chaat and salt-pepper shrimp for appetizers and both were amazing. Crispy cilantro with shrimp reminded us of some authentic Indian food from back home. Chaat was different than typical Indian style chaat. Great combination of ingredients. For mains I ordered vegetable stew. Wife and kid ordered whole NC wild fish. I loved the veggie stew but fish was interesting. It was whole bass with head and bones. It’s took a little bit of work to get the flesh. Taste was decent and our least favorite item for dinner. Dessert was amazing. We had Hot chocolate cake and warm yuzu pudding. Both were delicious. Service was excellent. Took a little while to find parking. There are two paid parking lots next to the restaurant.

very nice! relaxing atmosphere. it was dead but food took a while...everyone ordered dumplings/potstickers

Good quality cooking, dubious if it’s worth the price. I had high expectations for Lantern as it is the only restaurant currently open in the Triangle area with a JB award. The pan-Asian Southern concept is also quite interesting: it allows the restaurant to get away from authenticity if it allows for better flavor. Although, I doubt if that decision really pays off for Lantern (the fried okra with tomato chutney is markedly inferior to any Indian or Southern preparation of fried okra). The rest of the dishes, however, were executed perfectly. The noodles, in particular, were a highlight: it’s as if the very essence of an oyster mushroom was distilled into the sauce. Similarly, the dumplings were cooked to a perfect toothsome level and the sesame dipping sauce accompanying them was outstanding. All that said, I’m still unsure this is worth the price - there are certainly better restaurants in the Triangle area that you don’t have to pay this much for. Worth a visit, but not more than once.

My recent dining experience at Lantern in Chapel Hill was nothing short of delightful. From the delectable cuisine to the captivating ambiance, it was an evening to remember. Let's start with the highlight of the meal - the bite-size Korean fried chicken. It was simply out of this world delicious! Each crispy morsel packed a punch of flavor that left us craving more. It's definitely a must-try dish for anyone visiting Lantern. As for the drinks, I opted for the Late Blossom, a perfect spring cocktail that blended vodka, lillet blanc, lychee, and orange blossom into a refreshing and fragrant concoction. It perfectly complemented the vibrant flavors of the meal. Speaking of which, I savored every slurp of the ramen with pork belly, bok choy, and an egg. The broth was rich and flavorful, the pork belly perfectly tender, and the addition of bok choy added a refreshing crunch. It was a bowl of comfort and indulgence. What truly elevated the experience was the ambiance of the back room where my friends and I were seated. It exuded a sense of intimacy and mystery, making it the perfect setting for romantic dates or intimate gatherings. The dim lighting added to the allure, creating a cozy atmosphere that enhanced our dining experience. Overall, Lantern offers a memorable dining experience with its exquisite cuisine, inviting ambiance, and impeccable service. While the meal was fantastic, there's always room for improvement, hence the four-star rating. Nevertheless, I highly recommend Lantern to anyone looking for a culinary adventure in Chapel Hill.

This restaurant charges 6% for what they called a kitchen fee!,… what is the reason behind this?,.. it comes in as a surprise , …. And it was late when I learned about this,..

Food was really good. It is definitely an upscale Asian restaurant. Menu is not large but full of flavor! The ambiance was great for a small group setting. Would recommend a reservation.

Suneel Vanga

Awesome place. Ambience is top notch. Service is good. Food is good too but a little on the sweeter side. I wish I had known a little more about banana fritters which are very sweet. Overall good place for a lunch or early dinner.

The Savvy Me

Glad we tried this restaurant. It was the 1st we tried upon arriving at Chapel Hill. 1st, it was difficult to figure out parking. There is metered parking on the street or on the parking lot behind the building. 2nd, the entrance to the restaurant was confusing. The way we entered was on the side and it felt like a storage or the dumpster. Later we learned a better entrance in between buildings leading to a courtyard with access to multiple businesses including Vimalas. Plenty of seating is available outside and inside. When we arrived, there was a band playing outside. Lastly, once we looked at the menu, we learned we had to scan the QRCODE on the table to place the order and pay. That's great for some, but for for me it doesn't work. The food was good. We had vegan and gluten-free free pakoras, dosa masala and kofta curry. The pakoras felt oily, but everything else was good. The portions were a good amount. Overall I am glad for the options available for those with dietary restrictions.

+1

I sat at a bar table with a chair that was on the verge of collapsing. People passing by constantly elbowed me in the back. The menu was basic, and the food was bland. Overall, the experience was okay at best.

Great atmosphere, excellent service, okay food. The fish was cooked whole, which I'm definitely not used to. If it blew my mind I wouldn't have cared, but I've had much better fish that didn't involve mouthfuls of fishbones. The pork and chive dumplings were good, not great. The cocktail I got (scotch, port, egg white, some other ingredients) was EXCELLENT. The chocolate cake and peanut brittle ice cream dessert was so good we ordered a second one.

Akshat

All 3 stars are for the service. We visited Vimala’s Curryblossom Cafe for lunch during our trip to Chapel Hill on a Saturday afternoon and it wasn’t busy at all. The food was quite underwhelming if you’re used to Indian food. The pakoras were the only saving grace with the right amount of spice and the decent chutneys to go along. The Mysore Masala dosa, while being quite crispy, left much to be desired because of the bland potatoes filling inside. The Appam with Chicken Curry was a let-down with the chicken curry tasting quite gummy and bland. The chai was sadly the worst, and we couldn’t drink it after one sip. To their credit, they didn’t add the chai to the bill after we told them about it. Their other food items are your traditional South Indian fare such as Kerala beef, Madhu Vada, Dosas and more. They also serve alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Our server was kind and polite and regularly checked in on us. Seating is available both inside and outside. Restrooms are available inside. Parking nearby is street parking and an inexpensive parking lot. We paid close to 60 dollars for the meal and left somewhat disappointed.

+2

K D

This is out third or fourth time in Vimala's but we were very disappointed at Vimala's .We had the veg thali and the Pawn curry thali . The Veg thali had some squash in a broth with half cooked daal with no flavor .It seems the chef just boiled the daal and squash in added some garam masala . Same with the prawn curry .No flavor no spices ..Same base curry .Not worth ordering the thali . Do not recommend any thali as it seem to be missing any flavor

+3

Loved the ambience and the vibe. Cocktails were great. Fried okra was a disappointment. Not a fan of their entrees too. Overall what's a restaurant with good ambience and okay ish food ?

Katarina Muller

What a disappointing meal... Most of the food was simply not good, and everything seemed old — not freshly prepared. I ate two bites of my $25 lamb Rogan Josh; it was flavorless, VERY dry, and even lacked salt — tasted nothing like Indian food I’ve ever had and I’ve had quite a bit. My wife’s vegetarian kofta was bland as well. The only thing we actually enjoyed was the crispy okra appetizer as it was nicely flavored and indeed crispy, though we also doubted its freshness as it arrived lukewarm. The garlic naan was stale around the edges - also clearly not freshly prepared. The dal that came with our meals was nicely spiced. The mango iced tea was not sweet enough for my taste and I don’t like my beverages particularly sweet. Overall, to pay $90 (before tip) for two entrees that we did not enjoy is just disappointing. We ate at around 3:30pm, so maybe if you come at dinner time, the food might be fresh because the place has a lot of good reviews. Sadly, we didn’t see any of it. Lastly, while we appreciated the warm welcome from the owner, the kind elderly gentleman who stopped by our table towards the end of the meal was so close to the table, pointed his finger very close to the remaining okra, and then spoke over our food, such that my wife is no longer interested in eating the okra we’d enjoyed and packed to go… I write this in hopes he will be willing to adjust his customer interactions, because interaction with restaurant owners / management is always a nice touch. At the appropriate distance….. Last note: Restaurant is beautiful!