Cheeni Indian Food Emporium

Cheeni is a cafe-restaurant. I love the way they decorated the restaurant – modern mixed with street Indian pictures. I tried the chicken rice bowl, and it was good; the chicken was tender, and the side vegetables were fresh. You can order everything at the front, and they will bring the food to your table. I also liked the mango lassi and chocolate chip cookies; they are a must-try. The bakery here is pretty good as well. I recommend going there if you're looking for a place to hang out with friends, grab a quick lunch, or just want to sit with your laptop and work; they have free WiFi. I see they are serving liquor now. I'd like to go back and try their cocktails! They also offer a lot of vegetarian options.

Ok so admittedly not authentic Indian (from my Indian friend) but as an American, I loved it! Every bite had different tastes - haven't had such an exciting meal in ever! Counter service and they bring food to you. Clean up your own tables. Atmosphere was delightful. Tastefully decorated. Small shopping area. I literally can't wait to go back!

My wife and I met some friends here for dinner. She really does not eat a lot of Indian food because she has reactions to spicy food, however Cheeni made her think twice about Indian. We loved this place and tried a little bit of everything. The fish was out of this world. The lamb vindaloo equally.
I also had the owners take on a rye old fashioned Indian style, and it was out of this world.
They’ve been nominated for a James Beard award. Win or not, they are winners in our book. We are so glad we live close to them.

Went there for lunch today. Even though there was a big group + a couple more people our order came out rather fast. I guess because I told them I was starving 😄
The atmosphere is quietly welcoming.
Very clean. Cheerful and friendly staff. Especially at the order counter.
However, didn’t think highly of the dessert. Had the almond flour brownie and my husband had the oatmeal cookie. Wasn’t too fresh.
I’d highly recommend this place for lunch.

It's the same Cheeni that used to be inside a YMCA in Raleigh downtown before but now has a new location, decor, and menu. There's more to it than the food now as it's also a bakery and an emporium, with beautiful desi interiors. The masala fries and veg puff we ordered were delicious and on point with our expectations. The waffle dosa, idli, and sambar were a little on the spicier side but that may only pertain to us because our spice tolerance is low. We also ordered the chicken roll which turned out to be the most interesting food item of all. I understand the unique take on a traditional roll with a "deconstructed" version of it and for a messy experience, but my preference is always for a thin roomali roti which can actually be rolled and carried easily. Overall the food taste was great, the prices reasonable, and plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. I'll be coming back for the bakery items because my full stomach didn't get a chance to try any of it.

Lovely Indian restaurant with baked goods. All our dishes were excellent and tasty, what a mouthful of spices and flavor. Portion sizes were large and we took half of ours home, so good Atmosphere is pleasant and somewhat upscale but casual very nice decor. Plus they have bakery items which none of us tried but they look delicious! Well worth trying if you like Indian food.

Authentic yet quirky Indian cafe featuring a short list of staples and a rotating list of specials. The food is made as it would be at a family table - it’s not American storefront restaurant Indian food. There are delicious baked goods. Owner is friendly and staff is lovely. A great place in north Raleigh.

Love love this place- so glad I made it out there! Especially in the summer when kulfi is available. The saffron kulfi is one of the most amazing ice creams I’ve ever had. The saffron is so fresh, it’s hard to get saffron to stand out, and this was perfection.

I also love the bhel puri which has become one of my favorite chaat dishes.

The ambiance and decor is inviting. You can buy cookbooks and locally made small gifts like jewelry. They also have WiFi and during lunch you could enjoy a book or some emails while having tasty food.

And don’t miss the saffron kulfi- it’s a must add to every meal while it’s available.

We took a class with Preeti Waas, chef and owner, today. The food was AMAZING, and the class was fun, informative, and one of the most delightful afternoons I’ve ever spent. I cannot WAIT to go back for more incredible flavors.

This place has been phenomenal since the beginning. I had the pleasure of going for a girls' night out shortly after opening, and I couldn't stop raving about it to family and friends. My husband swore I was hyping it up too much as he doesn't believe food can ever be that exciting. All it took was one date night, and now he makes requests for me to grab things when I am nearby. Ha!

If I could give one word to describe Cheeni, it would be COMFORT. From the food to the ambiance to the service/team. I can't list a favorite item as I would be listing most of the menu. I will say that I've developed an addiction to the chai and find myself going after work for a cup weekly.

If you are still on the fence for any reason, let me just push you over, and say GO! You won't regret it. And don't forget to get dessert-even if you have to get it to go.

I’m hooked on their lunch menu. Flavorful and a good size portion. Their chocolate chip cookies are big and they taste amazing. Haven’t tried dinner there yet but I’m sure it’s good as well.

Edited: Recently I’ve had the street style toast and the chicken rice bowl. It’s so good! The chicken rice bowl is the same as the kabab chicken roll except without the naan bread. Love this place!

Adorable cafe spot where the workers seem to genuinely care that you have a good dining experience and enjoy all the food. Everything we had was very tasty, although my favorite was probably the cheese toasty because who doesn’t love cheese on toast?? I will say we did originally come here for the chai tea and their chai blend is more heavy on the anise flavor and I prefer a more cinnamon-forward chai so it wasn’t my favorite.

After seeing some posts on social media. We had to see what the fuss was about. They had a pop up shop with a famous Indian chef from NYC. $75 tickets for a pretty large tasting menu.

After much anticipation, the time finally came. It was a cold Saturday Night, perfect for a tasty Indian dinner. When we arrived they had our name on a table for two. The table had some poppadom crackers and dipping sauce to munch on while you look at the huge menu for the night. They had a variety of cocktails, beers(including an Indian Pilsner). They also had mocktails in cans that were very tasty if that’s your jam.

The chef and owner came out to speak to the patrons multiple times, very nice people.

The total meal was 3 hrs. So you get your moneys worth for sure. They had options for vegetarians throughout the night.

Very cool experience, I would go back!

I wanted something different today and I got just that. The food was just scrumptious. The menu was small but the flavor was packful. Most of the dishes are vegetarian.

What a great idea. You will not just walk into the traditional Indian fare here. At this establishment, you walk into an Indian Cafe in Italy 🇮🇹... what a great idea to have a small self serve cart for water and your essentials to eat. The only recommendation is to equip the cart with hand sanitizer.

THE CAFE feel is real including coffee, tea, wine, and beer. There are pastries too. 🍰

There is Indian culture all around including words in Indian and small quotes. I will definitely be back.

Don't forget good ppl, smile often, do good & BE GRATEFUL!!!!

I love when people bring their lived experiences together on a plate so that people who lived or who may not have lived parallel lives can enjoy together and share stories. Recently sampled Chai, Veg Puff, Bombay Sandwich, Masala Quiche, and Carrot Halwa Muffin from Cheeni! Like the fact that individual items are priced reasonably so that you can enjoy a little bit of everything. Everything tasted delicious and not forced concepts. Highly recommend and will definitely revisit!

Updating this review as of July 2022 and associated pictures: Loved to be able to finally check out the vibrant new space of Cheeni! A great place to enjoy some delicious Indianesque bites (with brilliant twists like Dosa Waffle), and have some hearty conversations.

Some of my favorite meals recently have been had here. The food is incredible and the staff is so kind and knowledgeable. I highly recommend. :-) I took my mom for the first time last week and upon finishing lunch she ordered take out to bring home for dinner. It's THAT good.

It's a different restaurant model. We went there for wife's birthday. It was fun and the food was good. Was easy to order at which you do online with your phone. Worked pretty nice, the food came quickly. The lady was very friendly. Wife loved it.

Unassuming and totally yummy! Cheeni Indian Food Emporium offers amazing cuisine and a laid back, relaxed atmosphere.
Traditional options and fun surprises make this a great place to grab some “home cooked” Indian food.
Dine-in, take away or shop the cases..up to you.

Fun spices, cookbooks and gifts are also a Ayala w for purchase.

This is one of those family type businesses where you can feel the love the second you walk in the door. I live nearby and hope to be back often, but today was my first time. I had a masala chai, a (daily special) salmon curry, and got some of their interestingly spiced cookies to go. Everything was delicious, and the customer service was enthusiastic and wonderful. The food was all extremely good quality and well prepared. The atmosphere is so pleasant. I hope to be back here again soon!

Outstanding and varied offerings from different regions of India are a real treat. Best mango Lassi I've ever tasted. The samosa chaat is perfectly crispy and creamy and crunchy and fresh and satisfying in all the right ways. Don't miss the tandoori chicken either, or the delightful little spice market. The pastry case is fresh and tempting - try the chai masala rolls and the decadent cookies and cakes - and pairs perfectly with their authentic filter coffee and house made chai. The space is absolutely beautiful, a great meetup spot with visual appeal. My current favorite lunch spot, but it's great for dinner too. Highly recommend.