Tarka Indian Kitchen Review for 2022

Uzma Pathan | September 3, 2023

A week ago I had the pleasure of reuniting with one of my favorite restaurants: Tarka Indian Kitchen. In all the years that my family has lived in Austin, Tarka has been our go-to spot for Indian food, so today I thought I would share it with you.

The Beginnings

Tarka first opened up in 2009 in Austin, Texas. From there the demand began to rapidly increase causing it to open 2 more locations in Austin and then expanding to many other locations in Texas including: Round Rock, San Antonio, and 3 locations in Houston, one of which just opened a few days ago!

Image courtesy of Community Impact Newspaper

The Dining Experience

Tarka makes authentic Indian food that is rich in flavor AND affordable. Their menu includes a variety of naans, kabobs, biryanis, curries, soups, salads and more! Almost all of the items are customizable in terms of things like ingredients and spice level. More importantly, the portions are perfect. I have never felt hungry or like I overate after eating at Tarka. They also offer a variety of drinks to pair with your meal such as lemonades, lassis, wine, and beer. Lastly, you can finish off your meal with one of their authentic indian desserts including mango cheesecake, ras malai, and gulab jaman.

authentic Indian food

Tarka offers take out, dine-in, and delivery through third party services. However, I definitely recommend dine-in to get the full experience! The place is always clean and has amazing customer service, and both the indoor and outdoor seating are the perfect combination of fancy but casual. 

Beyond The Menu

When I visited recently I was surprised to see the addition of Beyond Meat to their menu and had to try it. I’m a meat-eater through and through but I have to say, this dish was no less in flavor or taste than the regular meat ones! With vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options, there is something for everyone.

Tarka has also been recognized as a “Green Restaurant” by The City of Austin for using environmentally-friendly packaging, recycling materials, and composting food waste! You clearly can’t go wrong eating here. I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for some good indian cuisine!