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CLOSED: Spice Nation
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7
Closed
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Vegetarian
Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Ovo
Indian
All vegetarian at this location. Has a full menu weekdays, and a buffet on weekends. Call for hours. Staff will tell you which items contain milk products, if you ask. Previously called A Passage to India, same chef. Reported closed to HappyCow, Mar 2016.
11 Reviews
First Review by hpames
hippublican
Points +286
Great selection! - Edit
The good: We had a dinner buffet and there were tons of things to pick from. How great to go to a buffet and know that nothing has meat! Everything I tried was delicious. The inside of the restaurant is cute and the tables aren't squished together.
Read moreThe bad: I had terrible luck getting a hold of the restaurant to find out their hours. I called a zillion times for lunch and no one ever answered (even though I know from looking at their hours once I got there that they WERE in fact open). When finally, closer to dinner time, someone DID pick up, they answered by saying "Hello?" I thought I had dialed the wrong number or something, what kind of place doesn't answer the phone with their business name? Also the restaurant is a little tricky to find. It's down a dumpy, cold hallway inside a dumpy strip mall.
All that said, I'd definitely go again if only I lived in the area. Yum yum.
Pros: filling, great selection, nice atmosphere
Cons: dumpy area, iffy service
Guest
ReidMeFirst
Points +61
All vegetarian menu plus Vegan buffet nights - Edit
I love Indian food. Spice Nation not only has delicious, delicious spicy dishes, but has a rockstar for a manager. He'll take you to your table and his first question is, 'vegan or vegetarian?'. He'll then grab you some bread based on your answer.
Read moreWhen I first moved to town I got takeout here once. While the takeout was delish, the buffet is the real reason to go to this restaurant. The buffet here is the best I've been to. Most Indian restaurants have staple buffet foods (chana masala, dal makhni, and maybe one or two vegetable dishes). Here you will find twenty-plus vegetarian and vegan dishes just on the hot buffet line -- and it's all vegan on Thursdays. Everything that's vegan is clearly labelled. They even have vegan chai tea!
Every time I go there is something on the buffet that I have never tried before. Also, every time I go I promise myself just one plate, but end up getting two. If you're vegetarian and in Indy, this place is a must-go.
Pros: Delicious, delicious food, Great, knowledgeable waitstaff, Indy's only all-veg restaurant
Cons: Bad if you're trying to lose weight ;-).
Guest
Veganyeah123
Points +113
Vegan YUM - Edit
Having a restaurant such as Spice Nation makes this vegan feel like she's living in the BIG city! The owners are exceptionally nice and will ask upon arrival if you are vegan or vegetarian - table bread served accordingly. First timers will receive a nice introduction to the buffet. All dishes are clearly marked and specify if they are vegan or vegetarian. Thursday night is VEGAN BUFFET night and it is wonderful!! The food is delicious - made to order dosas delivered table side. Hot vegan chai with almond milk included. Come hungry!! Friday night is IndoChinese and a majority of buffet dishes are vegan. Yum yum yum. My husband and I are addicted!
Read morePros: Items clearly marked, Delicious food , Excellent variety
Cons: Not enough people know about it YET!
Guest
IndyVeganFamily
Points +48
Excellent for Vegan Families - Edit
Had an exquisite experience at the lunch buffet with our family. The vegan options were amazing and the service was exemplary. Props to the staff for being so accommodating of our little kids and our son's peanut allergy. They took the time to verify each buffet item and whether or not it contained peanuts. We WILL be back. Check for our full review with pictures on www.IndyVeganFamily.com. (direct link to review: http://bit.ly/YeFVq8 )
Read moreUpdated from previous review on Friday March 22, 2013
Pros: great selection, great vegan options , great price
Guest
trese80
Points +24
Wonderful Hole-In-The-Wall - Edit
I've been trying to convince my non-veg husband to go to Spice Nation with me for years and he was very reluctant since he wouldn't have any meat to eat. He finally went with me and he absolutely loves it (of course I love it!). He keeps begging me to eat out since he's addicted to their cauliflower appetizer and all the other great food. My point here is that vegetarians, vegans and meat eaters will all love this restaurant. They have an entire section of the menu devoted to vegan dishes. They have a wonderful buffet on the weekends that contains ample amounts of vegan food. Last night I was able to have vegan chai...yum! The owner is very kind and will make your experience there one to remember.
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options., Friendly owner and staff., Excellent food quality.
Cons: None.
Guest
sarahsvati
Points +299
Best Indian in Indy! - Edit
I hate to be this chick, but! I've traveled a lot in India and in fact, was there less than two months ago. Passage to India (former Udupi) is the only Indian restaurant in Indianapolis that I can recommend.
Read moreThe food is great, the buffet varied and exciting, the chutneys totally awesome!
I usually stick with the South Indian stuff. Big yum to the idlis and sambar. The coconut and coriander chutney are some of the best I've ever had.
Every time I go, the buffet is a little different! And the price is very, very reasonable. If I'm not mistaken, about $6.99 for the buffet, including naan and masala dosa.
Updated from previous review on Tuesday May 08, 2012
Update: Still love this place, even now that it is called Spice Nation. The owner is super friendly and it seems they are labeling the buffet now to write which dishes are vegan.
Pros: varied, delicious, best chutneys
Guest
SKA (SeitanKicksAss)
Points +35
The Change in Owners = Better! - Edit
The majority of the food served here is vegan, and no eggs are used in anything. I've had one incident, though. The naan is not vegan, even when made without butter/ghee. A sever brought me some, knowing I'm vegan sans the butter. However, the next time I was in, the owner told me that they do use a little bit of cow's milk in the batter. So, with that said, be careful. I'm not sure how many other things have "just a little bit of milk" in them. They do make awesome lemon/tamarind rice and quite a few stews that are excellent.
Read morePros: Variety of Rice, Stews/Curries, Improved Decor
Cons: Clarity With Some Ingredients
TabithaShearer
Sounds like we had very similar experiences here! A friend and I received items we were told were vegan, only to find out later that they weren't!
Read moreGuest
vegbrarian
Points +35
Veggie Haven - Edit
A Passage to India, formerly Udupi, is the only all vegetarian restaurant in Indianapolis. My first experience with this restaurant was years ago when I was still in college. Since then the building Passage is located in is undergoing renovation. The space is bright and open. The food is delicious. Lunch is buffet-style and inexpensive. The waiters are familiar with veganism and on my most recent visit nearly all of the entrees were dairy and egg- free. For fans of South Indian cuisine (or if you're unfamiliar and want to sample some items) A Passage to India is highly recommended.
Read morePros: Multiple vegan options, Reasonably priced, Atmosphere
Guest
moongoddesswhm
Points +21
Amazing! - Edit
I've been going to this restaurant ever since I moved to Indy in 2005. It is completely vegetarian and everything they serve is amazing. This is my absolute favorite restaurant ever. They always have different items on the buffet. The staff is very friendly and helpful if you have questions. If you haven't tried it, you have to go!! You won't be disappointed. It is a little bit spicy, but if it is too much for you to handle, there is a yogurt type dish by the sauces that cools it all down.
Read morePros: All vegetarian, All you can eat, Very friendly staff
Cons: Can be a little slow if you order a soda
Guest
donutyum
Points +17
One of the best Indian buffets I've ever tried - Edit
We travel between Michigan and Indiana a lot to visit family. The only way we were able to find this place was through Happy Cow. They are located in a pretty generic strip mall a little off the main road. There is another Indian restaurant in the same strip mall (which we did not try) that you can enter from the sidewalk. Udupi Cafe is a little harder to find because you have to go inside the mall (down a long narrow hallway) to see it.However, this place is well worth the search!
Read moreThe food was very fresh and not over-processed. Also, it was not too greasy or full of ghee. Since I'm not a vegan (just vegetarian) I didn't ask whether they use ghee or oil though.
There was a huge variety of Indian foods. Most of the food were types that I've never seen at any of the other (numerous) Indian buffets that I've been to before. When one tray of food was empty, they brought out a different type to replace it. Everything was a little more spicy that what I'm used to. However it was so flavorful and delicious that I still wanted to eat it (and just drank more water).
Like most buffets, this was an "all you can eat" deal. The price was very reasonable (even if you can only eat one plateful of food).
There is also a great Indian market in the same general space as the restaurant.
Pros: excellent food, good value, friendly staff
Guest
hpames
Points +29
Love this place - Edit
Standing before a buffet and really accepting that nothing in front of me is made with flesh is amazing. We're always surrounded by people from India here--I think that's a good sign.
Read morePros: 100% Vegetarian, Rotating buffet menus, tasty food
Guest
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