Eat Athens: This Indian food court might be the best vegetarian spot in town
In the years since Taste of India left the downtown area, the original restaurant's lunch buffet has reached some kind of mythic status among Athens foodies and fans of Indian cuisine.
Opened in May 2024, Mitti Food Court is as close to being an Indian buffet as this reporter has encountered since the glory days of Taste of India and Bombay Café. Though Mitti does offer meat dishes, its menu is full of great all-veggie options that are also halal (a dietary law derived from Islamic teachings). The Banner-Herald stopped in last week to check out what the new restaurant has been cooking up.
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Mitti Food Court is the latest component of a development plan at 2024 S. Milledge Ave., where business owners Mathew, Anil and Priya have operated Achachi International Market since 2021. With its selection of Indian, Indonesian, Pakistani and halal foods, Achachi has developed a strong and loyal customer base in the Athens area, and the owners plan to open an ice cream shop in the space between the grocery store and the food court.
Hours of operation at Mitti are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Monday (extended to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday), and the restaurant offers counter service with options for call-in and carryout orders or dine-in on the outdoor patio or bar-style seating inside the shop. When the Banner-Herald visited, the staff at Mitti informed us that Desi and Indian cuisine are the same, and our order came out to the table quickly.
The menu at Mitti Food Court can be intimidating even for those with prior experience eating at Indian restaurants. Even when divided into such categories as vegetarian curries, meat curries, bread and rice, items like dosa (Indian crepes) and idli (steamed rice cake) might be unfamiliar to some guests. Trying new things is part of the dining adventure that is international food, and Mitti is the kind of place that inspires multiple visits.
This reporter went almost 100% vegetarian when ordering at Mitti Food Court, save for a dish of chicken 65 (the year the spice recipe was invented) to sample the quality of the restaurant's meat. The rice combo with bread is offered at a base price of $11.95 for rice, one curry and one piece of plain bread (naan). The $13.95 two curry combo featured delicious chickpea (chana) masala, chicken 65 and cauliflower tikka masala. The flavors and portions both hit the spot, and paired well with a fruit-forward strawberry lassi drink.
For ordering information, visit instagram.com/mitti_athens or call (706) 215-9239.
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Eat Athens: Indian food court offers vegetarian options
