Raleigh Iron Works is about to smell a lot smokier in the best possible way. Next week the complex gets a new culinary anchor in Botiwalla by Chai Pani, a fast casual Indian street food spot from James Beard Award winning chef Meherwan Irani. The counter service restaurant is slated to open Tuesday, June 2 and will serve everything from charcoal grilled kebabs to chaat style snacks and okra fries. Irani says the Raleigh outpost will be the brand’s fifth and also its largest kitchen so far, which should make room for a broader menu and more vegetarian dishes than some of the other locations.
According to The News & Observer, Botiwalla is expected to open at Raleigh Iron Works on Tuesday, June 2 and operate every day for both lunch and dinner. Reporter Drew Jackson notes that the menu will pull hits from Chai Pani while leaning into quick, grill heavy items such as kebabs, skewers and a lamb burger. The News & Observer also reports that the extra kitchen space in Raleigh is designed to help the team move food faster and widen the selection.
Menu And Drinks
Botiwalla lists a counter service lineup built around chaat, charcoal grilled skewers and share friendly snacks. Expect bhel puri, matchstick okra fries, Gobi 65 and masala smashed potatoes alongside a signature lamb burger. The brand’s menu pages say drinks will range from hot chai to chilled lassis and, at some locations, boozy slushies. Raleigh already appears on the chain’s locations list and will join existing restaurants in Atlanta, Charlotte and Asheville.
Speed And Service
“The menu is designed for speed,” Irani told The News & Observer, adding that once the Raleigh crew finds its rhythm, meals could hit the counter in as little as three minutes. That quick turn mentality is central to the Botiwalla model, which focuses on made to order snacks and grill plates rather than buffet lines or scoop and serve trays. Diners can expect counter ordering, no reservations and a brisk neighborhood canteen feel.
Where It Will Be
Botiwalla is set to open inside Raleigh Iron Works at 2221 Iron Works Drive, according to the development’s directory. The Iron Works project has been positioning itself as a dining and entertainment hub, and Axios notes that its expansion has pulled in chef driven restaurants along with entertainment tenants for the Salvage Yard section. With on site parking and a cluster of bars and eateries, the complex gives a high volume counter service operation room to find a steady crowd. Neighbors and nearby workers should feel a bump in lunch and dinner foot traffic once the doors open.
Why It Matters
Chai Pani’s win for Outstanding Restaurant at the James Beard Awards in 2022 put Irani’s team on the national radar, according to the Chai Pani Restaurant Group. Botiwalla grew out of that success, with the first location opening in Atlanta in 2016, and the move into Raleigh signals that acclaimed regional chefs are still betting on the Triangle’s dining scene. For local diners, it means a reliable, fast option that focuses on smoky, charred flavors instead of the heavier, sit down style Indian meals many people are used to…