Lower East Side · Indian · Regional · Bold Spice
Unapologetic Foods' James Beard–winning LES kitchen — regional Indian cooking with serious heat and flavors rarely found outside South Asia
Dhamaka, from the Unapologetic Foods group behind Semma and Adda, opened in 2021 and immediately recalibrated the conversation about Indian food in New York. Chef Chintan Pandya's menu draws from regional cuisines rarely encountered on American menus — goat neck biryani, lamb brain masala, crab claws cooked with spice pastes that require days of preparation — and the kitchen executes them with the care of serious cooking. The spice levels are real. The flavors are complex, layered, and often startling in their precision. Pandya won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: New York in 2022. This is what Indian cooking looks like when it stops apologizing for itself.
Dhamaka is unapologetic Foods' James Beard–winning LES kitchen — regional Indian cooking with serious heat and flavors rarely found outside South Asia. Regulars order goat neck biryani and chaap (slow-cooked mutton chops).
Dhamaka is priced at $$$ — approx. $40–$75 per person.
Dhamaka uses Resy for reservations. Book online at Resy or call (347) 227-7167 directly. The badge at the top of this page shows whether there are tables left tonight.
Dhamaka is at 119 Delancey St, New York, NY 10002, in Lower East Side. Street parking in LES
Dhamaka is open Wed–Mon 5–10 PM · Closed Tue. Hours can change on holidays — confirm on Google Maps before a long drive.