Voted Best Indian Restaurant For 2020 & 2021: Anant Cuisine Of India

Sonya Feeser

Jun 13, 20223 min read

Updated: Oct 18, 2022

Dinner at Anant Cuisine of India (@anantcuisine) sure lived up to its name: a *never-ending* flow of North Indian Punjabi food with authentic flavor in every bite! Located near Short Pump, this short trip out of Richmond is well worth it for not only the food but also the warm, inviting ambience. The interior design and lighting provides a feel that is modern yet cozy - perfect for date night or a special occasion.

Anant Cuisine is relatively new to the West End's competitive Indian food scene with this upcoming August being their 4 year anniversary; even so, they won Richmond Times-Dispatch Best Indian Restaurant for 2020 and 2021...and maybe 2022 as well?! With all the raving reviews, I just had to check them out!

Here's what I tried:

Appetizers:

Vegetable Masala Samosa ($5) // Indian style homemade pastry stuffed with vegetables

The samosas are a must-have appetizer with their crunchy outer dough that radiates heat all the way through. Not to mention it's the perfect size for 2 people!

Kale and Crispy Spinach Munch ($9) // Layers of organic baby spinach and kale infused with tangy flavors

The kale was a light, crispy, and colorful surprise topped with pomegranate and mango. Such a modern spin on a traditional cuisine!

Entrees:

For the entrees, they offer 5 different spice levels to suit any desire: mild, medium, spicy, hot, and supreme hot. The one's I tried are definitely large enough for sharing or taking home for leftovers.

Butter Chicken ($18) // Rediscovering one of the best known delicacies from India

The butter chicken was deliciously seasoned in a creamy, buttery, and tomato-based sauce.

Goat Biryani ($18) // Aromatic spicy rice, can substitute for Vegetable $13/Chicken $17/Shrimp $19/Egg $15/Lamb $18

The biryani rice was so airy and fluffy, with an array of juicy, decadent flavors in each bite. The presentation was just beautiful, and they definitely don't skimp on the meat!

Indian Bread: Garlic Naan/Black Truffle Naan ($4) // oven-baked flatbread infused with garlic

I get garlic naan at every Indian restaurant I go to, and I have to say, this was probably the best naan I've ever had! I loved how soft and buttery it was and the dough was perfectly cooked.

Dessert: Mango Kulfi ($8) // house special dessert (ask your server about it!)

This dessert was the best end to a meal I could have ever imagined...the presentation was just astounding from the kulfi intentionally looking as if it was spilled out of an ice cream cone, a vanilla and raspberry drizzle, mini spoons to eat with (so cute!), and was even served on a cold plate so it didn't melt. I do not usually get dessert at Indian restaurants, but this experience just changed my mind! Order dessert here, no doubt!

Overall, I was so impressed with every course of my meal and the depth of flavor in every bite. The small details showed that they put a lot of thought and care into the preparation of their dishes, so kudos to that! The owners, Nissa and Avtar Rathore, have been involved in the restaurant business for 20+ years, growing from smaller mom-and-pop shops up to Anant Cuisine as their first upscale restaurant. I just love stories of success like this that give inspiration to other developing family-owned businesses! Some of their most popular and highly recommended dishes among customers are the Butter Chicken, Tikka Masala, Lamb Rogan Josh, and the Anant Signature Kebab with white grilled chicken. Whatever you go with, I'm sure you won't be disappointed! And, if you enjoy your experience (which you will 😉), don't forget to vote for them in RTD's The Best annual reader's choice awards for 2022 as they aim for a 3-year streak. Voting opens in just a few days and runs from June 21st-July 7th on the RTD website (https://richmond.com/exclusive/readerschoice/marketing/). Please put Anant Cuisine on your restaurant list to be pleasantly surprised!