Chef Shyni Skowronski opened Curry Leaf Restaurant in downtown Anacortes on February 21, drawing a crowd on its first day. The southern Indian eatery quickly sold out of food amid strong local support. Skowronski plans to expand to a larger location soon.
Shyni Skowronski, a chef specializing in southern Indian cuisine, launched Curry Leaf Restaurant at 408 Commercial Ave., next to The Brown Lantern Alehouse, on Saturday, February 21. The 900-square-foot space filled up within minutes of opening, with all three tables occupied and takeout orders pouring in. By 8:30 p.m., the restaurant had sold out for the night.
"We were very busy right away," Skowronski said. "The space is very tight, but people are happy to sit and enjoy the fresh food we make right in front of them."
The venue operates from 4 to 11 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, with delivery set to begin this week. Skowronski, originally from Kerala in southern India, learned cooking from her mother and previously ran restaurants there before moving to the U.S. in 2007. She relocated to La Conner in 2016 and Fidalgo Island in 2018, where she built a following through farmers markets and a home-based kitchen.
Her menu features spicier southern Indian dishes centered on fish and vegetables, using coconut oil and ghee, with options suitable for those intolerant to dairy or gluten. Everything is pan-grilled, gluten-free desserts use rice and lentils, and ingredients come from her farm and local producers like Ralph’s Greenhouse and Hedlin Farms.
"The local farmers here, they are amazing," she said. "I source from them, and I cook fresh food. I don't do any canning. I'm getting basically farm to table."
Skowronski plans to open a larger spot in Bow in mid-April and eventually expand in Anacortes to include northern Indian dishes. The space has a history of hosting startups, including MaMa Wing Kitchen and MaryAnn Tostenson's breakfast service since October 2024.
Local residents like Marlene and Alexander Bocast, who missed culinary diversity from their D.C. days, were among the first customers. Neighbor Karen Ginnett praised the food's quality, noting, "You can tell that she does a little more prep work than others."
Anacortes has seen Indian cuisine before, with Sher-E-Panjab operating until about a decade ago and UNNI’s Cafe opening in March 2025. Skowronski expressed gratitude for the community's welcome: "Everybody is supporting me and welcoming my business. I feel like this is my family, you know. This town is my family."