A new Indian restaurant, The Bombay Canteen, marked its grand opening on Eisenhower Avenue in Alexandria's Eisenhower East neighborhood with local leaders. The Mumbai-inspired eatery, led by restaurateur Asad Sheikh and chef Nishi Barua, replaces a former vacancy and features street food dishes.
The Bombay Canteen rolled out the red carpet at 2010 Eisenhower Avenue on Sunday for its grand opening, following a soft opening last month. The event drew local city and business leaders, including West End Business Association President Mary Ann Burstein, City Councilman Canek Aguirre, and Mayor Alyia Gaskins.
The restaurant, which replaces the vacancy left by Hunan Cafe, offers a menu partially inspired by Mumbai street food. Highlights include spicy hara tandoori wings, vada pav with spicy chutney and fried chili, and crispy pani puris filled with spiced potato and tangy mint water. An $18 unlimited platter special is available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, allowing diners to eat for several hours. In the evenings, the a la carte menu focuses on Bombay snacks and delicacies.
The interior design evokes Mumbai's bustling atmosphere with red booths, bright pom-poms, and Bollywood art. Asad Sheikh, who grew up in Mumbai, explained the decor: “The interior is all about the landmarks of Bombay, the older classical movies. Bollywood is big about movies. The colors reflect the curry dishes that we have. So red, orange, burgundy — that’s our dishes.” Chef Nishi Barua, who spent her college years in Mumbai, had dreamed of opening such a restaurant for 15 years. She partnered with Sheikh, who owns several D.C.-area Indian restaurants.
Sheikh's connection to Alexandria runs deep. He sold his former restaurant, London Curry House, at Cameron Station in 2017, which later became IndoChen before closing in December. “I left [London Curry House] to go to D.C. … but I always missed something about Alexandria,” he said.
Mayor Gaskins praised the addition during the ribbon-cutting ceremony, joined by Sheikh: “We want you to know how much we are excited for you, how we support you, and we can’t wait to watch your business thrive. I think restaurants are particularly exciting because what it represents is a chance for so many to gather around a meal, share stories, to make memories, to meet new people and to engage and spend time in our city.” The celebration included a traditional Indian coconut-smashing ritual for good luck.
The Bombay Canteen operates daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., extending to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.