Flavors of Texas: Meet Pondicheri Cafe!

Forget what you thought you knew about Indian cuisine at this Houston hotspot

Consider this your guide to the best hometown eats across the Lone Star state. In this blog series, we’re celebrating restaurateurs in our Local Favorites category who are keeping Texans fed and serving up good in their communities.

This month, we chatted with Anita Jaisinghani, chef and co-owner of Pondicheri Cafe in Houston, about where she finds inspiration for her “authentic yet reinvented” dishes (hint: it’s an entire subcontinent), how her business is bouncing back during a pandemic, and why she loves calling Houston home.

What is your signature dish and why do you love it?

I like to think that we are best known for our saag, which we are proud to say is made with fresh local spinach, mustard greens, fenugreek, peppers, and spices. It is rich, delicious, and now served with roasted butternut squash.

What other local restaurants or chefs do you admire and why?

I love the food at Doris Metropolitan, even though I am mostly vegetarian. I love their bread service, appetizers, and vegetable dishes.

How has COVID-19 affected your business?

Just like everyone else, our business dived down at first but has steadily picked back up. It taught us some lessons on how to manage with less and to be better prepared in the future for troubled times like these.

What do you love about owning a restaurant in Houston?

I love the rich cultural diversity of Houston and how open Houstonians are to new cuisines.

Where do you find your menu inspiration?

Annual trips to India!

Texas restaurants need your help! Show your support for the restaurant industry by ordering from the Local Favorites and Support Black-Owned categories in the Favor app.