I feel proud of the heritage and tradition that Kalpna has built over the years, thanks to all those who have contributed over the past 40 years. Today Kalpna stands as one of Edinburgh's most prestigious institutions and a symbol of Traditional Indian Vegan and Vegetarian food. As a vegetarian myself, I am passionate about serving good quality Vegan and Vegetarian food in a very friendly environment and our attempt at Kalpna is just that.
Opened over 40 years ago, the Kalpna Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurant stand as one of the most established Indian restaurants in Edinburgh, Scotland. During these years, it has won awards for excellence in 'Indian' and 'Vegetarian' categories. We use only fresh ingredients in our dishes which are sourced locally.
Opened over 40 years ago, the Kalpna Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurant stand as one of the most established Indian restaurants in Edinburgh, Scotland. During these years, it has won awards for excellence in 'Indian' and 'Vegetarian' categories. We use only fresh ingredients in our dishes which are sourced locally.
Services
Kalpna - Indian vegan restaurant in Edinburgh stands as one of the most famous Indian restaurants since its inception in 1975. During this time it has won several awards for excellence in Indian and vegan food/ vegan breakfast in Edinburgh, UK. We use only fresh ingredients in our dishes which are sourced locally.
Vegetables, baby potatoes & paneer coated in a spicy yogurt marinade and cooked in a tandoor. A vegetarian adaptation of the galouti kebab, the specialty of which is it's ability to completely melt in your mouth, and this kebab does just that! Popular roadside fare from India. Crispy pooris with potatoes, chickpeas and onion, topped with honey flavoured yogurt, tamarind-date sauce and green coriander chutney.
Reviews (27)
Carole Helfter
Jan 20, 2022
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Rohit Saxena
Dec 23, 2021
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Dot
Nov 14, 2021
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Absolutely APPALLING. The whole experience was awful from start to finish. This was my first visit to Kalpna and will definitely be my last. I had been wanting to come here for years based on its reputation however it appears that they are reliant on this reputation but certainly not living up to it. Filthy tables, waiter not wearing a mask, food took an age to arrive I ordered a Thali which was missing some dishes and additional cutlery, no drinks whilst we were waiting (several hours), no apology for appalling service and quite frankly the disdainful attitude. By the end of our evening we were
Ronan Cantwell
Nov 11, 2021
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Dreadful service, mediocre food and very poor levels of hygiene. No Covid track and trace procedures either. I won't bother writing a lengthy review as I've already written one on TripAdvisor. Suffice to say, I will NEVER eat there again and would strongly recommend others to avoid. Edinburgh has many great restaurants. This ISN'T one.
Vidya Math
Aug 26, 2021
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Wonderful restaurant. Delicious food, with welcoming, chivalrous staff, who are sensitive to dietary requirements. I was also particularly impressed that they had a table set up for a single diner by the window. It’s the only restaurant I’ve been to which acknowledges that people dine out on their own and they’d set up such a lovely table for those diners. Lovely place 💜 Always a favourite, whether I’m by myself or with family.
Dean White
Aug 22, 2021
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Nehal Mehta
Aug 16, 2021
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Anwen Thomas
Jul 20, 2021
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Tom Beale
Oct 11, 2020
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Waited 2 hours for a takeaway to arrive - we live ten minutes away - and during the final hour of waiting they claimed it to be "on the way". when I enquired as to exactly which bit of "the way" he was on, I was mystifyingly told "I have other things to do than chase your driver for your delivery". really? better things to do than check your driver is a) safe? he's been gone a long long time for a 10 minute journey? or b) the quality of your food is being maintained? almost laughable, almost.
Nicola Ralston
Aug 29, 2020
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We visited tonight for the first time. We have been wanting to try here for over a year now. Our friend was visiting, so we decided to book. We had to wait over half an hour for a drink. The food was good, not great, just good. The poppadoms were soft. Our friend didn’t get her poppadoms with her Thali. We asked the waiter for them, but she never… received them. We also asked for a second round of drinks, which we ended up cancelling after waiting for over 20 mins. There were too many people seated for our liking, therefore making social distancing difficult. There were nowhere near
Chazie Antunes
Nov 29, 2019
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Vegetarian/Vegan Indian restaurant. The interior is beautiful and clean. Food tastes authentic and just good. Sad thought they failed by giving me a yoghurt dip on my actual vegan menu... But didn't charge the drink on the bill as for their apologies.
They have an optional 10% charge on the bill for personnels costs (but why though? We are in a restaurant and of course you have to serve your clients at the tables...?) , but made us pay it by not giving us the chance to decide if we wanted to give a tip or not. Didn't like this act.
Still I would recommend that place.
They have an optional 10% charge on the bill for personnels costs (but why though? We are in a restaurant and of course you have to serve your clients at the tables...?) , but made us pay it by not giving us the chance to decide if we wanted to give a tip or not. Didn't like this act.
Still I would recommend that place.
Manan S.
Oct 12, 2019
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I have been this place twice. Based on my first visit i would give it a 5 but this second time a 2-3 stars. The service of the staff is GREAT!!!! Decore is amazing. Little disappointed about the food. The quality was very bad compares to the first time we went. Orders Uttapa and the was half cooked. Dosa was as thick as a naan bread. We also got Mugal Kofta which was ok not great but not bad. Naan wasn't great either. Overall very average almost below average.
Ankitha Jain
Aug 26, 2019
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It is a horrible place. The food is terrible and I had to vomit it out after coming home. The waiters are disgraceful and have no humility at all. I don’t understand on what basis they hire waiters. Two extremely shameless waiters I met there were NAVYA and ANDREY. When you make a complaint to them, instead of apologising they will laugh at your… face. They have a disgusting ambience and no value for customers at all. They won’t mention in the beginning that they accept only cash. They will make you run to the ATM once you’re done eating. I highly recommend everyone to
Roshni N.
Aug 14, 2019
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It seems like this restaurant doesn't even give a quarter the amount of importance to customer service as they do to decorations. Mediocre food and poorest service I've encountered in Edinburgh. We had called in advance to ask if we could pay with card, and the gentleman who answered assured us that we could. We were told that there would be a 20 minute wait for a party of 6, but when we arrived we were made to wait for an extra 20 minutes. When we were finally seated, it took them additional time to even get us a menu, and our tables weren't set. One waiter threw a handful of utensils
Chintu D.
Jul 06, 2018
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Great saffron kulfi - tastes fresh and homemade. Dum aloo banarasi spicy was the bomb, only two pieces though!!! Mughlai Koftas were mild, I believe they would have tasted better with a little kick to them, given this was our first time we did not know what spice levels to order. It was good that both vegetables had different curry bases and flavors, spices were on point. Naan and laccha paratha were good, veg biryani was decent+. The only major disappointment was the veg samosa, came out hot but filling was not fresh and borderline stale - we did not complain about it but would not order again
Thomas McAdam
Jan 27, 2018
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Had an excellent meal with friends here recently. It's not often I eat vegetarian, but every bite of the food was delicious and with generous portions I definitely didn't leave hungry. Despite a small hiccup with the reservation, the manager and his team recovered well with some complementary drinks for the table and friendly service ensuring we had a great night. I can wholeheartedly recommend Kalpna and I'll definitely be returning.
Mia C.
Sep 13, 2017
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Got takeaway from this nice Indian restaurant. Service was super fast and the waiter was really nice. We ordered two dosas, which are Indian crepes filled with different vegetables and spices. It reminded me of a burrito :)
The two we ordered were Myore Masala and Paneer. I thought the Paneer and spinach combo was great but the Masala one was much better spiced. Both came with a lentil soup and yogurt sauce, which were delicious.
We also got an order of the special kebabs, which were really tasty and unique. Made with kidney beans and chickpeas.
The total was about 27 pounds, which I think
The two we ordered were Myore Masala and Paneer. I thought the Paneer and spinach combo was great but the Masala one was much better spiced. Both came with a lentil soup and yogurt sauce, which were delicious.
We also got an order of the special kebabs, which were really tasty and unique. Made with kidney beans and chickpeas.
The total was about 27 pounds, which I think
Arleen C.
Apr 25, 2017
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I hadn't been in a decade but wanted to show my partner the place I used to frequent when I lived here. It didn't disappoint at all! Still the same amazing lunch buffet for a decent price.
There were three dishes, rice, pakora, naan, salad and sauces for you to enjoy. Dessert was £1 so we skipped it as we were already full anyway. The food was delicious. My partner didn't think much of it when I was describing it to her and how this was where we used to go for lunch meetings. But she was sold after her first bite.
I'm not even a vegetarian and I love this place. They&apos
There were three dishes, rice, pakora, naan, salad and sauces for you to enjoy. Dessert was £1 so we skipped it as we were already full anyway. The food was delicious. My partner didn't think much of it when I was describing it to her and how this was where we used to go for lunch meetings. But she was sold after her first bite.
I'm not even a vegetarian and I love this place. They&apos
Pamela M.
Oct 31, 2016
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Kalpna was an excellent choice for vegetarian Gujarat/South Indian food. Vegetarians will be excited by the plethora of options. Several Thallis and dosa dishes to choose from. Just wish my stomach was larger. Clean and nice interior with brightly colored mosaics on the walls. The three of us shared the Bhindi masala (okra), dosa, nan, and another dish. We left delightfully stuffed and happy.
Bottom line: Don't dine here without ordering the dosa. Crisp, flavorful, and memorably great.
Bottom line: Don't dine here without ordering the dosa. Crisp, flavorful, and memorably great.
Xin S.
Sep 26, 2016
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Floriana A.
Apr 05, 2016
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I'm sorry but I have to dissent from the majority of reviews about Kalpna, very flattering indeed; unfortunately my experience in this vegetarian Indian restaurant has not been completely satisfying.
The food was ok, I must say: I went for a main course of mixed vegetables and nuts pineapple with tandoori roti bread. Quite good, but not enough to make up for the service. Being lactose intolerant, I asked the waitress (twice) if it was possible to have the food without cream; she said that she was going to ask the chef and she would let me know. She didn't, and the food was served with
The food was ok, I must say: I went for a main course of mixed vegetables and nuts pineapple with tandoori roti bread. Quite good, but not enough to make up for the service. Being lactose intolerant, I asked the waitress (twice) if it was possible to have the food without cream; she said that she was going to ask the chef and she would let me know. She didn't, and the food was served with
Neil P.
Jan 22, 2016
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Our restaurant experience was very good. To keep it simple, the service was great and the wait staff was able to accommodate us on New Year's Eve. It took us a bit to find, but when we got there the place was decorated well and had a good ambiance. Food was decent, especially since they were accommodating an onion /garlic allergy. Lassis and desserts were delicious. I would definitely recommend checking this place out during your trip to Edinburgh. It is also highly rated amongst the vegetarian reviewers. Have a nice cup of tea to end the night!
Michele H.
Oct 10, 2015
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This was our first visit here and we really enjoyed it. The portion of rice is massive, so I suggest that it is shared by two people. The mains were delicious. I had a spicy aubergine dish and my partner had a creamy spinach dish. I finished with the Indian carrot cake which was much more like a chuck of caramelised carrots than cake, but still nice.
Angela Y.
Jun 15, 2015
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Super delicious Indian! I've had it all over the world, but this was the best. Definitely get the Mateer paneer, the peas were fresh! The coconut rice was insanely delicious. The main thing we noticed was that we weren't overwhelmed by the spices, the vegetables themselves were the stars. We even has desserts, and they were all perfect, not overly sweet. Even if you're not vegetarian, don't miss this food!
Louise H.
Jan 29, 2015
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Went here with my partner, his sister and her partner. Came here on a recommendation from a friend as we were looking for good vegetarian food. As a meat eater I wasn't super excited but I came away full and not disappointed from the lack of meat! Had baked stuffed potatoes and it was delicious, the naan and rice were fab too and my partners okra curry was delicious. Definitely returning and absolutely getting my own okra!!
Service was good and attentive, had a lovely waitress who was very cheerful and helpful.
Service was good and attentive, had a lovely waitress who was very cheerful and helpful.
Holli D.
Dec 21, 2014
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I come here most weeks with my husband it's a firm favourite. Usually he'll order the vegan thali while I have the royal. We have never found the food to be less than excellent. Only downside is we tend to wait ages for the bill and there's a service charge. Ok it's small but that just annoys me anywhere. We'd probably leave more of a tip if it wasn't cheekily added already tbh.
It's still more than worth the amazing grub
It's still more than worth the amazing grub
Alan S.
Apr 01, 2014
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I have been coming here for years, I lived across the road in my student days so the lunch time buffet was always a go to for vast amounts of healthy food. Sadly I am never in town these days at lunch, but I have been in for their evening service many times in the last few years so my review is more focused on that aspect.
Birthday meal for the missus last night who had not been here before and is vegan, so a dedicated veg/vegan curry place was ideal. First impressions were I liked the new decor. Service was efficient and attentive.
Now the food. I always opt for the Thali (All three courses
Birthday meal for the missus last night who had not been here before and is vegan, so a dedicated veg/vegan curry place was ideal. First impressions were I liked the new decor. Service was efficient and attentive.
Now the food. I always opt for the Thali (All three courses
