Indian Street Food Hot-Spot, Spice Waala, Opens Second Location In Ballard

2021 is looking very promising for Spice Waala, and even more promising for us hungry Seattle vegans.

Brushing off the restaurant woes of 2020, Aakanksha Sinha and Uttam Mukherjee, owners of Indian restaurant Spice Waala, kicked off 2021 by blessing another Seattle neighborhood with their authentic street food delights.

In addition to their Capitol Hill location, the new counter-service establishment takes up a small space in Ballard near the Ballard Branch of the Seattle Public Library and sits a few steps away from Ballard Commons Park.

Spice Waala Menu Packs Culture & Flavor

The concise menu focuses on quality over quantity, featuring their signature Kathi Rolls; a street food originating in West Bengal, India that consists of spiced and cooked fillings wrapped up inside unleavened whole wheat flatbread named Roti.

Vegans love the Aloo Tikki Kathi Roll - made with fried potato patties, red onions, and signature green chutney - all rolled into delicious warm Roti.

For a side or smaller bite, no vegan should pass up the Chana Chaat, a spicy chickpea salad snack, or a side of Masala Aloo (fries with a twist!) served with green chutney. The menu is very clear about what is vegan or vegan-friendly, as well as gluten-free.

Hungry patrons can order pickup directly through Spice Waala’s website or order delivery on almost every major delivery app, including DoorDash, Grubhub, and Postmates.

Spice Waala’s

Roots in

Serving

Community

The couple’s journey to success in the food-loving city began with a stand in the Fremont and South Lake Union Farmers Markets.

After selling out almost every day for weeks and becoming one of the best-selling vendors at the markets, they found their first brick-and-mortar home in a cozy Capitol Hill spot and opened in 2019.

While the commitment to delectable and accessible vegan options is enough to warrant an order, the co-owners emphasis on community and social justice will make any Spice Waala meal even tastier.

Growing up in New Delhi, India, at age 10 Aaskanksha launched her community outreach by starting an organization that delivered books to local’s doorsteps (Amazon Prime who?).

She eventually got a Ph.D. in social work to further her desire to make an impact on the world. Aaskansksha’s husband and co-owner, Uttam, was born in London and moved back to India at a young age, where he eventually sought to become a doctor.

From the inception of the couple’s relationship, sharing traditional home-cooked food and making their world a better place stood at the forefront and led to their marriage in 2014. 

The owners continue their altruism through their establishment, pledging a responsibility to equal opportunity and treatment of their employees as well as their customers.

They seek to create a safe space for humans of all backgrounds and types to gather. Further, Aaskanksha and Uttam are consistently involved in philanthropy through food and monetary donations.

To learn about their contributions, the “community” section on the Spice Waala website has up-to-date descriptions of the non-profits and charities in which the couple is currently involved. We'll always certainly take my fried potatoes with a side of social justice. 

Tasting Spice Waala’s food and hearing their story truly solidifies why Aaskanksha and Uttam succeed in such a competitive food market like Seattle’s.

We couldn't be more excited for this new addition to Seattle's restaurant scene and look forward to more folks experiencing the delicious eats at Spice Waala.

Visit Spice Waala: Ballard | Capitol Hill