Cheeni, the highly anticipated homestyle Indian restaurant by James Beard Award semifinalist Preeti Waas, is a welcome addition to the heart of downtown Durham. The lunch, brunch and dinner menus at Cheeni includes regional dishes like masala fries, dosa waffles, Indian kabab rolls and rice bowls from Preeti’s childhood and her family’s food memories, highlighting the regions of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal. Bar Beej is Cheeni's Vintage Bollywood Speakeasy serving creative cocktails in the adjoining space.
Fantastic Indian food! We were a large group that came for a hosted function and they managed to serve about 20 people without much discontinuity between courses and tables. The seating is fun and interesting and the staff are very friendly and welcoming. The portion sizes are very hearty. All of the dishes were fantastic, with the hightlights being the cabbage and the mushroom dishes. Nearly everyone at the table ordered a Mr India and it was a very well put together drink.
My only concern is that we did not actually get a chutney tray which I think would have really complemented some of the dishes. All in all, if you’re looking for upscale Indian, this is the place to go.
John Keith
Sep 28, 2024
5
The absolute BEST Indian food we've ever had. Wonderful atmosphere, wonderful staff, the owner walks around checking on tables. The food made me upset there's not a Cheeni in Raleigh as well! Definitely our future go to for Indian food.
Manisit Das
Sep 22, 2024
5
Following along with Cheeni’s journey has been a tremendous joy. My wife and I were thrilled to visit Cheeni in its new location in Downtown Durham!
The food was familiar, yet the vision felt grander. The space and decor have so many intricate Indian touches (from the handicrafts to restroom signs to the envelopes for checks) that you think you have used a portal and migrated to India. There are so many delicious cocktails with Indian twists that it becomes challenging to pick one—Satte pe Satta and Chai Martini were my favorites!
We tried the Keema Samosa, Coconut Prawn Croquettes, Pork Aam Kasundi, and Fish Moilee with Malabar Parathas and finished our meal with Gulab Jamun and Rasmalai! The buttery Fish Moilee melted my Bengali heart as it melted in my mouth. I also enjoyed the combination of pork chops with Aam Kasundi (a Bengali-style mustard and mango sauce), a unique menu highlight! Everything tasted so well, and we ate until we couldn’t!
I look forward to the continued prosperity of Cheeni and can't wait to see what it offers in the coming days!
James Kempski Your Triangle REALTOR 919-308-7597
Aug 30, 2024
5
Ok all, if you are looking for some authentic Indian cuisine this is it. I like this better than viceroy. The menu is very unique and the drinks are even more unique. They have decorated boxes on the table, this is where the menu is located. Once you decide they ask you place the ready card on to let the server know you are ready. For a great unique experience you need to try this place.
Divya Raghunathan
Aug 6, 2024
5
We went to Cheeni for my sister’s birthday and it did not disappoint. The staff were all AMAZING and super kind. Amy made sure that we had a wonderful experience, fantastic food and some great conversation! The food was absolutely delicious and the cocktails were authentically Indian and flavorful. This is definitely the BEST Indian restaurant in Durham!
M E
Aug 5, 2024
5
The vibe is right at Cheeni! From the friendliness of their team (shoutout Ellie!) to the deliciousness of the food, our experience was phenomenal. We went for lunch and can’t wait to go back for brunch and dinner soon. They were very accommodating for vegan and gluten free too!
Brian Jordan
Aug 3, 2024
3
The poppadoms served with the Baby Brinjals were inedible. They had obviously been prepared far in advance and exposed to humidity so the texture was awful. The flavor of the eggplant was nice, I just took it home and had it with some rice due to the issue with the poppadoms.
The Keema Samosas were delicious, I did not enjoy how they presented the tamarind and mint chutney in the same small serving dish - after the first small scoops trying to utilize each flavor individually it gets mixed together and was disappointing.
The onions used for the Ajwaini Paneer were too pungent for me, they need to be roasted down a bit along with the peppers. I would not order this dish again.
Kaitlyn Barton
Jan 4, 2024
5
This restaurant is so special. I’m a firm believer that food is love, and this menu perfectly encapsulates head chef Preeti Waas’ love for family, community, and food. The menu reads like a personal memoir as Preeti shares the history of each dish and personal anecdotes about her experiences creating and sharing her favorite foods. And the food is incredible. Don’t take my word for it - my Indian husband said it’s the best samosa he’s had in the U.S. And he’s a self-proclaimed samosa connoisseur, so truly a ringing endorsement. We started with the samosas and rasam shots - both so, SO good. I’d not tried rasam before and wow - I’ve been missing out! We had the chicken biriynai (special) for our main, and ended with chai. Cheeni makes an excellent glass of chai. We were beyond full at this point, but desperately wanted to try the chicken ishtew…so we ordered it to go. Best decision we’ve made in a long time. Even ordered to-go to be consumed at a later time, this curry was bomb. If you are in Durham, you simply MUST try Cheeni. It will definitely become a staple in your rotation.
UPDATE: we stopped in on NYE for the soft open of the bar: excellent! Inventive cocktails and great service.
jay nair
Dec 22, 2023
5
This was the best Indian dining out experience for me in the last 25 years of living in various cities in US & Canada. Food was delicious, comparable to some of the best restaurants in India. Owner is extremely friendly and was open to sharing the recipe with us.
Nate S
Dec 17, 2023
5
The food was incredibly delicious and flavorful! It was as if we were at some one’s house and they were preparing a meal just for us. A cozy space, but with a reservation they accommodated our Birthday party of 8. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming! Highly recommend the Pork Korma and Naan.
