Recent social media posts
05/31/2026
June 1st to June 7th, 2026 Specials
Tuesday, June 2nd - Fried Chicken - $20 | $30
Ghee fried chicken (2 or 4 pieces), Pondi salad, pickles & biscuit.
Thursday, June 4th - Sunday, June 7th
Mawa Cake Dessert Special $10
Warm aromatic cake infused with cardamom cream alongside mango ice cream~
Friday, June 5th - Fish Special
Fish Tikkas with Ginger Naan $36
The other day customer was asking about our salmon tikkas. We served them at Indika more than 20 years ago…these days, we have sworn off salmon and tuna (due to massive overfishing) so we made some tikkas using Alaskan halibut. With a bright little salad…that Ginger stuffed naan alone is worth coming in for!
Sunday, June 7th – Araam Thali $20 | $25
Potato curry, pooris & semolina halwa. Your choice of lamb keema or butter chicken (only available in-house).
Sunday, June 7th - Biryani
Shrimp Asparagus Biryani (gluten-free, contains almonds) $30
Springtime brings this delish biryani with tender shrimp and asparagus…
05/29/2026
Supermarket herbs are just fine but JUST LOOK AT THESE FARMER’S MARKET HERBS!!! 🤩 You get MUCH more bang for your buck (almost 4 times more) with market and the flavor is out of this world. So, this Saturday cruise over to Farmers’ Market or whichever farmer’s market you like to go to that sells fresh produce and buy some glorious herbs! 🌿
05/29/2026
Today's Fish Special: Chunks of fish 🐟 stewed in a tomato 🍅 coconut 🥥 sauce finished with local herbs. Grilled zucchini with dill on the side with a crispy naan!
05/27/2026
Fan of our saag? 👀 How about giving our Sam Biscuit a try! Spinach, artichoke, mushroom 🍄🟫 & cheese masala in a deliciously golden, crispy puff pastry dough. It's one of our Bake Lab staples for a reason. 😉 Swipe ➡️ to see our bake off for the week!
05/25/2026
We can’t stop eating mangoes at Pondi.😆 Indian Mangoes 🥭 are here for at least another two weeks, come join the fun!
The Bake Lab is closed today (Memorial Day) but Pondicheri remains open all day with regular business hours~ ☀️
05/24/2026
May 25th to May 31st, 2026 Specials
Tuesday, May 26th - Fried Chicken - $18 | $26
Ghee fried chicken (2 or 4 pieces), Pondi salad, pickles & biscuit.
Friday, May 29th - Fish Special
Herbed Fish Stew $34
Chunks of fish stewed in a tomato coconut sauce finished with local herbs. Grilled zucchini with dill on the side with a crispy naan!
Sunday, May 31st – Araam Thali $22 | $27
Potato curry, pooris & semolina halwa. Your choice of lamb keema or butter chicken (only available in-house).
Sunday, May 31st - Biryani
Paneer Herb Biryani [Contains cashews, gluten-free] $26
A verdant herb-infused biryani with hunks of paneer and sugar snap peas…
05/22/2026
Today's Fish 🐟 Special: Sable fish roasted with turmeric, garlic and olive oil, served with lemon rice 🍚, Alleppey mango curry, mango chutney & our mango salad 🥗 on the side! Refreshing in every bite ~
05/21/2026
Our slow simmered Mango Chutney is the perfect summer condiment~ On our menu you can find it alongside the Mattar Paneer Samosa, yum! 😋 Use it a spread, dip or dollop onto your meal for a guaranteed taste upgrade. Available at Pondicheri, Bake Lab and online on india1948.com! ⭐️
05/20/2026
Our Tomato 🍅 Paneer Tart is one for the books. It features local tomatoes & our house made paneer cheese. The perfect savory morning pastry, come in and get one this weekend! Swipe ➡️ to see our other offerings for the week~
05/17/2026
May 18th to May 24th, 2026 Specials
Tuesday, May 19th - Fried Chicken - $20 | $30
Ghee fried chicken (2 or 4 pieces), Pondi salad, pickles & biscuit.
Friday, May 22nd - Fish Special
Roasted Cod with Mango Chutney [GF] - $38
Refreshing in every bite ~ Sable fish roasted with turmeric, garlic and olive oil, served with lemon rice, Alleppey mango curry and the mango salad!
Sunday, May 24th – Araam Thali $20 | $25
Potato curry, pooris & semolina halwa. Your choice of lamb keema or butter chicken (only available in-house).
Sunday, May 24th - Biryani
Chicken Biryani [GF] $28
Fresh herbs, snap peas, chicken and mango chutney? A winning combination if there was ever one…
05/17/2026
New on our catering menu: Sheet Cakes! 👩🏽🍳 Perfect for large parties, all sheet cakes are 18 x 13 & feed ~25 people - the current available options are Crackball Cake, Bebinca (pictured here) & Mango Cake. We plan on adding more flavors in the very near future so stay tuned! 🌟
05/15/2026
Indian 🇮🇳 Mangoes are here! Varieties like Alphonso and Kesar have crossed the seven seas and arrived here in Houston and at Pondicheri. 🥭 Starting today, we will have Mango Tarts (with Marscapone cream) until the season lasts…Only at the Bake Lab. Come get one today! 🤩
05/14/2026
Two weeks ago we told you all about our Red Sauce and today we’re gushing about our BBQ Masala Tin! 🌟 A smoky earthy & tangy masala, this is definitely not your mother’s barbecue rub. It can be used as a marinade or finishing rub, perfect for all the barbecuing that is bound to go down this summer. PLUS - our specials this Friday & Sunday feature our BBQ Masala so come in and try it for yourself! Our BBQ Masala is just one of many in-house made Masala Tins sold at the restaurant, bake lab & online @ india1948.com 🥘
05/13/2026
Starting this week we will be featuring mangos 🥭 (kesar & alphonso) from India 🇮🇳, come in for the Indian Mango Yart Friday onwards until supplies last! Everyone loves 💗 a sweet baked good in the morning (or any time of day, really). Swipe to see the rest of our bake-off for the week! 👩🏽🍳
05/10/2026
May 11th to May 17th, 2026 Specials
Tuesday, May 12th - Fried Chicken - $18 | $26
Ghee fried chicken (2 or 4 pieces), Pondi salad, pickles & biscuit.
Friday, May 15th - Fish Special
BBQ masala fish $35
This masala can hold its own on a nice piece of fish, especially when surrounded with a creamy tomato fenugreek sauce! Use the naan to dip into the sauce.
Sunday, May 17th – Araam Thali $22 | $27
Potato curry, pooris & semolina halwa. Your choice of lamb keema or butter chicken (only available in-house).
Sunday, May 17th - Biryani
Mushroom Biryani [GF, V, contains almonds] $25
Mushrooms and our BBQ masala is a match made in heaven! In a biryani with black garbanzo beans, almonds, spinach and long grained rice…it makes a lovely light biryani to enjoy on a Sunday.
05/10/2026
Happy Mother's Day! While we believe that everyday is Mother's Day, we do also believe in celebration. Lots of love to all the mamas out there holding the world together :heart:
05/08/2026
Cooking is a daily discovery and in my effort to keep learning and evolving, I happened upon a trick to make the best rice ever! Recipe for the rice is below, learn more by reading my new substack post @ india1948.substack.com 🌟
THE PERFECT RICE RECIPE
1 cup extra-long basmati rice
2 cups water
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
Using cold tap water, rinse the rice in a bowl three times. No need to use a colander, just use your hands to tilt the bowl to pour the water out. Soak the rice for 2 to 3 hours. The rice should have absorbed a lot of the water and almost doubled in size. Drain the same way, removing most of the water. If a tiny bit is left, it’s fine.
In a stockpot with a tight-fitting lid, combine the drained rice with 2 cups of water, salt and olive oil.
Over high heat, bring the rice to a boil. Lower the heat to a medium-low setting, cover and simmer for 5-6 minutes.
Check the rice, there should be a little bit of liquid left in it. Turn the heat off, cover the rice and let it rest, undisturbed for 45 minutes. Fluff the rice and serve! 👩🏽🍳
05/06/2026
Swipe ➡️ to see our bake off this week! By popular demand, the Carrot 🥕 Quinoa Muffins will be back this weekend & back for the foreseeable future starting next week. 👩🏽🍳
See you this weekend at the Bake Lab!
05/04/2026
Mother's Day is only six days away! 💗 Come share a delicious, healthy & satisfying meal with the mom in your life at Pondi this weekend. Our Coconut Fish 🐟 Stew is a guaranteed crowd pleaser (available Friday - Sunday) & Sunday you can count on a delicious Shrimp 🍤 Biryani special as well! Lots to choose from, reserve your table @ pondicheri.com 🌟
05/03/2026
May 4th to May 10th, 2026 Specials
Tuesday, May 5th - Fried Chicken - $18 | $26
Ghee fried chicken (2 or 4 pieces), Pondi salad, pickles & biscuit.
Friday, May 8th to Sunday, May 10th - Mother’s Day Weekend Special
Coconut Fish $38
Halibut stewed in coconut sauce, drizzled with black sesame cardamom and accompanied with grilled asparagus and a naan.
Sunday, May 10th – Araam Thali $22 | $27
Potato curry, pooris & semolina halwa. Your choice of lamb keema or butter chicken (only available in-house).
Sunday, May 10th - Biryani
Shrimp Biryani GF [contains almonds] $30
Green masala shrimp biryani ~ yes, pack those herbs into every bite….
05/02/2026
Our Cheri Oils are made in house with organic oils and essential oils from India. Looking for a Mother’s Day gift? Self -care with wholesome products. Online orders at India1948 (link in bio)!
04/30/2026
✨RED SAUCE✨ During the pandemic, when sauces were in high demand, Anita started making this sauce. 👩🏽🍳 She had been making a version for home use only but decided that customers might like it too. Our friend, , would tell her, “No matter what I cook, I just add a spoon of the red sauce, and it makes everything taste so much better!”
So, tell us, how would YOU use the Pondicheri Red Sauce in your cooking? 👀 Winners will be picked this weekend!
04/29/2026
Swipe ➡ to see our bake off this week! Pictured here is our latest Bake Lab experiment - the Egg Bake. 🎉 Eggs 🥚 from Three Sister Farms baked with rotating seasonal vegetables - a delicious breakfast or light lunch. See you this weekend at the Bake Lab! 👩🏽🍳
04/26/2026
April 27th to May 3rd, 2026 Specials
Tuesday, April 28th- Fried Chicken - $18 | $26
Ghee fried chicken (2 or 4 pieces), Pondi salad, pickles & biscuit.
Friday, May 1st - Fish Special
Stewed Scallops $32
Jumbo scallops sliced in half and stewed in ghee and our red sauce makes a great curry! Enjoy it with a touch of yogurt, sauteed greens and some naan?
Sunday, May 3rd – Araam Thali $22 | $27
Potato curry, pooris & semolina halwa. Your choice of lamb keema or butter chicken (only available in-house).
Sunday, May 3rd - Biryani
Chicken Pilaf GF [contains almonds] $26
Chicken stewed in red sauce with rice, small tomatoes and seasonings…
Address
2800 Kirby Drive
Houston, TX
77098
To reach the Indian restaurant on Kirby Drive in Houston via public transport, you can take the red line train and get off at the Museum District station. From there, walk south along Caroline Street until you reach Hermann Park Drive. Take a left onto Hermann Park Drive and continue walking until you reach the intersection with Kirby Drive. The restaurant will be located on your right.
If driving, take US-59 North towards downtown and exit at Kirby Drive. Make a right turn onto Kirby and continue driving for about 2.5 miles. The restaurant will be on your left-hand side. Parking is available at the restaurant's parking lot or along the street nearby.
Opening Hours
| Monday |
9am - 9pm |
| Tuesday |
9am - 9pm |
| Wednesday |
9am - 9pm |
| Thursday |
9am - 9pm |
| Friday |
9am - 10pm |
| Saturday |
9am - 10pm |
| Sunday |
9am - 10pm |
Alerts
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What people say
Indian restaurants are known for their inventive and sumptuous pairing of flavors, and Pondicheri on Kirby Drive in Houston is no exception. This restaurant takes it a step further by incorporating locally-sourced ingredients into their dishes, resulting in a truly unique dining experience.
One standout dish at Pondicheri is their chaats, which are the heartbeat of street foods in India. They offer a delicious iteration with fresh Texas peaches, cucumber, crispy paneer pakora, and the holy trinity of sauces - cilantro, tamarind, and yogurt. It's sweet, salty, crunchy, soft, creamy and tart all at once!
Their lemon cardamom cake is another must-try item on the menu. It has layers of lemon curd and berry jam with a creamy chilled saffron whipped cream around it that gives it a gorgeous yellow color. This cake keeps evolving to become even more delicious.
If you're looking for something savory, try their Simla biryani special named after a beautiful hill station in Himachal Pradesh. It features tender pieces of lamb gently cooked with fiddleheads and black cardamom that will leave your taste buds wanting more.
Finally, don't miss out on their fern pizza made with fiddleheads and cabbage topped with melting gruyere cheese and green herb masala. It's the epitome of springtime flavors.
Overall, Pondicheri offers an exceptional dining experience that combines traditional Indian flavors with locally-sourced ingredients to create unique dishes that are sure to impress any foodie.
