Food & Dining: American Classics in Desi Flavors
What to do when you are craving classic American comfort foods like pizza and wings but are also hankering for good old chatpata flavors? Head on to the TANDOORI PIZZA AND WINGS CO. in Colony Square.
[Left] Masala Fries: Potato wedges coated with gram flour make for a spicy start.
For years, the acclaimed Bhojanic Restaurant dominated Atlanta’s Indian dining scene, especially attracting the growing breed of urban Americans looking to expand their culinary indulgences to global cuisines. The restaurant, first in Decatur, near Emory University, and later in the Lenox Mall area, along with its affiliated food truck, and catering services, was popular among the in-town desi crowd and the mainstream diners.
[Right] The Kerala Fried Chicken Sandwich (KFC) blasts sweet and spicy flavors in your mouth.
When owner-chef Archana Becker closed Bhojanic in 2022 and moved to her dream home in Colorado, her loyal clientele missed her. However, Becker’s roots are in metro Atlanta, and she frequently visits friends and family here. So, she decided to continue serving her patrons by opening Tandoori Pizza and Wings Co. in the upscale Politan Row Food Hall at Colony Square in Midtown. She told me that instead of having a fullservice formal Indian restaurant, which requires a lot of time and energy, she decided to open a fast-casual spot that would be easier to manage even when she is not always there.
Inspired by its success, in late 2024, Becker expanded Tandoori Pizza and Wings Co. by moving it out of the Food Hall into a restaurant with seating for nearly 50 people. The new place, still within Colony Square, has neutral-colored walls that come alive with colorful original Indian paintings depicting traditional Indian motifs, such as those of Lord Ganesha and sari-clad ladies with flowers. These paintings by artist Dinesh Sharma, who is originally from Jaipur but now lives in Alpharetta, add elegant touches to the décor.
[Left] The Butter Chicken Pizza marries Indian flavors with an Italian concept.
On one side of the wall, there’s a mini-store where you can buy gifts under $25—stainless tiffins, serving ware, wooden chopping boards, as well as pickles, chips, biscuits, tea, etc. There’s also a refrigerator where you can purchase pre-packaged Bhojanic brand ready-made foods like saag paneer and chana masala to take home.
Most of the items on the menu are fun and fast— catering to lunch crowds from nearby businesses. For starters, order Masala Fries. But bear in mind that these are not your typical fries. The potato wedges are spiced with cumin seeds and masala, coated with chickpea flour, and deep fried. They taste like potato pakoras!
The classic samosa was always Becker’s signature dish, and it still tastes the same—a crunchy pastry stuffed with flavorful mashed potato masala, peas, and a side of mixed chutney. It has a kick!
[Right] You can order half-and-half pizzas: This one is a combination of a classic tandoori chicken and a vegetarian New Delhi pizza.
The Tandoori Wings are definitely jumbo in size and flavor. They are marinated for 48 hours in cumin, sugar, garlic, fennel, ginger, and other spices, then grilled and finished off in the frier. After that, they are tossed in a sauce of your choice, like wings typically are. I tried the Spicy Mango Chili Wings with homemade mango chili sauce that had a hint of habanero, topped with sesame seeds, fresh cilantro, and cilantro ranch. I thought the sweet and spicy flavor was delicious.
The Kerala Fried Chicken Sandwich (KFC) was my personal favorite. Crispy tandoori deep-fried chicken was tender and juicy and perfectly seasoned with masala batter. Served on a buttery brioche bun with Spicy Pickle aioli, sliced red onions, cilantro, mint, and garlic chili chutney, every bite offered a blast of flavors in my mouth.
Pizza lovers will find many options—vegetarian, lamb, and chicken, but with a twist of Indo-fusion flavors. There are some unusual and loaded pizza toppings, like Samosa Smash Pizza and Paneer Tikka Margarita Masala Pizza. I decided to try the 12-inch Butter Chicken Pizza as it’s one of their most popular items. The tandoori chicken slices were well-marinated and cooked to perfection. I liked the thin pita-style crust, but it had way too many toppings of chili garlic oil, shredded mozzarella, sliced red onions, fresh cilantro leaves, and creamy cilantro ranch, making each slice taste a tad bit greasy and salty.
The BBQ Chicken Pizza suited my palate slightly better. It had pieces of Chicken 65 and sweet and spicy chipotle tamarind barbeque, which was a bit less overwhelming. The vegetarian New Delhi Pizza transported me to Narula’s, the famous Delhi-based fastfood chain, that popularized thin pizzas topped with bell peppers, jalapeño, mushrooms, and mozzarella to please Indian palates.
[Left] The simple and staple Chicken Tikka Masala Rice Bowl.
For something more traditional, you can also get a rice bowl. Choices of paneer tikka masala, chicken tikka masala, butter chicken, and chana masala are served over basmati rice with peas, onion, chutney, and cilantro. All of the curries are Becker’s original recipes that she also served at Bhojanic.
There are no Indian desserts, but you can end the meal with a fresh-baked cookie. I had Macadamia Nut and Red Velvet, both of which were still warm out of the oven.
For drinks, there are premade fruit-flavored lemonades and a thick, not too sweet, mango lassi, as well as Indian sodas like Thums Up and Limca and other bottled drinks. Becker will soon offer an afternoon tea combo with chai, samosas, and macarons.
[Right] The Spicy Mango Chili Wings are marinated for 48 hours.
While the trend of fast-casual Indian food seems to be getting saturated in metro Atlanta, it seems like the demand for it is also rising. Diners are looking to get consistent comfort foods quickly and at affordable prices. Long-standing restaurateurs like Becker are also getting away from traditional Indian meals and making the same flavors more approachable to non-desi lunch crowds. Having the convenience of a dedicated sit-down area surrounded by beautiful art makes this particular location stand out from the others.
Sucheta Rawal is an award-winning food and travel writer who has traveled to over 120 countries across seven continents, experiencing the world through her palate. She inspires people to travel more meaningfully and sustainably through her nonprofit, Go Eat Give, and her books, Beato Goes To. Find her on social @SuchetaRawal.
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