Serves meat, vegan options available. Has an extensive vegetarian menu with vegan items labeled. Punjabi specialties. This place was formerly 2 separate restaurants with the upstairs being vegetarian only but had to change the set up as there wasn't enough demand for veg food in Belfast. Main meals start at around £6. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-14:00, Mon-Sun 17:00-23:00.
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53 Dublin Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT2 7HE
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Last update on 04 Nov 2017 by craigmc
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31 Reviews
First Review by matiman
Limetree77
Points +115
Curry favour - Edit
Went here after reading positive reviews on here and was not disappointed.
Read moreFriendly and helpful staff, able to guide through extensive menu. Lots of vegan options and offers to veganise other dishes.
High quality food, served in iron bowls, lovely to dip naan into!
Pros: Quality of food, Lots of vegan options, Friendly, helpful staff
Guest
themeteorstorm
Points +127
Small but friendly place - Edit
Small place so booking recommended. Lovely food though and friendly staff. Had the jalfrezi, Dahl and vegan naan bread. All delicious.
Read morePros: Vegan options clearly marked, Friendly staff
Cons: Small so booking recommended
Guest
JILES
Points +336
Excellent food and vegan friendly owner - Edit
Lots of vegan options. Most of the balti dishes could be done vegan and there was a vegetarian page with more vegan options. Very tasty and can especially recommend the vegan naan (3 different kinds). Friendly and helpful owners.
Read moreGuest
shjipstone
Points +563
Excellent excellent curry - Edit
On the posh end of curry, but still traditional and a dead nice environment
Read moremockingbird
That looks like a top feed for one of
Read moreGuest
1995_Vegan
Points +475
Always great! - Edit
I think that Archana is the best Indian restaurant in Belfast. I've probably been 20 times and have always had a delicious meal. This long-running restaurant has a great range of clearly labeled vegan options, including some that are difficult to find elsewhere. As a bonus, it's a relaxed restaurant, but it still feels kind of special to eat there thanks to the attention they pay to presentation and service.
Read morePros: Delicious, clearly labeled vegan options, Nice range of options, Great presentation and service
Guest
JaneRebecca
Points +50
Amazing veggie Indian food - Edit
We had the most delicious food here last night. Highly recommend!
Read morePros: Allergens listed on menu, Lots of dairy free dishes, Lots of veggie options
Guest
jorblian
Points +118
Great food, lots of options - Edit
Lots of dishes can be made as vegan, easy to order them as vegan online, every dish I've tried had tasted great. Customer service is also great, they got our order wrong once, were very helpful in the phone and sent out new food straight away with some extras included to make up for it.
Read moreAlways impressed!
Guest
Benkei
Points +566
Possibly the best Indian restaurant in Belfast - Edit
After a last minute change of plans, we decided to go to Archana and I am so incredibly happy we did. Their menu is massive and vegan/vegetarian dishes are well marked, and the staff is super accommodating too!
Read moreFrom the moment we said we are vegan they said they can make most dishes vegan for us and were extremely helpful with the menu.
Their drinks menu is also pretty big which is also a plus. We had a feast for a very reasonable price, food was cooked to perfection and the balance of spices was great. We will 100% be back!
Pros: Extensive menu with well marked veg dishes, Super helpful and accommodating staff, Their vegetable manchurian starter is to die for
Guest
Sissingwowo
Points +314
Great options - Edit
Staff understand vegan requirements. Lovey food
Read moreGuest
DC223
Points +115
Many options, great flavors - Edit
Dal saag was delicious, I ate it with garlic naan.
Read moreVegan sampler platter was very good aswell, a good mix and you get to try a lil of everything. The 3 dipping sauces that came with it were wonderful.
Guest
JakeARobinson
Points +16
Maybe I picked a bad dish. - Edit
I collected a Daal Punjabi with pilau rice and onion bhaji for myself and a chicken tikka masala with pilau rice and naan bread for my non-vegan partner.
Read moreThe naan bread and bhaji were fine. The rest wasn't great - very bland and watery. It's a shame as many people have reviewed it so highly.
Guest
Dh4mill
Points +17
Originally vegetarian restaurant and our go to Indian - Edit
Originally a vegetarian restaurant before Belfast was ready for a vegetarian restaurant! Owner is happy to accommodate.
Read moreDelicious food and wide selection of options.
Good vegetarian menu and others can be made vegetarian easily.
(Not sure about vegan)
Guest
mjdh1957
Points +318
Great vegan choices in excellent Indian restaurant - Edit
My partner and I went here the night before he was doing the 2022 Belfast marathon.
Read moreThere are a large number of vegan options on the menu, and the waiter said that there were other options available such as a vegan naan bread. There was almost too much choice both from the starter and main dish menus :-)
I had the Alu Chole Chat and my partner had the somosas to start. Very tasty and well spiced without being too hot.
Main course for me was the veg Punjabi Masala. Served in a balti dish, this was one of the best things I've had in any Indian restaurant since turning vegan a little over two years ago. Very fresh, medium spiced and lots of veg.
My partner had the Alu Gobi, potatoes and cauliflower, which was also good though he said he preferred mine :-)
We also had a vegetable pilao rice and a vegan garlic naan.
Good size portions so we left very satisfied and would definitely come again.
Pros: Good number of vegan choices, Tasty food, Good size portions
Cons: Nothing to dislike :-)
Guest
MichelaPacchione
Points +26
Dahl - Edit
There is a section just for vegan/vegetarian food; you can find any kind of soup you want (there are more than 4 types of lentils Dahl!)
Read moreI would surely advice it
Pros: Lots of options, Lovely flavours, Cheap
Cons: Small place (need to book)
Guest
driggon
Points +493
Amazing range of vegan options - Edit
This is a must-visit when in Belfast. The vegetarian menu is extensive and staff is knowledgeable about veganism. Make sure to mention you're vegan because they can provide even more dishes in vegan than marked on the menu - in particular some of the nan breads. The flavours and presentation are incredible and the food is really cheap for the quality you get.
Read moreGuest
MrsWoodlands
Points +2608
Yum - Edit
We got a takeaway. Veg tika masala. Dal saag. Rice. Garlic nan. I had been a bit confused looking online as nothing was marked vegan but from previous reviews I knew they catered for vegans. So we went in in person. The takeaway menu had a whole page of vegetarian dishes and most were vegan. I would recommend ordering in person to make sure. It was all delicious. It was quick to make and still hot when we got home (10minutes). The dishes didn't feel oily and great to get plenty of veg. Large takeaway portions. Looking forward to the leftovers. Will definitely return.
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options, Very tasty, Not too oily
Cons: vegan options online could be clearer
Guest
JessicaTweed
Points +29
Great! - Edit
Was out for dinner for my sisters birthday, 2 vegetarians and 2 non. This was are first time here and we were amazed at the options available as were we live there isn’t much choice. Food was lovely will definitely be back.
Read morePros: Lots of vegetarian and vegan options , Great prices, Big portions
Cons: None
Guest
JamieDoyle
Points +16
One of Belfast's best Indian restaurants - Edit
I've been going to Arachana since I first went vegetarian, and never had a bad meal there. It deserves a particular mention for being one of Belfast's first vegetarian-friendly eateries. While it's not a fully vegetarian or vegan restaurant, they have a wide variety of vegan options, including vegan naan (which can be hard to come by elsewhere).
Read moreThe owner is vegetarian and all staff are aware of what dishes are or are not vegan. I'm told by friends the non-veg dishes are excellent too, which is good if you're eating with non-vegetarian friends. Staff
I'd recommend the thali, a selection of curries and rice. A small thali is £3.50 at lunch, probably one of the cheapest cooked meals you'll get in central Belfast. A larger thali including nan and pakora is served in the evenings.
It's generally easy to get a table, though booking is possible. Offers a selection of beers/wines, including Cobra larger and some craft beers.
Pros: Generous portions, Clearly labeled veg*n options, Thalis are good value
Cons: Not fully vegetarian, Some spicy dishes are a little mild
Guest
benjemce
Points +62
Fantastic veggie menu - Edit
Came here for a family dinner and persuaded the group to try the vegan menu instead of our regular Indian. Needless to say everyone was very well fed and amazed at the range of flavours. The aubergine curry was a big hit.
Read morePros: Lots of choice, Great staff, Invite your carnist friends and subvert them
Guest
Naon
Points +95
Lots of choices and good food - Edit
There is a whole vegan menu. We tasted a few different stuff and everything was good.
Read moreGuest
J0Z1
Points +844
Original vegetarian restaurant - Edit
I think this place holds the honor of being Belfast's 1st totally veg eatery, due to the owners high caste hinduism. Unfortunately they opened waaaay before it was cool and were forced to add meat to the menu.
Read moreWhat you get is a halfway house between UK Indian restaurant food and what people from the Indian subcontinent and environs actually eat. Its milder, more subtle and flavorful.
Lunch is a veg thali and at £3.50 I cannot think of a cheaper offering in all Belfast, outside of a yoga mat sandwich from scrubway.
The menu has a huge variety of curries involving beans, pulses and paneer as well as breads. Vegan clearly demarkated and they ask if butter is OK as ghee is generally rubbed on naans but they can omit for you.
Pros: Authentic food, Huge veg menu
Cons: Small and can be hard to get table at peak
Guest
Lauran
Points +24
Excellent food and service - Edit
I had difficulty choosing what to eat here as the vegan menu is so extensive! All vegan options were clearly marked on the menu. My starter and main were both absolutely delicious, and I was impressed that our server remembered that I had ordered vegan and when he brought over the poppadoms and pickles he remembered to flag up that one of the four dips wasn't vegan without me even asking. Excellent experience, would definitely go back.
Read morePros: Delicious food, Server understood veganism, Good sized portions
Cons: Downstairs felt a little cramped
Guest
alnic75
Points +16
Great food with separate veggie and vegan menus - Edit
We had a really lovely meal here and very attentive staff who knew their vegan dietary requirements well. Although meat is also served, they have extensive and interesting vegetarian and vegan menus with plenty of choice. The food was very tasty and large portions. Not 'cheap' but certainly not expensive and excellent value for money. We went a second time as it was so tasty and vegan places to eat in Belfast, although not rare, are not hugely common either. Would recommend highly!
Read morePros: Good vegan choice, Friendly staff, Very tasty, interesting food
Guest
Meaks
Points +5840
Good vegan food, friendly welcome - Edit
Belfast is pretty sparse for vegan options aside from the chain type Zizzi / Pizza Express restaurants and we wanted to try somewhere independent while we were there. Thinking we couldn't go wrong with an Indian and seeing that the vegetarian section of their menu was mostly vegan we took a short taxi ride from our hotel to give it try.
Read moreThe food was good, everything vegan was clearly marked and the waiter / owner was happy to confirm which were suitable and was knowledgeable about vegan food. Even the naan bread was vegan! There were some unusual dishes I'd not seen before, I ended up a with a spinach and sweetcorn curry which I wasn't sure about when I ordered it, but really enjoyed it when it came. Well worth a visit if you're staying in Belfast.
Well located and a nice mood lit environment.
Pros: Extensive vegan options, clearly marked, Inexpensive, Vegan naan bread
Cons: Meat, Dairy
Guest
sriblet
Points +279
Good food, so-so service - Edit
We visited Archana many times over our year living in Belfast, and we always enjoyed the food and their familiarity with vegetarian cooking. We usually opted for the 25 pound takeaway set menu, because the service in the restaurant when we sat in was all over the place - sometimes very attentive and helpful, other times slow and disinterested. Things improved after our first few visits, so perhaps they reserve the best service for the "regulars" they recognize rather than new customers.
Read moreAll of the dishes we tried were delicious (onion bhaji, tarka dal and aloo gobi were favorites), but they definitely tend towards more spice so those with sensitive stomachs may want to request tamer dishes. It also seems worthwhile to clarify when ordering that you would like your food prepared vegan. While vegan-friendly items are marked on the menu, there were a few times we had to send back vegan-marked roti because it was coated with butter before serving.
Pros: Clearly labelled menu, Wide veg*n selection, Easy takeaway
Cons: Sometimes need to clarify veg*n, Spotty service, Use of non-veg ingredients
Guest
Sharpey09
Points +156
Fantastic Vegan Experience - Edit
This restaurant has it all for the vegan curry fan. It has a full menu of vegan dishes to choose from with over 20 dishes. I went for the Thali tray which had three curries chosen by the chef, rice, pakora and nan bread. The curries were delicious, full of flavour and hearty. The portions here are big and satisfying. I am a big curry fan and I think this is easily the best vegan curry I have ever had.
Read moreThe owner was very friendly and chatted to us for a while - he said that they are seeing a big rise in popularity of their vegan dishes and I can see why.
The food is also very good value! I think I paid about £15 for a big tray of food and a large Cobra beer.
Pros: Excellent food, Great value prices, Good service
Guest
straightedgers
Points +25
Great Vegan Selection - Edit
I went to Archana recently, even though I don't like Indian food. It was excellent. I would highly recommend it. Not at all greasy like some Indians. They also do home delivery, so that will be my new monthly treat :) One thing I will mention is that it is a small place. When I walked in with my husband I didn't feel that welcome at first. I thought the staff were rude, but I think that is just there way. They soon warmed up and were helpful. Vegan options are labelled.
Read moreGuest
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