Nirvana: The Taste of India
Our head chef Paramjit Singh hails from Punjab, India where the tandoor method of cooking originated. He brings over 20 years of experience to our kitchen and combines traditional cooking methods with novel ingredients to create innovative meals for our guests. As an 80-seat restaurant on historic Massachusetts Avenue, Nirvana endeavors to promote a transcendent experience through food, drink and great company.
Popular dishes
Chicken Tikka
Tender pieces of chicken marinated in spices and yogurt and cooked on skewers in tandoor clay oven
1 reviews
Chicken Tikka Masala
Diced boneless, white meat chicken tandoori style and cooked in rich tomato cream sauce
1 reviews
Chicken Curry
Boneless chicken cooked in thick curry sauce
2 reviews
Menu
Everything was amazing. They took care of the reservation and set a table aside with menus ready for us. As soon as we sat down, the service was exceptional. Extremely knowledgeable staff and the food was amazing!
Incredible food! Great experience overall!
This is always so fantastic, and the family who run Nirvana are always lovely hosts.
The okra and the dosas are my favorites, but I’ve never once had a less-than-delicious bite here. One of my favorite Indian restaurants, anywhere.
Delicious food, friendly staff, nice outdoor seating area with heaters
One of my favorite Indian restaurants in Cambridge. Food is not overly heavy, sauces are perfectly balanced
Chicken tikka and naan were very good, but one or two other dishes were disappointing.
Cold food, upset tummies and not really Indian food. If you want to experience this, don’t forget to stop by here.
This is the 2nd business event we've held here during the lunch buffet and it was a huge success! Guests were so pleased with the quality and selection of the food and it was sufficiently quiet to hold conversations easily. It's my favorite go-to for casual business lunches and also even when it's just me and a friend. YUM! (Really appreciate all the vegetarian options!!)
As a vegetarian, I really appreciate the lunch buffet options. The food is always delicious and well prepared. Lots of choices. Quiet, clean, and conducive to conversation. Two YUMS up!
Whenever I visit my daughter in Boston Nirvana is our first dinner!
We had the Royal Dinner for two, which is a complete meal from soup to dessert. Each course was delicious and served in generous portions. We took a lot of food home. The service was attentive without being intrusive.
A nice place to eat in this area. We went before a show at Saunders Theater and they had us in and out so we didn't miss the performance.
My friend and I ordered Royal Dinner for Two and it was a GREAT deal. Awesome lamb samosa, chicken curry, lamb curry, naan, and even desserts! Though everything is great, I would say the lamb samosa was the best because the lamb filling is very juicy!
Really wanted to enjoy this but the food was simply not good at all, I ordered the chicken Vindaloo which was extremely sweet, in fact so sweet in was practically inedible.
We loved the authentic decor and splendid tapestries. The atmosphere was warm, welcoming and friendly with attentive staff. This will be a haven in Winter...filled with intoxicating aromas and cozy seating.
Nirvana has much more expansive and interesting menu than most, with multiple choices of Dosas, my favorite!
The chef is an absolute wizard with spices! The bar offers inventive a good list of beer, wine and cocktails like the the delectable Lichitini which was perfect as a prelude to spicy food! Best in Boston!
We had a lovely time. Some people couldn’t attend and the restaurant was flexible and accommodating. The food was delicious and beautifully presented. Service was again accommodating as we took our time deciding what to eat. We had never been to this restaurant and were very happy we tried it.
Nirvana is a cozy restaurant with wonderful owner and servers. The food is variable. We tried two eggplant appetizers which were fabulous, but our main course, chicken Tajin, was so so. This was my second time, and it was a Friday night. Noise level was problematic, no sound proofing like many other places.
The first time, we were much happier, and intend to go again soon.
It may be that we ordered poorly -- the vegetarian dishes looked good. But we did order the chef's recommendation -- the duck masala -- and the Seekh kebab. The duck was inedible. It was supposed to be boneless, but I hit two chunks that were largely bone. It was also so tough I actually had to fight hard to get my knife through the meat. If the chef was aiming as slow braised duck, it was not cooked long enough. If they were aiming at quick seared medium rare duck, it was cooked wildly too long. Either way, we just couldn't eat it. The seekh kebab had decent flavour and a nice sauce but it was also overcooked and dry. In the restaurant's favor, they took the duck off the bill when I complained.
Excellent. The bathrooms are downstairs so that’s a downside for the wheelchair user in our party. Overall a wonderful experience.
This is the second time I've been here for dinner and it did not disappoint. I appreciate that the heat level of any dish can be adjusted. The food is really fresh and delicious. So grateful for the variety of vegetarian offerings.
Amazing food and amazing staff! Always feels like home.
A quiet atmosphere in a contemporary comfortable dining room. Service was prompt, professional, and friendly (but not overly attentive). The food was so delicious and well-prepared with generous portions. I was pleased to find so many vegetarian/vegan choices.
We were seated right away. The table was quite small for 4 people and we were unable to fit the dishes we ordered on the table. On our own we had to pull over another small table for this purpose . Aside from that , the food was outstanding. Everything was delicious including the Meat and vegetable dishes , dosa, and dessert. Would highly recommend . It was enjoyed by everyone in our multicultural group.
Excellent, delicious food. The service was great and the atmosphere was cozy and quiet. The portions are a good size to share.
The food was amazing. Best tikka masala I’ve had in a long time. Quick turnaround for the food which was convenient. Highly recommend
One of the better India restaurants I've been to in the Boston area. Nirvana has several regional dishes not found at other places as well (dosa!), which means you can make it a more unique experience than the typical aloo mater or chicken tikka masala. The food was phenomenal and service excellent. Definitely on our list to return!
Good meal, but not the best Indian in the area. The bread was very good and I liked the malai kofta a lot. The fish tikka was a bit dry as was the chicken tikka (which goes under another name that I've forgotten). I would definitely go back if I was looking for a meal in the area but probably would not go out of my way to go there.
We tasted two parts of the menu - a Southern Indian Dosa, and a group of Northern Indian dishes: a Dal, Channa Saag, Chicken Korma and Goat Curry. All were really good - our friends through that the food was as good as they've had anywhere. Service was also excellent, including cleanup and packaging the leftovers which were great the next day at lunch.
A wonderful Indian restaurant. There is nothing daringly original about the menu but it is very well executed. The servers are nice. They take reservations. Good choices for ice cream deserts nearby. Neighborhood gem. Walk or take the T.
Lunch buffet was superb.
I was in Cambridge to visit my sister who lives there and that day I was walking on Massachusetts St, when I saw your restaurant. I pulled the paper menu posted outside for passerbys to take and then checked out the reviews, which are positive. I had lamb kabab with bell peppers and onions,plus the sauce that comes with it. The lamb was tender and delicious, especially with the sauce. My sister had Curry Chicken, which she liked. We topped our dinner off with Kreer, a rice dessert, which was so good. Our meal did not disappoint us and my sister plans to go there for a lunch buffet. Our wait staff were friendly.They were attentive and answered any questions we had about our meal. We got a warm wet wash cloth to wipe our hands after our meal. Attentive to detail, even the small stuff makes a difference. When I go back for a visit Nirvana will be on my list to have a meal. Thank you.
We found this restaurant on Open Table. What great find.
Delicious food! Service was a bit slow
We were craving for spicy Indian food and the chef did not disappoint us. We went there both for lunch buffet which was less spicy and for dinner where they really catered to our spicy buds.
We had malai kofta, biryani, saag paneer, mango and salt lassi.
Really excellent servicer and Indian food. Will go again.
Outstanding South Indian eatery. One of the few places I've come across in the U.S. with an interesting range of flavors and sauces, with a friendly vibe, generous portions, and reasonable prices. I'm quite grateful to have this as a neighborhood restaurant.
This is now our favorite Indian restaurant in Cambridge! And such warm and welcoming service. We will definitely be back.
Really solid food and a good atmosphere. Lots of variety for vegetarians, vegans, as is typical with Indian food.
Love to take a group of college kids here. Great spot
Fantastic Indian food. Had Tandoori chicken it was cooked perfectly. Also ordered Eggplant and a paneer with shrimp. Everything was delicious. All portions were generous.
FAQs
You can order delivery directly from Nirvana: The Taste of India using the Order Online button. Nirvana: The Taste of India also offers delivery in partnership with Postmates and Uber Eats.
Nirvana: The Taste of India is rated 4.8 stars by 110 OpenTable diners.
Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable. Due to local restrictions, this restaurant may not be accepting reservations at the moment.
