Indian Street Food Favorite Spice Waala Just Announced a Columbia City Location

You know Spice Waala, right? The counter-serve Indian spot is one of Seattle’s best bargains, with wraps coming in at below $10 and a fries-and-chutney item at the inflation-defying price of $3.50. It currently has locations in Ballard and on Capitol Hill, but it is eyeing an expansion into Columbia City, and plans to open a location there as soon as early 2024.

The new restaurant will be located at 5020 Rainier Avenue, in the former location of Paris Bakery and Deli, right in the middle of a stretch of spots that have already made Columbia City a dining destination. It’s two blocks away from critical darling Off Alley, three blocks from neighborhood mainstays Island Soul and Geraldine’s Counter, and right near the Eritrean restaurant Kezira Cafe.

Spice Waala co-founders Aakanksha Sinha and Uttam Mukherjee live in the neighborhood and were motivated by the lack of Indian options in the area, they said in a statement. “We live in Columbia City, eat and drink at restaurants on Rainier Avenue, and have always wanted the opportunity to share our food with our community,” Sinha said. “We finally got it, and we are so excited. Hopefully we can introduce Columbia City to a new type of Indian food that they may have never eaten.”

As with the other Spice Waala locations, the Columbia City outpost will be primarily a takeout spot. It’ll consist of a walk-up window that will do lunch and dinner, along with some outdoor seating.