The Charlotte region’s newest Asian grocer and restaurant is now open. Here are the details.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was updated Oct. 14, 2024, with the opening the restaurant’s opening date, as well as other business openings.
An Indian fusion restaurant and grocer has expanded to North Carolina with its first store debuting the Charlotte area.
Texas-based Desi District opened Saturday, Oct. 12 at Parkway Crossing at 11812 Carolina Place Pkwy., in Pineville, the restaurant said on Facebook. The shopping center is near Carolina Place mall and the Atrium Pineville hospital.
Desi District is an Indian street food restaurant and neighborhood market.
Founded by six friends, Desi District has five stores in Texas, according to the company website. The company is adding seven more stores, including Charlotte, as it opens its first stores outside of Texas, Desi District’s website shows.
Desi District is part of growing number of Indian restaurants opening in the Charlotte market, including a different Texas-based chain Tikka Shack.
What to expect at Desi District
The Pineville store is 15,540 square feet, according to commercial real estate firm MPV Properties.
The restaurant menus include vegetarian and non-vegetarian appetizers like gobi manchuria — marinated cauliflower deep-fried and tossed in a spicy sauce, and chicken pakoda — chicken cubes tossed in a creamy spicy sauce.
The menu also includes kebabs, like chicken tikkas and curries, biryanis, indo-Chinese meals, kati rolls, desi burgers, breads and desserts, Desi District’s website shows.
Desi District’s neighbors
Desi District joins a growing list of tenants at Parkway Crossing.
Fight Sports Charlotte, a jiu-jitsu academy, is open in a 5,010-square-foot space.
Playland Indoor Playground will open in a 8,750-square-foot space. The family-owned indoor playground will feature a multi-level soft play structure, slides, ball pits, tunnels and bridges with separate areas by age group.
Playland has locations at 2700 Gray Fox Road in Monroe and 122 Trade Ct St. in Mooresville. Another store is planned in Concord, according to the company’s website.
Other tenants at the center are ReStore and Nadeau Furniture, which recently expanded from 5,000 to 8,000 square feet.
More Indian restaurants and grocers
Desi District joins a growing number of Indian restaurants and grocery stores expansions in the past couple of years in the Charlotte region.
In January, Charlotte-based Indian grocer Triveni Supermarket added its first South Carolina store in Tega Cay as part of its expansion plan. Owners and brothers Dilip and Vijay Thotakuri opened Triveni Supermarket five years ago at 300 S Polk St. in Pineville.
Last year, Exotica Indian Kitchen & Bar opened in uptown Charlotte at 500 S. College St. The restaurant is owned by the Thotakuri brothers and business partner Raj Vangara.
In 2022, Tikka Shack Indian Grub also opened in uptown at 400 S. Tryon St. Tikka Shack is based in Lubbock, Texas, and serves traditional Indian dishes and build-your-own masalas and curries. A second location is opening soon in Rock Hill.
Also in 2022, fast-casual restaurant IndiGrille opened in ParkTown Village at 1600 E. Woodlawn Road.
This story was originally published March 13, 2024 at 1:08 PM.