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A yearly Hindu holiday, Holi is also called the "Festival of Colours" and is mostly observed in India and Nepal. However, as time passed, the festival expanded to other countries, including Australia, the United States of America, and England.
With this colourful festivity, winter comes to an end and spring arrives. Holika Dahan, the penultimate night before Holi, marks the beginning of the festivities. In order to fend off internal evil, people gather and carry out rituals in front of a campfire. To get ready for the pyre, wood and combustible items are gathered. On top of the pyre is an effigy of Holika.
People congregate around the pyre after dusk, do religious rites, and then light.
Holi is a celebration of the victory of good over evil, the arrival of winter, and the end of winter. The celebration lasts for a day and a night and is also held to express gratitude for a greater harvest. Holika Dahana, also known as Chhoti Holi, is the first evening. The next day is known as Phagwa or Rangawali Holi. The full moon of the Phalguna month is often when Holi occurs.
Rangwali Holi begins on the day following Holika Dahan. People celebrate to the fullest on this day by smearing colours on one another, a gesture that represents unification. Adolescents and kids paint their mates with abir (coloured powder), pichkaris (water cannons), and water balloons.
It's presumably the most popular Holi celebration in the world. People are dancing to the beats of "dholaks" while music is played loudly.
Pool parties are the most popular place for partygoers to congregate during Holi celebrations, which are held in resorts and clubs. Since most people prefer to play Holi in groups, big areas are reserved in advance so that large crowds can participate in the celebration.
Serving food, particularly sweets, and sipping "thandai" are essential components of the festivities. During this holiday, two of the most popular sweets that are made are gujiya and rasgullas. Food vendors sell snacks such gol gappe or puchkas, dal kachori, kanji vada, chhole bhature, and papri chaat.
Now that you know about Holi, know how to access Indian festive eats in the USA at these top spots.
7 Popular Places To Eat In The Occasion Of Holi
1. Viva Goa Indian Cuisine
The neighbourhood's favourite place for an Indian takeaway, Viva Goa, serves up all the curries, tandoori and naan the neighbourhood could ask for. The restaurant specialises in Goan food, Qwhich is mostly influenced by Portugal, which dominated the region for 450 years and includes a lot of seafood, coconut, and kokum. Order vindaloo (hot red curry), which is the most popular food in the region, along with prawn curry.
Location: 2420 Lombard St, San Francisco, CA 94123
Timings: Mon-Sun: 10:00 am to 11:00 pm
Must-Try Dishes: Chicken Biryani, Lamb Kebabs
Price for 2: $100 approx.
2. Amber India Restaurant
Although there are many buffet alternatives in San Francisco, Amber stands apart from the rest since it offers a daily lunch buffet in addition to a weekend "endless brunch buffet." The restaurant offers an a la carte cuisine with highlights including Awadhi lamb korma and Nawabi chicken during the evening. If you're in the mood for light snacks and a cocktail in the afternoons and evenings, there's also a bar menu available.
Location: 25 Yerba Buena Ln, San Francisco, CA 94103
Timings: Mon-Sun: 10:00 am to 11:00 pm
Must-Try Dishes: Awadhi lamb korma and Nawabi chicken
Price for 2: $100 approx.
3. Copra
Star chef Srijith Gopinathan's newest eatery, Copra, is located in the Fillmore and features a large, modern room that features food from his native Kerala. The restaurant itself has an opulent décor with hanging macrame ropes and climbing vines that is a visual feast for the eyes. With appetisers such as kola urundai, a vegetarian take on fried meatballs, and main meals like Cornish hen cooked in a black curry spice, the cuisine is every bit as delicious as the décor. Get the sharing chutney palette and indulge in the drinks, which include tamarind and coconut.
Location: 1700 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94115
Timings: Mon-Sun: 10:00 am to 11:00 pm
Must-Try Dishes: Chicken Biryani, fried meatballs
Price for 2: $100 approx.
4. ROOH
As one may anticipate from India's Good Times Restaurants hospitality group, Rooh offers modern Indian food in a refined atmosphere. The company's initial American location was here in SoMa; they also have another presence in Palo Alto. Get ready for mouthwatering fare, such as ultra-glossy short ribs enhanced with bone marrow and buttery, golden saffron brioche.
Location: 333 Brannan St, San Francisco, CA 94107
Timings: Mon-Sun: 10:00 am to 11:00 pm
Must-Try Dishes: Golden saffron brioche, Lamb Kebabs
Price for 2: $100 approx.
5. Aaha Indian Cuisine
Aaha Indian Cuisine made its debut in the Mission in 2022, specialising in cuisine from Southern India. A part of the menu dedicated to healthy dosas, featuring both vegetarian and non-vegetarian alternatives, is available. The chef's proprietary chile sauce is used to make the Madurai chile fish and chile prawns. The Infatuation also gave the restaurant a vote for best new restaurant in San Francisco for 2022.
Location: 3316 17th St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Timings: Mon-Sun: 10:00 am to 11:00 pm
Must-Try Dishes: Madurai chile fish and chile prawns
Price for 2: $100 approx.
6. Golden Gate Indian Cuisine & Pizza
It's certainly worth the cost to drive to the other end of town just to get an extra big pizza with tikka masala chicken. Indian pizza is said to have originated in the Bay Area, and in this day of fusion, whatever that word means to you, it's nice to find a dish that tastes excellent and rings with uniqueness. While you're at this Judah Street mainstay, feel free to get a salad, biryani, or even pasta.
Location: 3407, 1275 Minnesota St, San Francisco, CA 94107
Timings: Mon-Sun: 10:00 am to 11:00 pm
Must-Try Dishes: Indian pizza, Tandoori Burger
Price for 2: $100 approx.
7. Arth Bar & Kitchen
This newer restaurant in Culver stands out among L.A.'s South Asian dining scene with its flavorful, contemporary dishes. Some of the dishes are lobster moilee, a rich coconut milk curry from the southern state of Kerala that is traditionally made with shrimp, and chicken wings marinated in Old Monk, India's iconic dark rum. Classic dishes like chicken tikka kebab and veggie curry sliders, known as pav bhaji, are reasonably priced and packed with flavour. These dishes go great with Arth's whimsical desi-inspired cocktails. The jal-jeera mojito, which combines the well-known north Indian beverage with cumin with white rum laced with chilli and a hint of peach liqueur, was very delicious.
Location: 9531 Culver Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232, United States
Timings: Mon-Sun: 10:00 am to 11:00 pm
Must-Try Dishes: Jal Jeera And Pav Bhaji
Price for 2: $100 approx.
There are moments when eating Indian food seems like a lesson from Comfort Food 101. A plate of lamb vindaloo, basmati rice, and a sizable wedge of naan may be piled high, and before you know it, the plate is empty and you're starting a new batch. Don't miss it while enjoying festivals of colours.
