Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Indian
Buffet
Beer/Wine
Delivery
Take-out
Veggie restaurant since 1983 and under ownership since 2015. Specializes in traditional South Indian vegetarian cuisine and thali. All-you-can eat buffet at lunchtime. NOTE: Booking system reported to be unreliable. Open Mon-Sun 12:00-14:30, 17:30-22:30.
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2-3 St. Patrick Square (at Nicolson St), Edinburgh, Scotland, EH8 9EZ
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Last update on 04 Jan 2022 by craigmc
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73 Reviews
First Review by feorag
Chrizzo
Points +173
Vegetarian/vegan meals and indian food - Edit
We went for an evening meal, place was very quiet for a Saturday night, it’s a lovely looking place with a good selection of vegan food.
Read moreWe liked that there was a variety of dishes different to what you get in most Indian restaurants.
Would prefer the vegan items to be marked as so on the menu, to make ordering easier, however staff were good at explaining what was vegan and what could be made vegan.
They have a choice of vegan or dairy butter for some dishes so make sure you state when ordering if your vegan.
Knocked off 1 star as service was a bit slow especially given the place was nearly empty, lacked a bit atmosphere and the confusing menu regarding vegan options.
Updated from previous review on 2024-11-10
Pros: Decor was lovely , Dishes a little different to usual Indian restaura
Cons: Menu a bit confusing items not marked vegan.
Guest
selinawas
Points +86
best indian food i‘ve ever had - Edit
ordered the vegan thaali (small) and it was veryyyyy delicious!!
Read morewe went there for dinner, atmosphere was nice and the staff friendly.
Updated from previous review on 2024-07-28
Guest
ganeshp1990
Points +26
Only Indian vegetarian restaurant in Edinburgh - Edit
They have a couple of unique items I have not seen in any restaurant. One is Saam Savera and the other is Shahi Sabzi.
Read moreGuest
craigmc
Points +35312
Edinburghs oldest veggie - Edit
Kalpna has undergone a change in ownership, a few years ago, which has impacted the atmosphere. While the current service is not bad, it lacks the warmth and hospitality that the previous owners provided.
Read morePrices can be high in the evening, but the restaurant offers a decent selection of vegan options. Lunchtime, however, is when Kalpna truly shines. Their all-you-can-eat buffet is an excellent value, with almost all dishes being vegan except for one curry.
Although the restaurant could use some updates, it remains a worthwhile spot for a lunchtime visit if you're in the city.
Updated from previous review on 2023-01-21
Pros: good food, decor, Bread
Guest
GurdeepF
Points +30
The best vegan thali I've had - Edit
Given the frequency at which I eat Indian food... you know, being Indian and all, I don't like going to Indian restaurants.
Read moreKalpna was great though. The staff (Rahul) knew the vegan options well, and the vegan thali I had was delicious. I'd definitely go back again and would recommend it.
Guest
th3v3ganfoodie
Points +878
Friendly staff, nice buffet - Edit
Enjoyed my lunchtime buffet, with most of the options being vegan.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2024-03-09
Guest
banananna
Points +391
Busy - Edit
The food was all good but the restaurant was very very busy and so the wait was quite long.
Read moreGuest
SHarrison
Points +14
Great food and service - Edit
The buffet food was excellent and the service was great
Read morePros: Buffet style with great choices , Vegan food clearly labelled , Great home cooked Indian food
Cons: No accessible toilet
Guest
voener
Points +72
No need to go here - Edit
Disappointing for me as well. They save on spices, even the signature dish is something without taste and a lot of tomato sauce. The vegan Dali is very small and also not tasty, and all is heavily overpriced. Buy some ready made Indian food in a supermarket instead. Plus note a 10% service charge which is not on the menu (for a service that isn’t good).
Read moreGuest
Santaci
Points +78
Disappointing - Edit
I took my wife (to be) here 35 years ago and we have been dozens of times since. Tonight was as if it was a different restaurant. We had to ask for menus after waiting for 15 minutes. The wine arrived half way through the starters (which were good). The main courses were mediocre, the rice and naan especially so. After staring at our plates for 20 minutes we had to ask for the bill which came with an added service charge.
Read moreKalpna had been one of the leaders in veggie food in Edinburgh, now they have a lot of catching up to do. I assume the restaurant has changed hands, or maybe they (like everyone) just had an off day.
It was also difficult to be sure from the menu what was vegan and what was not.
Updated from previous review on 2023-05-26
Pros: Friendly staff
Cons: Hopeless service.
Guest
Happychar
Points +45
It was okay - Edit
The paneer masala tasted great. But not everything on the platter did, so it really wasn't worth it. I got the thali (a platter) for £17 it was a total ripoff, far less food than if I had just order a main with rice. The description sounds like it's a lot of food but the portions were miniscule. Therefore for taste of everything I tried and value for money, only 2 stars because it left me disappointed.
Read morePros: Lots of options
Cons: Platters are not worth it, Portion size very small
Guest
Klarajj
Points +2098
Good but closed without explanation - Edit
Usually I love Kalpna as their food is delicious and affordable with lots of options and a cosy atmosphere. but we turned up today just after 12pm on a Sunday when they are meant to be open according to website and it was closed. A member of staff saw us and went into the restaurant but when we asked he said no they are closed. I said just to let them know, their opening hours online aren’t up to date, and they just said yeah they know. No explanation, no apology. Bit disappointed but would give it another go but call in advance to see if they’re open.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2022-09-11
Pros: Great food
Cons: Unreliable opening hours
Guest
DanSerebro1
Points +28
Average - Edit
Not the best, not the worst.
Read morePretty safe Indian options, give the naan a miss.
Guest
Sully18
Points +124
Nice Thali - Edit
Was a bit unsure as to whether this would be a good choice given the mixed reviews on here. Only one waiter serving and was busy even though it was Sunday night.... Poor guy was rushed off his feet! Surprisingly our drinks and food were served pretty promptly. The vegan thali was very tasty. It was a cold, wet evening and the door kept blowing open causing some customers to either sit in the draft or move. It looked like there were plenty more tables further inside that weren't used.
Read morePros: All vegetarian , Good vegan thali
Cons: Service minimal, Not many dishes labelled vegan
Guest
TanyaRamirez
Points +56
They need to improve booking system - Edit
I booked a table for New Years Eve. I even received the email confirmation for the booking, but when I got there, it was closed (there was no message on their website saying they’d be close). Needless to say it ruined my NYE dinner and me and my family ended up in a pub in front of it eating fries. If you’re planning to go, don’t rely on their website.
Read morePros: Can’t tell
Cons: Terrible booking system
Guest
SophieCox
Points +92
Good but busy - Edit
. We arrived at the place late, I'd phoned to let them know in advance which they were more than accommodating for. When we arrived it was packed and the table was cleaned down before we sat. The server did seem bit distracted when he took out order but it was extremely busy. My partner and I ordered the vegan tahhli each, I loved it as I like small different portions. Each small dish tasted different and unique. I thought it was really good value for money as well at 22 quid each for the tahhli. The menu hasn't been updated on their website but does clearly state what is vegan, if I went back I would order the baigan bharta as a main as it was really tasty. They are really busy and probably need more staff but overall the food was really good.
Read morePros: Unique tastes in each dish
Cons: Service not the best
Guest
Lostbuthappy
Points +206
Dirty - Edit
Went yesterday for lunch as I had been many years ago and loved it. Found the place to be extremely dirty and no soap in the toilets. Didn't even have sanitiser or ask for contact details. The table we were given hadn't been cleaned properly during covid times this is very poor. Food was very average.
Read moreGuest
Kathrine16
Points +102
Very dirty - Edit
Filthy. Also no soap in the bathroom or handsantiser available (covid time). Table still dirty from previous customers.
Read moreOptions available online are not available in the restaurant.
Not impressed and would not recommend
Guest
perkinsmg
Points +20
Great buffet lunch! - Edit
I've been to this restaurant for many years but it was only recently I tried it for lunch. They have a great value buffet where all but one of the dishes was vegan (the other was vegetarian, of course). The food is very tasty and healthy. I look forward to returning soon.
Read morePros: Most dishes are vegan, Good value
Guest
honoraryidiot
Points +2369
One of the best 👌 5 stars - Edit
Really amazing food, not much else to say!
Read moreGuest
froggyrules
Points +157
Delicious food and friendly staff - Edit
Had a lovely meal here with a friend. Lovely staff, beautifully decorated and the food was delicious. I had the vegan thali which was great!
Read moreGuest
lowrisheila
Points +20
Delivery never arrived, restaurant lied about status - Edit
Apparently my order never came through on Deliveroo, but the restaurant lied to me several times over the course of two hours claiming it was on the way instead of actually checking, completing wasting my evening and meaning I had nothing to eat. Absolutely terrible service and will never go here again.
Read moreGuest
caw
Points +2766
Delicious - Edit
Delicious! Delivery always takes at least twice as long as they say it will, and often arrives cold, so have your oven hot and order early, it's so tasty it's still worth ordering, just don't plan around it!
Read morePros: Vegan naan bread
Cons: Delivery very slow
Guest
RuthBerry
Points +50
Love a thaali - Edit
Had a large vegan Thaali and a smaller one. The small one was more than enough for me and my fella polished off the large. Delicious food and the service was great too.
Read moreCons: Take cash cos it's cash only
Guest
JakeNCL
Points +41
Food was delicious when it finally arrived.. - Edit
Had dinner on a Saturday at Kalpna and the restaurant was full. They had temporary screens up between tables for covid (no disposable cutlery though which was mentioned in another review). Service was polite but unfortunately rather slow.
Read morePros: Food was very tasty
Cons: Slow and somewhat inattentive service, Cash only
Guest
CoreyMoses
Points +187
Fantastic flavor - Edit
The dishes we got were super tasty, a bit pricey but I highly recommend!
Read morePros: Super tasty, Authentic
Cons: A bit expensive
Guest
Christi
Points +174
Delicious food but ditch the plastic! - Edit
My friends and I stumbled across this place recently when hopelessly searching for somewhere open that has vegan options.
Read moreThey have a great selection for vegans and we’re able to accommodate our differing tastes in terms of spice.
The food was very tasty and the service was good. My only disappointment was that, due to Covid, literally everything we used, from the cutlery to the plates to the glasses, was single use plastic. This is the only reason I wouldn’t return as I feel it is unnecessary and wouldn’t be able to enjoy a meal knowing I had produced so much waste.
I hope they rethink this policy soon.
Pros: Lots of vegan options, Tasty food- especially the platters, Good service
Cons: Single use plastic
Guest
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