Raleigh Iron Works has been turning into one of those places where you can wander in for one thing and accidentally lose an afternoon. Coffee, beer, food, wine, people-watching, and now, starting June 2, a serious dose of Indian street food.
Botiwalla by Chai Pani, the fast-casual concept from the James Beard Award-winning Chai Pani Restaurant Group, will officially open its Raleigh location at Raleigh Iron Works on Tuesday, June 2, at 4 p.m. The restaurant will be located at 2221 Iron Works Drive, Suite 120, beside Ponysaurus and across from Eastcut.
For Chef Meherwan Irani, Botiwalla is more than another restaurant opening. It is a nod to the Irani Cafes of his childhood—the Indian tea and kabab houses that once buzzed with conversation, hot chai, sizzling grills, and the kind of food that makes “just one more bite” a deeply questionable life choice.
While Chai Pani built its reputation around daytime street snacks, chaat, and home-style Indian cooking, Botiwalla leans into India’s late-night food culture. Think glowing charcoal grills, smoky skewered meats, hot buttered naan, chutneys, fresh herbs, and enough aroma to make anyone walking nearby immediately reconsider whatever sad lunch plan they had previously committed to.
Kababs are the star here. The menu’s Sigri section—named for the charcoal grill—features chicken tikka, malai chicken, lamb, paneer tikka, and masala fish cooked over charcoal. Guests can order them wrapped in hot buttered naan, layered over a Desi Salad, or served as a Boti Rice Bowl with housemade chutneys and herbs.
The menu also brings over a few Chai Pani favorites, including Okra Fries, Bhel Puri, Masala Smashed Potatoes, MG Road Wings, and Aloo Tiki Chaat, which will be exclusive to the Raleigh location.
The restaurant will also offer a kids’ menu, but this is not the usual “we threw chicken tenders on the menu and called it a day” situation. The Lil’ Walla Menu includes malai chicken bites, grilled cheesy naan, and kid-sized okra fries. For adults—or anyone pretending they are only there for “a quick bite”—Botiwalla will also serve boozy slushies, fizzy sodas, hot chai, cold lassis, desserts, and retail items, including Spicewalla products and Indian grocery staples.
The space was designed by a team led by Chai Pani Art Director Michael Files, who has helped shape the group’s brand identity since its early days. Files also brought in regional artists, including Raleigh sign painter Joseph Giampino, to help bring the restaurant to life.
Botiwalla will open Tuesday, June 2, at 4 p.m. After that, hours will be Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., once the restaurant expands into its regular weekly schedule.
For Raleigh, this is not just another fast-casual opening. It is another sign that Raleigh Iron Works is becoming one of the city’s most interesting food-and-drink hubs, and another reason to show up hungry.
Preferably very hungry.
