At the awe-inspiring new Hindu temple in Robbinsville, visitors can experience Indian culture beyond the incredible carvings and architecture on view by stepping into the Shayona Café on the campus for some authentic Indian food.
The BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham temple—the second largest in the world—sits on 185 acres of land and took more than a dozen years and $100 million to build. It includes a plaza, a welcome center, a traditional Hindu mandir (place of worship), a gift shop, and a snacks/sweets shop.
With its all-vegetarian cuisine, Shayona Café gives visitors the choice of ordering fresh food from the grill, stone-baked pizza, including spicy paneer tikka pizza, Indian street food, and authentic thali, an Indian-style meal served on a platter.
Photo: Jacqueline Mroz
The choices are abundant and can be overwhelming—but it’s best to dive right in at this cafeteria-style dining spot that gives visitors the perfect way to experience some traditional and authentic tastes of India. If you want to try a little of everything, order thali, which comes with an array of savory breads, rice, curries, lentils and sweets. There are also prepared Indian fast foods, including samosas.
To wash it down, grab a bottle of mango lassi, a popular drink made with Indian yogurt, ripe sweet mangos and cardamom.
The temple is open every day except Tuesdays; reservations are required on the weekends. It’s free to visit; find more info at usa.akshardham.org.
No one knows New Jersey like we do. Sign up for one of our free newsletters here. Want a print magazine mailed to you? Purchase an issue from our online store.