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The Clay Pit

4.6 53 votes

1601 Guadalupe Street

(512) 322-5131

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The Clay Pit in downtown Austin, TX is widely considered Austin's best Indian cuisine.  They feature a beautiful, historic building that offers a contemporary setting for upscale Indian cuisine.  Lunch boasts one of Austin's best buffets at very reasonable prices (~$10). The dinner menu features several items from the Tandoori oven, an exciting mix of grilled items, curries, and biryanis (rice creations). There are over 100 wines on the wine list and they're located in an area of downtown Austin that with tolerable parking. 

Located in the Bertram building, the Clay Pit is a stop on the Haunted ATX Hearse Limo Tour and the building offers a unique glimpse of history, style and even spooky lore. The Bertram building dates back 1872 when it intially operated as a grocery store that most believe was also a secrent entrance to a brothel next door using an underground tunnel. The downstairs features a unique charisma with brick walls that curve into a ceiling that provide an intimate dining experience. The upstairs hosts larger private parties and event space while a back room caters to small to mid size parties with an exceptional balance of charm, privacy, and intimacy. The Clay Pit hosts private parties and social gatherings for different businesses and meet up groups around Austin. The entire venue can be rented, but the different room provide many options. Use the contact form above the send the manager a private dining request.

Freshly made pita bread!


The Clay Pit Dinner Menu
The dinner menu features sections for appetizers, soups, salads, house specialties, breads, curries, biryanis, vegetarian, seafood and grilled items. There are surpricses on the menu that you don't see at more casual Indian restaurants such as the Tandoori Ribeye ($16) featuring a 12-ounce rib-eye, seasoned in a zesty marinade, cooked to order medium-rare or above and the Seafood Grill ($18) featuring fresh white fish, salmon & prawns marinated in Indian spices & baked in our clay oven. The menu is quite diverse and yet resonably priced. It's too much to list it all, but we'll add a few items below. 

Tandoori Chicken - 14
Bone-in grilled chicken marinated in yogurt, garlic, ginger & fresh ground spices
 
Chicken Tikedar - 14
Boneless chicken breast marinated in our yogurt-masala paste
 
Channa Saag - 11
Punjabi flare, our delicious spinach sauce cooked with garbanzo beans & herbs

Bengan Bartha - 11
Roasted eggplant, cooked with onion, tomatoes, ginger & spices

Coconut Curry 
(prices varies from $11 - $15 depending on the choice of meat)
An onion curry with coconut milk, roasted whole spices & curry leaves

Tikka Masala
(prices varies from $11 - $15 depending on the choice of meat)
Everyone's favorite! A tomato-based butter cream sauce seasoned with herbs & spices

Khuroos-E-Tursh - 15
Medallions of chicken-breast stuffed with seasoned spinach, mushrooms, onions & paneer, in a rich korma sauce.
Recommended Wine: Sonoma Cutrer Chardonnay, Russian River, CA

Mughlai Chicken - 14
Boneless chicken cooked in a rich, savory almond-cashew yogurt sauce, infused with Indian Spices.
Recommended Wine: Spellbound Petit Syrah, California

Goat Curry or Goat Saag - 17
Bone-in goat curry slow cooked with ginger, garlic, spices, with tomato and onion gravy (Halal Meat). 
Recommended Wine: Kim Crawford Pinot Noir

Lamb Roganjosh - 16
Kashmiri style creamy onion sauce with a unique blend of spices. 
Recommended Wine: Alvaro Palacios Remondo "La Vendiama" - Rioja, Spain

Goan Yellow Curry - 15
Marinated shrimp sautéed in spiced Goan coconut curry. 
Recommended Wine: Bottega Vinaia Pinot Grigio, Italy

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