Charlotte’s beloved Curry Gate restaurant is now open on South Boulevard

By the end of 2023, the restaurant’s owners plan to open another three restaurants in the Charlotte area.

Why it matters: Curry Gate is not only a pandemic success story, it’s also a small locally grown business started by young immigrants who’ve thrived in a fickle industry.

What’s happening: Curry Gate 2 is located at 5516 South Blvd., an approximately 2,400-square-foot building next to Romeo’s Vegan Burgers. For a while, Curry Gate customers have been clamoring for a location farther south, says co-owner Chuda Dhimal.

• Unlike the OG location off Graham Street, the South Boulevard location has a full dining room.
• Curry Gate 2 has all the favorites of the original spot, with additional dishes such as Indo-Chinese cuisine like chow mein, says co-owner Nara Dhimal, Chuda’s nephew manages the South Boulevard location.
• The restaurant will soon offer gift cards.

“People are crazy for our food. We want to have more space for people to come in to dine,” Nara says.

Context: Chuda Dhimal is a refugee who came to Charlotte from Bhutan in 2008. He didn’t know any English, and he didn’t know anything about Charlotte. Still, he went on to get a degree from the Art Institute of Charlotte after graduating from East Meck. Nara Dhimal came here in 2011 from Nepal, along with a few family members, and went on to attend CPCC.

In 2015, the family opened King of Spicy, an Indian restaurant out on W.T. Harris.

• In mid-2020, the Dhimals and their business partners — all family members under the age of 32 — opened Curry Gate on 24th St., near Camp North End.
• At the time, restaurants everywhere were struggling. Pandemic restrictions and outbreaks meant that dining rooms would have to close periodically.

But early on, Curry Gate was one of the restaurants that mastered to-go operations. If you’ve had Curry Gate before, you’re familiar with the steady line of customers that regularly pack the building waiting for hot takeout containers of chicken tikka masala, momos, samosa chaat and lamb vindaloo.

“We did really well during COVID,” Chuda Dhimal tells Axios. “I want to grow more,” he says, adding that the business simply needs more space to do so.

Details: Curry Gate 2 is open Tuesday-Sunday from noon-9pm. It’s closed on Mondays.

What’s next: The team is eyeing locations in Pineville, Concord and University, “but if any other locations with good opportunities (arise) we will grab it as well, Chuda says.

Editor’s note: We first published this story in January 2023 and updated it on Feb. 28, 2023.