Cosmic Cafe Is Back. Namaste, Dallas

Fans of Cosmic Cafe (of which there are many) might have wrecked driving down Oak Lawn Avenue this week. Two “soft opening” signs outside bring a pulse back to this once iconic vegetarian mainstay. The unpretentious, eclectic space was for all. When it closed in 2021 after 24 years in business, many were heartbroken.

The restaurant was originally founded by Kumar Pallana, who went on to have a career in pictures as Mr. Pagoda in Wes Anderson films, including Bottle Rocket, The Royal Tenenbaums and Rushmore. Pallana bequeathed Cosmic Cafe to Praveen Sachdev after he left for Hollywood. Sachdev taught meditation upstairs, while vibrant vegetarian dishes and chai rolled out of the kitchen.

Five years ago, we reported that Cosmic Cafe had exhaled its last woosah. Sachdev was ready to retire.

The Old Chef Steps Up

Deepak Chalise was Cosmic Cafe’s main chef for more than two decades. He’s been working different jobs for the past five years since the spot closed, working on buying it from the original owner. He was finally able to make it happen.

“Same,” Chalise says quickly and emphatically when asked if the restaurant will be any different. “No different,” he added defiantly. This includes the upstairs space, which will host yoga and large groups.

The eclectic menu is primarily Indian vegetarian dishes with a touch of whimsy. Aloo takki, paneer pakora, dahl and Buddha’s Delight are mainstays. A Taco Trinity, spinach enchiladas and a Cosmic stir add variety to the offerings. The physical menus might actually be the same; based on old menu photos on Yelp, they are.

Chalise plans on opening full throttle on Monday, March 30. For now, they’re working off a limited menu, cleaning different parts of the space and training new staff.

Cosmic Cafe, 2912 Oak Lawn Ave. Sunday – Wednesday 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Thursday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday – Saturday 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.