Avinash’s spices and Shaveta’s flair mesh perfectly thanks to their foundation  and that’s Neeta, mom and wife. She is the backbone of the restaurant much as she is of the Arora family. Shaveta admits, “Dad and I wouldn’t survive even an hour without her!” You’ll feel Neeta’s warmth from the moment you step inside Masala Craft until the time she sends you on your way with an invitation to come back soon.

At Masala Craft, guests will rediscover age-old recipes from the Punjab, known for its bold and rustic flavors. Sarson Ka Saag (Spinach and Mustard Greens), smooth and rich Butter Chicken and creamy Dal Makhni are just a few our favorites we hope will become yours. Our featured dishes from other regions of India — Banana Leaf Steamed fish From Bengal, Creamy Coconut Chicken Curry made with Mustard oil from Kerala, Traditional Vindaloo from Goa and Laal Maas from Rajasthan are rich, flavorful, and sure to tantalize and transport your tastebuds. 

Masala Craft was born from the heart. The Arora passion for Indian food and its spices and affection for hospitality are meant to create unforgettable memories at the dining table by bringing friends, family, and culture together through food. This isn’t just a business, it is their home and they don’t just have guests, they have family, or now as it is called, The “MC” family.

Avinash Arora

Even at the age of 8, Avinash understood the secret to good eggplant — “Baingan Bartha,” actually, the charcoal-smoked broiled eggplant mashed with tomatoes, onions, ginger and garlic that’s on the menu today.  He perfected that dish and countless others on kerosene burners while his grandmother clucked instructions back. Credit his mother, too, for schooling him in the art of Indian cooking. Today Avinash’s signature is his spices, each carefully blended by him and many grown in his personal garden. He babies his seed pods — mint, cilantro, basil, curry leaf and dozens of varieties of chilies — with the TLC typically reserved for a newborn baby. Avinash will step out of his kitchen to share his passion for food, spices and the culture of his home country with guests. (He’s not yet willing to disclose what sets his aromatic Garam Masala apart!). Wave hello to Avinash when you visit, ask him any questions you’d like answers for and don’t be shy about special requests. He never tires of spreading his family’s recipes with all of his guests.

Shaveta Arora

Shaveta didn’t grow up visualizing a future in a restaurant alongside her parents. After graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University, she took a gap year to prepare for dentistry school. She passed the time working in an Indian restaurant where she realized that while science was cool, she was better suited to mine her creativity. That inspired her to partner with her mom and dad for Masala Craft. If her dad’s yin is traditional, she’s the yang, eager to modernize his original flavors with a twist of her own. Just how fun are her dishes? Save room for her Old Monk Kulfi (Indian homemade chocolate ice cream made with Indian Old monk rum and rum-soaked cherries) or Gajar Halwa stuffed kulcha (traditional bread stuffed with carrot pudding dessert served with pecan ice cream). Don’t be shy about asking her to whip together a special dessert or cocktail — turmeric infused gin, anyone? — especially for you.

Neeta Arora

Nothing happens at Masala Craft without Neeta. Her biggest “job” is to keep her traditional husband and modern daughter in check. She largely leaves the cooking to them, though her family recipes inspired the restaurant’s traditional breads. Neeta welcomes guests as family members with a warm smile and a knack for remembering their individual preferences. Even if you don’t recall what you ordered last, she does! Don’t be surprised if she also remembers everyone’s specific dietary needs. If you’re a first-timer, no request is out of bounds. She wants you to go home with a full belly and a fond memory of your time at Masala Craft.