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Dining at Pippal in Dublin is like touring culinary India. Unless you have visited or lived in India, sampling gourmet food from multiple regions in one meal is rare. Pippal brings a panoply of Indian flavors starting with chaat street food served from a trolley and ending with artful desserts.
Pippal co-owner Jatin Bunty Grewal fell in love with regional Indian cooking while acting in Bollywood movies and modeling around the country. When Grewal and his wife and co-owner Carolina moved to the Tri-Valley in 2018, they yearned for regional India flavors.
“Yes, my life as an actor was exciting. Now I like the connection with people here at Pippal and the ability to serve them enticing Indian food with diverse culinary heritage that families can enjoy, too,” Grewal said. Grewal and Carolina, a former model, have three young kids and live in Dublin.
Partnering with Rivaaz Hospitality, the couple opened Pippal in Emeryville in 2023 followed by Dublin in October 2025. The Rivaaz group also own Michelin Guide-recommended ROOH in New Delhi and Palo Alto, Alora in San Francisco, and Alora Social in San Ramon.
Given their experience in acting and modeling, the Grewals designed Pippal’s interior carefully.
“During the filming of a movie, just-right scenery and visual cues are essential. Carolina and I wanted Pippal Dublin to feel special when guests walked in the door. Relaxing, soft jazz sets the mood for lunch and dinner, and then more upbeat sounds play later,” added Grewal. Elegant art deco chandeliers in green or white are intermixed with modern lighting; the striking velvet green curtains are from India.
The green color palette echoes the meaning of the word pippal, the sacred fig or bodhi tree The forest sensibility is highlighted with large plants, and the tree-laden, European wall coverings in the back dining room and restrooms walls.
Cinematic moments abound at Pippal. The beverage menu notes “immersive experiences.” My U.P, Fizz included server Arsh using a Flavour Blaster tool to create a perfect bubble on my drink with Midori, a Japanese melon liqueur, and prosecco. After the fun pop-the-bubble part, I sipped the refreshing drink throughout the meal.
Most of the specialty cocktails are named for iconic Indian locations or people. The name of the sparkling drink, U.P., is the abbreviation for a northern province. The Kashmiri Old Fashioned with green apple liqueur and bourbon brought a dramatic touch of smoke executed by Executive Chef Munish Rana. “The touch of smoke was a visual ‘amuse bouche’ and each ingredient was additive to a well-crafted drink,” said my friend Joss. Mocktails such as the house made Mango Tango soda look appealing. The full bar offers well-priced sparkling wines, local wines and more plus an array of spirits and a snack menu.
All food items are listed with their regional origin. Familiar Indian dishes such as butter chicken from East India is available. Chicken curry from the Naga region in Northeast India with tomato, galangal, lemongrass and curry leaf was a crowd favorite at our first dinner.
Another Indian staple is naan. Served warm, the Pippal breads are a savory, colorful array of butter and garlic naan, red roti made with beets, ghee podi dosa, and multigrain lachha parantha.
The Live Chaat Tray listed at the top of the menu marks Pippal as a special dining destination. At our group dinner, Executive Chef Munish Rana rolled out a trolley and introduced himself. On a large tray, he began layering traditional Indian snacks such as dhokla, a type of savory sponge cake, crispy crackers called papadi, tempura-fried spinach leaves, and sev, which are fried spiced chickpea sticks on a large tray. In a series of steps, he blended in tamarind, cilantro, and yogurt sauce.
With dramatic effect, Rana used a nitrogen bath to create yogurt balls as a topping. Our table enjoyed the mix of tangy, sweet, crunchy, and spicy elements of the chaat.
Trained in India with cooking experience based in Dubai, Rana was promoted to head chef at Michelin recommended ROOH restaurant in New Delhi. He relocated to the U.S. and became executive chef of ROOH in Palo Alto, also Michelin recommended. After opening Pippal in Emeryville in 2023, he also oversees culinary at Pippal, opened in October 2025.
The roasted gunpowder idly is the best I’ve sampled. Rana’s version of the steamed rice cakes from Southeast Inda are tossed in toasted gunpowder spice, a mix of dried chilis, seeds and more, which like curry powders, comes in many regional versions. The accompanying mustard curry leaves and chutney spice up the dish.
On our first visit, we sampled siddu, a steamed wheat bun that resembled an empanada that was well-seasoned walnut and green pea stuffing. The fish bhel from the Mumbi region was assembled in a round timbale mold and topped with this slices of salmon. The dish was visually stunning and layered with flavor and texture.
On the small plates menu, we lamented not ordering a double portion of the mushroom momos, soft dumplings from the Northeast India near Nepal. Our top pick were the lamb chops. Marinated in spiced yogurt marinade and slow cooked in a clay pot, the lamb evinced juicy, roasted flavors.
Choosing top entrées among the 18 listed was not easy. I liked the delicately spiced bhopali pulao from a central Indian province with rice and cheese dumplings accompanied by chutneys: creamy coconut, spicy tomato, and tangy coriander. The fish curries, mango Alleppey with prawns from Kerala in the southwest, and a Parsi version from the northwest, were excellent. Paneer Parat is prepared in six thin layers and served in lasagna-like squares,
Spicier dishes include goat curry, called laal maas, from the western region next to Pakistan, Fiery-spicy chicken saoji curry from northern Nagpur simmered in a roasted masala sauce with a hard-cooked egg. We liked all the regional flavors of the entrees.
For dessert, we favored ghewar made with a buttery ghee batter cooked to appear lacey like honeycomb, served with thick, creamy rabri, and topped with coconut ice cream. The payasam, a Southern India rice pudding with crunchies on top, is another memorable dessert.
“Carolina and I enjoy living in the Tri-Valley near Pippal. I frequently come over for lunch,” said Grewal. “I greet the guests and support our team to make the restaurant even more welcoming.”
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