About I-80 Dhaba

I-80 Dhaba is an all-vegetarian, authentic North Indian restaurant located at 2110 W St S, Grinnell, IA 50112 (near Grinnell's I-80 interchange), reachable at (641) 659-9029. It opened in March 2024, founded by Sushil Khurana along with partners Anil Sharma and Vikas Kalia — the same trio behind Cedar Rapids' well-regarded Taste of India, which they ran for over a decade before selling it in 2021. Khurana, originally from Punjab, India, named the restaurant after the Hindi word "dhaba," meaning roadside restaurant, hoping to serve both the town of Grinnell (including Grinnell College students) and the traveling population — especially the South Asian trucking community — along I-80. The restaurant runs on a fast-casual, self-service model: you order at the counter, get a buzzer, and pick up food on biodegradable plates when it's ready. The menu features vegetarian dishes like Mutter Paneer, Kadai Paneer, Dhaba Dal (dal makhani), Paneer Butter Masala, garlic and bullet naan, samosa chaat, and masala chai, with reviewers frequently praising the authentic North Indian flavors, generous portions, and reasonable prices — though a few have noted inconsistency with some frozen items like the veg biryani. It's closed Mondays, open the rest of the week roughly 10 AM–9 PM, and offers dine-in, takeout, and delivery, with ample parking and a nearby Tesla charging station.