Chole bhature is the breakfast dish North Indians line up for. Spiced chickpea curry meets a puffed fried bread, soft inside and crispy outside. It's simple, filling, and instantly satisfying. But finding it made right is harder than it looks. Most restaurants rely on shortcut spice bases or pre-made dough. Spirit of India Express makes theirs from scratch, and regulars across the West End know the difference.

What Is Chole Bhature (North Indian Street Food, Explained)

Chole bhature is one of North India's most iconic street foods and breakfast staples. "Chole" means chickpeas, spiced with ginger, garlic, tomato, and a cumin-heavy masala. "Bhature" is the puffed fried bread, made with dough that needs time and technique. The curry arrives warm and tangy. The bread is light and pillowy, almost melting on contact. Chole bhature originated in Punjab and became a staple across North India. Together, they're the definition of comfort food.

You'll find chole bhature across Punjab and North Indian cities like Delhi and Chandigarh. It's a dish that tastes best when someone's actually paid attention to the spices. Most restaurants here skip it entirely because the dough requires hands-on timing and the curry can't be made from a packet. Spirit of India Express is one of the few spots in the West End making it the proper way, serving regulars from Meadowlark Park and beyond.

The price point matters. A proper chole bhature costs a fraction of what you'd pay for biryani or tandoori chicken. It's street food. That's the appeal. At Spirit of India Express, a full chole bhature is $13.99. Great portion for the price, as one customer said. For that cost, you're getting spiced chickpea curry, a freshly fried puffed bread, and the quality of all-natural ingredients with no preservatives.

How We Make It at Spirit of India Express

The curry starts the day before. Owner Bijoy doesn't buy pre-spiced chickpeas. Instead, he simmers dried chickpeas with onion, ginger, garlic, tomato, and a spice blend built in-house. Cumin, coriander, amchur (dried mango), ajwain (carom seeds). The result is a curry that tastes layered, not flat. No colour added. No preservatives. Just vegetables and spice working together.

The bhature dough is fermented. That fermentation step gives it the lift and texture that separates real bhature from fried bread. Bijoy's team mixes it fresh, lets it develop, then fries each bread to order. You watch it puff in the oil, and that puff tells you the dough's been given proper time. The bread arrives warm, golden, soft enough to tear, and substantial enough to hold the curry without falling apart.

The result tastes different from the shortcut version. When you eat chole bhature made this way, the curry isn't one-note spicy. It's warm and complex. The all-natural ingredients mean you taste actual spices, not a generic "curry powder." Regulars from Britannia Youngstown and Meadowlark Park come back for it specifically because they can feel the difference. That's what happens when the owner's in the kitchen.

What to Order Alongside Chole Bhature

The chole bhature handles a full meal on its own. The curry is hearty, the bread is filling, and there's nothing missing. But if you're building a spread or want a second course, Spirit of India Express has three dishes that pair perfectly with it.

Paneer Butter Masala ($16.99): Soft cottage cheese in a butter and tomato-cream sauce. If you're torn between street food and something richer, paneer butter masala is the bridge. Order it after finishing the chole bhature if you're still hungry. The contrast between the two curries is genuinely worth the experience: one brings earthiness and spice, the other brings creaminess.

Daal Makhani ($14.99): Black lentils simmered in tomato gravy, finished with cream and butter. It's mild and deeply comforting. The pairing works beautifully if you want another curry without the heaviness of meat. Some tables order both the chole bhature and daal makhani together. One brings the spice and texture, the other brings the warm depth.

Gulab Jamun ($4.99): Golden milk dumplings soaked in rose-cardamom syrup. Light, floral, sweet. Every table at Spirit of India Express orders them at the end. Under five dollars, it's the easiest add-on of the meal. Order it knowing you'll wish you'd ordered two.

West Edmonton Location, Hours, and Ordering

Spirit of India Express is at 10068 156 St NW, Edmonton, AB T5P 2P8, along the Stony Plain Road corridor in West Edmonton's heart. The restaurant has free parking, comfortable booths, and a warm atmosphere with Bollywood music playing in the background. Bijoy painted the mountainscape on the wall himself when he took over the space. It's not a generic chain restaurant setup. The whole space reflects that one person's care went into building it.

We deliver across West Edmonton neighborhoods including Britannia Youngstown, Meadowlark Park, West Jasper Place, Callingwood North, Callingwood South, and Terra Losa. You can order for dine-in, takeout, or delivery depending on what works for your schedule. Hours:

  • Monday: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
  • Tuesday: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
  • Wednesday: Closed
  • Thursday: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
  • Friday: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
  • Saturday: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
  • Sunday: 11 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Order online at spiritofindiaexpress.online for delivery or pickup, or call (780) 489-1796. Dine in if you want to watch the kitchen work. The chole bhature is worth seeing made fresh.

Craving the Best Chole Bhature?

Order from Spirit of India Express and get authentic North Indian street food delivered straight to your door, or pick it up fresh from our kitchen. Pair it with our clay-oven tandoori chicken if you're building a full meal.

Order at spiritofindiaexpress.online

Frequently Asked Questions

What is chole bhature?

Chole bhature is a North Indian street food. "Chole" is spiced chickpea curry, and "bhature" is a puffed fried bread. It's eaten for breakfast or lunch across Punjab, Delhi, and North India. The curry is warm and tangy, and the bread is light and pillowy. Together, they're one of North India's most iconic comfort foods.

What makes Spirit of India Express's chole bhature special?

We make it from scratch. The curry is simmered with fresh spices and all-natural ingredients — no colours, no preservatives, no added sugar. The bhature dough is fermented properly, which gives it lift. Owner Bijoy handles the kitchen, and he knows the technique. Most restaurants use spice packet bases or pre-fried bread. We don't.

How much does chole bhature cost?

Chole Bhature is $13.99. For that price, you get a generous portion of spiced chickpea curry, a freshly fried puffed bread, and the quality of all-natural ingredients. No hidden charges or platform markups. Order directly at spiritofindiaexpress.online or visit us at 10068 156 St NW in West Edmonton.

What are your hours and how do I order?

We're open Monday and Tuesday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Thursday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. We're closed Wednesdays. Order online at spiritofindiaexpress.online, call (780) 489-1796, or visit in person. We offer dine-in, takeout, and delivery across West Edmonton including Britannia Youngstown and nearby areas.