Clove & Cardamom in Baltimore: North Indian Cooking with a Lunch Buffet Option
Clove & Cardamom is a full-service North Indian restaurant in Baltimore that serves tandoori and curry dishes alongside a weekday lunch buffet, positioned as an accessible entry point to regional Indian cooking without the price tag of upscale dinner service.
What Clove & Cardamom actually is
The restaurant focuses on North Indian cuisine, emphasizing tandoori-cooked meats, dal-based vegetable dishes, and bread baked in a clay oven. The space seats roughly 60 to 80 people across a single dining room with modest decor; it operates as a casual neighborhood spot rather than a fine-dining destination. Clove & Cardamom caters equally to diners ordering à la carte and to office workers and families hunting an affordable midday meal.
Menu, buffet pricing, and à la carte options
The lunch buffet runs Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and costs approximately $12 per person, typically featuring four to five curries (often a paneer dish, a meat or chickpea option, and a seasonal vegetable), basmati rice, naan, and a dessert such as kheer or gulab jamun. The buffet rotates slightly week to week; call ahead if you have a specific dish in mind.
À la carte dinner entrees range from $14 to $22. Signature dishes include chicken tikka masala ($16), lamb rogan josh ($18), saag paneer ($15), and tandoori chicken ($17 for a half bird). Naan and roti run $3 to $4. Appetizers such as samosas, pakora, and tandoori wings cost $7 to $10. Lunch à la carte entrees are priced $1 to $3 lower than dinner. House lassi is $4; mango lassi $5. Most curries arrive in a choice of mild, medium, or hot; ask the server about heat levels if you are unfamiliar with the scale.
How Clove & Cardamom compares to other Baltimore Indian restaurants
Baltimore has several Indian restaurants spread across different neighborhoods. Akbar in Federal Hill offers a similar North Indian menu with similar pricing ($13 to $19 entrees at dinner) but does not operate a lunch buffet and draws a slightly older crowd. Rahi in Fells Point emphasizes Indian street food and smaller plates ($8 to $16) in a bar-forward setting; it suits diners seeking cocktails alongside food rather than a traditional sit-down curry meal. The Silk Road in Canton covers broader South and Southeast Asian ground, which can dilute focus if you want deep North Indian execution. Clove & Cardamom's buffet and straightforward menu make it the fastest option for a quick midday meal under $15, whereas Akbar and Rahi excel if you want to linger over cocktails or explore a narrower range of dishes more slowly.
Who this place suits and who it does not
The lunch buffet is built for office workers, students, and families with younger children who want variety without decision fatigue or a large bill. The dining room is casual and table-turning is normal at lunch, so lingering over coffee is not the vibe. At dinner, the restaurant works well for first-time Indian diners (staff will calibrate heat level) and for regulars ordering a few familiar dishes. It does not suit diners seeking high-end plating, craft cocktails, or an ambitious tasting menu. Vegetarians have solid options across the menu (saag paneer, chana masala, dal makhani, mixed vegetable curries); people with severe spice aversions can eat here but should confirm that mild means genuinely mild, not restaurant-standard mild.
What a first visit involves
Expect to order from a printed menu or browse the buffet steam table if you arrive between 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. on a weekday. Servers are attentive and will ask about your spice preference and any allergies. At lunch, buffet plates are served on compartmentalized trays; refills are standard. At dinner, food arrives in courses: appetizers first, then entrees with rice and bread. Allow 45 minutes to an hour for a sit-down meal. Most diners order one or two entrees and share, along with one or two breads and a side of rice.
Hours, parking, and how to find it
Clove & Cardamom is open Monday to Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Lunch buffet runs weekdays 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. only; call to confirm the current buffet lineup if you are visiting for a specific dish. Street parking is available but can be tight at lunch; there is no dedicated lot. Phone reservations are accepted and recommended for groups of six or more at dinner.
For a neighborhood restaurant in Baltimore serving reliable North Indian food at reasonable prices with a genuine buffet option during the work week, Clove & Cardamom fills a practical gap that appeals to both newcomers and regulars alike.
