An Indian buffet in North Carolina is one of the best ways to taste the country’s food without committing to a single dish. You walk the line, load a plate with whatever smells good, and go back for seconds of the winners. At Sitar Indian Cuisine in Durham, that buffet has been running daily since 1998, and regulars still discover something new each visit. If it’s your first time, the spread can feel overwhelming. Here’s a friendly guide to the popular dishes worth seeking out, and how to build a plate you’ll remember.
What Makes an Indian Buffet in North Carolina Different?
Most buffets serve the same few dishes day after day. An Indian buffet in North Carolina worth its salt rotates its menu and covers two very different cooking traditions: the creamy, tandoor-fired curries of the north and the coconut-and-seafood cooking of the south from the Indian buffet in Durham. Sitar’s buffet changes daily, so weekdays taste different from weekends. North Indian dishes like chicken tikka masala and tandoori chicken share the line with South Indian staples like fish Malabar and cabbage thoren , a pairing you rarely see outside the state. If you’d like to understand the two styles before you fill your plate, our guide to the differences between North Indian and South Indian food explains them simply.
Start with the Tandoor and the Creamy Curries
Butter chicken. The most famous dish on any Indian buffet. Cooks marinate the chicken in yogurt and spices, roast it in a clay tandoor oven, then simmer it in a silky tomato-butter gravy. The dish was popularized in Delhi in the 1950s at the Moti Mahal restaurant, and it has been a buffet favorite ever since. If you see it on the line, it’s the safest first plate you can make.
Tandoori chicken. The fiery red, smoky chicken cooked in the tandoor , the same clay oven that bakes our naan. It arrives with charred edges and a yogurt-marinated interior that stays juicy.
Chicken malai kebab. A milder kebab marinated in cream and cheese, so tender it practically falls apart. A gentle counterpoint if the tandoori is too spicy for you.
Sitar serves these alongside chicken tikka masala, meat ball manchurian, and fragrant basmati rice, so you can mix and match without a second thought. New to Indian cooking? Our beginners’ guide to Indian cuisine walks you through the essentials before you arrive.
Don’t Skip the South Indian Buffet Side
Here’s where an Indian buffet in Durham stands apart: the southern half of the line. South Indian cooking leans on coconut, curry leaves, and coastal seafood, and it’s easy to overlook when the butter chicken is calling.
Fish Malabar. A Kerala specialty , fish simmered in a coconut-based curry with spices from the Malabar coast. Mild, silky, and unlike anything else on the buffet.
Cabbage thoren. A dry, stir-fried Kerala vegetable dish with grated coconut and mustard seeds. Light, crunchy, and a great palate cleanser between rich curries.
Daal saag. Slow-cooked lentils with greens, the comforting bowl that pairs with everything. The south Indian buffet side at Sitar also includes channa masala and mixed vegetables, giving vegetarian diners just as much variety as meat eaters.
Vegetarian and Vegan Options on the Line
Indian buffets are famously vegetarian-friendly, and Sitar’s is no exception. Saag paneer (spinach with soft cheese cubes), channa masala (spiced chickpeas), aloo beans, and mixed vegetables are all daily staples , most of them naturally vegan.
For plant-based diners, Sitar goes further: every other Thursday, the dinner buffet turns fully vegan. Adults eat for $22.99 and kids for $12.99, and the line swaps in the same variety without a drop of dairy or meat. It’s a rare find for an Indian food restaurant in North Carolina, and it’s worth planning a Thursday around.
What Else to Try: Rice, Breads, and the “Most Ordered” Dish
If you only take one tip from this guide, make it this: don’t skip the biryani when it appears. The mixed rice dish , spiced meat or vegetables layered with fragrant basmati , is the most-ordered dish on Indian food delivery services in India, according to Wikipedia, and for good reason. Served with raita, it’s a complete meal on its own.
Warm naan, fresh from the tandoor, belongs on every plate. And if you’re a fan of the lighter, snack-style side of Indian cooking, the street food section of our site is worth a read. We’ve rounded up the good Indian street food in Durham, from chaat to samosas, for when you want something beyond the buffet.
How to Build Your First Buffet Plate
Three quick rules from the regulars:
- Start small: A little of two or three dishes, not a mountain of one. You’ll go back anyway.
- Save room for naan: Tear it, dip it, and use it to scoop.
- Finish with the veg: The light, crunchy dishes like thoren clear your palate before dessert.
Buffet prices at Sitar run from $16.99 for weekday lunch to $22.99 for weekend dinner, with kids’ pricing at 9.99–12.99. The full daily menu , including the day’s rotating dishes , lives on our buffet page, and our most popular Indian food in Durham roundup covers the à la carte side of the menu too.
The Takeaway
A good Indian buffet in North Carolina is the fastest tour of the country’s cuisine. You can take in a single meal , tandoor-smoked chicken, creamy northern gravies, coconut-simmered seafood from the Malabar coast, and vegetable dishes that hold their own beside the meat. Sitar’s line in Durham has served that spread daily since 1998, and because the menu rotates, regulars keep finding new favorites. Start with butter chicken, move through the tandoor and the South Indian side, and don’t leave without biryani and fresh naan. Then go back for seconds of whatever won your plate. The full daily menu and current prices are on our buffet page whenever you want to plan your first visit. Come hungry. The line will be waiting.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I try first at an Indian buffet?
Start with butter chicken. The dish was popularized in Delhi in the 1950s at the Moti Mahal restaurant, and it’s the safest first plate on any line , tandoor-roasted chicken in a silky tomato-butter gravy that goes perfectly with naan. If you want something smokier and spicier, tandoori chicken is the next stop.
What is a south Indian buffet?
It’s the half of the line you’ll rarely find elsewhere in North Carolina. South Indian cooking leans on coconut, curry leaves, and coastal seafood, so the buffet brings dishes like fish Malabar, cabbage thoren, and daal saag alongside the northern curries. At Sitar, both traditions share the same daily line.
Is an Indian buffet vegetarian-friendly?
Very. Sitar’s line always carries saag paneer, channa masala, aloo beans, and mixed vegetables , most of them naturally vegan. Every other Thursday, the dinner buffet goes fully vegan at $22.99 for adults and $12.99 for kids.
How much does the Indian buffet cost?
Buffet prices at Sitar run from $16.99 for weekday lunch to $22.99 for weekend dinner, with kids’ pricing at 9.99–12.99. The vegan dinner buffet on alternate Thursdays is $22.99 for adults and $12.99 for kids.