The beloved Oak Lawn vegetarian restaurant makes its return.
Deepak Chalise serves a plate of hummus on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. He is the new owner and chef of Cosmic Cafe. Chalise was the restaurant's main chef for 20 years. "It's like coming back home," he said.
for nearly five years, Cosmic Cafe is back with the same menu and the same dishes, as the head chef from those years is now the new owner. Deepak Chalise and his wife, Sunita Chalise, are the new owners and the dynamic duo in the kitchen, cooking the same dishes that captivated thousands of diners for years — diners who are now returning, filled with excitement, to try the food. “I almost have tears in my eyes,” said Holly Benner, who used to live in Oak Lawn and drove from Richardson to visit the restaurant. “I’ve tried to replicate some of this food without any success.”Deepak Chalise doesn’t want to change the concept or the food, so he will continue to offer a vegetarian menu featuring mainly homestyle flavors from India.Deepak Chalise was born in Nepal and arrived in Dallas at age 21. When asked where he’s from, he proudly says Dallas, since that’s where he grew up. He started working at Cosmic Cafe in 1997 and served as the head chef for 20 years, though sometimes intermittently, as he was attending college. After the restaurant closed in October 2021, Deepak continued working and studying until he completed his master’s degree. And after some time saving and securing a loan to buy the business, he was able to get it up and running again.The place remains the eclectic space it always was, with all the decor and objects brought from India and other Asian countries. The second floor will continue to serve as a meditation or yoga space, as well as a venue for larger groups.Cosmic Cafe, a vegetarian restaurant with Indian flavors in Oak Lawn, closed its doors in 2021. Now it's reopening, offering the same menu as before.The menu is the same as before, including the Hummus Palette and Aloo Tikki . Some favorites are Buddha’s Delight and the Cosmic Stir . But the restaurant also serves spinach enchiladas, no-meat burgers and Pizza Mystica, with beans, dried tomatoes, some vegetables and cheese on naan. “Many of these recipes are from my mom; she used to cook like this,” Deepak said. “We serve healthy food with fresh vegetables every day, and although we’re already thinking about introducing eggs, we haven’t decided yet.”There are also recipes from Praveen Sachdev, the former owner, who closed the restaurant to retire to Colombia and has now come back for a few days to help get the business up and running again. Although it’s been in a soft opening for a few days, Cosmic Cafe is already attracting dozens of people who come to take a seat starting at 11 a.m. when the place opens. Everyone arrives with a smile, happy to know that this beloved spot in the Oak Lawn neighborhood is open for business again. “This is not a business; I’m not doing business,” Deepak said. “I am building community; I work for it. I see the guests as my own personal guests and I welcome them all.” Cosmic Cafe remains the eclectic space it always was, with all the decor and objects brought from India and other Asian countries.The official reopening of Cosmic Cafe will be on April 1, with hours from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and from 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Deepak Chalise said they will soon be offering breakfast as well.Imelda García is a journalist covering Hispanic food and Latino culture trends. She previously worked as a reporter for Al Día, the Spanish-language publication of The DMN. Before working at The DMN, she developed most of her career in national outlets in México.New Texas Rangers City Connect jerseys appear to leak online. Here's what we know
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