If you drive through India, you will come across colourful food stalls on the highways full of vendors selling aromatic curries that are quick and affordable.
This kind of roadside café is known as a dhaba, often featuring meals created from local ingredients sourced from surrounding communities.
Deepak’s Dhaba brings this culture to Calgary. Ever since opening a stall at the Crossroads Market in 2016, the restaurant has crafted authentic Indian food from local ingredients.
This, along with a commitment to community building, propelled the business to open two additional locations.
“I’m a people person,” says owner and founder Deepak Kalsi. “I started doing the restaurant because I wanted to build a community.
“I look forward to every single day.”
Kalsi is from Firozpur, a city in northern India. He moved to Canada in 2014 and brings deep industry experience to his work.
“My advanced education is in hospitality management and resorts,” said Kalsi. “I was privileged to work with many different kinds of hotels, where every single position was held to optimum levels of standards.”
He also has experience in bartending, night auditing and food and beverage production.
Deepak’s Dhaba started as a single table at the Crossroads Market, where Kalsi sold chai spices. It quickly evolved into a food stall modelled on the dhabas found in India.
Here, customers enjoy a wide range of curries, samosas and rice dishes.
The business has since expanded, with a standalone restaurant opening on Centre Street in 2021 and a stall in Calgary Farmers Market West in 2022.
Kalsi employs 12 people across the three locations while juggling a variety of responsibilities himself.
“From peeling the garlic to showing the face on the camera, I do all,” said Kalsi. “I love taking on challenges.
“I think I chose the right industry.”
Spices are browned and sauce is prepared at the Centre Street location and then shipped immediately to the two other locations in a white van emblazoned with the company logo – a colourful illustration of Kalsi himself, hands held together in welcome.
Most of these ingredients are sourced at a local level.
“My butchers are all local,” Kalsi said. “I buy stuff from Hutterites, and a lot of my stuff is farm-sourced.
“If we don’t support each other, we will be history.”
This collaboration extends beyond internal operations. Deepak’s Dhaba has teamed up with Two Pillars Brewery to create a chai-infused beer, as well as a chai-infused rum with Two Rivers Distillery.
The Dhaba’s presence in the farmers markets remains strong.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen the employees have a big period of rest,” said Bliss & Co employee Eli Copping. “They have a very loyal clientele and are very busy most days.”
Bliss & Co maintains a stall at the Crossroads Market across from Deepak’s Dhaba, making them neighbours.
“It’s like a lot of things at Crossroads,” Copping said. “Small, local business — but it’s also authentic.
“The butter chicken sauce is to die for.”
