A new Indian food-to-go concept from award-winning chef Stephen Gomes is set to open in the Vale of Glamorgan this autumn.
Avani will open on Cardiff Road in Dinas Powys at the end of October or beginning of November, combining an Indian deli, hot evening takeaway and artisan food shop under one roof.
The new venture comes from Gomes and South Wales hospitality entrepreneur Shakil Syed, with the pair hoping to offer restaurant-quality Indian food without the restaurant price tag.
Gomes is already well known on the South Wales food scene. The chef has appeared on BBC’s Great British Menu, won AA Rosettes and has previously been named Indian Chef of the Year.
For Avani, the focus will be on taking some of the techniques and flavours normally associated with high-end Indian restaurants and turning them into something people can pick up for lunch or on the way home from work.
And with its location on the busy Cardiff Road connecting Dinas Powys with Cardiff, Penarth, Sully and Barry, it’s clearly aimed at commuters as much as local residents.
Indian food from lunchtime until late
Avani will change throughout the day, starting with a deli-style lunch offering from 12pm.
The counter will be filled with freshly prepared artisan sandwiches, spice-infused deli creations, loaded wraps and colourful salad boxes.
Everything will be made fresh each day, with the lunch selection available until it sells out.
Then, from 4pm until 10pm, attention will switch to the evening takeaway.
Rather than simply recreating a traditional curry house menu, Gomes plans to offer a mixture of reimagined British Indian favourites and regional Indian dishes, using the same approach to spices and ingredients found in his restaurant cooking.
The idea is to create something people can quickly collect on the way home without paying premium restaurant prices.
There’s also an Indian food shop
Alongside the freshly prepared food, Avani will have its own retail section open from 12pm until 10pm.
Customers will be able to pick up small-batch chutneys, Avani’s own spice blends and artisan sauces.
There will also be a range of chilled and frozen heat-and-eat meals, designed for people who want the same flavours at home without having to order a takeaway.
One of the more interesting parts of the concept is how all three sides of Avani will work together.
The team is planning a circular kitchen designed to dramatically reduce food waste. Ingredients prepared for the daytime deli can be used within evening dishes, while other surplus ingredients can be transformed into chutneys, sauces or frozen meals.
According to the team, reducing waste and keeping operating costs down will allow them to keep prices more accessible.
Chef Stephen Gomes said: “Avani is turning elite flavour chemistry into a weapon against food waste, and that efficiency lets us keep our prices incredibly accessible.
“We are packing intense culinary talent into an affordable, premium food-to-go format here in Wales. We want to prove that luxury convenience and world-class spice design don’t require a massive restaurant bill.”
The opening will also create new jobs in the Vale, with the business looking to employ up to eight people locally.
Before officially opening to the public, Avani is planning an invitation-only ‘Village First’ preview night, giving Dinas Powys residents, local businesses and regional food critics an early look at the new concept.
Avani is expected to open on Cardiff Road, Dinas Powys, in late October or early November 2026.
