A familiar Las Vegas restaurant address has taken on a decidedly different flavor. Rangoli Social Eats, an all-vegetarian Indian restaurant, is now open at 1395 E. Tropicana Ave. near UNLV, taking over the longtime former Metro Pizza location and transforming it into a colorful new destination for Indian food.

But don’t expect the usual Indian restaurant menu. Rangoli’s kitchen moves across India, bringing North Indian comfort food, South Indian specialties, street food and regional dishes together under one roof.

The menu begins playfully with Pani Puri, Samosa Chaat and Mini Ghee Podi Idli, alongside the striking Beetroot Kola Urandai — crispy beetroot and lentil dumplings inspired by South Indian flavors. Dosas get plenty of attention, from the classic version to Mysore Masala Dosa and Karnataka-style Benne Dosa. North Indian favorites include Paneer Lababdar, Dal Makhani, Malai Kofta and Chole Bhature, while dishes such as Gutti Vankaya, Mushroom Gongura and Madurai Kurma venture further into regional South Indian cooking.

Even the rice menu has a few surprises, including Jackfruit Biryani, Karnataka-style Vegetable Donne Biryani and Coconut Rice. 

And then comes dessert. Instead of stopping with the familiar Indian sweet tray, Rangoli gives tradition a playful twist with creations such as Rasmalai Cheesecake and a beautifully presented Gulab Jamun Brûlée — warm milk-solid dumplings paired with saffron cream and a caramelized brûlée finish.

The drinks follow the same philosophy. Along with Mango Lassi and Filter Coffee are traditional beverages that don’t appear on many Las Vegas menus, including Nannari Sharbat and Panakam, a refreshing South Indian drink made with jaggery, lime, cardamom and ginger. The restaurant itself is bright, contemporary and unmistakably Indian without feeling overly traditional. The open, social dining room reflects the meaning behind its name. Rangoli is the Indian art of bringing individual colors together to create a larger, beautiful pattern. At Rangoli Social Eats, that idea translates naturally to food: different regions, different flavors and different people coming together around one table. The restaurant is entirely vegetarian, giving Las Vegas’ vegetarian community something increasingly rare — a menu where they don’t have to search for the small vegetarian section.

Rangoli is currently operating with a limited menu as it eases into its full concept, meaning what diners see today is only part of what is planned. For a location that spent decades bringing Las Vegas families together over pizza, perhaps the transition isn’t as unlikely as it first appears. The cuisine has completely changed.

The idea of bringing people together around food hasn’t.

Rangoli Social Eats 1395 E. Tropicana Avenue Las Vegas, NV 89119. Open daily, 11 a.m.–9 p.m. https://rangolivegas.com/

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