Bharat Kumar takes a seat in a booth at Aha Biryanis and his smile lights up the room as he talks about his restaurant, his food, his passion and his family. Even with the sun beaming through the windows, it’s Kumar’s pride that shines the brightest when he talks about “a dream come true.”

Kumar and business partner Nikhil Reddy are very proud owners of Aha Biryanis, a casual eatery specializing in North and South Indian comfort food, including vegetarian fare, made fresh every day with a focus on consistency and authenticity. Located on busy Ford Road, Kumar said Aha Biryanis offers a unique flavor to the crowded Canton restaurant menu.

“One of our partner's family has been in the restaurant and food business for generations back in India and he wanted to bring that flavor here and we shared that dream,” Kumar said. “We wanted to bring those flavors that you can’t get anywhere else to Canton, and that’s what we’ve done. It’s been a learning curve opening a business but we focus on the food and the quality of the food.”

Opened in November 2023, Kumar and Reddy are building something fresh and unique to the area with Aha Biryanis. And they pride in curating a culinary journey that celebrates the heart of Indian flavors.

“We have had customers with us since the day we opened so we want to keep changing things up and offering new items so they don’t get bored with the menu,” Kumar said. “We keep things fresh by offering weekend specials that change each week. We are always experimenting and trying new things. It’s the quality and taste and focus on food that keeps driving us.”

Among the popular dishes is Biryani, which you can order in Mutton, Chicken Fried and Veggie styles.

“Biryani is our local favorite dish,” Kumar said. “It’s rice and protein cooked together on a slow flame. It’s like the Indian version of barbecue. It’s a slow process and is cooked together.”

At its heart, Aha Biryanis believes in “celebrating the art of biryani – layering fragrant basmati rice with meat, vegetables and aromatics to create dishes that are both comforting and extraordinary.”

The menu also includes samosas, appetizers, curries, vegetarian and vegan options, and other dishes that highlight regional Indian flavors. The food not only includes the freshest ingredients but also is free from food color, sweeteners and artificial tasting salt (MSG).

A big part of Aha Biryanis is the catering side of the business. They offer an extended menu for catering and specialize in providing delicious food for any occasion, including dinner parties, weddings and corporate events.

Reddy said business has been good and getting better as more people discover them and experience their menu.

“Our goal is to offer something that appeals not just to seasoned Indian food lovers but to families, couples and newcomers too,” Reddy said. “Our restaurant is committed to authentic, high-quality ingredients.”

The team behind Aha Biryanis is passionate about embedding themselves in the local community. Whether through menu innovation, or creating a space where people feel welcome to try something new, their goal is to make every guest say “Aha!” (wow) after their experience.

“We love Canton,” Kumar said. “We like all the traffic on Ford Road and really like this spot. The business community has been very supportive and helpful and we both (the two owners) live in Canton, so we can be here whenever we are needed here. It’s been a very positive experience.”

Aha Biryanis is located at 44993 Ford Road. For more information visit www.ahabiryanis.com.