Vimala’s, right off student-heavy Franklin Street, has a quiet courtyard and very kind staff, and it’s one of the first restaurants we send people to in Chapel Hill. On the menu, you’ll see familiar Indian dishes like vegetable samosas, chicken curry, and saag paneer, and everything here tends to be on the lighter side (in a good way). The counter service/open kitchen make eating here feel very casual, especially since you can grab a beer or glass of wine and camp out on the patio for a little while.