By: Grace Call
Like so many families, Kishore and Kumari Immareddy moved to Davis to raise their two children. They wanted the bike paths, the schools, and the community. But the Immareddys didn’t come empty handed: they also wanted to share their own culture and cuisine with their new vibrant, tightly-knit neighbors.
Kishore and Kumari have been serving North and South Indian dishes at Preethi Indian Cuisine in downtown Davis for 16 years.
Of course, Preethi offers the popular dishes like butter chicken and chicken tikka masala, but they also pride themselves on introducing Davis to more unique dishes like South Indian chicken curry—one of their daughters’ favorites.
Kishore and Kumari are originally from Vijayawada, a city in Southeast India, but their menu is quite geographically diverse.
“We have a lot of vegetarian, meat, and vegan options,” Kumari told The Dirt. “There’s a lot of vegans in Davis so we have a good variety for that.”
Each order at Preethi is handcrafted, down to the Immareddy family’s homemade spice mixture.
“[The Dishes] are really spicy and very strong with flavor because we make our own fresh blend of masala,” Kumari said.
The COVID-19 pandemic hit small businesses like Preethi hard. They’re still feeling the impacts. Balancing the rising cost of goods with customers’ financial needs is delicate, but Kishore and Kumari credit being able to stay open to their regular diners. The ones who are like family.
The restaurant is run by three generations of Immareddy family members. When you enter, it feels like you are part of their family, as well.
To combat the post-pandemic pressure, Preethi is turning toward community and family once again—transforming their restaurant into a venue for cultural celebrations. With a focus on food, of course.
Diwali, a traditional Hindu festival of lights, is one of their biggest celebrations. Each year, Preethi’s Diwali celebration features more than 45 food items, including desserts and seafood which is normally not on the menu.
Moving forward, the Immareddys say they’ll continue to be a space for events and celebrations.
If you are new to Indian cuisine and are not sure what to get, check out Preethi’s lunch buffet from 11:30a—2:30p, where multiple dishes can be tried. The normal menu is served from 5p—10p.
Preethi Indian Cuisine is located at 715 2nd Street, Davis.
Follow them on Instagram @preethiindiancuisine!
Rather stay in? Order delivery from preethiindian.com.
