Imagine you’re halfway done with a snowy, winter hike on the slopes of Mt. Rainier. You’re hungry and tired and cold, but instead of pulling out a half-frozen protein bar, you get to take a minute and pull a still-warm samosa out of your bag. The crispy outside, and the hearty filling of potatoes, peas, and spices instantly warm you from the inside out. The warmth and care put into the small snack is all you need to keep your motivation and spirits high.   

This was the vision that inspired Leena and Vikas Tomar to start their business, Seattle Samosa. Seattle Samosa started small, sparking from the idea of making high-quality, authentic samosas at home. After seeing the meager options of frozen, inauthentic samosas available in stores, Vikas and Leena knew that homemade was the only way.   

As their business has grown, they have expanded from the original vision of authentic flavors to also include some fun, experimental flavors on their menu. Alongside the traditional Punjabi flavor (which is made up of potatoes, peas, and spices) you can also find Chocolate & Strawberry flavored samosas in honor of Valentine’s Day, Butter Chicken & Butter Paneer samosas, inspired by the popular dish that is a staple at many Indian restaurants, and more.  

Many of the new flavors that they’ve added to the menu are inspired by different regions of India, South Asia, and other parts of the world. Their Jodhpur Onion samosa was inspired by the city of Jodhpur, in Western India. The city is known for onion-filling-based snacks, so team Seattle Samosa experimented with ways to incorporate the filling into their samosas.   

Every business decision they make, from where to source their ingredients, to what flavors to add to the menu are made with their customers in mind. They want to bring smiles to their customers' faces, so they work hard to create a high-quality samosa every single time. They prioritize ingredients that are as fresh as possible, as organic as possible, and as local as possible.  

The major ingredients in their samosas, like the potatoes for their Punjabi samosas and the paneer for their Spinach Paneer and Paneer Masalas flavors are sourced from local farmers. The spices that they need to keep the flavors authentic are imported, to maintain authenticity.   

This skill of striking a balance between tradition and innovation is what makes Seattle Samosa so special. They have found a way to bring the comfort of home to people who grew up eating authentic samosas, and bring the warmth and excitement of samosas to people who may have never had one before.   

You can try their samosas for yourself at the University District Farmers Market, or at other locations, listed on their website. As Leena says, “Just try it, You’ll be back for more.”