GUPPY’s Indian Fried Chicken
By: Nirvika Dhanasri
Honey 65 nuggets & Garlic Duck Fat Fries with Spicy Ranch. 
Owner Raj Bandi plating fresh fries straight out of duck fat. 
Owner Raj Bandi drizzling honey over nuggets. 
Owner Raj Bandi frying up nuggets and fries with a smile 
Treats and chiles on display near the window at GUPPY’S. Dog treats, Kashmiri chili, Guntur chili, Naga chili and the founder’s favorite candy. 
Owner Raj Bandi serving a South Gangster Sando with a smile.
Raj Bandi’s goal is not to remind you of something you already had. Instead, the chef and owner of GUPPYS Indian Fried Chicken wants to bring flavors of India to your taste buds with a southern classic as the vessel. Case in point: topping fried chicken with curry leaves and sprinkling dried fenugreek over crinkle-cut fries cooked in duck fat. Immigrant-owned and auspiciously named to include the letters G and P because his mom said so, GUPPYS was born carrying the makeup of any successful Indian business.
The idea for GUPPYS began brewing when Bandi first tasted fried chicken in India. After eight years in California, Bandi set his sights on Austin, a city he believes is extremely kind and welcoming to emerging entrepreneurs, especially those in food.
The menu reflects the food Bandi loves to eat: bold, spicy and satisfying. Each flavor displays the diversity and varying heat of the subcontinent’s spice cabinet. The “South Gangster” takes you down to India’s Chili Capital of Guntur, the “Kashmiri Kick” testifies for the north’s warm, vibrant spices and the “Street Shezwan” turns the chaos of Mumbai’s flavors into a sensation felt in one bite.
GUPPYS backs up its exciting flavors with award-winning results. Bandi’s Mango Achari hot sauce placed second at the Austin Chronicle’s 2025 Hot Sauce Festival in the restaurant red sauce category. The truck also landed a spot at Austin Monthly’s Best New Restaurants Party two months after opening in September 2024.
Everything at GUPPYS comes out piping hot and made to order, like the nuggets, a finger-licking way to experience the fresh halal meat and robust seasonings. The Honey 65 Sando is popular among those looking for a sweetened spin on Chicken 65, a comfort dish from the motherland, nestled inside a toasted potato bun. Pair a Honey 65 Sando ($12) with the Garlic Duck Fat Fries ($8) and a Mango Lassi ($5), and Bandi believes you’ve got an authentic GUPPYS meal. With upcoming flavors like gongura (sorel leaf) and plans for chicken wings, GUPPYS is just getting started in Austin’s flavor-forward food truck scene.
Customer Details:
Tweedy’s Lot, 2906 Fruth St B Unit 101, Austin, TX 78705 | Phone: (737) 710-0022
Closed Monday, Tuesday – Wednesday, 12 p.m. – 12 a.m. Thursday-Saturday 12 p.m. – 2 a.m., Sunday 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
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