Lehja sits in the Ridge neighborhood's Short Pump area, dreamed up by Virginia restaurateur Ashok K. Arora as a modern spin on Indian cooking. Managing Partner Sandeep "Sunny" Baweja oversees the day-to-day, with a decor scheme drawing on 1970s Southern California style rather than the traditional look of most Indian restaurants in the region.
The restaurant is split into four distinct dining areas. A wine cellar holds the collection in a humidity-controlled space on the floor of the restaurant, while a separate bar and lounge handles cocktails. Outside, a California-style patio built around a fire pit adds a third kind of room to the mix.
Reviewers frequently point to the naan, chaat, chicken tikka, and mango-based preparations, along with scallops as a standout among the entrees.
Lehja has been named among Richmond Magazine's best in 2025, and a chef at the restaurant was named a James Beard Foundation Best Chef semifinalist in both 2019 and 2020.
The restaurant is split into four distinct dining areas. A wine cellar holds the collection in a humidity-controlled space on the floor of the restaurant, while a separate bar and lounge handles cocktails. Outside, a California-style patio built around a fire pit adds a third kind of room to the mix.
Reviewers frequently point to the naan, chaat, chicken tikka, and mango-based preparations, along with scallops as a standout among the entrees.
Lehja has been named among Richmond Magazine's best in 2025, and a chef at the restaurant was named a James Beard Foundation Best Chef semifinalist in both 2019 and 2020.