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    Cafe Lotus

    4.2 (241 reviews)
    ModerateIndian
    Closed 12:00 pm - 9:00 PM

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    CAFE LOTUS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Dogs allowed
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Cafe Lotus

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    Saag Paneer, Garlic Naan GF, basmati rice, kombucha, and coconut chai
    Wendy A.

    A must see. I always feel so welcome here. The staff is very attentive and cordial. They also seem to always have a busy takeout following. Sitting next to the window, I enjoyed the neighborhood's activity of people walking or driving by. It's exciting to see them preparing your food as you walk by on the way to the very clean and well-stocked restroom. Their Saag Paneer is gluten-free; made fresh with fresh, pesticide-free spinach and organic paneer. The white Basmati rice is so aromatic and fluffy. The cumin seeds are a great touch. The Garlic Naan is made with organic garlic and fresh cilantro. It can be made gluten free. It was warm and crispy. This batch was crispy, and other batches I've had have been thicker and fluffy. Both versions are wonderful. Today, I chose the local Marin Kombucha Ginger Lemongrass, which is delicately effervescent and mild. They are so accommodating--they made me made their wonderful chai, but with coconut milk. You can sweeten it yourself, if desired, with Sugar in the Raw. There's even a covered patio in the back of the restaurant with a lovely breeze. $35 for all of the above, with enough for a dinner at home tomorrow.

    Garlic Naan
    Bindu A.

    Lovely ambiance! So happy to find this place on a hot day after hike. Great food. Salmon was great, I would have preferred a less sweet curry for both tikka masalas. Amazing elaichi chai too!

    Shrimp
    Kristi D.

    Comfort food, Cozy vibes, delicious green tea and spicy shrimp. The service was attentive and friendly. They should consider playing a little background music to add to the ambiance. I highly recommend.

    Leah S.

    Our first visit here was on an absolutely scorching day, on our way home from a super long hike. You might think "spicy and hot curry on a hot day, that sounds crazy!" You'd be right! Nevertheless, that's what we picked and I'm so glad we did. This place is a gem! On our first visit, we ordered the rose lemonade ($5.95) each to drink, which was expensive but delicious and super refreshing. To eat, he ordered the saag paneer lunch ($8.95), and I ordered the vegetarian korma lunch special ($8.95), which came with naan and rice. My korma was the perfect marriage of sweet golden raisins, crunchy cashews, creamy sauce, and a powerful kick of spices. Amazing! The saag was creamy, spicy and substantial, with delicious paneer cubes. The rice was fluffy, and the naan was both fluffy and crunchy-the perfect mix. Our meals were delicious, extremely flavorful, and made with high quality ingredients. We really enjoyed every bite and said "we've gotta come back here!" Fast forward to another scorching day, way over 90 degrees outside and we decide to come out here for Indian food again. We clearly didn't learn last time about hot food and hot days. I ordered the Vegetarian Thali ($15.95) and he ordered the Seekh Kabab lunch special ($12.95). I ordered a cup of chai ($3.95, comes with one refill) to drink because why not when it's 100 outside? I was absolutely delighted when my meal arrived. It had a small bowl of korma, a lentil dish, some saag and rice, alongside some naan. It was perfect for a person like me that wants to try a little of everything and they were all delicious. Hubby loved his kabab dish, which also came with rice, naan and lentils, and we both loved the chai even though it was hot. Service is fast but not super friendly, parking is super inconvenient in the middle of the street area, but it's so worth it to eat this delicious food. Big downside is the restaurant doesn't seem to be air conditioned, and they have all the doors open so it's full of flies, which is obnoxious. Still, the food here is so delicious, I will absolutely be returning!

    One of the best indian food in town and specially momo was so delicious

    One of the best Indian food restaurant specially Momo was so delicious no oily,perfect spicy and healthy food.

    Lunch special.
    Barbara R.

    The veg lunch curry at Cafe Lotus was exceptional, and the servers were warm and accommodating. Each Lunch Combo Special comes with one curry but because they graciously agreed to split the two curries when plating, we were each presented with a beautiful 2-curry thali. They also substituted garlic naan, and the meal was topped off with really good self-serve, unlimited chai. Big shout out for Cafe Lotus' lunch specials, which for some reason are not listed on the website.

    Vegetable Samosas
    Rhona G.

    Picked up take out after a long hike and was able to order 30 min before their closing. I ordered samosas, vegetable biryani, and aloo gobi. The samosas were excellent including great potato and veggies filling plus added tastiness when dipped In the sauces. The biryani was flavorful. I liked the cashews on top for crunch but not the grape/raisin fruit in my rice. The aloo gobi was also tasty. They made sure I had my complete order to go. The portion size was perfect for leftovers to enjoy for a couple days.

    Yes! Sculpin IPA
    Rob B.

    Aloha, traveling with my vegan friends checked on Yelp where to eat. Thank you Yelpers for guiding us to Cafe Lotus. Wow, what a great find. Nice cold beers in fridge (yes Sculpin. IPA) to compliment our spicy Indian dishes. They accommodated all veggie dishes. Awesome Saag with mushrooms (not on menu) as well as chickpeas in our coconut curries. So yummy. Will definitely e back again. Enjoy!

    a cup of coffee and a spoon on a table
    Vanessa A.

    I'm a huge fan of Indian food and can honestly get super picky about where we go out to get Indian food. I was trying to eat something light so I ended up choosing the eggplant curry and the Tandoor chicken. I couldn't leave without the chai tea which was absolutely delicious! Usually I write more but I've said what I said and recommend Cafe Lotus.

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    9 years ago

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    15 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Very kind staff and lovely new renovation! May want to soften up the lighting, but that's my biggest critique!

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    13 years ago

    Food was good here. They made it mild for our kids which was nice, too. Just a little pricey for the amount of food, otherwise 4 stars.

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    11 years ago

    Best Indian food I have ever had. Don't let this little place fool you. naan and special paratha was very nice. love this paratha so nice.

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    10 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    9 years ago

    They are a great place to go for dinner especially in the winter. The chai tea is super good and the curries are delicious.

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    12 years ago

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    13 years ago

    Excellent Indian food.If you get there at lunch time try the chicken tikka wrap, it's awesome!

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    10 years ago

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    12 years ago

    Cafe Lotus is reliably delicious! The food tastes clean and flavorful!! The Garlic Pesto Naan is to die for!!

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    11 years ago

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    10 years ago

    Very nice people, good food, but only a few vegan with protein options which surprised me given that it's categorized as vegan on Yelp.

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    11 years ago

    Awesome I never eat like this Indian food, great service, amazing atmosphere, first time coming not my last time

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    10 years ago

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    Page 5 of 7

    Ask the Community - Cafe Lotus

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    Lotus Cuisine of India

    Lotus Cuisine of India

    4.3
    (992 reviews)
    3.6 mi
    $$

    This is our favorite Indian buffet! We usually drive all the way to San Rafael just for the buffet,…read morethen head back to Santa Rosa. The buffet menu seems to change, and I usually look forward to their saag paneer, but unfortunately they didn't have it today. We also ordered a garlic naan, which is not included in the buffet and costs extra, but it's definitely worth it. The ambiance is nice, with background music that's not too loud just the right volume. The dining area is clean, and the buffet is well maintained with fresh food being replenished regularly. The service was okay, but not bad either. One thing I really appreciated was how quickly they cleared our empty plates. A huge bonus is the attached Indian market. I always enjoy browsing after our meal, and this time I'm definitely taking some paneer home so I can satisfy my paneer cravings later! Overall, I definitely recommend this place if you're looking for a delicious Indian buffet.

    The most expensive Indian food buffet in Marin but with the least amount of items. Every other…read moreIndian buffet comes with your choice of naan (garlic, onion, etc) and has chai tea readily available. Here, everything u have to order and & pay extra. Lotus is $22 and everywhere else is under $20. The items were limited, other places have more items including dessert options. The plain naan at the buffet was hard, rice was also hard, the fruit was super sour and not fresh at all. The butter chicken and veggie pakora were very good and the only items I enjoyed.

    Photos
    Step inside Lotus Cuisine of India--where art, ritual, and cuisine come together beyond the table.
    Step inside Lotus Cuisine of India--where art, ritual, and cuisine come together beyond the table.
    Rich, slow-cooked, and loaded with spice. Our curry is what keeps guests coming back to Lotus Cuisine of India.
    Rich, slow-cooked, and loaded with spice. Our curry is what keeps guests coming back to Lotus Cuisine of India.
    Served hot in copper pots: rich curries, fragrant peas pulao, and fresh naan. Dinner is served.

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    Served hot in copper pots: rich curries, fragrant peas pulao, and fresh naan. Dinner is served.
    Avatar's Restaurant

    Avatar's Restaurant

    4.0
    (443 reviews)
    6.0 mi
    $

    Cute hole in the wall comfort food joint in Mill Valley, perfect for a spot after a hike in the…read morenearby trails. Food is served in steel plates just like India. The menu is limited - but offers a lot with the base combination of rice and chickpea curry. Highly recommended spot for vegetarians, and non vegetarians can add meats on the base rice and chickpea rice plate or burrito. Cash only, so be prepared to carry approx $20-25/pp.

    I tried something different, mustard green with tofu (one piece-maybe that's normal for adding…read morechicken?) and with curried chicken from my usual but wish I stuck to my jerk chicken although I still need to try the pumpkin curry again. All the little side flavors on the plate are delicious- the chutney and yogurt sauce and the bonus- I was not cooking. One weird pice of chicken- can't bite through, my husband had the same-that is one thing we really get bummed about when ordering out, but with papadums and the 2 plates of food to go was $41. The service was fast. Ambience is small inside cozy and chill if u are outside. There is a stern vibe always- that can't totally relax into too friendly. I feel like the vibe in Sausalito is more friendly but it has been a while and that is a restaurant space. I decided to try this place reading everyone's recent comments, slashing their ratings. I appreciate this place for its diverse offering in this town but in this economy- it does feel a bit pricey for a to go plate. It was nice to have something different, so I still appreciate this place.

    Photos
    Outdoor seating
    Outdoor seating
    Enchiladas stuffed with taro
    Enchiladas stuffed with taro
    Avatar's Restaurant

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    Cafe Lotus - indpak - Updated July 2026

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