The service is just absolutely wonderful. Great people. Every dish I've tried is delicious and the portions are great. The facilities are clean and inviting. I can see that they really care about their customers and the food they make. read more

I'm not sure what happened ; this looked so promising. I had just finished a college visit to Loyola w my daughter and was starving so thought we'd eat here quickly before getting on our way; we were parked next door I ordered through the kiosk (only option) Literally did not see an employee come out from the kitchen for at least 25 mins There were a few other patrons and some Door Dash drivers in the restaurant area (Not crowded) After 45 mins, I'd only seen the owner or cook (or both?) once .. to deliver food to the table next to us I then asked, and he said he'd check on my order Took another 20 mins to get our food .. and my dish was so insanely salty I could not eat it I had paid for bottled waters, and there was none No apology, no explanation for any of this I did not complain about food quality; I really needed to move along at this point Would never go back Others seemed to be enjoying their curry dishes ; maybe my whole experience was a fluke read more

The furnishings are spare but the food is pretty incredible and I'm surprised that this place isn't always packed, given the quality of food and reasonable prices. When I've gotten takeout I've had to wait a few minutes longer. Not sure if it's their policy to completely stuff the containers to overflow as compensation, or if that's just what they normally do, but I always end up with way more food than I can expect to eat in a meal. Thankfully they make for great leftovers read more

We drove a hour and half just to have some koththu at Cafe Nova. It was a very disappointing experience because the koththu tasted nothing like it. It had a large amount of cabbage and tasted very bland. I'm Sri Lankan and I have had koththu at many restaurants in the US and this was by far the worst I've had, quite sadly. I hope some effort will be put in making Sri Lankan food taste as they are suppose to be because the food from our island nation is very flavorful and delicious! read more

Every time I order from Cafe Nova, I make audible sounds as I eat! Haha! So yummy. Perfectly spiced every.single. time. The entire menu is gorgeous & they have something for everyone [if you want spice and intense flavor]. My last order was the Shrimp Masala Curry and Chicken Tikka Masala! Drooool.com/yummy - I'll be back for more soon! read more

Delicious! Ordered to go, got the chili chicken and the kothu roti with chicken curry. Chilli chicken ($6.99) in the picture is in red, the kothu roti ($9.99) is in the other two containers: basically roti paratha (layered flatbread), chopped up and stir fried with veggies, which is then topped - in this case with the curry chicken in the small container. In the restaurant they would have done the topping, they give the curry in a separate container to not make the roti soggy on the way home. More than enough as a meal for two people, as well as flavorful. Very happy with this new addition to Rogers Park, will come back often! read more

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The service was fantastic! Everyone was so friendly and hospitable. The restaurant was very clean. The Kottu was really good! I asked for the chicken curry on the side but they would mix it into the Kottu, if you ask. The chicken curry was well spiced and delicious. The Dhal was honestly the best I've eaten at any Sri Lankan restaurant (much better than the ones I've eaten in NJ and LA). We will be back!! read more

Cafe Nova - Exterior of Cafe Nova - Sri Lankan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This place rules. Everything was fantastic. Very nice people too. The masala fries were perfect.

A curious combination of Sri Lankan and Indian cuisine in the Rogers Park/Edgewater area. There is a decent sized dining area and it's a counter service restaurant. Flavors are inconsistent but serviceable. Some dishes are excellent (Jack Fruit curry, egg plant curry) and others are just ok (Dosa, Dhaal curry, Kothu roti). Lassi is excellent with real cardamom. Worth checking out if you have an Indian/Sri Lankan hankering! read more

I've never had sri lankan food and was excited to try this dish. It was nutty and had a shrimp flavor as well (because there were tiny shrimp in the rice). The kabob of chicken is where the nutty flavor hid. It was a nice, clean atmosphere with window seating to people watch. Prices were reasonable and the portions generous. The naan was buttery and fresh. read more

Wonderful food paired with amazing service. I went with my Sri Lankan wife and she was so excited to see that this place even existed, let alone her excitement when the food was excellent. read more

Food was not so bad, but the atmosphere is even better. It's right placement nd right food, hopefully they will stick around

This place is a must try if you're ever in this neighborhood. I would highly recommend their samosas, Naan, curry dishes and their absolutely amazing Dosa. Prices are reasonable and dining experience is casual. read more

Went with a group of 6 last night and we all loved this place! The food was amazing, the staff was friendly and welcoming and it was BYOB! My favorite was the mustard chicken curry. This is NOT fast food so if choose to come enjoy their delicious curries, bring a bottle of wine and enjoy a relaxing dinner. We will definitely be back...probably for the weekend buffet! read more

Wow! Highly recommend this place!! Ordered a bunch of food to try out and everything was good, reasonably priced and the service was great!! My favorite dishes so far was the fish chilli, kothu paratha, saag paneer, dhaal curry, garlic naan and the paratha I will definitely go here again and again! read more

Amazing! The food just kept getting better the more that came out. Order ahead as it takes a while, but it's absolutely worth the wait. We can't wait to come back. read more

Good food and super friendly staff! Affordable prices too. Highly recommend. I had the chicken tikka dosa (first time - non conventional), and the Gobi Manchurian. Mango lassi was a little too sweet and not creamy enough but food was great. read more

A little treasure of a spot. Absolutely delicious. We ordered a sampler and as I went around the plate trying each sample, it was tastier than the one before, including when I got back to the first sample and went around again (and I may have gone around a couple more times). Today I woke up thinking about the leftovers in the fridge. I need Cafe Nova in my life, and though I don't know you, I'll go so far as to say you need it in your life. read more

The service and food were fantastic! The restaurant was clean and casual. A range of options for vegetarians and spice levels. Highly recommend! read more

What a find! Some of the Dahl I've ever had. Super nice service. Large portions. I will be coming back!!!

This is my first time trying Sri Lankan cuisine and I am very impressed. I ordered the Kothu Roti with lamb, and 2 samosas. Each item was very, very flavorful. What I liked best about the Kothu Roti was that it was full of vegetables, such as cabbage carrots and leeks. What I liked about the samosas was that they were filled with the mixture of peas and potatoes, plus the crust was delicious! I also liked the tamarind and green chutneys that accompanied the order. I will definitely come back to Cafe Nova because the food is outstanding! read more

Wonderful food I hadn't tried before, quiet ambience and very polite service. One thing, the portions are huge, one entree could've easily made lunch for two of us. Dosas are very tasty. read more

My friend (Sri Lankan) and I (Indian) tried this place last night because it's the only (?) Sri Lankan restuarant in Chicago. Re: food. I loved the food so much. We didn't go for any of the more Indian dishes (chicken tikka masala, biryani, etc.) so I can't speak to that. We were there for Sri Lankan food! We ordered the Kottu with the optional chicken curry on the side (a must) and Nasi Goreng. It's the first time I've tried Kottu and I thought it was amazing. My Sri Lankan friend said it's 80% authentic to how Kottu is as street food in Sri Lanka, and I feel like that's a pretty good score since this is Chicago and the restaurant is in a student neighborhood. The Nasi Goreng was good, but I was comparing it to the original version so thought it was very different. I might not get that again if I go next time (I'll go for the chicken or fish curry), but will definitely be ordering the Kottu again. Re: service. The owner is really kind and earnest, especially since the restaurant is so new. They are definitely slow to get the food out - not necessarily a bad thing because it gave me the impression that everyone was being made fresh and to order (not like a lot of Indian restaurants in this same area) but either be prepared for a long wait or order ahead of time. Overall it was a great experience and will be going back - they're filling a gap in the market well! read more

Good food and a good deal on unlimited dosa! I visited during the summer and enjoyed the outdoor seating. The dosa although unlimited comes fresh as you order. Service was also good, did not have to wait for food for a long time! read more

Second time in 2 weeks, fantastic food again. Really love the Dosa. So glad you were on campus! read more

Cafe Nova - Dosa Masala - Sri Lankan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Delicious food. Some in our party had slightly spicy food, and some had mild spice. All of it was delicious. Good prices. Very friendly people. Highly recommend. read more

Absolutely delicious food. Spinach curry and lamb traditional curry were both perfectly spiced. Nice whole toasted spices. Samosas were fresh and hot and the dough was just browned enough- soft and crispy at the same time . Generous portions. The paratha was tender and flaky and not at all too greasy. The one employee we interacted with was kind and accommodating. The blue-toned fluorescent lights were not my favorite so I might do take out next time, but I will definitely be back. I've never written a yelp review before but I'm doing it this time because I want this place to last! read more

I've had the food twice now, once via delivery and once at the restaurant. The decor is odd but the food is GREAT. Everything is flavorful and delicious--I'm not familiar with Sri Lankan cuisine but everything I've had (gobi Manchurian/cauli madness, kothu paratha, naan, mango lassi, samosas, dhal curry, fries) seems similar to Indian food but a little sweeter. I'm hoping this place stays around, it's going into my regular rotation! read more

We had the chicken mustard curry, kothu paratha, and chicken tikka dosa. Everything was so good. I've been back 3 times already read more

Cafe Nova - Chicken tikka dosa - Sri Lankan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food is incredible. We came in a large group and the staff was incredibly nice and was extremely hospitable. The food is absolutely amazing and the atmosphere is really nice. 10/10 would recommend to anyone. Mmmmmmmm read more

Great food. We came in with 10 people and they were welcoming and helped with any questions. Even though we ordered at a counter, their service remained genuine throughout our meal and they even gave us a free desert and water bottles. Truly nice people and you can tell by their food that they care about their customers. read more

Cafe Nova - Dining room - Sri Lankan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

By far the tastiest food in the neighborhood. Usually get the Kothu Paratha, but the curries are also delicious. Very nice people, and extremely reasonable prices. I cannot recommend highly enough. read more

Excellent new restaurant for South Asian food. As a vegan I was delighted to be able to order sag (spinach) without cheese. The masla dosa was wonderful, large, crispy and lots of filling of potatoes and onions. I also had the dhal curry which was very good. Fresh fluffy rice and chapatis too. My son, this was his second visit, enjoyed the fish curry. Can't wait to catch the Sunday, all you can eat dosa buffet. read more

Wow, I can't believe I missed this place for so long. Absolutely incredible Sri Lankan/Indian food and flavors, and the staff are so friendly! We tried the samosa, kothu roti and chicken tikka masala. Very pleasant atmosphere in a clean space. I'll certainly be back soon read more

So glad Chicago is getting a spot where you can try Sri Lankan flavors! This place is a must visit. You really can't go wrong with anything you order, but if you're unsure what to try, they will gladly give you some recommendations. Definitely try the curries. We went to their Rice N'Curry All you can eat Lunch and really hope they do more of those events. read more

Cafe Nova has only been open for a month. Fifteen of us from a meetup group dined there last evening. I ordered several things and everything was delicious. Had the three curry combination- the chicken tiki Marsala was particularly wonderful as was the shrimp curry. The garlic naan was also great- lots of garlic. The owner is a charming young man and did everything possible to please us. read more

The decor is bonkers and there's random trash everywhere but do not let that put you off! The surroundings might need work but the food here is exceptional. We over-ordered, to try as much as possible, and were so glad we did. My standout favorites were the Gobi Manchurian (colorful, delicately flavored, balanced sweet and spicy) and the Chicken Tikka Masala (surprisingly sweet, perfectly textured chicken). The garlic naan and paratha are essential accompaniments! read more

The food here is absolutely delicious. Went with a group of 4, and we sampled the vegetable samosas, the cauliflower, mustard curry chicken, kathu roti, nasi goreng, potato masala dosa, and the garlic naan. Really friendly service, and accommodating to give us extra spice on the side since we had some people who liked different spice levels. read more

Our group of four had a great dinner here, enjoying several different veg curries, as well as chicken tikka masala and a shrimp curry. All of the food was fresh and flavorful, the portions are generous and the prices are reasonable. read more

We tried this place when it first opened and thought it was promising. We tried it again and found that they had perhaps "Americanized" some of their dishes, which was very disappointing because they were bland. Tonight is the last night we'll order here until they figure things out. My husband went to pick up our order when we were told to expect it. An entire HOUR later, he returned. I'm pleased that the dishes seem to have returned to their original, tastier versions. But the folks running this place need to figure out their stuff - timing, orders, you know, the shit they need to be good at to run a successful restaurant - before I'll go back. It's too bad, because the food is good ... when you eventually get it. read more