Best fast casual south indian vegetarian restaurant in the Bay area imo super consistent and…read moreauthentic! The paper roast and paratha does not miss, really love the kesari and filter coffee as well. Really good spot for lunch as it is way less crowded than the usual dinner rush

Always a delight! Giant, crisp dosas, flavorful chutneys, great prices! I never leave disappointed…read more My current favorite dosa is the tomato dosa, but love the podi dosa when I want something a little spicy. Idly vada combo is another favorite, as is the channa batura. All pair great with a lassi!

My second time here. We came around 5.30 and ordered a mega tiffin. I came with two kids ages 9 and…read more3. At first I thought that tiffin will be enough for us but then my kids quickly gobbled the idli and mini dosa and wanted more. So I ordered another plate of only idlis( has 3 big soft fluffy ones) and also took advantage of the happy hour to order a masala dosa for me. I am not the kind of mom who eats kids leftovers all the time. So I wanted my own dosa. For drinks, I did a medium strong filter coffee ( they make it to your customization and I was surprised to see they even had jaggery). My 9 year old took a mango lassi. Food was incredibly satisfying. Servers are very attentive and they came three times to our table offering more chutney and sambhar. We already had enough but if you like more sambhar and chutney with your food, this is heaven. One server even came with ghee for my little ones for idlis. I was so grateful. He was genuinely sweet to my kid. Felt a connection than just a business! Ambiance is classy and relaxed at the same time. Nobody gave me the side eye when my three year old was a little noisy. Have a corner for takeout containers for leftover food, very generous. I would highly recommend this place for its delicious food, relaxed atmosphere and friendly service. Prices are reasonable. They have happy hour daily from 3-6 pm and when we went at 5.30, the restaurant was more than 70% full on a Thursday. Eat early and save money too. We really had a very good time! PS- when you pay the bill ( you have to order and pay the bill before you eat at a room next to the dining area), do enter your phone number at the end and enroll in the loyalty program. I already redeemed an award today!

I really wish I tried this sooner. Its so so good. I love meat and so does my husband, so we always…read moreavoided eating at vegetarian restaurants. This is an exception for me. The dosa is crisp and the fermented flavor is delicate. The filtered coffee is popular so I had to try it, and I love it. I'm not sure everyone would like it though. It's a strong coffee, slightly bitter even with sugar. The milk is poured with a long pull to create foam. The foam is light, not creamy or velvety like a latte. It's a very small portion in a small cup, and it's HOT, very HOT. I like it but I can see how other people might not. I was confused the first time I went in to eat because seating and ordering is not typical. When you first walk in, you go to the host and they'll give you a number then you walk to the room to your left to order and pay. You're given a chip if you order a coffee or tea and move over to the right. You give your chip to the person preparing the drinks for you. They ask your preference and hand over the very HOT drink. Then you sit at the table with your number on it. Your food is brought over fairly quickly. They bring extra sambar and chutney if needed, no extra charge. The dosa comes filled with turmeric spiced potato and on the side chutney (not my fave) and sambar which is so so good. You break a little dosa and dip and or scoop some of the sambar/ chutney. It's a casual setting and it gets pretty busy, especially on weekends. There are a ton of these types of restaurants and I'm pretty certain I've found the best one here!

Authentic North Indian food, served nice and hot. They got the flavors right and the established is…read morepleasant and nice. Will come back for more!

Absolutely the best Indian food I have ever had, hands down. The Bengan Bhartha is amazing! Naan is…read moreso fresh. Mint chutney is delicious. Order ahead - it takes time!

This place is a hidden gem! We loved everything we ordered. The jackfruit cutlets were crunchy with…read morea soft filling which melted in the mouth. The paneer lababdar was the best we've eaten in a while. Overall the food had a very Indian dhaba vibe. Even the garlic naan was well made - soft in the middle and crunchy on the edges. Must try! Will come back for sure. The gentleman serving our table was also super sweet!

The best Indian food I've ever had. The vegetarian dishes were so flavorful I forgot they were…read moremeat-free--every bite was incredible. The space is clean and spacious, perfect for a business lunch, and the owner's personal attention to service made the whole experience stand out.

The BEST onion pakora in the bays area - hands down! It's a cloud kitchen place - just come in and…read morepick up your order. I have got it for 2 parties and it's a hit! My only request would be to have them provide a chutney / sauce with it. The pakoras are gone before I can photograph them

Flavors: 10/10 Portions: 10/10…read moreCustomer experience 10/10 Drive from Hayward to Sunnyvale to pick this up: totally worth it. Tonight I was craving a home style chicken and rice dish similar to what my mom makes . Now I know it's not possible to get that from a restaurant, but the closest to that is the Donne biryani preparation that a few places offer in the Bay Area. So I looked up Yelp and found this spot. The fact that it already had 4.9 stars was reassuring but I didn't put too many expectations on it. But what I did was call the place and make sure they'd be open by the time I made that 28 mile drive. I spoke to a person named Sagar who took my order and told me to take my time getting there and drive carefully! Husband and I got there around 9:30pm and it's a cloud kitchen setup with kitchens in the back and a point of sale kiosk and counter at the front. As instructed I called Sagar and he came up to the counter with my food, and also let me know he had added a free dessert since I drove all the way from Hayward . Husband and I got home and immediately dug in and what can I say, the flavors totally took me back to my mom's kitchen. The Donne biryani was bursting with taste, and what made it superb was that the flavors were in balance, with neither the spices nor the aromatics being overpowering in any way. The other dish, the pepper chicken was epic by itself, and should have been enjoyed with a bread of some sort, because the biryani didn't need any accompaniment. As if this meal wasn't divine enough the cherry on top was the pineapple kesari dessert that Sagar kindly added to our takeout bag. Thanks Nalapaka, for a taste of home, away from home !

If you are looking for that elusive combination of home-cooked taste and simple, soul-warming food,…read morethis place takes the cake. It has officially become our family's go-to dinner spot, and for good reason--they truly never miss a beat. The Standout Dishes The menu is a celebration of authentic flavors. Some of our absolute favorites include: Millet Dosa: Perfectly crisp and a great healthy alternative. Mini Idli Podi: Bite-sized bursts of flavor with the perfect spice blend. Pesarattu: Authentically prepared and incredibly satisfying. The Pro Tip: The real star of the show is the ginger chutney served with the Dosae. It is the perfect zesty accompaniment that ties the whole meal together. Service & Atmosphere Beyond the food, the service is exceptionally efficient. Even during busy dinner rushes, the staff is attentive and ensures that nothing is overlooked. It's rare to find a place that feels this consistent and welcoming. Highly recommended for anyone craving a nutritious, delicious, and soulful South Indian meal!

Weekday lunch in this neighbourhood- as name suggests this restaurant has delectable menu items…read morecovering 4 southern states of India- Karnataka, Andhra/telangana, tamilnadu & Kerala. Quickly seated in this no fancy, no frills with fast service. Being on a thali quest - this was more than enough for me and no need for any extra servings..ordered..while eating noticed they had ragi mudde (made of ragi millet flour- steamed and interesting method of eating) along with bassaru (soupy dal/ green soup) and with a dab of ghee. I had not had this item in over couple decades, ordered for takeout for later evening meal. However, best to have it hot and fresh when served.‍ All items were adequate, tasty and spice level is slightly on higher side..in case if you prefer mild. The menu itself is exhaustive and will have to come try exploring their dosa offerings next visit. Plenty of parking in this little strip of variety of stores including the pool / billiards lounge next door.

Solid curries and naan! Really nice service and even better dishes! I think they also do buffets,…read morebut we just came for dinner. There are many tables for parties of 4 and a bar area for the buffet. The mango chicken tikka was a little more on the sweet side, but we really enjoyed the lamb skewers and paneer saag. Their naan was also came out fresh and hot.

Found this total hole-in-the-wall on UberEats and thought, "okay, let's roll the dice." Ended up…read morehitting the jackpot. The samosas? Crispy perfection with the exact right potato-pea ratio. The butter chicken was smoky, not cloyingly sweet like everyone else makes it -- the sauce didn't overpower the chicken, it actually let it shine (imagine that). Then came the kheema naan -- mind blown. Soft, flavorful, stuffed like they actually care. The malai kofta was creamy, smooth, and made me question every other version I've had before. If you're hunting for real, comforting Indian food that doesn't taste mass-produced, Delhi Dhaba is the place for you - it's like a warm hug from your punjabi aunty :-) Run. Don't walk

Some of the best restaurant discoveries happen by complete accident…read more We were actually on our way to AnnachiKarahi when gps informed us it had moved and been replaced by Charminar. While my husband drove, I quickly pulled up the Yelp page. The menu immediately caught my attention, but I'll admit I was hesitant. There were only a handful of reviews, and the ratings didn't quite match the ambition of the menu. Still, Hyderabadi cuisine is one of India's great culinary traditions, and it's surprisingly underrepresented in the Bay Area. Curiosity won. I'm so glad it did. Having visited Hyderabad, I know it as a city obsessed with food, a place where recipes reflect centuries of Nizami, Mughlai, Persian, and Telugu influences. While many restaurants here advertise themselves as Hyderabadi, they often stop at biryani. Charminar embraces the breadth of the cuisine, with everything from mandi and gongura specialties to chicken sukka, Mughlai curries, and, on weekends, freshly made rumali rotis. That alone made me stop and take notice. The restaurant itself is warm and inviting, with tasteful artwork celebrating the Hyderabad cityscape and the iconic Charminar. The staff matched the atmosphere: genuinely welcoming, knowledgeable, and eager to guide us through the menu without ever rushing us. The meal began with refreshing drinks before quickly moving into what became one of the highlights of the evening: the kebabs. The Lasooni Kebab and the Malai Kebab were exceptional. Both were astonishingly tender the kind of tenderness that only comes from patient marination and careful cooking. The Malai Kebab, in particular, was outstanding. Delicate notes of ginger and garlic layered into a creamy marinade, finished with the unmistakable whisper of charcoal smoke, created a kebab that was elegant rather than heavy. It was one of the finest versions I've had in the Bay Area. For the mains, we ordered the Chicken Sukka and Lal Chicken alongside the weekend rumali rotis. Paper-thin, almost like silk, they arrived impossibly soft and stayed that way throughout the meal. Anyone who has searched for authentic rumali roti in the Bay Area knows how rare that is. Too often they become rubbery within minutes. And it's rare to find it on menus so get your hands on it (weekends only!) The Chicken Sukka was my favorite curry of the evening. Layers of roasted coconut, deeply caramelized onions, warming spices, and beautifully cooked chicken came together in a dish that was both rustic and deeply satisfying. The Lal Chicken surprised me. Given the name, I expected assertive heat, but instead found a curry that leaned sweeter and tangier than anticipated. Not a flaw, just a different interpretation than I had expected. And then came the dish that reminded me why Hyderabad occupies such a revered place in India's culinary landscape. The Gosht Dum Biryani. If you visit on a weekend, don't overthink your order. Get it. Anyone can pile onions and masala onto rice and call it biryani. True dum biryani is a lesson in restraint. Every grain of rice should carry the perfume of saffron, whole spices, stock, and meat, without relying on excess seasoning. The rice itself should be compelling enough to eat on its own. Charminar gets this exactly right. Every spoonful was fragrant and beautifully balanced. The lamb was meltingly tender, yielding effortlessly from the bone, while the mirchi ka salan added earthy warmth and the raita brought just enough freshness to complete the experience. It was, without question, the standout dish of the evening and among the better Hyderabadi biryanis I've had in the Bay Area. The most exciting part is that we barely scratched the surface of the menu. Finding a restaurant that doesn't simply borrow Hyderabad's famous name but genuinely celebrates the diversity of its cuisine is rare. Charminar feels like it was built by people who understand what makes the city's food so beloved. What a wonderful addition to Sunnyvale. I sincerely hope the community gives this restaurant the attention it deserves. We'll certainly be back Congratulations to the Charminar team.

Unlimited pani puri is a joke here. They donot want u to breath or sit while they serve so u eat…read moreless. They use chat curry as stuffing and only one type of pani. Very rude service Adding samosa chat is another joke. Please do not waste time and just enjoy pani puri at apni Mandi

Best Bombay street food!!! Dadar Vada pav 10/10…read moreDabheli 10/10 Pav bhaji 10/10 This is a food truck and I can go any day when I crave Vada Pav and pav bhaji! The service is very quick and you don't have to wait long. They have a nice setup next to the truck and very clean and comfortable!! Definitely a KEEPER!

First time trying vada pav, solid vegetarian creation for my omnivore…read more Dadar Vada Pav: slid out of the bag smelling like Indian McDonalds, straightforward savory fried potato patty sandwiched into a fluffy bun. Simple good. Dilkhush Dabeli (Toasted in Amul Butter): I don't have any idea what these words mean aside from "toasted in" and "butter" so I was easily lured. Sweet and spicy mystery potato patty, tastes like your typical thanksgiving sweet mashed potato's jazzed up cousin who just got back from ayahuasca. Buttery chaotic good. Instagram: TianTianEats

I typically love this location and have ordered from it multiple times, however this time, I…read morenoticed the portions of chicken in the tikka masala was lacking. There were only 5 small pieces and the rest of the container was sauce. In the past, there was much more meat. Same with the paneer saag. The food was still good, just felt disappointing compared to previous visits.

awesome awesome food. been a zareen's fan for years!…read more nestled within google campus, it's quite convenient to meet up with fellow friends in the area for after-work dinner (been here 3 times in the past month LOL) note that this location is take-out only, but there is plentiful outdoor seating. there's also a sports bar right across from here so we walked over to catch a world cup game (mexico vs. korea)! and if ur tryna see a movie, cinemark is also right there :)