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    Chayakada Cafe

    4.5 (95 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 9:00 pm

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    CHAYAKADA CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Chayakada Cafe

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    Chai/coffee bar
    Sandhya K.

    I stopped by Chayakada yesterday for an afternoon chai break and tried their strawberry milkshake, onion fritters and veg puffs, both were decent and paired nicely with the tea. The masala chai, however, was a bit of a letdown since it didn't really have any masala flavor I was assured. They do have other light snack options, rice bowls, sandwiches & coffee etc as well, and the ambiance is cozy with rattan-style sofas and cute serving trays. It's also fun that they have a carrom board to play while you sip your chai, making it a relaxed spot to hang out for a bit. Ambiance: 10/10 Service: 9/10 Food: 8/10 Music: 10/10 Seating: indoor & outdoor Parking: Ample, free parking available Price: $10-$15 per person

    Interior
    Shih Fa K.

    Came here after I read about this place on KQED.org regarding how this place was the Bay Area's first Kerala-Style Chai Shop to open. I was very impressed by the creaminess and spiciness of the chai, and it was very foamy. I also enjoyed watching it getting poured from a meter up. Service was good, and they offered good advice when I inquired about the best drink to take to go.

    Kerala Porotta
    Hoei L.

    The main entrance made you feel like it was a bakery and cafe kind of place with lounge like seating and bakery display case. We almost left but saw the large nook area on the right that has several tables for eating-in and decided to give it a try. We picked the Kerala Parotta with Mutton and Kizhi Parotta with Egg. The flavor was pretty good. The mutton was tender, not chewy at all. The parotta were thick with nice soft layers inside and a tad crispy outside layers. Service is typical of a cafeteria. Order at the counter, they call out your name when it's ready. You get your own side sauce (mint chutney, sweet and sour like chutney, and ketchup) if you want to. They do have someone to clean the table instead of having you bring your plates to a designated drop-off counter. Tap to pay thingy at the ordering counter with the typical Tips screen while the guy stare at you. The biggest problem I have is the portion. The kerala mutton curry cup has 4 tiny pieces of mutton meat. At $18, I think you can afford to drop a few more tiny pieces in that cup. And the Kizhi has one egg split in half along with the curry and one parotta. And since it is out of the way from my usual route to anywhere else, I doubt that I would go for a 2nd visit.

    Unnakaya (bottom) and pazhampori (top)
    Ashwini A.

    SERVICE - located away from the rest of the South Bay near the intersection of 85 South and 101 South - large parking lot with lots of spots - interior is big and has many seating options for groups or individual diners - great hangout spot - board game and book corner gives it a fun atmosphere - service is friendly and welcoming MENU - South Indian inspired cafe drinks and bites - vegetarian and vegan options available - average price FOOD - kesar oat chai (7/10): saffron infused tea made with oat milk. Their main selling point is the meter chai which is pulled from about a meter to give it froth and mix the chai with the milk. It tasted good and was not super sweet. Otherwise, nothing too special about it. - unnakaya (7/10): deep fried plantain filled with coconut, raisin, and cashews. This seemed like a unique sweet snack to pair with the chai. It tasted similar to a lot of Indian sweets that have the raisin and cashew combination and are made with jaggery. The sweetness has a caramel note which is not overpowering. Although they fried it fresh, it felt a tad burnt and oily. - pazhampori (6/10): two pieces of deep fried plantain fritter. In comparison to the other sweet we got, this one was not as interesting. WOULD I GO BACK? Yes. I liked the ambiance and the purpose of having a casual hangout spot with Indian snacks and drinks. I wish it was closer to the South Bay as this was a bit of a drive.

    Rakshit P.

    Heard about this place from our friends so had to try it out. The place has a very welcoming ambiance. Spaced out seatings with a game area which has carrom and foosball. The menu has a lot of items on it. We tried almost all of the savory snacks. Everything was very yummy. Specially the chicken cutlet and puff. It reminded me of the bakeries back in India There is ample parking nearby. Will definitely visit again.

    Ajay K.

    Ok how do they have so many things on the menu and do it all so well??? I stopped by on a Friday evening for a quick snack but that was a mistake - I didn't realize they do a full service dinner with biryani, rice bowls, kizhi Parotta and so much more. I only had room for a chicken roast sandwich so I couldn't try all the different treats. The sandwich itself was bomb and came with masala fries. It wasn't overpoweringly spicy or oily - just right. Can't wait to come back and try all the other amazing things on offer!

    Menu aug 2025
    Chandrika B.

    Grand opening and welcome banners everywhere :) a happy vibe calls you in! Spacious interiors and outdoor seating in the shade were both equally tempting. Lots of free parking in this lot so super easy to get here. In $42, we got: - masala chai 3/5- brewed fresh and they customize it the way you want it. First i found it too foamy to be a chai and second it was not hot. I went back and the guy fixed it to be extra hot. Then it was good :) next time i will try the "glass" glass - strawberry milkshake - 4/5- as promised, it was blended fresh strawberries with milk and thats it. No sugar unless requested. Perfect! - Kerala paratha with chicken curry - 5/5- this was the real deal for me. Good portion size. Comes with 2 parathas and greasy but yummy boneless chicken gravy. Not too spicy so it can cater to many. - scrambled paneer sandwich - 5/5 - freshly panini pressed and yummy! I wish the portion size was bigger for the price. I wish it came with a side salad or fries at that price. Clean restrooms and good board games. I also saw some games for kids and fuse-ball / carom board at the back. Definitely coming back for more :) Deducting 1 star for being too pricey. I wish they increase the portion size that can justify the price for becoming a weekly stop. For a self service place, it seemed expensive!

    Sashidhar R.

    This café is tucked away in a rather unusual spot, far from the South Bay; so it's not the most convenient choice when you have to drive miles to get there. That said, once you arrive, it checks all the boxes for a great hangout spot with friends. The ambiance is warm and inviting, perfect for sitting back and chatting. We tried all their puffs, including the butter croissant, and they were absolutely on point - flaky, flavorful, and fresh. The chai, on the other hand, was just okay and could have been much better. Our friends were disappointed with the sharjah shake. Improvement needed on drinks. As the crowd picked up, the staff seemed to get a bit chaotic and lost track of a few orders, which slightly disrupted the otherwise pleasant experience. Still, thoughtful touches like the Malayalam-themed board games gave the café an authentic, well-curated charm that stood out.

    Potato Bonda
    Priya A.

    This year we decided to try new tea and coffee places around the bay. Chayakada was on the list as an Indian tea place and focused on Kerala cuisine. We drove there one Saturday morning and it was not very busy at the time. We ordered irani tea which was milky and sweet. Husband had filter coffee which was delicious and kiddo had holiday hot chocolate. We also had veg puff which i was not a big fan of and potato bonda which was yummy! Overall this is a larger space and ambience was good. Service was friendly. We will be back to try other items.

    Egg puff , fish cutlet
    Sudatta J.

    This cute, new cafeteria serving tea, coffee and delicacies from India (probably from Kerala, India with influences from few other regions?). It's spacious, clean with very friendly service! Ample parking available!

    Menu
    Diane W.

    Stoped by for their grand opening today. It's in the same parking lot as my physical therapy. Located in the lucky shopping center off of Bernal Rd and Santa Teresa Blvd. They have a nice menu of coffees and teas, pastry's, snacks and sandwiches. They are very welcoming and kind. I decided to try the chicken puff, veg puff, meat puff, chicken cutlet, veg cutlet and meat cutlet. All were to take home. And I ordered a saffron chai for my husband. My husband really liked the tea, but the only negative was that it was so small for $4.99 price. I think if they have a larger portion, it would be worth getting again. The puffs were all delicious. I warmed them up in the toaster oven for a few minutes. My favorite was the chicken. It had such a wonderful savory flavor with a bit of heat. The cutlets were okay. The beef and chicken were good. The veg cutlet was very mild in flavor and not as savory as the other two. The inside is nicely decorated and there are many options for seating. Overall, I would definitely come pack for the puffs and maybe try some other menu items next time. It's definitely worth checking out.

    salted caramel latte in the reusable cup I brought
    Sabrina J.

    Aleena, the owner, has great passion and attention to detail that makes Chayakada Cafe warm and inviting. She really cares about customers having a great experience. Chayakada Cafe is impressively spacious. There is a room in the back if you're looking for a quiet spot to work or study. The cafe also has games and books for entertainment at all age levels. Aleena told me she wants Chayakada to be a space for the community to come together, and she is doing a good job of making that happen. The decor is aesthetic with a pleasant green nature theme, and there are signs about Kerala and India. I love cultural cafes, and this is my first time at an Indian cafe. I really liked the banana and date smoothie and the egg sandwich. I've never had a date smoothie before, and it did not disappoint. Aleena made the egg sandwich on the spot, so it was fresh, hot, and flavorful. The salted caramel latte was a little sweet but still refreshing. Also, really appreciate that Chayakada Cafe accepts my reusable glass cup! A win for sustainability.

    Pazhampori
    Sho R.

    I was there on a Saturday for lunch. The place was not crowded. Pazhampori and chicken cutlet were my favorites here. Pazhampori was made from sweet platains and fried nicely. Chicken cutlet was crispy and flavorful. Beef had nice flavors with pieces of coconut. Kizhi porotta was lamb was excellent with flavors of plantain leaf. Ghee rice was flavorful. Chicken curry was ok. Kerala tea came steaming hot. In my hurry, it burned my tongue. Once food was over, it cooled to the right temperature and was the right sweet combination that washed down the spices.

    Masala Chai

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    Aleena T.

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    Aleena T.

    Thank you Kylie! Loved serving you..

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    Aleena T.

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    7 months ago

    Had chicken puff, veg puff and masala chai, everything was fresh and delicious. Loved the ambiance as well. Will keep coming.

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    11 months ago

    Had tea, puffs and a sandwich. Teas were good. Puff and sandwich - mediocre. Felt things were overpriced.

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    Aleena T.

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    Ambience nice spacious and open. Chicken puff was tasty and authentic. Masala Chai was aromatic. Recommend this hidden gem.

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    Aleena T.

    Thank you so much! I appreciate the support <3

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    10 months ago

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    Aleena T.

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    11 months ago

    The food was so good must order the chicken roast sandwich (kids fav) and beef roast reminds you of back home

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    Aleena T.

    Thank you so much. Appreciate your kind words

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    11 months ago

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    Aleena T.

    Thank you. Do visit again!

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    1 year ago

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    11 months ago

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    Aleena T.

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    Aleena T.

    This is such a kind review! Thank you! Love the support :) <3

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    Lovely place. Great food. Aleena was very helpful and had a delicious lunch. Would defenitely visit back soon..

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    1 year ago

    Great option for anyone craving Kerala snacks. The cafe ambience was relaxing and very cute.

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    6 months ago

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    Aleena T.

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    1 year ago

    Food is amazing!! I highly recommend the Saffron Chai. It's a beautiful place to relax as well. Definitely a gem in San Jose!

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    Page 2 of 3

    Ask the Community - Chayakada Cafe

    Are there vegan food options? Can the chai be made vegan?

    Yes there are. Chai can be made with oat and almond milk

    Is the non veg halal?

    Yes all meat is Halal

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    2.4
    (42 reviews)
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    So a lot of people that are reviewing this place are giving negative reviews. BEFORE I START, I…read morewant to comment that this IS a college campus. The workers are students. They WILL talk to their coworkers sometimes. You can't expect them to work silently for like a 4 hour shift. There WILL be new workers at this place. Some will take longer than others to learn how things work at this Starbucks. Some will have a hard time remembering how to make drinks! It's a lot to remember! some WILL be inexperienced with the business and get better as time goes on. It's all part of learning guys. Y'all need to chill a little bit, customer service isn't easy too. The school is always taking new people, so there are new workers like every semester. There are over 30k students that go to this school. It is going to be PACKED. If you have to be somewhere in 20 minutes then skip the coffee and go to class or go to work! I also recommend online ordering off of Tapingo or boost or whatever they use now so that when you're walking to Starbucks or you're in the last 10 minutes of class then your drink will be made *hopefully* by the time you get there. It's a student run business, don't expect them to be perfect or equally on top of things like your neighborhood starbucks. If you think you can do better, then by all means apply for the job. It's a strenuous job and unfortunately, not everybody can afford housing and tuition and the like so they have to find and take any job available. From my experiences, I give it 4 stars because the staff is friendly and nice. They get my drinks right too. They remake it when I don't like it, which isn't very often. The only thing I dock a star for is time just because I have been one of those students that waited 30-40 minutes for my drink. Usually it is a 20-30 minute wait. Again though, I plan my time accordingly and I get it when I have time to spare to wait for my drink. I recommend coming at night though, it is a lot more relaxed like some other reviewers said. The seating is comfortable, unfortunate that it is limited and throughout the day every space is taken, but what can you do? It's a college campus.

    It was terrible a worker was like why do you have to order right now…read more I hope they get fired

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    Chayakada Cafe - cafes - Updated July 2026

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