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

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.