This is a solid five star spot! Plenty of food options and very reasonably priced. Two of us could (over)eat a big meal here for about 15 bucks. Good filter coffee and excellent sambhar as well. Definitely recommend this place if you're a connoisseur of South Indian tiffin! read more

Food was tasteless. It use to be good but now this restaurant have lost its essence. Refrain from eating there now. If you are visiting to temple and you want to eat there.... Opt for dosa hut read more

Amazing food. My Pondicherry Masala Dosa was outstanding. Great service also. Drove from Pennsylvania and the time we arrived ample street parking ( lucky for us). Everything was above and beyond food wise. Thanks! read more

If you love spicy, well seasoned, quality, yet wallet friendly Vegetarian South Asian Cusine Ganesh's is your place. Their menu is limited consisting of a variety of Dosas, Briyanni, South Indian appetizers and snacks. I've lived in Queens all my life, and have driven up and down Kissena Blvd. more times than I can remember, but I had no idea that Ganesh's (two blocks off of Kissena) existed. It is really one of the city's South Asian vegetarian friendly culinary gems. read more

Ganesha temple canteen was started for preparing the Naivedyam or offering for the deities during poojas. The prasadam (food) from the canteen was so popular among the visitors that the canteen started offering the food to the devotees and any visitor to the temple. The food here is traditional and authentic south indian vegetarian food at a price lower than you would find at most restaurants. The canteen is kinda hard to find especially for a out of town visitor like me but nothing deterred me from discovering the canteen and I had to have the dosa and curd rice :) The dosa is buttery, crispy and went well with the sambar and chutney. The curd rice and pickle was also a big hit. Great place to get authentic south indian food in Queens NYC read more

The most authentic South Indian vegetarian food I have had in New York City!! I cannot begin to describe how nostalgic this place makes me feel. Studying in the city, me and my friends often hike down to this place during weekends to get our dose of monthly nostalgia. read more

The best kept secret in NY for delicious and authentic Tamil Nadu style South Indian delicacies. You have to go down via stairs to the basement below the function hall, There is an elevator at the entrance of the function hall. Very clean, large sitting area and fresh hot food prepared right in front of you. I recommend, Idly/vada Combo, Masala Dosa, Yoghurt Rice, and Jangri. Also try the hot strong south indian coffee. read more

An utter disappointment. If you are intent on having others come share your food, the least you could do is have a proper descriptive menu. The guy behind the counter couldn't be bothered to answer your questions and just kept pushing the mango lassi. We went on a Tuesday afternoon hardly anyone was there which we figured was good since we wouldn't be holding up the line we ordered based on yelp reviews thing it can't be too bad. Pondicherry dosa, onion chili uttapam and an idli vada combo. Pondicherry dosa was filled with a mixture of dry dhal and chick peas raw onions and cornflakes some seasoning not much and servers with dhal & coconut chutney. The uttapam was the same base as the dosa only thick like a pancake the green chili wasn't too spicy and the onions were al dente; served with dhal and coconut chutney The vada and Idli... Well we didn't know which was which one looked like a small donut made from ground dhal and the other was a white steamed biscuit looking disc. Served with... U guessed it! Dhal and coconut chutney. After all the hype sorry to say this place was a let down. I am gonna try the Malay place up the street next time I venture over there that place was packed even in the afternoon! read more

I hate dosas...I repeat I hate dosas but this place has the most spot on Butter masala dosa you can ever taste! Which made me change my mind about the incredible edible Dosa! The place has an unearthly feel, a very Holy vibe. Well duh its located inside of a Temple. Aside from the look, the food is amazing. Their dosa's are out of this world and the Dahi vada to die for (no pun intended). Very Good service and food. Defintely a must go! read more

Nice food and great place, masala dosa and mango lassi is delicious and good price. I go every weekend.

Wow, this is the best Indian food I've had outside of India. Every single thing I had was delicious. Prepare to eat things you never see at Indian restaurants in the U.S., and prepare to be amazed by how tasty it all is. And the staff is so friendly! read more

Growing up my parents told me it was not necessary to go to temple to find or worship God. The Almighty is with us, around us, and within us. And to this day I truly believe that. However, I do believe God put this canteen at this temple just so I would visit more often. And it works!! Anytime a family member says we should visit the temple, I think 'Woohoo! dosa time!' Of course my first priority is to visit the temple but the thought of crispy dosa is right behind it. Even if you are not religious or spiritual, the temple is beautiful and worth a visit. They have done great renovations! Few things you need to know before you go. You need to remove your shoes ONLY to enter the temple not the canteen. The canteen entrance is around the corner from the temple and stairs take you there. You order the food and wait for your number to be called so save your receipt. Everything on the menu is great and reasonably priced. I would say the dosa (savory crepes), idly (fermented savory steamed rice cakes), vada (deep-fried savory donuts) are your best bets. Get the Mysore Masala dosa if you like spicy food. That is my ultimate fave. I am not fond of their Sambhar as I make a better one at home that suits my flavor profile but I know others who love it. They also sell 2 types of powders that you can use at home. I make rava dosa and idlis at home sometimes so I like that I can use their poweders. They are nice and will tell you how to use/eat the powders without laughing at you. read more

I visited the temple and had dinner at the canteen. I was a very different experience. Everyone should visit this place at least once. The food was good and the price is right. Nice spot ill visit again. read more

beautiful temple. there isn't a lot if info about what and why but really open and enjoyable. don't miss the canteen downstairs. read more

If you're in the neighborhood you have to go, but don't travel the distance for the ambiance - it's loud and cafeteria style, but definitely worth checking out for the food. It's authentic south Indian street food, very cheap and sooo tasty. Like Anthony Bordain said, order one of everything and feast! read more

A simple place, but I don't think I've had this good south indian dishes in Queens ever. I think Saravana Bhavan tops this, but boy is the quality and taste very close to Saravana Bhavan! read more

Glad this is where I came to banish my masala dosa craving! Although I've been to Dosa Hutt upstairs and the temple for other events, I never knew there was a cafeteria in the basement also. We ordered lassi, coffee, butter masala dosa and regular masala dosa. The dosas came with mint chutney and sambar. Everything was delicious and fresh. The dosas were huge, crispy on the edges and soft in the middle. Steaming hot on a rainy day, the perfect comfort food. Now for the next craving! read more

Have returned a couple times. On balance, I have found the idlis, chutney, and dosa to be truly legit. No one gets sambar right in the USA (drumsticks anyone?), so it us hard to single them out for falling short here. read more

I like this place because it's cheap and the food is delicious. i don't order much except for masala dosa because that's what I love the most. What really irritates me is that they are cheap on the sambar. They don't give you enough for it. Maybe it's because you don't pay much for your dosa but still, i care more about the sambar than i do for the price. How are you supposed to eat a huge dosa with half a bowl of sambar? read more

Price can't be beat, delicious food, different style than the "Indian" restaurants here in Florida. Simple cafeteria style dining area downstairs from the temple. Don't skip the lassi! Worth the bus ride and short walk. read more

If you prefer good food, then you prefer this spot. I don't really know what authentic means any more, but this place feels like it is. It's super cheap and really yummy. Obviously don't expect a fine dining experience, there isn't any table cloth or anything like that, but expect to be blown away by the quality of the food. read more

Great Food, Great Prices. If you want to dine in and eat your meal with steel cutlery and fancy plates, look away. If you want good food and reasonable prices this is the place. The dining area itself is nothing to get excited about, in fact it isn't that great. However, the food will blow you away. The dosas are a must. They also have incredible mango lassi. A good "no frills" joint. read more

We visited the Ganesh Temple Canteen based on a great article on Serious Eats NYC. and it was a highlight of the day in Queens. The food is very affordable and quick. More importantly, it is delicious. The staff was extremely friendly and welcoming - can't wait to go back! read more

The temple is really a cool place to visit. Take off your shoes, be quiet and observe that you are in a temple. The Canteen is below and the cafeteria atmosphere is minimal,so are the prices! We paid a total of $13.50 for what we both considered a filling and delicious meal. We had Masala Dosa with two sauces on the side. Dosa seems to be a cross between a crepe and thin bread with a crusty outside. The filling is very tasty. I had something that had three words strting with B's and was like a spicy porridge with diced veges......then topped off with Lassi, yougurt based sweet drink (mango flavored was our choice). Overall this was an experience I will look to repeat often. read more

AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME Most of the days, the food here is fresh and on some 'bad' days the canteen does serve stale food. However, the food tastes great always! Not over-priced all. A great stop for authentic Indian Vegetarian meals/snacks. The only problem is it is sometime crowded and the staff call out token numbers. This token number system is a little annoying. If you want to go vegetarian, try this place first and you will not regret going there. read more

Went back again this weekend. This time took my mom, My mom rarely likes any masala dosha from any Indian restaurant. However she tried the doshas and she loved them. Also took some food for my dad as well, had to warm dosha again since traffic from the cross Bronx is brutal. However he enjoyed as well. If both my traditional old school south indian parents like these doshas than you are doing something right. Also the Vada's were good as well nice and crispy. Will come back again. read more

The Hindu temple... What else can be said!! Amazing food, authentic, spicy, yummy! I have been going here any time I'm in NYC - way better tasting and larger portion and cheaper than curry hill in Manhattan. I love the chili dosa, and the fiery sambar. read more

Completely unhygenic food...we were served stale food and on the top of that restaurant manager was not providing any refund to us for the stale food....I checked out their hygeine level and found out that it is rated poor....It is rated as B with 24 points, just 3 points away from an extremely poor C rating. It is unthinkable that this is being operated out of a temple premises. http://a816-restaurantinspection.nyc.gov/RestaurantInspection/SearchDetails.do Search for DEVASTHANAM read more

I'm a fan. Here is the thing, I went there with my friend who is a health nut and she was expecting to have "healthy" food. There actually is not much in the way of non-fried food that isn't spicy. That's the only complaint. Most things are fried (so is a much, not all, of the cuisine from that part of India though). Anyways, everything i had was tasty. read more

Came in early in the morning to have a decent south indian breakfast feast and was the first guest on that day. The stuff was super sweet and nice, the food was absolutely authentic and to die for. Seriously. Would make all the way with the high line to Queens every time I have a chance again to have that delicious breakfast again. read more

There are many experiences to be had in New York, and one of the greatest is being able to eat amazing authentic South Indian food in the basement of a vibrant Hindu temple. While I thoroughly enjoyed my dosa, uttapam, and lassi, I was more enchanted by the chaotic onslaught of Indian families, children, and religious types waiting in line for what has become a cult favorite: the canteen. 5 stars for the overall experience and people watching, 3 stars for the food itself. Don't get me wrong, Ganesh Temple provides inexpensive and tasty comfort food to its predominantly South Indian temple-goers; however, a full fledged restaurant it is not. The menu is simple: subtle variations on the dosa (thin, crispy and chewy pancake), uttapam (slightly thicker pancake), idli (steamed rice cake) and vada (savory donut). Spice quotient is average and the food is prepared quickly and efficiently -- as a means to service the masses. The sambhar (lentil curry that accompanies the dosa) did have that authentic spicy kick, but the dosa could have been a bit airier; the uttapam (which we had layered with tomatoes and spices) could have been crispier; and the coconut chutney could have had a bit more a tangy zing. But whatever, it cost ~$5 and I got to experience temple-style eating. I am not going to complain or dissuade people from making a pilgrimage. Any visit to the canteen should be followed by a quick tour of the temple itself -- the priests are very friendly and inviting and a glimpse at all of the Hindu deities will enhance your cultural experience. read more

Food tastes good but they put too much baking soda in the food when they prepare which gives good taste. When ever i eat in the temple canteen my stomach gets upset. So i highly recommend to have food in Dosa Hutt (instead of temple canteen food) which is located next to the temple. At the end of the day the only food i liked there (Temple Canteen) is some fried items (mixtures) and a cup of coffee. read more

the dosas were part of the fond memories i have of flushing when i first moved to new york and settled down in flushing. i was never crazy about the shabby authentic chinese joints, as i'd rather enjoy them back home in china or whatever, so what i truly missed from the bay area was the amazing dosas in sunnyvale/santa clara, and this place helped me reconcile. i found this place on yelp and made it a mission to check it out. very glad i did. yummy, affordable dosas in a peaceful, clean and laid back temple. if i still lived in the area now i would go out there for brunch every sunday! read more

Fab crispy dosas and nutty veggie lentil stew. Healthy (ish) and tasty too. Dirt cheap. It has an interesting ambiance with various Hindu shrines scattered about, watching you inhale a boatload of food. Great occasional breakfast spot. Keeps you full. read more

This is by far the best South Indian food I've had in the US. Everything including the vada, pongal, idly and dosa were exceptional. The prices are extremely reasonable as well. The chutney and sambhar are to die for. read more

You simply cannot get any more higher quality authentic South Indian food. It happens to be VERY cheap but even if it wasn't, it is by far worth it. The Dosas are top notch. The best that I ever had. read more

The ONLY reason I didn't give this five stars is the ambiance and vibe. But the food is 5 stars for sure. Get your spiritual fix upstairs (though since the renovation, it has lost some of their peaceful vibes) and then go down to jostle for south indian foods. The price is GREAT. read more

Everything about this place is great, except for explosive diarrhea and stomach cramps, which we've been experiencing for the past 36 hours, since eating here. Try the mango lassi. read more

Just had a paper masala dosa here tonight with sambar and chutney. Very yummy and for only $7 - such a great deal.

The best temple food ever!!! It beats Saravana Bhavan!!!