Best place if you're craving fluffy idli, crispy vada, and "oh my gosh" the sambar. Like, the kind of sambar that makes you pause mid-bite and go, "Wait... why don't I drink this daily?" (It's basically a warm, spiced vegetarian broth packed with vegetables and just enough kick to keep things interesting.) My wife and I honestly treat the sambar like the main event. The idli and vada are the VIPs too, of course but that sambar? That's the headliner. Here's my very scientific, totally-not-a-food-critic standard: Idli needs to be fluffy, warm, and basically built for soaking up sambar like a sponge that chose happiness. Vada needs to be crispy on the outside, soft on the inside... not hard and tragic like a 3-day-old bagel (we're here for comfort, not dental work). Add the coconut chutney and whatever other sides come with it and suddenly I'm asking myself: is it lunchtime again yet? And it's not just the South Indian staples. They also sell snacks like murukku and ribbon pakoda (and more). These are childhood favorites for me from back home in Malaysia--and let me tell you, it's not easy to find crunchy snacks here that taste fresh and flavorful without that "oil has been reused since 1997" vibe. If you know, you know. Also: if you're someone who gets intimidated by menus with unfamiliar names, don't worry. The staff is warm and friendly, and they're happy to explain what things are. It makes trying new food feel less like a pop quiz and more like a fun little adventure with your family. Bottom line: you only live once, try something new. Best case? You find a new favorite. Worst case? It's not your cup of tea and you move on (with your dignity intact). And no, I don't have food pictures... because I never remember until the plate is already gone. Every. Single. Time. read more

Boyfriend took me and a friend here during Fanime to grab a brunch before heading to the con. It's a mini grocery mart and a restaurant at the same time. There's seating outside. A bit busy on a weekend mid morning, but service was quick and a lot of it was people who ordered in advance to pick up. So if you have large quantity order, this may be the way to go. For our visit we got the: Idly Vada combo which comes with their vada and idly, as well as some coffee and what looks like thick lentil soup and corn salad? Apologies I don't quite recall what we got, but I did enjoy the vada (crispy deep fried lentil doughnuts). Nice delicious crisp texture, a bit moist, and I love lentils in general. Went great with all the sauces/stews for dipping. The idly is a savory soft fluffy steamed cake also made for dipping. Think of a fluffier more doughy bao that's rippable if that makes sense. Lots of variety of tangy, spice rich, full body flavored stews and sauces, making the diversity in each bite with each dip quite fun. I think one of the flavor profiles was a bit sour so I wasn't a fan of that, but oh well. I'd argue that we might have needed more carbs to use all of the dipping items we had. Overall, decent brunch and a cuisine that I'm don't eat as often. read more

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One of the best options to stop by when we visit the movie theater nearby, not much to say but love the filter coffee along with other items

We called in a big order and their team was super helpful - which made it seamless from start to finish. The packaging was great, we received our order fresh, in such a record time, and the flavors were ! I'd highly recommend ordering Idly Express for your next event! We did it for our first Ganpati and our family/friends thoroughly enjoyed it! Thank you to all staff that worked behind the scenes! read more

Very good service!! I asked for a change in my order and they honored happily! It was a dollar extra and they even did not charge for it!

I have ordered their parotta with kurma and veg biryani. The parotta with kurma was flavorful but the veg biryani was a huge let down! It was more like a pulao with garam masala, rice and some veggies. No potato, even. A bit disappointed especially at 15 bucks for what's essentially pulao that isn't good;( read more

Idly Express - Fremont - Parotta Kurma (2 pcs) (N) - Vegetarian Near Me - Fremont, California

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We often go to Mylapore. However, it came to our attention that the quantity of to-go orders in Idly Express don't match what it states in the menu. 16 oz Sambhar measured less than 14 oz when measured. 8 oz Kurma measured less than 6 oz. This is misrepresentation. read more

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First time trying Fremont location as i always enjoy their Alameda location. Unfortunately a disappointing experience. Ordered the vegetable pakoda and samosa. The pakoda was entirely onion, hard to bite into and tasted burnt. The samosas were burnt and inedible. With this experience i would hesitate to visit this location. I genuinely enjoy Idly express other locations and hope this serves as constructive feedback to maintain consistency. read more

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The rating is only for Rava Idly that I bought today. Since Rava Idly is not part of the regular menu, I buy when it is offered as a special on Saturdays. I was completely disappointed today. The thickness is more like a uthappam and not Idly, the taste was a little sour and the texture was a little slimy. I am a regular at Idly Express and Mylapore and love all the dishes. Hope Idly Express improves the quality and size or discontinues Rava Idly if it does not make business sense to offer or increase the price to say $6.00 and make it as it used to be. read more

Loved the food at special event today at Idly express. Khara baath was too good! Filter coffee is amazing as always. I was not a fan of rava idly. Not as great as the Thatte Idli. Shivangi baath (not shown in the pic) was just ok too. Rava kesari was yummy!! Overall super satisfying meal, got to taste a lil bit of everything. The service was great, they planned well to avoid super long lines by distributing tokens ahead of time. And I don't see any issues with the "thindi" concept - where folks just grab food and eat outside standing. read more

Idly Express - Fremont - Vegetarian Near Me - Fremont, California

Best thatte idli in the bay. This place doesn't have dine in. Take out only. Benne dosa is also really good.

Really authentic Indian food with strong spice, in a very good way. A good indicator on authenticity is that the customers were all Indian, and the servers were all Indian as well. We ordered the standard, but I wish we tried their idli and vada. read more

My love for food here is exponentially growing! This overtook so many other south Indian restaurants in my heart. It's a take out place primarily. But they have a couple of tables and chairs outside. My favorite here is their kesari and podi idly and their hot lunch their sides are the best minus their tomato chutney which didn't become my favorite yet. Nothing beats their thenga chutney. (coconut). I love their reward system. It rewards loyal customers well. There best is their specials that they started for the movie release. I mean pidi kozhukatai! read more

Idly Express - Fremont - Came for beach sundal - Vegetarian Near Me - Fremont, California

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Just realised that I've not written a dazzling review for one of mine(Andhra) and my husband(Tamil nadu) most favourite South Indian restaurants in the Bay Area (or even the US?) Softest fluffy idly's, crispiest crunchy airy flavourful vadai's, piping hot sambar so yummy that you can chug the whole bowl in a go, mouthwatering coconut chutneys that you will sweep off every bit on the plate. Their pongal is also amazing, soft comforting and so yummy. idly batter so fresh and homely that it reminds me of my mom making it fresh using a traditional grinder. The idly's come out so soft, fluffy, fresh and bouncy that you will never buy any other store brought batters with sour taste and added preservatives. I've also tried their chow chow kootu and sambar, delicious and so comforting. All the food taste so satisfying, as if it's made by our grandma back in Tamil Nadu and Andhra. My husbands raves about the Chennai filter kaapi that they serve here. The happiness on his face after taking a sip of the kaapi is heartwarming. Oh and their rava kesari sweet is just to die for. Filled with ghee and goodness. It just slides down your throat and takes you to heaven. I've ordered DoorDash from here and also did Togo countless number of times. Service is quick and fast. Really wish they had dine in option too and maybe if they can also introduce yummy dosa's. Ambiance is sparkly clean, the kitchen looks so neat and tidy. 10/10 on how they handle food, packaging and delivery also. Absolutely must try if you are in east bay and want to experience the most authentic Chennai tiffins. read more

Those who know me well understand my obsession with idlis which are fermented rice and lentil dumplings. So off I went to try this after loving the Milpitas branch. I had the same combination of idlis and vadas here as well. And it was good. The filter coffee was a slight disappointment - little too milky for my taste. They have the ready to eat packaged curries priced at $8! Low on spices and oil they tasted wholesome. So glad to have these idli express branches pop up all over the Bay Area. If I could choose favorites the Milpitas branch has an edge over this one coffee was better and they provided a small serving of podi mix with the idlis. read more

Idly Express - Fremont - Vada Idly Pongal combo VIP with Filter Coffee - Vegetarian Near Me - Fremont, California

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We are regular here. I am an early riser even on weekends and I love that this place opens at 7 am on weekends as well for fresh food. I love the no nonsense, no frills attitude in the restaurant. The food quality is excellent. I usually a avoid eating sambar outside as it invariably give me headache due to Toor dal and tamarind. The sambar from this place is exceptionally good. read more

Consistently serving yummy food. Fast service and reasonably priced. Been coming to this place for few years.

It looks like Idly Express is getting really popular and there are locations opening up all around the Bay Area. They serve up very fresh and tasty food and deserve all their success. Note that they are geared towards takeout and serve all their food in to-go boxes. They do have a few tables that you can sit at. read more

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I took off some stars, only because their ghee dosa was just heart attack waiting to happen in a plate - not quality to it and absolutely not appetizing. I do love their idli, sambar and vada. Only best thing. read more

If you're looking for quick bites and super fresh food, this spot is perfect for satisfying those South Indian cravings. Grab some thatte idli, mini-idlis, dipped idlis, or medu vadas--mix and match any combo and you'll be glad you did! Quick service and reasonable prices are other highlights of the place. read more

Idly Express - Fremont - Thatte Idli, Medu Vada combo served with two different chutneys and sambhar. - Vegetarian Near Me - Fremont, California

Used to be great quality and reasonably priced. Since late 2024 their quality has been going down and pricing has been going up. Very disappointing!!! read more

1. Yesterday which is 5/26, I called Idly Express around 10 am and enquired about hot lunch items and specifically stressed and asked if I can pick up only onion sambar and raw banana curry (24 or 32 oz each) and the person said of course you can do that and to come over after 11:30 am when lunch is ready ... upon driving for 20+ mins and reaching, the person changed mind and said no you have to take all lunch items and disagreed even after reminding what was said on the phone. I had guests planned, cooked few items and wanted to pick few fresh items from outside, I felt stranded and it was unpleasant, thankfully was able to pick some fresh cooked stuff from India Cash Carry's Rasoi express. 2. I usually cannot eat rasam or stuff with black pepper here, as I am severely allergic to black pepper and they put of black pepper. And as much as I love their sambar, never liked their bland / zero spice & salt coconut chutney or raw tasting (not properly sauteed) tomato chutney. Somebody once told me they don't offer peanut chutney like other restaurants as they do nut free chutneys. How does it matter? Peanut chutney is healthy and tasty and it's not like they are a nut free restaurant at all or any allergen free, they put nuts in various dishes, so why this rule only for chutneys? Leave it up to the customer to be cautious of what they are allergic to and accordingly eat what they prefer. 3. Initially when they started dosas, we may be one of the first few people to try it and never felt like trying again, may be it improved but didn't try .. the dosas were super thick and partially uncooked in the middle. Felt same with their medu vadas many a times, too thick in the middle and not well cooked. I was holding off giving the nut free chutney or their early dosa review too for long, as the owner takes it personally but after my experience with what happened for the hot lunch extras yesterday, I thought the review was long due read more

Finallllllyyy regular masala chai is backkkk!!! And it's awesome!!! We have been regulars here and while vegan chai was good, the craving for regular masala chai is finally satisfied. Please don't remove it from the menu.. read more

Idly Express serves very good, fresh, and high-quality food. Their Jain sambar is one of the best you can get anywhere. The food is always ready on time whenever we go for pickup, and everything tastes freshly prepared. Their catering service is excellent too -- reliable, well-packed, and delicious every time. One of the best places for authentic South Indian food and catering. Highly recommended! read more

What a great restaurant! Beautiful ambience with ancient Indian artwork on the walls. We were greeted by SHUBPREET! Excellent customer service. She took really good care of my mom and I. We will definitely be returning. The food was incredible. One of the best South Indian spot in Fremont. read more

Long overdue review. We've been constantly buying their curries/hot lunches on and off the last year or so. This week, they had some specials for the Leo movie premier and everything tasted amazing. We got one of each - the vazhakai bajji, the chai & onion samosa, the poori masala, and the pav bhaji. No complaints, all tasted great. Great price too! A set of pooris (2pc) with potato masala for $5 - Since we rarely make pooris at home, this is a very enticing deal for us! My kids loved it. The pav bhaji was just perfectly spiced too. Vazhakai bajji - 5 pcs for $5, also well priced and perfect for a small family! I've loved their other festival-related specials, and even the random specials too - I specifically remember their evening tiffin special from last year, with pineapple kesari, bonda, it was truly amazinggg! Always be on the lookout for these specials on their Facebook page! Minus one star only because sometimes I feel the waiting time can be improved & it can be a bit chaotic when you enter the restaurant to order on busy/special days, because people are just standing around all over the room, and I've no clue where the line is, etc. It has happened more than a few times, that's why I'm bothering to mention here. Otherwise always our go-to spot when we need some south Indian food! Plus Jay's FB live videos are a bonus. They just make you wanna come and eat the food right away! :) read more

Yum yum yum! The idli was so so good. I got the masala dosa, and my husband got the paneer dosa. We also got the gini dosa - which wasn't that spicy, so I quite enjoyed it. Portions are large. Next time you're craving South Indian food, go here! read more

Amazing food!.Unparalleled south Indian cuisine food options. Quick service. Not a dine in. read more

So glad to have so many new South Indian restaurants popping up in Fremont! If I could be more granular with my rating, it's be 4.5/5. We ordered Thatte idli, idiappam and onion tomato uttapas . Thatte idli was not as soft as we'd expected but good none the less. Not many places in the bay have idiappam so I was really excited, but it didn't live up to my expectations. We got our order to-go and maybe that impacted the texture. The uttapa was really really good! We'd definitely go back for the uttapas and will maybe try their regular idlis next time. As for the condiments - the Kurma was the best, green chutney was the next best and then sambaar. The tomato chutney and the podi+oil were just okay. read more

Idly Express - Fremont - Vegetarian Near Me - Fremont, California

Absolutely delicious! If you are in the mood for light fare and have a craving for idly or medhu vada, you've come to the right place! We ordered the sambar vadai and idly vadai combo. Even as a DoorDash order, we received both sambar dishes piping hot and fresh! Sambar Vadaii: Their Sambar is perfectly prepared and seasoned and when you bite into the vada that has been marinating in it...just delicious! It comes with a side of coconut chutney and tomato chutney. Both are also delicious and cooling to the tongue. Idly Vadai Combo: Again perfectly executed. Piping hot Sambar with 2 large pieces of pillow soft idly. Just wonderful texture. Also, two vada with a light and crispy exterior and moist interior. Those fritters are heaven. To add even more flavor, coconut and tomato chutneys are included. Trust me, it's alllll good! The hubby and I are already talking about the next time we order and what new things we'll try. Can't wait! read more

Idly Express - Fremont - Sambar vadai - Vegetarian Near Me - Fremont, California

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Fast pickup makes this a good stop when you're really hungry. I usually order via Bytes app. Everything here is delicious. Must try is podi idli. My fav is thatte idli sambhar. read more

Coworker recommended for me to try this restaurant and very glad I stopped in for a late breakfast yesterday, the idly here was fantastic. Ordered the Thatte Idly, idlies were flavorful, fresh and perfectly steamed; sambar and chutneys were all so delicious. The rest of the menu looks great too, I would easily go back here regularly. Very impressed. Staff was kind to me and service was very quick. From the time I ordered a pickup at the restaurant to when the food was ready was not even 5min; no tables except a few outside, definitely a takeout place but a must try for anyone in the Fremont area. Very reasonable prices too especially for the quality and care put into the dish. Idly Express just does it right, highly recommended. read more

Idly Express - Fremont - Thatte Idly - Vegetarian Near Me - Fremont, California

Way too expensive. For couple of Idlis.This guy is looting Here is the reply from Owner Response from the owner 4 hours ago Absolutely true. $24,000 per month in rent and $22 per hour wages kill us. Hope you can find a place that is budget friendly. read more

Uh, don't let the photo or the word "mini" dissuade you. This meal was huge. So delicious - I can't believe it's as sub-$12. I used to run down to Madras Cafe and ask the auntie or uncle to make a bag for me. I couldn't even finish the sambar- and I'm a huge eater, guys. read more

Idly Express - Fremont - Vegetarian Near Me - Fremont, California

Was wanting takeout from mylapore express - 2 doors down - but was told to go to the idly express for all their takeouts. Interestingly- their menu is not as expansive as mylapore express. The sambar was a little salty, benne dosa is the only dosa option was great. The boondi ladoo was too sweet and we couldn't eat it. read more

Food taste was OK. Quite a bit hyped up IMO. Rice in was very lumpy. No gluten free options. It appears like even their idly aren't gluten free! Several South Indian items are naturally gluten free, but they seem to be putting wheat of some sort in many of them. read more

I've been to Idly Express in Fremont a few times now, and my experiences have ranged from not good to OK. Most of the time, it's just OK. The first time I came here, I noticed that service is not their strong suit. When it's busy, it can be disorganized and very slow (both to order and to get the food). During my most recent visit, I ordered a new item that I haven't gotten here, the mini idly. I have eaten mini idly at other restaurants, so I thought I knew what to expect. When I got home and opened the bag, I was confused to see a container of sambar with mini idly in it. I called the store to report my incorrect order and was pretty much lectured about how I should have known that the mini idly is idly soaked in sambar. Apparently I was supposed to order a different item "mini idly with sambar on the side" if I didn't want it soaked in sambar. Well, this item was for a small child, so I didn't want sambar at all. She was not able to eat the mini idly that she asked me to order for her because it was too spicy. The worker I spoke to on the phone was pretty rude and said there was nothing they could do for me. I could return to the store and place a new order for "mini idly with sambar on the side." I think most restaurants would have corrected me, but also would have offered to replace or refund that item. That was not the case for Idly Express. Aside from that, I think the food is ok, but nothing spectacular. I very much prefer Dosa Hut (which is in the same shopping center), for the service, experience and value. read more

This is a strictly take out place. On a weekend we tried the medhu vada and uttapams. Vada was excellent, very soft and crunchy. Sambhar and Chutneys were very authentic tasting as well. However we ordered on a weekday and the quality was no where near as on the weekend. The vada did seem like freshly prepared and the chutneys were not fresh either. Very disappointed but given we had at least 1 good experience giving them 4 stars instead of 3. Hopefully the management will ensure quality on weekdays. read more

Got Idly batter from this place. The batter was fresh and less tangy. A bit expensive compared to Indian store batter

Like the cooked curries they provide in their refrigerator . We used to pick up curries for a week and leave quickly . We stopped after they took out their authentic South Indian Sambar from menu and instead started giving only Gujarati Sambar . That used to be their best item and not sure why they could not provide both versions ! read more