Went here for our anniversary and we loved our meal here and that is saying something because my husband's family is from Kerala. Everything we had here was delicious - from the Iracchi Pathiri (beef pepper fry), Kozhi cutlets (shredded chicken cutlets) and the Ularthiyathu (baby goat roast). I am so happy that my husband absolutely enjoyed everything especially the chicken cutlets which he craves for quite a bit. Each dish was not only presented beautifully but also a total flavor bomb bursting with aromatic spices. I was particularly impressed that the meat in every one of the dishes was perfectly cooked and not chewy at all. The portions were also perfect - not too small, not too large but just right! For dessert, we got their popular Ilaneer Payasam which was so delightful - it is a creamy toasted coconut ice cream topped with a light, airy coconut foam! The ambiance is elevated fine-dining and the service is prompt. The highlight of the meal was not only the delicious food or the drinks but the friendly vibe of the staff and our interaction with them. Our server, the bartender and the busser - everyone was so friendly yet professional and they genuinely showed interest in talking to us. I would keep them in my fine-dining rotation for sure and would like to sit at the bar next time. read more

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We had a really good meal at Kidilum. Our server was personable, friendly, and made us feel welcome. The atmosphere was definitely on the loud and dim side, so it wasn't the most relaxed setting, but the food made up for it. The crab curry, lamb chops, and drinks were definitely the stars of the meal. The crab was probably my favorite.It had lots of flavor and something I'd order again without hesitation. The lamb chops were also excellent, and the drinks were really well done. Overall, a fun place to try if you're looking for something different. I'd definitely go back for the crab and lamb chops! read more

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The food and cocktails were 5 stars. The Pulinji (tender pork ribs) were indeed incredibly tender and flavorful, with a subtle hint of sweetness from the palm jaggery. The Paal Curry (prawns) were very very good, and they paired well with the deliciously flaky paratha. For cocktails, the Manga was dangerously drinkable, and the mango undertones were not overpowering. We also got the Paccha mocktail with gin, to make it a cocktail, and it was very refreshing. The service, however, is spotty. We sat at the bar, and our bartender/server (Sebastian) was friendly, helpful, and overall great. Our issue was with how slowly everything came out. Dinner lasted about 2 hours, but I felt like I only ate the amuse-bouche during the first hour. The people manning check-in also seemed overwhelmed by everything, which led to a delay with seating. read more

I recently finished Mother Mary Comes to Me, and while Arundathi Roy might not have approved of this bourgeois take on Mallu cuisine, her depictions of Kerala's countryside were fresh in my mind when a friend suggested dinner at Kidilum. The cuisine here is a vast improvement over the other restaurant serving a modernized version of the food from God's Own Country in Midtown (you know where I'm talking about). Our favorite dishes of the evening were the tangy vazhakai with plantains, which I assume had a good dose of tamarind, and the thayir vada, with an improvisation on boondi served over an "aerated" curd. The poriyal was also excellent, despite my general disdain for cabbage. Some of the other small plates were tasty enough but a bit forgettable, despite their precious aesthetics. And service is warm but perhaps a bit stilted - this sleek space and food might call for a cooler touch. read more

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Went here with a party of 6 to try a bunch of different plates. Normally I don't eat this style, but I found the flavors very interesting and enjoyable. It's a very nice place with great cocktails. I really enjoyed the crab dish. From my Indian friends, they did remark the price was notably on the higher end and expected more. Would come back just for the cocktails myself though! read more

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Drinks were so flavorful and unique! Service was really attentive and all the staff were so helpful and kind. Must orders: lamb chops, beef pepper fry, prawns curry read more

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Walked in and was easily able to get bar seating. We ordered a couple dishes to share, and everything was delicious, extremely flavorful, and actually not as spicy as other Indian dishes we've tried. It felt like the spice levels were definitely toned down here. I will say i felt like everything was priced quite high, you'll probably be spending a minimum of $100 here with the amount of food that is recommended. Overall enjoyed my experience. read more

Was skeptical coming in since I was not a huge fan of Semma and that's also South Indian cuisine, but this place redeemed South Indian cuisine completely. Not only are the vibes immaculate , the food was actually really good, especially the lamb chops, so flavorful and tender (cooked medium rare- rare) and the village style chicken curry . Presentation is also IRACCHI PATHIRI beef pepper fry, fried rice cake is skippable. It tastes okay, just looks pretty. 10/10 service and ambiance read more

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A yummy spot for Kerala eats - unique, regional dishes! Standouts were Podi Idli (technically a free starter), Prawn Curry and Chakka appetizer. All of the sauces are great, cocktails slap -- favorites were Manga and Kaapi. The staff here is really nice and great at making recommendations. read more

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It's really cool seeing South Indian food in a creative format like it is here. Idli - a first bite, a little idli in a chutney foam. Really creative and tasty. Chembu - the taro is cooked very soft in a slightly tangy and flavorful sauce. Chakka - insanely delicious. The crispy exterior gave way to a savory and soft jackfruit interior full of spices, on top of a creamy sauce. Iracchi Pathiri - I didn't try this, but my friend said it was very good. The presentation on a little tree was really impressive. Koon Theeyal - chewy mushrooms and banana blossom in a sweet, sour, and creamy gravy. This went great with the flaky Malabar parotta. Ilaneer Payasam - the Payasam part is a foam, on top of fresh coconut, ice cream, and peanut chikki. This was a super creative spin on the dish. My friend also tried the nandu curry, which he enjoyed. For drinks, I tried the khopa, which had a nice clarified note with strong flavor of curry leaf on top of the fruit flavors. The chakotra had a nice blend between the grapefruit and spicy, tart, and herbal jalapeno brine. The bill came to about $260 after tax and tip, which is expensive but totally worth it. We ended up over ordering a bit, so two appetizers and two entrees is probably enough for two people. read more

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Very rarely do you have an experience at an Indian restaurant that both captures the nostalgia of kerala cuisine but also puts it on its head. The food is delicious, spicy, imaginative, yet stays close to its roots. The absolute surprise STAR of the night is the cocktail program. My 4-top ordered 5 rounds and we tried EVERY. SINGLE. DRINK. This place deserves a Star, no question about it. Service might be the reason they are being held back (a bit slow and amateur). Otherwise a 5 star meal and one of the best meals I've had in NYC. read more

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Really excellent lamb chops, chakka, and shrimp curry. Lentils and paratha were really top tier as well. Good heat to a number of these. read more

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From food to service to ambiance everything was great! We were greeted immediately and taken to our table at our reservation time. To start our meal we were given a complimentary amuse bouche which was a delicious idli in a spicy coconut chutney. It was truly amazing and such a good way to start the meal. For apps we had the banana leaf prawn which was so good. It was very flavorful, with a tomato onion base. For mains we had the fish curry (kalanji), chicken curry (mulakittathu), and crab curry (nanducurry) and the Malabar paratha and red Matta rice for sides. All curries were great, but the crab and chicken curries really stood out to me. The chicken pieces were cooked so well and fell off the bone. The crab was also very flavorful and had a good coconut flavor mixed with the spices. The fish curry was still good but I felt the other dishes overpowered it. Finally for dessert we had the Calicut halwa. This was one of the best desserts I've had at an Indian restaurant. The ice cream paired with the halwa was perfect and such a unique combination for dessert. There were so many dishes we wished we could order so we will definitely be back to try more! read more

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Absolutely incredible. Kindilum is hands down the best Indian food I've ever had. The real standout, though, was Robin. Instead of just recommending the most popular dishes, he took the time to ask what proteins we liked and curated our entire meal around our preferences. Every single recommendation was phenomenal, we genuinely loved every dish that came out. The food was packed with flavor, beautifully prepared, and unlike any Indian meal I've had before. Combined with Robin's thoughtful, knowledgeable service, it made for an unforgettable dining experience. Can't recommend this place enough. If you're lucky enough to get a reservation and have Robin taking care of your table, just trust his recommendations, you won't regret it. read more

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Got a reservation here for a weeknight dinner. The service is very attentive, from the hostess to the waiters to the bartenders. The staff is very patient to explain dishes and make recommendations. The interior is nicely done, and a great vibe for dinner. For food, we were started with a complimentary idli and chutney. We ordered the beef pepper fry, lamb chops, and jackfruit appetizers. For mains we got the nanducurry with crab meat and the Nadan Kozhi curry with paratha on the side. Overall, this restaurant does an amazing job of keeping authentic flavor with a modern elevated presentation. A lot of these upscale Indian restaurants disappoint me but this one was amazing! I didn't have a single bad bite here and everyone at the table had a different favorite dish. The cocktails were also a highlight. I had the tomato tamarind one and it was great and refreshing. Overall, I loved this restaurant and need to go again to try more of the menu. read more

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As a South Indian I'm always excited when a new South Indian focused restaurant opens up in the city. Kidilum is the perfect balance of comfortable and brilliant South Indian flavors blended with excellent presentation.. a lovely fine dining experience was indeed. We were sat promptly at our reservation time and I would definitely recommend getting a reservation since it was packed on a weekday! Coming to the food - we got the irachi pathiri to start, this was excellent - personally I would've liked a bit more spice to it but i understand that they need to cater to a larger crowd. We also got the pork roast and the biryani.. the biryani was our personal favorite! We also ordered some cocktails but i don't think it added much to our experience and I will most likely skip it next time. Overall would definitely recommend trying it if you can snag a reservation! read more

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Brilliant location, excellent food, and an exhibition kitchen setup, with noise levels on the average end as the evening progressed. Got to experience this excellent Kerala style food (and menu) on a fine Saturday evening where the place was filled to capacity. This place offers a lesson or two to the non-kid friendly fine dining Indian restaurants in the city. The entire staff, specifically Devender, Aakash, and Donika were so friendly and conversational with our little one - thanks for that! The open kitchen offers a great view of excellent chefs led by head chef Vinu, who too, was kind enough to come say hello to our little one while rolling out excellent dishes like Attu Chaps ($39) - must order lamb chops, Bonda ($18) with a flavor packed beetroot reduction, and Pollichathu ($27). We stuck with Akash's recommendation for mains which included Paal Curry ($36) and Ularthiyathu ($36). The paal curry was more on the creamier end, but a perfect dish to experience flavor packed coconut milk curry with Prawns. Ularthuyathu on the other hand was a brilliant dish for meat lovers which went really well with Malabar Paratha ($12). Kalludosa ($9) went well with the Paal Curry too. Their amuse-bouche (a flavor packed idli mixed in chuttney) was presented in a very stylish way and desserts which included the Calicut Halwa ($15) and Payasam ($15) offered Chef Vinu's modern take on these traditional classics with a technical approach on food. Throughout the evening, the staff was very apologetic for service delays (which we did not mind at all). Shoutout again to the entire staff for an amazing experience. We will visit again with friends and family and will recommend this kidilum place! read more

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5 STARS for the Kalanji, Chakka and the Manga cocktail (and this is coming from a Malayalee who grew up eating this cuisine!) and the ambiance! It's so nice to see a Kerala style restaurant that brings the vibes (decor and lighting were on point). Now here is our honest ratings of each dish: Kalanji 8.5/10 - get this! (It's an alleppey style fish curry) Chakka 8/10 - get this! (I don't like jackfruit normally but this was great!) Nandan Crab curry 8/10 (they have a chicken version) - get this! Malabar parotta 8/10 - get this and the rice for the sides because I personally think those pair well with everything. I do wish they brought this out with the apps as well Calicut Halva 8/10 Iraichi pathiri 7/10 (please make this with puff pastry or toast instead! Would be good!) Prawn pollichathu 6.5/10 Baby Goat roast 6.5/10 (this is my favorite Kerala dish usually but it was a bit dry and hard to chew) Mulakittuthu (kozhi) 6.5/10 Lamb chops 6/10 Payasam 6/10 Bonda beet pachadi 5/10 (would prefer more beet pachadi flavor - if you like kappa you may like this) Pradhaman 4/10 (personally not a fan of this dish- this might be more of an acquired taste and found it to be an odd dessert choice) The manga was my favorite cocktail! 8/10 Did the restaurant blow me away? it's hard to compete with my grandmas cooking but they definitely have potential. Also want to note that I visited when they first opened so I'm sure they will improve or change around some of the dishes. There is a 3% credit card processing fee added to your bill which I haven't seen at many high end restaurants which is good to know especially at this price point. read more

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A gorgeous resturant with some very rich and flavorful dishes. I found the biryani and the chicken curry to be quite good. read more

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Fantastic food, service and experience, although it took us a while to get seated. Ifs beautiful inside and the food is some of the best Indian I've had. The chutney in the amuse bouche idli was fantastic. the jackfruit cutlets and poriyal were delicious, and the rice halwa dessert was yummy. They brought plenty of serving spoons to eat family styles folded our napkins as we got up and had our leftovers waiting for us at cost check. read more

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Kidilum is an exciting, upscale, tastefully over the top restaurant in Flatiron showcasing Kerala food. Our meal here was mostly great, albeit with a few inconsistencies that keep it from being a five-star experience. The menu is full of bright, flavorful food with almost too many enticing options to choose from. Luckily it's pretty hard to go wrong here (though there are a few dishes that unanimously seem to be the favorites). We came here at 8:30 on a Saturday night as a party of two. It was raining and we were dressed accordingly so it was a very pleasant surprise to find a coat check at the entrance that could stow our umbrellas, jackets, etc. We had to wait a few minutes in the little purgatory area that is the entrance before the entrance, which imbued our initial moments here with some mystery and made our eventual foray into the main space extra magical. As other have mentioned the decor and overall vibe here is maximalist but in a fun and festive way. I love an understated, sleek look but I always appreciate some personality. Kidilum strangely only provides a cocktail list when you sit down, so if you want something other than a mixed drink (beer/wine) you'll need to ask specifically (i.e. my partner wanted a beer after first drink, and our server just told him the short list of what they had. To start, I got the Kidilum Martini (gin, dry vermouth, bitters, raw mango brine) which was bright and unique, certainly not like any martini I'd tried before thanks to the mango brine. My second drink was the Naranga (mezcal, lacto-fermented lemon pickle, agave, bergamot) which I loved. Many of the cocktails offered appeared to be on the sweeter side, so I asked our server about the relative sweetness of this drink before ordering. She said it was on the sweeter side but could ask the bartender to reduce the amount of agave, which I was appreciative of. She checked in with me after I tried the final result, which was excellent. Food-wise, Kidilum has quite the extensive menu that could make deliberating a dizzying process, particularly if you're a smaller party and will be ordering fewer dishes. We ended up going with a few that others (including our server) had cited as favorite, and a veggie-only dish given that most of the other dishes are relatively light on the veggies. Everything we ordered was super flavorful, much of the time presented in a playful, dramatic, or otherwise playfully gimmicky way. Eats, below: Iracchi Pathiri (beef pepper fry, fried rice cake): A- Served on the branches of some extravagantly carved tree-type display, these sliders were the definition of pomp and circumstances. Juicy and flavorful, yet not quite as exciting as we anticipated given the majestic presentation. Paal Curry (prawns, coconut, ginger, black pepper): A One of my two favorite dishes of the night. The combo of the coconut curry with ginger and black pepper is one I absolutely love but wouldn't necessarily think to pair with prawns, so this was particularly delightful for that reason. Kalanji (barramundi, alleppey fish curry, raw mango): A As delicious as it was beautifully presented. Poriyal (shredded stir-fried vegetables, cabbage, carrot, roastcurry): B+ We tried to get a sense from our server of what the best veg dish was to order and she mentioned this one. Not bad but underwhelming and kind of one-note. One note about the service: everyone was friendly and pleasant but between our appetizer and the rest of the dishes, there was a pretty significant wait. Our server apologized to us several times and assured us that the rest of our food would be out soon but it took upwards of 45 minutes after finishing the Iracchi Pathiri before we received all of the mains. It was something like 10pm at this point so it was late and quite a few folks had filtered out, so not entirely sure what happened there. read more

Chef Vinu and his team are amazing. I am intolerant to FODMAPs including garlic and onion which makes it very hard for me to enjoy Indian food typically. We contacted the restaurant ahead of time to tell them about the dietary restrictions and they made us felt at ease by telling us the chef would prepare off menu items for me. The chef seemed very excited to meet this challenge and prepared many dishes that met my needs. They were all extremely delicious. Everyone on the team was super nice. We will be back. read more

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Incredible food, ambiance, and service. The best example of elevated South Indian food I have ever seen. The flavors were deep, complex, and true to their Kerala roots. The presentation and interesting twists kept things interesting and modern. The beef fry and the fish curry were the standouts for us. We will be back over and over until we make it through the full menu read more

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Ambiance was amazing, service was prompt. A glass was dropped next to me and they moved us to a different table and gave us complimentary podi. We loved the food. Everything was balanced and well spiced. Best dishes were the kozhi karuveppilai (chicken app) and the idli podi. The nanducurry (crab) could have used more texture or crunch but the flavor was amazing. Loved my pakka mocktail! One of the best mocktails I've ever had. read more

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Flavors galore! Each dish was beautifully presented with each bite had me wanting more. A delightful dining experience!

Kidilum feels like Kerala took a stylish detour through a modern tasting studio, and it works beautifully. What stood out immediately was the warm, attentive service by Maria. She struck that perfect balance of being present without hovering, guiding us through the menu with genuine enthusiasm. The food is where nostalgia meets reinvention. Familiar South Indian flavors show up dressed in entirely new silhouettes: * Thair Vada, soft, airy, and delicately balanced with cooling yogurt and pops of sweetness * Bonda, comforting at its core, but elevated with thoughtful textures and depth * Koon Theeyal, earthy, rich, and deeply satisfying, a standout for anyone who loves bold, layered flavors * Calicut Halwa, the perfect finale, indulgent without being heavy, with a refined sweetness A special mention to Chef Vinu, who was incredibly humble and clearly very talented, his passion reflects in every plate. Every dish felt intentional, rooted in tradition but reimagined with finesse. You can tell there's real respect for the cuisine, paired with a willingness to push it forward. We're definitely going back for more and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fresh take on South Indian cuisine. read more

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No notes from the food, cocktails, ambiance, and lastly the amazing service. Cannot recommend it enough

Great spot for Kerela style food with a twist on some of the items. All three drinks were great. All of the options honestly sounded good. Our favorite dishes were the chukka and both desserts. Only downside was they forgot one of our items we had ordered. We had to let them know when the bill came to have it removed. read more

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Strongly recommended Great food - great bar - excellent service The shrimp , fish and beef dishes were great . The lamb could be better Aesthetically- the food was 11/10 We made the mistake of going elsewhere for drinks after this ( Apotheke) . Dev's (service was a 100x better as was his service level. read more

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Kidilum is a true gem bringing Kerala cuisine onto the map. Chef Vinu has created an incredible experience--from the modern design and warm lighting to the genuinely welcoming staff. The food is outstanding: the Kalanji, Nadan Kozhi, and Porotta are must-orders, and the Payasam and Carrot Halwa are the perfect finish. What's most impressive is how beautifully they elevate traditional home-style dishes into a refined culinary experience without losing authenticity. A must-visit for anyone looking to experience Kerala food in a fresh, thoughtful way. We even had the chance to meet Chef Vinu and learn about his expansive culinary expierence across Europe and now the US. Can't wait to return ! read more

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This place is out of this world good! I won't be surprised when it gets a Michelin star ridiculously fast. As a South Indian, I love the introduction of our traditional food with a unique elevated twists to western culture. This place is incredible and the service was equally something to rave about. Will definitely be back again and again! read more

Idli amuse bouche - 10/10 Jackfruit and cashew sauce (chakka) - 10/10 Beef pepper fry - 9/10. Right mix of fat and thicker fried base Crab (Nanducurry) - 10/10. Unreal curry and soft crab. Vazhakai - 6/10. A miss for me did not like it as much with the sweetness and the texture although definitely unique and partner loved it. Forgetting the name but amazing gin cocktail as well Overall - probably the most unique elevated Indian food I've had in nyc - more fine dining vibe than Kanyakumari and probably a bit better. Definitely gunning for a star and might have a shot imo - with chef an alum of the only three star Michelin Indian restaurant in world read more

Kidilum - Indian Near Me - New York, New York

Fantastic ambience, food and service! Mira our server provided excellent service and recommendations. The food is just fantastic, very flavorful and exotic presentation. We tried several of their veg dishes and all were excellent. the ambience is upscale and pretty chic for a date night or larger group. Highly recommend this new restaurant! read more

I was very disappointed by the food at kidilum - average at best. The ambience, vibe, decor and service are 10/10. Staff is friendly and very pleasant. The food we ordered: Idli amuse Bouche was complimentary- 3/10 I didn't love it and for me it didn't add to the experience. Beef pepper fry 7/10 - tasted good but nothing extra special and I don't want it again. It needs a chutney to freshen it up and cut through the fat. Lamb chops 4/10 - I've had way better lamb chops. The lamb was a little tough and too fatty for my liking. The flavor was not seeped in all the way and I expect better for these prices. One of the servers came and pointed that I did not eat the piece of fat on the chop - I told him it's not for me. He continued to explain why it's there etc. umm - you can offer me another appetizer OR just respect my choice of not liking how it's prepared. Banana leaf prawns: 7/10 quite flavorful the masala's were on point. Not craving them again. Chicken and potato curry- favorite on the menu. 8/10. Curry was perfect, not too heavy, not greasy and paired well with the dosa and paratha. Dessert- halva was 6/10. Quantity was too small for me to even remember what it tasted like and the vanilla ice cream was meh. Texture was gummy? It was a halwa cameo experience and more of a design exercise. Coconut dessert - 0/10. It was just coconut foam, tiny bit of crunchy and cake/icecream at the bottom. Overall 5/10 in terms of food. I ate three hours ago and I already forgot- so overall a very expensive, forgettable experience. Check was $217 for two people and definitely not worth it. The restaurant is overhyped, and mostly social media buzz. There are way better South Indian /fusion restaurants in the city. read more

Great food and service. Better options in Manhattan though (we loved Chatti for example)

My husband and I had a belated Valentine's date at Kidilum on what turned out to be their third day open - and you absolutely could not tell. The staff and kitchen worked seamlessly to deliver an excellent dining experience in a stylish and surprisingly large dining room. Shout out specifically to our server, Eric, who was wonderful to chat with and had a number of helpful recs! What really stood out was the quality of food - the city's a bit overrun with basic pan Indian or diasporic dishes for $$$, but Kidilum has a regional menu and every single item was cooked and imagined to pretty much perfection. Special mention for the jackfruit appetizer and the clarified tequila cocktail. Really incredible stuff and will definitely be back! read more

Kidilum - iracchi pathiri - Indian Near Me - New York, New York

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What do I say about Kidilum ? Our experience was absolutely fantastic! From the bartender's drink recommendation (Ney) to Chef Venu to the managers every person we came across was super friendly, helpful and down to earth! The food & presentation is different and unlike anything I've experienced before. Unique taste to all the dishes we ordered, perhaps because they mix and grind all the spices right in the restaurant . We loved the entire experience right from the bar to the dining area to visiting the spice center to learning the history behind Kidilum to meeting owner Archana ji and every member of that team. Highly recommend this restaurant. read more

As a vegetarian, I'm always excited when I find a restaurant where the vegetarian options feel just as thoughtful, satisfying, and exciting as the rest of the menu, and Kidilum absolutely delivered. There were plenty of options to choose from, and nothing felt like an afterthought. I especially loved the jackfruit, plantain, and mushroom dishes -- all of them were incredibly flavorful, well-executed, and genuinely memorable. The drinks were also some of the best I've had in the city. They were so unique, balanced, and crafted in a way that complemented the food beautifully. Podi, Naranga, and Puliyam were some of my favorites, and each one brought something completely different to the table. What really stood out was how balanced every cocktail was, no matter what liquor it was built around. Even my friends who don't usually gravitate toward certain spirits wanted to try them, and ended up actually really enjoying them. That says a lot about how thoughtful and well-made the cocktail program is. From the beautiful space to the warm hospitality to the quality of both the food and drinks, everything about Kidilum felt elevated and intentional. It's not always easy as a vegetarian to find a place where you feel like you have so many exciting options, but Kidilum really stood out in that way. Such a special and memorable dining experience, and easily one of the most unique spots I've been to in the city. Already can't wait to go back. read more

The food is simply put:amazing. And the people treat you like family. Grate vibe. It is a must stop in city. read more

The whole package. We arrived without a reservation but were able to get seats at the bar. The cocktails were amazing as was the food, particularly the jackfruit fritters. I look forward to going back. read more