Food is consistently good. Authentic South Indian Vegetarian fare. Iddlis are soft and fluffy, Dosais are good and chutneys are good but need consistency. Service was prompt when we visited. Thaali took a bit of time. Wait staff seemed to be busy but not very organized. Ambiance is spartan. Simple traditional South Indian style. read more

Two Saturdays ago, I visited the restaurant and was shocked to find a rock in the sambar served with my masala dosa. When I informed the staff, the response was a casual shrug--"there's nothing we can do." No apology, no attempt to make it right. More than the rock itself, it was the indifference that stood out. Standards here aren't just slipping--they're plummeting. read more

I haven't been to this establishment before. I happened to have come for the 2024 Tamil Festival and decided to give it a try. As expected, the restaurant was at full capacity. Despite this, my server was polite and courteous. I ordered their Mysore Onion Masala Dosa. When my meal arrived nearly half an hour later, I expected the amount of Sambhar to be a little more and the tiny portions of chutneys were also too less for the dosa. The meal itself was tasty and filling but it was strange to find raw, freshly cut onion cubes inside the dosa with the potatoes. After I managed to finish my meal with their limited sambhar, and I was paying for my meal, I wanted to know how much they would have charged for an extra bowl of sambhar. It was only then that I discovered that they provide free refills of the sambhar. My server apologised for not informing me about this in advance - it certainly would have helped to make my meal more enjoyable. There is very little distinction about where the men's and women's washrooms are located. The washrooms themselves are clean and well maintained, but because they are located in close vicinity to the handwashing sinks, it can get confusing to know if you're entering the men's or the women's restrooms. I will be back in the future to try out their other dishes. Service Dine in Meal type Dinner Price per person CA$10-20 Food: 4 Service: 3 Atmosphere: 3 Recommended dishes Mysore Dosa Parking space Plenty of parking Parking options Free parking lot read more

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The Nilgiris is a bustling and vibrant South Indian vegetarian restaurant specializing in Idli and other dishes. Takeout or delivery is highly recommended! With locations in Brampton on Ebenezer Road and in Scarborough, they are a highly popular restaurant for UberEats and SkipTheDishes delivery and takeout. There was a long lineup for UberEats and SkipTheDishes and other delivery services, along with regulars patiently waiting for their takeout orders for their families. Be patient and willing to wait up to 40 minutes for them to prepare your food during peak times. One person walked in and ordered the entire case full of ready made quick bites! Since it was late midday they were no longer serving Madras Thali (Chennai Food Platter) and their Bombay Thali (Mumbai Plate Meals). Those items are no longer served due to Covid? They were also out of the popular Madras Filter Coffee but that allowed us to choose other options. Really you can't go wrong with ordering anything on their wide ranging menu since it is all delicious! Everyone was ordering Dosa Varieties and I noticed quite a few dessert chocolate Dosa being ordered too. Kids love it! Next time I visit, I will order the Onion Chilli Oothapam or 7 Taste Oothapam. For this visit, I opted for a few plates to order and share with friends in order for us to share a variety of each of their favourites. * Coriander Masala Dosa * Extra Sambar, Chutney and Rasam* for an additional charge (it was so good we all ordered an extra Rasam for takeaway!) * Poori with Vegetable Kurma and Chana* * Idli Vada Plate came with 2 idli and 2 vada*. Plate Idli includes Sambar and Chutney * Indian Masala Tea Overall it was great selection to choose from and the food was very good. We each ordered extra bowl of Rasam for takeout! A bonus tip for Yelpers ordering takeout in the morning or the evening: MORNINGS From 8:30-11:30AM you can order Tiffin Items such as the Special Nilgiris Combo, Venoongal/Ghe Pongal, Rava Uppma or Rava Kichadi. EVENINGS From 5-8PM they offer Bajji Varieties like Plantain, Chilli, Onion or Potato Bajji. read more

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Let me first express the shock at such low rating of this restaurant. This is by-far the best South Indian food experience I had after trying so many places in Toronto/GTA. In 4 months, I have been to this place almost 5 times. Everything we have tried on their menu is lip-smacking good. Their sambhar and chutneys are fresh and full of flavour and best part being, unlimited complimentary refills. The ambiance is that of a typical economical South Indian joint, with tables tucked closely and full of hustle bustle. If you love the chaos of Indian food joint, you'll love it. Servers are very nice and quick to respond to your requests. Overall, value for money and good food. Highly highly recommended for your dose of South Indian cravings. read more

Best south Indian vegetarian food in area. We love to go there from 20 years Best test read more

I love the dining experience I had here. We came in early Saturday morning for breakfast. A while later, there were also other diners coming in to do the same. The place was active and busy early on in the morning. I like how there was some care and attention given into decorating the place. There are some hanged cultural decors and displays found inside to give that sense of authenticity and cultural immersion. Me and my friends were able to sample a variety of meals. There was an order of plain rava dosa and mint masala dosa. The dosa came with 3 different dips or sauces. I have nothing bad to say about how they taste. I was with a couple of friends hailing from South India and it was such a treat that we ordered the Madras Filter Coffee ($2.99) from the menu, and they showed me how to properly mix and stir the coffee. Overall, it was a good, memorable meal. I will consider this place next time I want some authentic Indian dining experience. read more

We were in the area and a friend recommended this casual place. I love south Indian food so I was excited to eat here. I ordered vada, idly, and plain dosa. I asked the server if it was all gluten free and he said yes. Hubby had the spicy uttapum. The food was all very tasty and vada and dosa were crispy. The idli was soft,the sambar not too spicy. I liked the white coconut chutney but found the red one spicy. Everything was very reasonably priced and service was quite quick. Many people came for take out but we dined in and there was plenty of space between tables. The washrooms had a shared sink for hand washing and I would have liked nicer, cleaner washrooms. Sadly, as soon as I got home I had cramps and diarrhea. Hubby was ok so I assume there was dairy or gluten in the food:(( read more

Some of the best South Indian food I have ever eaten. The Sambar is not sweet and on point, the idlis were soft, vadas crisp and the rava dosa yummy. The butter dosa was not too thin and just right. It's a tiny spot we went around 1130 am and it was not super crowded, which was a plus. It's not an upscale restaurant and great for breakfast or lunch. It is affordable with some great vegetarian options. read more

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Whenever I pop in here on the weekends, it's ALWAYS packed. If you come here for dine in, be prepared to wait a little bit. They have a good selection for their lunch buffet Typically, I like to order the fresh Dosa Paste and make some fresh at home. Sometimes I also get takeout idli sambar, vada and umpa from here as well. Their Tomato Chutney is one of the best! Recently I discovered they also carry some dry mixes for Sambar, Chutney and Filtered Coffee. read more

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Great spot for authentic South Indian food Came on the weekend and went for the buffet to be able to try a variety of options(all vegetarian) you can even eat a la carte if you like. I like the number of options just wishes the fresh hot dosas came more often because I was sitting there waiting for them most of the time to continue eating read more

no Thanks I would (not )think about going back 48 $ to eat a crepe and a couple of spoons of potatoes (3) orders on masala dosa and an Indian doughnut Service is slow with kids overwhelmed by the sheer customer volume read more

I came here with my co workers, it was our first time. The restaurants is situated in an industrial area, which you cannot see from the road. Restaurant was big and it was buffet style or A la carts. The restaurant was nice and clean. Loved the food and dessert. We ordered the masala tea after and it was great . Everything was fresh. Customer service was amazing . read more

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Came here the other day for lunch and I didn't hate my experience here nor did I love my experience. To begin, the service was actually pretty good. Upon arrival we got greeted and seated quickly. The staff were kind and was always around when we needed them. One piece of advice, on the board it does say if it's too busy you will have to leave after 30 minutes of dining to be fair. So my family and I decided to go with the lunch buffet, because it was $11 (on weekdays it is this price) and if you don't waste food they will deduct $2. We thought, why not? We can try a few dishes, instead of just one. Boy were we wrong. There was hardly any selections and half of the curries did not look so appetizing! My favourite was the idli and sambar. The staff go around handing out dosa and puri, and both of them were delicious!! Definitely try the puri with the potato masala curry, which is provided in the buffet selection. For dessert, the gulab jamun was really good. For the restaurant itself, they can certainly get some renovations done. It looks the exact same from when I walked in back when I was like 7 years old. All in all, I would probably do take-out or come back for dinner and just order what I actually like from the menu. I definitely recommend their idli and sambar, dosa, puri and gulab jamun. P.S. GET THE MANGO SHAKE! You won't regret it, it was amazing. read more

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Excellent dosa, idli, vada, Sambar. The service is good. Ambience is neat. We usually have the weekend special.

I usually go to mississauga for Dosa's but came across this restaurant a few years ago and now occasionally come here. The staff greet and seat you as soon as you enter. Very prompt service. The only thing I dislike is the cleanliness. I often question why I keep going back based on the dishes always being dirty I usually have to keep asking for new dishes until I finally get a clean one. I ordered the masala dosa. It has the right amount of spice and flavours. It was slightly cold which means it wasn't served right away. Dosa's have to be eaten right away as they are fresh or else you won't really enjoy it. The sauces that came with it are so delicious. The mint one is a bit spicy for me but sometimes I mix it in read more

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For a start we could barely enter the door with my fathers wheelchair. The place has not been updated since I visited over 10 years ago but the prices have definitely increased. It's a Saturday evening ! Asked for a mango lassi not available. Asked for sweet lassi not available asked for cauliflower pakoda not available. Also no vada ! Then asked for a badam milk which was served in a plastic glass. No straw. The rasam came. No cutlery served had to get up and get our own napkins. Servers are standing around twiddling their thumbs. The table next to us asked for vada from two different servers. One said none available the next one came with a plate. I then looked across the tables and see the cauliflower pakoda being served to someone. Never again !! read more

Another spot that serves truly authentic South Indian food. Prices are very reasonable and food is very tasty and homely. Their vadas are simply heavenly! Have tried their buffets a few times and have never been disappointed. They also offer a discount on your price if you don't waste anything on your buffet, which is a great initiative! We had them cater for a dosa party and that was also really great. Staff are friendly and nice, service is good. Great spot! read more

The ambience reminds of an authentic South Indian restaurant. Gunpowder masala dosa and Poori is a must a try!!!

We have taken our friends here for an evening dinner. Price is reasonable and I will highly recommend this place. Read on..... We also engaged them in a recent party for catering. The food preparation was to our liking. Freshly prepared and Tasty. All the guests were full of praise for the uniqueness of the south Indian variety. To them it was novel food, never tasted one like it before. Everyone uniformly praised the food which made the party that much more enjoyable. As one would appreciate - the food is one of the main aspects of a successful gathering. In that respect Nilgiris played an important role. Thanks to Mr.Ivan Joseph for taking special care and keeping it ready to be delivered to us on time - just as promised. About price: For the same menu items we compared two other south Indian restaurants. They were more expensive than Nilgiris. A lot more. So, we are glad we chose this place. They did not disappoint. All in all, it is good value. read more

I am writing this review because this is my 3rd visit over last 2 years and had the same experience. Their dosa is so cold when brought to the table no quality not crispy no restaurant standards. Last two times I had to return the order as the dosa was like a piece of cloth. This time I ordered ghee it was so bad tone. We are able to make better dosa at home. read more

3 stars for food, zero for service! Located on Markham Road with plenty of parking in the plaza, this place has a 'around the corner in Chennai' vibe. Walls are painted dull yellow and tables n chairs are pretty old fashioned. Their sambhar and rasam is the best I've had so far. Idli's are super soft and vada's are crisp n fresh. We get the Idli dipped in copious amount of sambhar and garnish it with chopped onions and coriander. Can't say how happy that makes me. The lunch buffet over the weekends is pretty decent too. But why no medu vadas? The service leaves a lot to be desired. Although the staff is amicable but there seems to be a language barrier. Now only if I was from South India or Sri Lanka I guess. They are also pretty strict about timings. Reached at 9pm on a weekday with my parents who are visiting us but were told if you can finish your food by 9.30, you can sit. Or? I didn't want or wait to hear the rest of it. We'll be back for food's sake though. Sigh!!! read more

The Nilgiris - Idli Vada Plate - Indian Near Me - Scarborough, Ontario

We ordered 50 dosais for take out, was not cooked properly had to throw out all. Service was poor, Managers response was don't complain about the food to anyone but did not want to refund or give credit. Terrible place, would not recommend going back! If you do choose to go good luck with their poor service! read more

Lovely dosas and great service! We've been here two times and we enjoyed the food both the time. During lunch hour on a weekend, they have buffet and it's very crowded... Parking can be challenging! Dinner was not as crowded and could taste the quality of food they serve. Will definitely recommend this place for south Indian food. read more

Really very good south Indian food! My mom had the dosa and I had a the Bombay thali! The mysore masala dosa came with the regular with a spicy spread and potato filling. The mysore style of dosa is my favorite type of dosa. The dosa was accompanied with coconut, spicy coconut, and tomato chutneys and a tiny bowl of sambhar. The reason I am giving this place a four stars is because of the tiny portion of chutneys and sambhar, but the dosa size was good! My mango lassi was pretty small as well for $3.50. My Bobmay thali was delightful! I was full and very happy by the end of it. I am a huge fan of rasam, and this place made the rasam perfectly! All the veggie dishes had a unique taste, especially liked the chilli veggies! Also loved the fried chillies served with the meal! I love spicy food and the chillies were a nice touch. The service was good as well because that is important as well! Regardless whether you are vegetarian or not, this place is a jewel in Markham! read more

The Nilgiris - Bombay thali with poori, sambar, rasam, 4 veggie dishes, yogurt, payasum(dessert), and pappadum - Indian Near Me - Scarborough, Ontario

Probably the best South Indian the Toronto GTA area. Their idlis are a must try! I really like their Mysore Pak. read more

The Nilgiris - Indian Near Me - Scarborough, Ontario

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This is easily my favorite southern Indian vegetarian buffet restaurant in the Toronto suburbs. The main vege menu changes daily but the staples like dosa and poori are reliably the same and deliciously fresh. My favorite has to be their vadas-- so light and airy, it soaked up all the piquant spices on my plate just so that the burst of flavors would be delivered in one bite. I can't say that I've had anything bad there and highly recommend all to check it out. Seating is very comfortable but when it does get crowded, you are expected to leave within 30mins (as instructed by a table notice) The wait staff are very polite and helpful but don't expect them to check up on you every 10 mins. Who wants that anyway?? read more

The Nilgiris - Light and airy vada, so satisfying. - Indian Near Me - Scarborough, Ontario

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Have not tried eating in . Tried it for the first time during this coVid pandemic and did take out . This was not our regular place. We had a bad experience with our regular place and have decided to keep off it and try something else. That's how found this nondescripts restaurant . But food was really good and made up for it. Our take our dosas and vadas were amazing and the Sambar was finger licking good . This is coming from a Pure bred South Indian foodie so be assured this will be good . It stores well for the next day and was super good breakfast with warmed up idlies. Ll for sure become our stop from now on . Added bonus as it is vegetarian only read more

Went on a Sunday afternon. The good: the doshas are huge and good. The bad, they don't have a thali platter except for take out! They told it's because they have a luncheon buffet. It was pretty good (hubby has this) I had the coriander masala dosa. Anyhow, they cooked fresh poori's and had mini dosas at the buffet. I think anything on the menu is there at the buffet so it's worth it if you want to try a bit of everything (lemon rice, curd, sambar etc) Hubby was the only white guy in the place ...we took this as a good sign! :) read more

I've heard decent things about the Nilgiris so we came here on a Monday afternoon strictly for some dosas. For those of you who don't know, dosas are essentially Indian crêpes. They are awesome. My go to is the Masala Dosa: spiced potatoes in a crisp crepe. Eaten by smothering in coconut chutneys and sambar. There were plenty to choose from (there were a page and a half of different dosas) and I would definitely return to try the other varieties. We ordered the tried and true Masala Dosa and Mysore Masala Dosa which is a dollar more ($7.49 vs 8.49). They were good. While tasty and satisfying, the Dosa crepe was fairly 'short' in size. I also felt that the crepe could have been much more crisp and warm as well. You can definitely find better dosas elsewhere. The service wasn't as bad as others have said but then again there were only a handful of tables with patrons. However, there were a handful of tables that still had their tables dirty with plates and cutlery during our entire meal. It would have been nice for them to get those out of the way. The place is a bit tricky to find as it is not facing Markham Road. Rather, it is inside the plaza called the Markham Mcnicoll Centre. Once you enter the plaza you should see it on your left, with a big sign. read more

The Nilgiris - Masala dosa with spiced potatoes inside, served with two varieties of coconut chutneys and sambar. - Indian Near Me - Scarborough, Ontario

Went on a Monday for lunch with co workers. Buffett is Tues - Sat only. Food was pretty good. We 1st thought of going to Saravana but didn't regret comig here. It's tucked away in a commercial area. Dosa is nice and crisp and not soggy. Place is kinda dingy but can be overlooked by speedy service. Service is nothing to write home about but in ethnic restaurants like these.. don't expect a chatty or courteous waiter. Just Sit .. order .. Eat .. Enjoy the food .. Pay and Leave. read more

I bought Idli, Idli had soda powder and it was severe allergic, completely disappointed, I was also charged $30(The counter clerk did not return my money when I paid, but says I paid, which is completely unreasonable. I recommend some Canadian place to takeout instead of this, restaurants that maintain who have some fair practices, unlike Nigiris. read more

Fairly large restaurant with simple furniture. Had tried to eat there 3 times previously and there had been a line to get in. Finally got in, there were 4 of us and we were not disappointed. We had the idli and Sam bar and their Masala Dosa's. We tried the Mysore masala dosa with onions, the plain Mysore masala dosa and their regular Masala Dosa. The Mysore is more spicy. I wanted something that was gluten and dairy free and they were able to accommodate me. Great portions, great taste and our servers were fantastic and the prices are very reasonable. It was a great experience and they have an extensive menu with a lot of variety. I would definitely recommend this place. read more

Came here to grab some sweets and to go chicken biriyani. The kalakand was a little harder than I'm used to, but the taste and flavours are almost what I can remember them to be in India. The restaurant was recently renovated and has a nice traditional feel with beautiful art work decor surrounding an intimate sitting space. We sometimes also come here for poori and Chana, the masala they use at this restaurant is very flavourful, and has a very distinct taste, you can tell the spices are blended in house. This restaurant is one of Scarborough's many hidden gems! read more

In terms of the buffet, - Food: There is a huge variety of South Indian food here! Their dosas and puris are fresh as a server comes around and asks you how many of each (dosa or puri) your table wants. The "rava kheer" is delicious, slightly over-sweet but that might just be my taste. It is a dessert made primarily of semolina, raisins and cashews. A second dish that I thoroughly enjoyed was their eggplant curry! It was delicious and had a very unique South Indian taste. - Service: Servers get overwhelmed with the number of customers during the lunch rush, that it becomes hard to attract their attention for some dosas sometimes! - Seating: Nilgiri's has expanded their seating from their original. Based off of a quick estimate, it would be around 20 tables that seat 4 people on average. This is good as you have a good chance at finding a seat for your group. In terms of takeout, their 50 idli option has been tried and true for many years. It is great as a catering order for events. - Parking: For whatever reason, there is NEVER enough parking in this plaza... finding a decent spot has started to sound similar to finding a four leaf clover. Overall, we have been coming to Nilgiri's for quite a while. Their prices are the best out of many South Indian buffets, and they have established their quality. read more

My criticism here is that I went to use the washroom and was washing my hand and one of the workers came out of the stall and left WITHOUT washing her hand. She smiled and walked out like it was perfectly normal and okay for her to wipe her ass and leave without washing her hands. HOW GROSS. Do they not know anything about hygiene? I am also going to call the restaurant and complain. How gross! It makes me wonder if the other workers don't wash their hands too. If you are cooking and serving people food, it is basic hygiene and decency to wash your hands after using the toilet! Even if you are not serving and working with food, one should wash their hands after using the washroom! Otherwise, the food was good and the customer service was fine, they are friendly and helpful. The criticism with the service was one of the server said we were taking too long to leave after we finished our meal and that there were patrons waiting to sit. Funny thing, there was no line. That made me laugh as I walked out and grossed out by the who knows how many workers are using the washroom and cooking/touching plates/tables/cleaning/doing anything in that washroom! PLEASE WASH YOUR HANDS AFTER USING AND ENTERING THE WASHROOM. Even if you touch the washroom door handle and do nothing else, your hands need to be washed. Open washroom door handles with a paper towel. Please, don't be gross. I will no longer be eating at this restaurant. Just gross! read more

Idlis here are dope! Just like Ammu use to make. Order the Dosa, they have a lot of options to cater to a variety of taste buds. You'll get a huge dosa and some great chutneys for all of your dipping pleasures. Don't be fooled by the exterior of this place, which looks like an industrial area, when you hop inside the customer service is pretty lit and the food is fire. read more

This is not the usual Indian food served in most restaurant in North America. They are from Madras and serve only vegetarian southern food. The place has around 20 tables and several waiters to help, as you work your way to the buffet with around 10 or 12 items. However not a single item was something I ever had in any other Indian place, They have a menu with around 30 choices, all of which are vegetarian. The place is quite crowded, and if you are a "gringo" you could be the only westerner there, which I suppose tells something positive about the quality of the food. Since I don't look Indian, I was asked if I "really" wanted to eat there. You bet! Two Hindu temples surround this restaurant. Don't be fooled and try! read more

I have been to Nilgiris many many many times over the years and in fact we used the catering on site service for our wedding ( dancing night before wedding). Service, food quality, cleanliness and the ambience have gone down quite a hit in last approx 2 years. Cleanliness is a big turn off for me and I have been seriously considering not returning in future. Food quality is much better at Guru Luxshmi than Nilgiris. read more

I was quite pleased with an impromptu dinner at The Nilgiris. After a quick stop at an ethnic wear store down Markham rd, at about 8:30 p.m. we started googling options for dinner. The Nilgiris is where we were directed. A short drive north... We ordered the chili idli. Idli is a sourdough sort of small disc of soft goodness. It came to us fried, and doused in sauce with veg. It was very good. I am now starting to wonder if it was even idli or if it was tofu but either way it was very tasty and very flavour filled. Great dish. Great take on a traditional food, in a unique way. We ordered two dosas. I had the regular masala dosa, not much spice, how I like it. He ordered the gunpowder dosa (Spicy!). the dosa was huge, I could only finish half of mine. I did indeed find the sambar's were very tiny servings. The mango lassi was amazing. The filter coffee and the south indian tea was also a great end to the meal. Very traditional, served in metal cups to strain to temper the heat. The bill was the greatest part - very inexpensive. Under $30 for app, two entree, two drinks, two hot drinks. Service was great. Restaurant is in an industrial looking area. Very spacious and interestingly decorated. It was an hour till closing and we were one of three families eating here. It was quiet and I do not know if I would come back if it was busy. I want to try the Brampton location next as it is closer to home. If ever in Scarborough, I would return here. read more