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Madras Cafe

Indian Restaurant, Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurant, and South Indian Restaurant$$$$
Sunnyvale
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8.2/10
505
ratings
  • Stars
    The dosas at Madras Cafe is a can't miss
  • Tips
    Vihang M.
    "Get some idli, wada, dosas and uthappams and try everything!"(69 Tips)
    Params R.
    "Best place in the bay area for south indian food!"(10 Tips)
    Partha R.
    "Best place for Curd rice and Filter Coffee in the bay area."(18 Tips)
    Harsha J.
    "Also filter coffe or masala chai to finish off your yummy meal."(22 Tips)
Tips and Reviews icon141 Tips and reviews
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  • dosas
  • filter coffee
  • casual
  • lively
  • good for groups
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  • Sezheart icon on user image
    SezSeptember 20, 2016
    authentic southeast indian food. all dosas come with different dips and you dip and eat with your hands. you won't be disappointed in the food! the seating is very casual, eat and go type of place..
  • Serious Eats
    Serious EatsSeptember 9, 2013
    Dosas, dosas, and more dosas in spartan surroundings. Go for the vegetable dosa. Tip: study the menu online because the one at the restaurant doesn't have descriptions.
  • Alejandra M.
    Alejandra MAugust 31, 2014
    You have to order your food before you go to your table, and the menu has no description /photos. We ordered randomly and everything was delicious, but next time I'll study the menu online beforehand!
  • Siddharth V.heart icon on user image
    Siddharth VanchinathanSeptember 6, 2016
    Been here 5+ times
    If you're looking for south Indian fare, you must go here. Get a rasam vada, and a kara dosa to warm your palate and buttermilk to keep you cool while you eat.
  • Keyue B.heart icon on user image
    Keyue BaoAugust 15, 2016
    Dosas are amazing, definitely a must get. Mango lassi is great but a bit too sweet. If you're inexperienced with Indian food such as myself, ask for recommendations and you can't go wrong.
  • Vinayak H.heart icon on user image
    Vinayak HebbagilJuly 22, 2016
    Been here 50+ times
    Tomato dosa is a favorite, but also do try the upma, pongal, kottu paratta and veg biryani.. Simply the best place for south indian food in the bay area!
  • Dhaval B.heart icon on user image
    Dhaval BadianiFebruary 23, 2016
    Been here 10+ times
    Kotu paratta and mini idlis are a must try. Tomato dosa has a nice tanginess to it. Even the plain dosa tastes much better than other places. Try pappadams !
  • Mohan G.
    Mohan GaradiNovember 15, 2014
    Great pongal and mini idlies. Uttappams and dosas are good as well. Try their chapati and kurma. Tastes really good. Their coffee is not a real filter coffee but its not bad.
  • Pranav P.
    Pranav PandyaJune 29, 2014
    Well first things first... You can't miss southern filter coffee here..it's simply authentic. The dosas and vadas are some of the best you could eat here in Bay area.
  • Renganathan R.heart icon on user image
    Renganathan RamamoorthyApril 13, 2013
    Been here 10+ times
    Without a doubt, the best south Indian tiffin place in all of bay area. My personal favorite - 14 mini idlies dipped in sambar with a plate of their chutneys. Long wait times for dosas.
  • Senthil K.
    Senthil KumaranApril 26, 2013
    One of the good South Indian restaurants. If you are from south India, you will find the ambience typical to what you find in India. All you count is the quality and taste of the food. It is good.
  • Vihang M.heart icon on user image
    Vihang MehtaJuly 23, 2018
    Been here 10+ times
    Can’t go wrong with any of the choices. Get some idli, wada, dosas and uthappams and try everything!
  • Venu K.heart icon on user image
    Venu KannanMay 21, 2013
    As a chennaite, I am fond of the food from my region. There are 2 things that can tell you if the restaurant is good. One is Ravi dosa & other is filter coffee. Here i got great taste of both here
  • Rakesh B.heart icon on user image
    Rakesh BudwaniMay 21, 2017
    The khara masala dosa is spicy and delicious. Worth the wait.
  • Keith M.
    Keith MollJanuary 29, 2014
    If you're into spicy you have to go with the Kara Masala Dosa. It was pretty special at an even more fantastic price.
  • Params R.heart icon on user image
    Params RamanOctober 28, 2011
    Been here 100+ times
    Best place in the bay area for south indian food! Highlights: Veg Biryani on weekends, Kothu parotha, filter coffee, medhu vada in the eve at ~5:45 (you get it hot & crisp), rava masala dosa!!
  • Gopinath T.heart icon on user image
    Gopinath TagetJune 29, 2019
    Top tier but spartan South Indian fare. Dosas are my favorite but I also like the rice varieties.
  • Sriram S.heart icon on user image
    Sriram SridharanAugust 14, 2014
    I usually order the onion rava masala - which is pretty good - I wouldn't say it's the best that you can get around the South Bay. Pongal is pretty good
  • Praphull K.heart icon on user image
    Praphull KumarApril 18, 2017
    Mysore Masala Dosa, Filter Coffee and Sambhar Rice are my favorite choices at this place.
  • Mehul K.heart icon on user image
    Mehul KarJanuary 9, 2016
    Been here 10+ times
    Mini Idli, Rasam, Tomato & Onion Uttappam. Maybe a salty lassi. You'll get your food < 10 mins guaranteed. Great lunch and dinner place.
  • Tobias S.heart icon on user image
    Tobias SchmidtApril 21, 2018
    Got one of the huge mysore masala dosas (arm for size comparison) with raita on the side and left extremely satisfied
  • Tripti B.
    Tripti BurmanAugust 14, 2014
    Delicious Rasam vada!! Most of the dosas are well made except for the onion rava dosa. Overall good food and quick service.
  • Harsha J.
    Harsha JagadishJanuary 20, 2013
    Get the sambarrrr vada. One of the good and economical South Indian restaurants. Also filter coffe or masala chai to finish off your yummy meal.
  • Tirthesh G.
    Tirthesh GanatraJune 15, 2013
    Try mango lassi it's one of the best ones you will get in bat area :)
  • Shrey G.heart icon on user image
    Shrey GuptaSeptember 28, 2013
    Been here 25+ times
    On crowded evenings, place your order and wrap up grocery shopping at Madras store in same lane. You should have the table ready by the time you are back !
  • Anirudh M.heart icon on user image
    Anirudh MallemOctober 8, 2016
    Delicious Dosa's, perfect sambar and the best filter coffee I had in california so far.
  • Srikanth K.heart icon on user image
    Srikanth KannanNovember 9, 2014
    Been here 5+ times
    Instant service. You can get good South Indian dishes, close to what you would get in Chennai (India) restaurants !
  • Params R.heart icon on user image
    Params RamanMarch 11, 2012
    Been here 100+ times
    Great cardamom tea & filter coffee!! Ask for filter coffee in a to-go cup, that way you get more and it's much hotter :)
  • Varunheart icon on user image
    VarunNovember 11, 2014
    Best dosas and idlis in the bay area! Try the mini-idlis for nice appetizer.
  • Hemanth K.heart icon on user image
    Hemanth KumarSeptember 17, 2011
    The best south-indian food there is in the bay area. The magic they work with "available" ingredients, gets us really close to flavours from India.
  • Hill Y.heart icon on user image
    Hill YoungSeptember 8, 2016
    Best South Indian in Sunnyvale. Don't leave with out a dosa and lassi.
  • Vilas ..heart icon on user image
    Vilas .November 25, 2012
    Like green chutney which is spicier than white coconut and brownish one .. Idli, upma, vada, dosa all are tasty
  • Sabdhagiri M.
    Sabdhagiri ManikandanJanuary 30, 2015
    This is place is usually crowded on weekends. But serves authentic south Indian food which at times is worth the wait..
  • Mrugen D.heart icon on user image
    Mrugen DeshmukhSeptember 3, 2017
    Good South Indian food and filter coffee.
  • Jason W.heart icon on user image
    Jason WoodardSeptember 21, 2015
    The dosa are fabulous. As good as the ones I had in Bangalore.
  • Rajagopal N.
    Rajagopal NMay 10, 2013
    Kothu parotta here is excellent. Definitely give it a shot
  • Bobby
    BobbyFebruary 14, 2010
    Been here 25+ times
    Go to Madras Cafe and have their Mysore Plain Dosa. Top it off with a Filter Coffee. Can't go wrong. I've been having that for breakfast the last few Saturdays...every one of them.
  • Christian D.heart icon on user image
    Christian DickmannMarch 26, 2016
    Been here 5+ times
    Start with kothu paratta and continue with the onion rava masala.
  • Erik J.heart icon on user image
    Erik JacobsDecember 15, 2017
    Myesore masala dosa was tasty and crispy and came out quickly.
  • Aditya A.heart icon on user image
    Aditya AmbadkarJanuary 18, 2015
    Been here 25+ times
    Chai was nice, coffee was okay (not authentic) idli and dosa are good. Onion, tomato peas uttapam is bad. Chutney's are quite delicious.
  • Sowmya K.
    Sowmya KumarNovember 3, 2012
    If you come for breakfast make sure to come early - otherwise you might be in for a really long wait!
  • Harish V.heart icon on user image
    Harish VijendranOctober 14, 2015
    Been here 25+ times
    Mini idli, ghee dosas and coffee are just like how they used to be in chennai.
  • Ram R.heart icon on user image
    Ram RJanuary 26, 2016
    One of the best South Indian vegetarian restaurants in the Bay Area!
  • Ajay K.heart icon on user image
    Ajay KhoslaJanuary 30, 2022
    Podi dosa is good. Sometimes. Chutneys are nice. Vadas are tasty. But the sambhar is quite awful.
  • Alessandro M.heart icon on user image
    Alessandro MingioneDecember 31, 2014
    First you order, then you get seated. Definitely not a restaurant. Prepare for crowds, a bare environment, and deliciously honest indian food. Not a good place if you have a stick up your...
  • Vansiheart icon on user image
    VansiApril 6, 2015
    Rava dosa, duh!
  • Rohit B.
    Rohit BaluApril 25, 2012
    Been here 10+ times
    Kara Dosa is my fav :) but Idly and any of the Dosa is always a safe bet.
  • Munjal M.heart icon on user image
    Munjal MunshiJune 29, 2014
    They should call the Kara Dosa the landmine dosa. Some very spicy parts!
  • Rohan S.heart icon on user image
    Rohan SehgalMay 1, 2016
    Ghee masala dosa, Kara dosa are the best.
  • Poojaheart icon on user image
    PoojaAugust 24, 2014
    Love the mini-idlis! Good plain dosa too.
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