Kalpakavadi in York

Another place taken on a chance while walking past. Staff were great got us a table no problem. Had a cocktail with our dinner. Had the special dosa and byryanni and both dishes were great must say though the byryanni was especially good and well worth it. This place is definitely worth a visit.

As it was a Kerala restaurant, I had slightly high expectations being a south Indian. Food was okay, it lacked that punch we get from Kerala dishes. Samosa was very good 👍🏻 Service was good, not too long to wait for your dishes. The price is a little on the higher side. The atmosphere is well maintained, but there is definitely room for improvement, probably can give some more Kerala touch.

Food 10/10; service 10/10. We ordered chole, appam, thattu dosa, masala dosa and fish. Everything is great. Ate authentic kerala food after a long time.

Sharing my honest review about the food We ordered Chicken gravy which was too oily and couldn't have a bite later. Next was the sambhar wada: Wada was pathetic specifically when you visit a south indian restaurant, and you get the wada made up of maida. Highly disappointing.😡 The quantity of the staters was too less compared to the high prices. The food was cold , as if like all frozen food just warmed up. The worst part was the mango lassi , it didn't have any mango taste and it was just like shrikhanda. I was very disappointed with the food and the quantity which they serve on such high price. Not recommending this restaurant to anyone.😡😡

Quite possibly the best curry I’ve ever had! The railway mutton curry is delicious. Everything tasted very fresh and the staff and atmosphere very friendly. We’ll be back soon.

My favorite place a must try dosa which is fav one for my little one Friendly staff always supportive will surely recommend

A really amazing meal. A lot of people might pass this by as it has a menu unlike the usual “british Indian” place. Those people are idiots! Amazing flavours, you can taste the time taken with their food. We had the scallops to start, then shared nadam attirachi (lamb) and erisseri(pumpkin), along with a paratha and ney choru (rice with onion, raisins and cashews). Lovely staff who could not have been more helpful, and all pretty cheap! Perfect!

We ordered Chilli Paneer, Samosa chat and Tandoori broccoli. Extra star for the 5 star food plating, soulful playlist and pleasant experience. Highly recommended for Indians.. We will try there Spl Dosa next time for sure..

Food was amazing. We had the pre-meal snack which is a combination of different types of poppadoms and chutneys, it was lovely. For mains we had a butter chicken, a Nadan Aattirachi lamb curry, a Koonu rice and a peshwari naan. The flavours were absolutely delicious and I can’t recommend these dishes enough. Staff were attentive and the price was very reasonable for this quality.

The South Indian food here is superbly authentic, paired with a much-needed strong masala chai. I highly recommend everyone to give this place a try!

Great lunch Thali served on weekdays, brilliant value at £9.99. Very authentic South Indian food, can't fault it.

The manager albin was amazing, asked me how the food was and gave me some great reccomendations. seemed like a genuine nice person deserves a raise!! The food was incredible with so much flavour. The chicken Dosa was the best thing ever. will be coming back here!! would recommend this place and also its sister store blue lagoon is amazing too.

The passion of the waiters and the food shines through, a fabulous experience from start to finish. If you haven't been, go !

If you look at my reviews, you'll see I've been here a few times. It's always been exceptional and we are at the point where the staff recognise us and have brought over the champagne we always like. We've been regulars here since Kalpakavadi have first opened, and recommended the place to many people. We won't be doing that again. We turned up about 50 mins early, but that didn't matter as the place wasn't particularly full...maybe less than a quarter. We went to the bar where the owner/manager was and waited to be seated. I told him my name and he called over a waiter and said 'can you find a table for Jim Hatch, or whatever his name is'. The tone and everything was dismissive and insulting, not just for a regular, but any customer. We were taken to a table in the middle of the restaurant and I asked to be reseated as I don't like staff and customers constantly walking either side of us. We were denied and not offered a table on the other side which was soon given over to another couple. We sat and ordered a bottle of fizz and sat there for over 45 mins while we watched customers come in, be seated, have starters and then be on their mains. Everything was so impersonal and cold in feeling. Around 6pm we decided we'd had enough, with no sign of food. I called the manager over and told him we wanted the bill for the fizz. He said, 'please, I'll treat you'. I'm sorry, but the service was appalling and hhis attitude when we arrived about 'whatever his name is' was enough for me. Waiting for food that wasn't coming was just the lesser of the two gripes. We paid and left and went for a meal at Mumbai Lounge across the road. They seemed more than happy for our custom and the meal was amazing. I highly recommend their Scallop Bhuna. You might even be made to feel welcome.

Best Indian in York. Don’t come here if you’re looking for “korma” or “chicken tikka masala”- this is authentic Keralan cuisine and the staff are very attentive.

My wife and I came here based on recommendations. I had the duck curry and my wife had paneer. Our server listened to our request for flavour over heat and the food was prepared to perfection. The staff were attentive and friendly and I would have no qualms about recommending this place to anyone.

I can't say just how much my wife and I enjoyed the much loved Kalpakavadi Indian restaurant in Fossgate,York. The tastes and flavours are amazing, we started with the deep fried crabs 🦀, then the Fossgate beef, followed by two gorgeous curries, one of them was the lamb curry, so tender.

Food lacks freshness and authenticity… it tasted just plain stale and lacking flavour. It’s not Authentic south Indian food, more like its distant third cousin! The naan isn’t freshly cooked, seems like it’s sort of a packaged one from the grocery store. The ambience is fine but still seems like an overpriced place for something so average overall. The wait staff is very polite but the owner / manager is just downright rude. Has zero understanding of customer satisfaction and I bet he loses customers because of his attitude. I wouldn’t visit this place again, not because of the obnoxious owner, but because the food is just so forgettable and unenjoyable. I also observed from reading other 1-star reviews that the management gets quite defensive and seemingly angry about these reviews but I honestly wish they would see this as genuine feedback and try to increase their level of service and go the extra mile instead of causing minor friction points for the customer. Being penny-wise pound-foolish isn’t great for the business, and isn’t great for the customer. I would happily pay a premium for a friction-less, high quality service.

The BEST place for curry in York. Amazing food, lovely service.

I ordered the seafood platter and meen pollichathu with appam, and it was absolutely delightful! The dishes captured the authentic, traditional flavors of Kerala, and every bite was a treat. I started my meal with a comforting bowl of rasam as soup, which was the perfect warm-up. The staff thoughtfully checked with me about my preferred spice level, adding a personal touch to the experience. The service was impeccable, and I made it a point to thank the chef, only to discover he is from Kerala himself—a detail that made the meal feel even more authentic and special.

The food was very delicious, friendly staff.

Dined at Kalpakavadi tonight, the staff were so welcoming and friendly, the food was delicious service was excellent. The only difficulty was choosing from the tempting dishes on the menu! Will certainly be visiting again when next in York.

Very delicious curry! The garlic naan was fresh and goes so well with the curry! Only one thing to improve is probably the portion. Thankfully we were not super peckish before dinner. Otherwise I’d recommend order 3 curries for two.

Booked here for a large family celebration. Visited by chance last year and it was so different from most Indian restaurants that we picked it for our family get together. The food was superb and the staff were very friendly and accommodating. My favourite was the traffic light chicken !

Wow, what a place this is. A must visit for any curry lover. My wife and I visited this on Friday night, ordered the Fossgate beef,coastal crab, then a couple of beautiful curries. Everything about this place screams quality, even the mushroom rice and fab Peshwari Naan. We can't wait to visit again, thanks to all at Kalpakavadi.

One of the best places for Kerala Cuisine I would say. I went with my wife for dinner two times. The very reason is the quality food and their hospitality. Shoutout goes to 'Basil' for his amazing hospitality. Loved the video footages about Kerala in the TV. Made me think of going to travel in Kerala one day..A must try Restaurant..Just within the York City Center..Will surely visit again another time..

Absolutely incredible curry. The most unique and delicious curry in York. Everything was sublime.

Most Indian restaurants are North Indian and don’t serve items like dosas. So it was good to find a South Indian restaurant, where I’d particularly recommend its special Kalpapavadi dosa. The food is excellent. The service is just a bit leisurely, although we weren’t in a rush, and there were a couple of minor errors in our ordering. Otherwise I’d give this restaurant a very definite 5 star review. I’d certainly be happy to return on a future visit to York.

The menu was extremely limited and I didn’t exoect a plate of dark green food . Service and value was good and I did enjoy my meal

Throughly enjoyed the £12.95 mid week set menu, food was tasty, fresh especially the Lamb Rogan Josh…. The service was friendly and it was nice to see the chef come out of the kitchen and ask how the food was. Definitely recommend this restaurant, we were on our way to a show at The Barbican. We’ll go back again next time we visit York.

Vert nice staff. Mutton biriani and masala dosa were both really excellent. Butter chicken ok. Nan bread nice. I would definitely return to this restaurant.

Delicious and authentic food! Lots of fish and seafood on offer as well as mouth watering dosas. Vegetarians and vegans will find plenty of choice, too. Mango and prawn curry and fish cooked in banana leaves should be tried for sure!

Booked in advance, which was good as this place was very busy. Despite this, staff were friendly, welcoming, and very efficient. Food was fantastic and reasonably priced, which isn't always the case in the centre of a tourist city like York. Highly recommend but book first or get a takeaway. You won't be disappointed.

The food was tasty , full of flavours perfect blend of spices . The chana curry was delicious . Service was on point . Happy with the quantity of the food served .

I had railway mutton and it melted in the mouth would have liked a bit of spice. Very nice though

Great food, fair price (alcohol well priced). Service was a little hit and miss but would recommend this place.

I love curry 🍛 house's, this was slightly different, south Asian Currys, different but very tasty, piping hot, tasty, good value for money. Place was packed , Saturday night 😔, everyone can't be wrong, our party 🥳 of 4 loved the food. Service was brilliant and the chef came round for a chat after service had finished, really nice genuine guy.

We had a wonderful meal enjoying the incredible range of flavors of their cuisine. The best Indian restaurant in York.

Wonderful lunch - so tasty and interesting

Really delicious food. Very friendly staff. Highly recommend!

Amazing authentic food cooked fresh to order. Great service from the friendly staff. Would highly recommend.

Food tastes really good and Albin his customer service was too polite and friendly overall happy visiting.

Fabulous food with really friendly staff, excellent value. The lunch menu was a delight with a mix of dishes all with unique flavours. I’ll be going again to sample some of the other delights on the menu.

Absolutely delightful restaurant, staff were so lovely and friendly and the food was DELICIOUS, would really recommend to anyone

Absolutely love their food, specially the fried fish and the Masala Dosa. Staff is friendly and their service is excellent.

Everything was more than amazing. Best South Indian food I have had in ages. Lovely staff, welcomed with a smile and food was to die for. I ll come to York just to eat at there’s.

Wonderful unique restaurant with a great selection beyond your usual staple curries. So much depth and flavour to every dish we had. Excellent service all round

One of the best dosas I have eaten so far . They definitely serve the best dosas and chicken gravies. I would recommend everyone to try their dosas . It is authentic and just like the dosa what we get back at home.

Overall, the food and atmosphere at this Restaurant were exceptional, and I can't wait to go back and try more of their delicious dishes. It was truly a dining experience to remember. The staff Albin were friendly and attentive

Exceptional service coupled with some of the finest food I have tasted. This restaurant was recommended by friends and we are truly glad that we visited. I have no hesitation in recommending this place.

Amazimg food. We ordered veggies options, the aubergine curry, the pumpkin lentil soup and the kuttu curry with rice and rotis. It tasted amazing. Very homely cooking. Would return soon. And the waiter was very kind and responsive.

I really like the food 😋 Ordered panner and chicken dish Budget friendly

Really impressed. 4 of us had starters and mains. All freshly cooked and very tasty. No complaints (except the ice cubes in bottles of Black Sheep - bit weird!)

My husband and I return to York yearly We discovered this restaurant last year When the meal was very good If anything last evening was better The food was delicious The service prompt and friendly The price very reasonable I would recommend this restaurant to anyone

NEVER AGAIN! ordered garlic and chilli chicken which tasted nothing like it.. it was more of a chinese sweet and sour dish. a korma that was green and again was disgusting. complained and said the best they could do was give us 20% off. so disappointed as it was one of the best rated in york.

Excellent restaurant. Highly recommended.

Food was really good especially dosa. Highly recommended.

Food tasted really good specially dosa. Highly recommended👍🏻

Great food. Great staff. Made for a pleasant evening.

Very good food with excellent service. Different spicing to your average curry house. Good hygiene.

Popped in for 3 nice currys. Service quick and place was pretty busy

Ambience and food taste is very good

I will give 5 stars to this restaurant. I have been in 8 Indian restaurants during my two weeks trip to York. I found this restaurant very good in terms of food and services. At a few places, the food was good, but services were not worth it. I will visit this restaurant again.

We love South Indian food so were looking forward to a meal during our short visit to York. We swere not disappointed! I had the Sambar Wada starter followed by the Special dosa - the sambar was one of the best I've had, soft well cooked veg with a lentil base and well spiced BUT, although the special dosa was tasty I didn't expect it to be pre sliced for me and I also found it too much to finish much to my disappointment! My wife had the rasam soup as starter and the aubergine curry main both of which she pronounced as excellent. Overall a great meal in a nice restaurant with attentive but not over-bearing staff and all at a good price! We often visit York and will definitely return next time we are here.

Fantastic restaurant, such an interesting array of dishes that you won't find on a standard Indian menu. The choice was difficult as there are so many dishes I could have eaten. But we had the Prawn & Mango curry, Butter Chicken and Nadan Aattirachi Lamb curry - all were delicious, and the parathas were amazing. You can smell the food as you walk by and it entices you to go in....

review The three of us all had different mains and accompaniments, all were delicious and made a lovely change to a more ubiquitous “Indian” meal in the UK. BUTTER CHICKEN - darker and less sweet than many, and better for it. NADAN AATTIRACHI CURRY (LAMB) - very dark brown, almost chocolate coloured, great balance of earthy spices. ANGAMALI CHEMMEEN CURRY (PRAWNS WITH MANGO) good balance, delicate, neither too sweet nor too sour. NEY CHORU (Rice) PLAIN RICE KERALA PARATHA GARLIC NAAN Garlic Naan The parathas were really soft AND flaky at the same time; the ney choru a bit more naughty than a pilau rice (must be the ghee); and the garlic naan absent of any raw garlic taste. Soft and fluffy. Yum. In short, absolutely recommended

Good and delicious Kerala style food. Feel like a homely food.

One of the best curry houses I’ve been to. Staff were excellent and very friendly. Highly recommend

Amazing food, very tasty and friendly staffs too. Though, I'm not a lassi person, Basil suggested me to try it and the mango lassi was 👌👌. Their fish fry in starters, must try. Also the fish curry is a great dish. Loved their overall quality of service and the video being displayed, it feels like home!

We have ordered fish curry and naan but fish curry was not fresh and tasty at all.. naan is very hard and like pappadom

The North and South Indian food here is amazing! We asked them to make some dishes that weren't on the menu, and they were totally cool about it. They made the best North and South Indian food we've had in a while. And the price was really reasonable too.

Service from start to finish was incredible, the staff were so accommodating and welcoming. The food was amazing, this was our first time here and we will definitely be looking forward to coming again next time we visit York ! Thank you to all the staff !

Wow! South Indian (Kerala) food unbelievable flavours. Watch out for a sneaky super hot chilli lurking in the Dahl! ( If you get one DON'T BITE IT)

Bread was really good. The server was nice and the food was delicious.

The place is really good, although they should include authentic Kerala dishes such as beef parotta, puttu etc

I ordered biriyani, fish, and naan. Unfortunately, the biriyani was underwhelming; The fish was not very impressive . The naan was decent but nothing special—just average at best. Staff were nice .

Wonderful restaurant with south indian cuisine. The food was delicious and the service by Gijo and colleagues was excellent - very friendly!

Brilliant and authentic South Indian food! Thank you to Jijo and the team for their hospitality and the delicious Rasam, a cure for 3 hungry travellers!

So delighted to happen on.this south Indian restaurant. Service was good, very friendly and helpful. The delicious menu made it hard to choose because of so many great dishes. But dosa corner was the best, and the fiery masala prawns were a great way to start. Thanks!

It’s been a while 2 years since I have had delicious food like they serve. Last time was when I was in Kerala 2 years back. Loved the food. Must try food for those who really miss kerala foods.

I can highly recommend this place. We thought we would give the place a try after reading a couple of good reviews. We were not disappointed. The food was outstanding. The staff friendly and attentive.

The best byriani I have ever tasted, as well as the other specialties of authentic Kerala food.

Absolutely marvellous. Best Indian food I’ve ever had. Kersla cuisine… not your standard curry. Exquisite!

Truly excellent authentic Indian food. The service was first rate, polite and nothing was too much trouble. Will visit again soon .

Excelent!!!! Top food order the mango coconut prawns and the rice with dried fruit! WOOOOW

it was very nice. very different from north Indian cuisine

Had a great meal here on a weekend visit to York. Very friendly staff and the food was excellent. Highly recommend the railway mutton curry

They offer a weekday lunch thalidomide of 1 meat and 3 veg curries with rice and dosa for 9.99. Southern Indian cuisine, I'd had the takeaway before but this was my first time in. Maybe not my favourite thali ever but good value I thought and would have it again.

This is not your typical BIR style Indian restaurant. This restaurant offers a menu in the South Indian style. I don’t mean to disrespect the BIR style, but diners need to be aware that, if that is what they are used to, and maybe also know and love, that this will be different. We had fish fry, paneer and a Dosa masala as starters (YES, A REAL DOSA) followed by a chicken and green peppercorn and a beef masala curry. The spice mixes of the meals is different from the BIR style (probably as a result of not using a standard base sauce). Everything, however, was quite simply delicious. The heat levels of everything was quite mild. I’m not sure if this is the standard house style, or whether they take an educated guess by looking at the diner, but my guess is that if you want heat, you’ll probably have to ask for it, as the default is medium/mild. Portion sizes were generous. Prices were very good (bottle of wine less than £20 was a bonus) and service was respectful and polite. We will most certainly be back.

We had a very nice meal here, staff was exceptionally helpful and service was fast. The atmosphere was a bit hectic, as it was quite busy, but we had a lovely time!

Had the crab curry. It was the BEST curry I've ever had. Absolutely delicious. Gijo was a brilliant waiter too. Had it with the lemon rice which went perfectly together

Our friends had been to this restaurant before and said we must try it. It did not disappoint! The food was excellent with so much choice. The staff were delightful, really friendly and attentive. We will be back!

Great southern Indian cuisine. There are things on the menu I've never seen before and the dosa was very tasty!.. ..

My wife and I found this restaurant by accident and what a surprise. The staff are very friendly and attentive. The food was definitely authentic and we both would say one of the best Indian meals we ever had. Outstanding. Well worth a visit.

Says open until 11pm online, at arrived shortly after 10pm to find it closed.

Second time eating here and just as good. Service is very friendly and efficient. Food that is spicy and full of flavour. Love this restaurant!

Just eaten here for the first time, super tasty and staff more than happy to talk and advise on choices

Must try one if you visiting York.

Overall, it's pretty decent. Great service-very nice staff. Not the best Masalla Dosa I've had, though.

Authentic Indian cuisine. Pleasant attentive staff. Highly recommended