Excellent food Great appetizers and mains Authentic Indian food experience Masala lobster unspeakably good Atmosphere and service very nice read more

Beware!! They serve recycled lunch buffet for the dinner ( ala carte) and they do not want to even to hide that upon enquiry about the food they serve!!! This evening ( 31 August 2025), we ordered a dosa and egg muppas ( entree) for our dinner. To our surprise, the muppas were served within no time, while the dosa was served well after 25 to 30 minutes!! For any Indian foodie, this would immediately raise suspicion about the food, as the dosa should not take any time to prepare, while the other than takes some time to cook. Anyway, when I tasted the eggs on the entree, the yoke was very cold and the bread served with the entree was also just lukewarm. When I questioned the waiter, why the yolk is so cold, she did not answer the question and was trying to persuade it is ok. Upon further pushback, the waiter said, this food was served in the afternoon buffet and we just used the leftover food!! They serve recycled food and expect the customer to pay the full price and they do not want to even hide that!! So if you choose to visit this restaurant, make sure you get the fresh food. read more

It is a good southern Indian food. The food and chai were both tasty and well seasoned. Service was good and the young lady who served us was very polite. But what stood out here was their paratha. Go ahead, do yourselves a favour and others a few extra, I promise you you wouldn't regret it. read more

Ottawa probably isn't... ahem... best-known for its food scene, but there are surely some strong options here and there, and I am glad I came across this restaurant as one of them during my most recent visit! I ordered the Kochin Shrimp Curry and it was amazing. The dish does not look huge when it comes out, but it is a lot of food. There were about 7 fresh jumbo shrimp (cooked to a perfect texture), as well as what I would consider about 2 servings of basmati rice. I ordered a side of parotta as well, but this was more to try than was necessary. Reading the other reviews before coming in, I was afraid the flavors would be subdued, but I found this curry to be very flavorful and complex. It was moderately spicy, layered with (at least) ginger, coconut, turmeric, garlic, and a bit of tartness (maybe lemon?)... it was so delicious! The staff is very friendly and helpful. If I am back in the area, I would definitely come back to have this shrimp curry again and to try other dishes! read more

Kochin Kitchen - Kochin Shrimp Curry - Indian Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Went to Kochin Kitchen for dinner and ordered the chicken pakora ($10) as our appetizer, which was absolutely delicious and a very generous portion for 4 people, it also came with a nice jalopeno mayo dipping sauce. For the mains, we ordered butter chicken ($15), basmati rice ($4), palak spinach ($15), neelagiri mushroom ($15), lamb biryani, and a side of nann bread to share between four adults. The portion of the biryani was very generous. The other sides were a bit small, but since we had ordered 3 other sides we still had leftovers. The food was delicious and very flavourful. Just spicy enough, but if sensitive to spice I would recommend ordering the mango lassi, not only is it delicious, but cuts the spice and is a big portion for only $4. I only rated it 4/5 stars because the Ambiance is subpar and the the service was also subpar. Nothing bad but nothing outstanding. Took a while (30mins) for the food to come and our table was not checked on often. The staff is friendly though, just subpar service. Overall, would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys Indian food and would go again to further explore other items on the menu. read more

Kochin Kitchen - Nann bread, lamb biryani, rice, butter chicken, neelagiri mushroom - Indian Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Kochin kitchen is a little gem. The server was wonderful and answered all our questions we had. I always order the thali plate to have a little bit of everything since I do not cook Indian at home. A few items were cold but the flavours were there. Will go back in the near future. read more

You can safely ignore this restaurant for vegetarian food. Highly disappointed. We tried masala dosa, uttapam, and onion pakora. Nine of them were good. Sambar was lacking a salt and lemon. Ambiance is also not that great. And the service is slow. You have to remind them that you ordered something. read more

Was great. Enjoyed the Goan chicken. Paratha is really good. Service was friendly and prompt.

Excellent saag paneer and naan bread. Would eat from here again. Ambience leaves a little to be desired but excellent location for people-watching in the market. read more

My friend and I came for dinner one evening and we were mind-blown by the authenticity of the food they offer. As an entree, we shared a veggie cutlet. As a side, we got the aubergine and it was very flavourful. I think they put dates to offset the spices and it was an explosion of flavours in my mouth. We also ordered the dum biriyani and the spice content wasn't as expected, but it was still delicious. Lastly, we had the kodanadu chicken and it wasn't, again, as spiced up as we expected. But it was still good nonetheless. Overall, I would come back. read more

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They've stopped doing their lunch buffet which was fantastic. The à la carte menu is one of the best South Indian restaurants in Ottawa!

I came on a weekday to try their lunch buffet, and was pleasantly surprised! My usual buffet go-to's for Indian food are: East India and Coconut Lagoon (for both quality and variety). I arrived just past 11:00AM, and the food was hot and ready, and the restaurant was empty. It started filling up quickly after! The interior décor is nicely decorated and comfortable, and ethnic Indian music plays in the background (I always like ethnic restaurants playing their own unique music, I find it adds to the authenticity of the experience)! There are just about 10 curries, 2 different soups, and a couple of desserts (standard gulab jamun and rice pudding). My favourites were the butter chicken (really rich and satisfying), the pepper lamb (the lamb was tender and there weren't that many bones), and the salmon (which is usually very fishy). I enjoyed that the curries were all SPICY, and not bland. There's enough spices that you can taste differences between curries. Service is really efficient in taking away your plates and refilling your water, but not chatty. Would definitely come back if the craving for Indian food strikes! It would be 5 stars if there was butter naan (apparently it's not a "thing" for their region in India), and more variety (but for what they do have, the quality is higih)! More desserts would also be great. read more

Kochin Kitchen - Indian Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Food was way bellow average. We usually love Indian food, but this restaurant was very disappointing. .Also, service was very slow, and the wait for the food very long. We would not come back. read more

The website says the operating hours on Saturdays are up to 3:30 PM in the afternoon. Today, I called up the restaurant and asked them how long they are open just to ensure their timings and whether they are open or not. A lady answered the phone and confirmed that they are open until 3PM. Following that we drove from south end of Ottawa to their downtown location and reached there at about 2:25 PM. However, the same lady at the front desk told us that they are closed for the business as they have received huge order and cannot take any more guests. Since they confirmed the opening hours earlier, we requested her to get the manager so that we can talk to him. The lady went inside the kitchen and got back saying that we can dine now and reluctantly started setting up the table. Seeing her non- enthusiastic and un inviting hospitality, we walked away from the restaurant. So, even if you have confirmed the timing or even the reservation to dine, you might be refused if they get any huge order. So, beware of their business approach and service to their customers. read more

I had high hopes coming here from reading the reviews. We had went to a different Indian restaurant the night before and it was delicious so we wanted to try a different restaurant. Boy, did I regret it...the service was meh. The food was way too spicy to even taste any flavour. We clearly asked if the soup was spicy at all because it was for a child and it turned out to be spicy after the waiter told us it wasn't. It was a good thing we tried it first otherwise it could have turned bad. The king fish curry fish tasted like canned fish...not sure if it's supposed to be like that but it wasn't good. The food was also quite expensive - pricier than the restaurant we went to in the same area the night before. We didn't finish our food because honestly it was just too spicy for the average person. (I can eat a decent level of spiciness). read more

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Delicious and flavour packed food, great value, very quiet but social environment. Staff are always friendly. I have eaten here several times since fall 2022 and always leave satisfied. Only opportunity for improvement could be speed of service at times, but staff are always responsive to customer needs. read more

What a disappointment. This place had absolutely fabulous reviews on Yelp so we decided to give it a try. I was so looking forward to eating some nice spicy food. For appetizers we ordered the samosas, Idly and chicken pakora. For the main course we ordered the dum biryani and masala dosa. Everything with the exception of the dhal for the dossa was COLD. The biryani was sent back, it was cold so they microwaved it and brought it back. The taste was okay, nothing to write home about. Portions were generous. Food was bland. Please do not be swayed by the reviews. Food does not taste good. The only reason I awarded 2 stars cause the place was clean, portions were generous and the service was polite & courteous. Those craving for spicy Indian food will be grossly disappointed read more

Kochin Kitchen - a man standing at the bar - Indian Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

So this review has been written In phases. From checking out in yelp to the final belch of a good meal. Please be patient as I go through the motions. For years since I have been away from home I have had a craving for authentic Kerala food. When I was checking out yelp I was surprised to see this Kochin Restaurant and that too with great ratings. I glanced over the menu and my attention was held by the special Kerala dum biryani which I had not tasted in ages even when I was in India. It was served only on Friday and Saturday so I curbed my enthusiasm for a couple of days before I decided to make my way down there. I called in ahead to make sure that they had the special biryani and sure enough they did. As I ordered the Uber to take me there I tried really hard to not get my hopes too high as I have been fooled before. So once I get down I take a look and see a lot of people in there. A good and bad sign. Good because it means the food is appreciated. Bad because I didn't make a freaking reservation. I walk in and see familiar faces. And hearing the accent of my server I heaved a semi sigh of relief as it was authentic Kerala people running the restaurant. Plenty of seating inside especially towards the back. Classical South Indian music playing in the background. I order vadas, the biryani and my vodka 7up (it's been ages) and wait. Soon my vada arrives. Got and crispy. I suspect they might have refried it. The sambar with the vada is great. The chutney so so. And then I wait for the biryani and wonder if I will need to loosen up my belt to make space. There is an inordinate delay as I keep swishing my mouth with the vodka and wondering if I did make a mistake ordering the vada. I listen to 2 elderly ladies behind me who have finished eating and are bad mouthing their near and dear ones behind me. One was not happy with her sister nephew and niece while the other was not with her son and grandson. So the biryani came and smelled wonderful. I could see the fried raisin, egg and papadam. Sweet fragrance of vanilla. I enjoyed the food immensely. Maybe a little less salt for my taste but great nonetheless. I loosened the belt and still had to pack half of it back home. I ordered a beef fry to take home with me as it's a great appetizer but was being served as an entree here. Well it was great too. Overall a great location for authentic Kerala food. It would have been great if they had more options in the appetizers section due to which I took off half a star and I took out another for my suspicion of the refried vadas. Next time I am in Ottawa would come here again de. read more

Kochin Kitchen - Special Dum Biryani - Indian Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Excellent kerala style food in Ottawa. Lunch buffet is in abundance. my choice for any day read more

Kochin Kitchen - Indian Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Was visiting Ottawa for the weekend and we were looking for an AYCE sushi place. Instead, we found Kochin Kitchen, an Indian restaurant with a buffet on Sunday. Close enough for jazz, right? Super close to the Bymark Market, the restaurant is within walking distance from a parking lot (not even 2 minutes). We arrived at 11:15 am on Sunday and were able to score a table for four within no time. The Indian brunch buffet is $19.50 and has pretty much everything you can think of, plus all the classics like butter chicken and chana masala. The service was pretty hands-off, so whenever we wanted anything, we just had to flag someone down. Not the biggest deal in the world. Ordered some delicious chai and a plate of dosas as well, which were simply irresistible. But one of the owners did pop by every once in a while to check in and make sure we were happy and satisfied, which was a great touch. Plus, they left two water jugs on our table. Everything that we ordered was made fresh and was really well done. I cannot say enough good things about the salmon curry, it was so good plus their pepper lamb was off the chain. It was a great send off meal before heading back on the road to Toronto and I'm so happy I found this place (on Yelp of all places). What an amazing meal and for such a great price too. read more

This restaurant is a real gem and food is superb! The food is south West Indian Kerala style which I have never actually tried. Wow!! We started off with 3 apps. My favourite by far was the masala dosa. So much flavour it's hard to even explain! We ordered 3 main dishes with rice and at first thought the dishes looked small but there was plenty and we were stuffed. The biriyani special was absolutely amazing. Everyone who worked there was friendly. Our server was Dona who was fabulous m and her father, Nelson Abraham, was one of the 3 owners who came over and chatted with us. Very nice! The restaurant was nice and clean and even the restrooms were nice. I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

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Cant comment on the buffet but takeout was poor quality, tiny portions (the generic small styrofoam bowls for $18) and over-priced. Spent over $100 and barely fed 4 people with normal appetites and nobody enjoyed their food very much. The Raita was good but every other dish was disappointing. I regret serving this to friends visiting town. read more

The owner and staff were incredibly nice and attentive! We were a group of six and all loved our meals. I got the butter chicken and rice along with an order of parotta on the side. The meal was very filling and tasty! I had never had parotta before and it was DELICIOUS! It reminded me of a flaky croissant. If you are looking for good Indian food and great service than definitely give this place a try! read more

Kochin Kitchen - Indian Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Service is decent but not great. Loved the egg roast curry with paratha. Authentic flavors and reminded me of mom's cooking. We went there for a second time and had vegetarian tHali which was decent, I have had better thali but if you want to try the different Kerala specific dishes this is the way to go. Make an appointment or go early around 6 to get a good spot to sit as the place fills up fast for dinner . I believe they also have lunch buffet. read more

Kochin Kitchen - Indian Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

My partner and I were excited to try this restaurant as we enjoy Indian food and decided to go for the lunch buffet. The food itself was mediocre. Some dishes in the lunch buffet were flavourful, however the assortment was limited. After having lunch at the restaurant, approx 3-4 hours later both of us experienced the unfortunate symptoms of food poisoning. We feel although other indian buffets may be more expensive they are worth it for the better quality food. The reviews for this place were excellent but I noted it was for not for the buffet and was for a la carte. Perhaps that would change the experience we had. Note: at lunch a la carte is not available. read more

We ate here the other night on a friend's recommendation. There were three of us dining and we ordered three dishes. The food was delicious but the portions were very small. We ordered the chicken konandu which was amazing, the lamb kurma which was disappointingly flavourless, and a mushroom dish, which I didn't try but which my husband said was ok. Each dish came with two parathas. These were a good size and I'd say were the most delicious parathas I've ever had. The highlight of the meal was a mango lassi that I had with so much flavour I drank it slowly to make it last. Overall, a good experience. I would definitely come back. read more

Was date night and this was the bfs choice! Exterior of the building looks a little rough but you go inside to a very welcoming resteraunt. Giant bar to greet the guests, we made reso's and were promptly seated. This where my only gripe is....we were seated by the buffet that was empty (only a M-F thing)....I wouldve liked something more amongst other guests....and would consider this seat for walkins. Besides that we uad the pepper scallops and onion pakora for appetizers....and could have eaten 4 orders of each and called it a dinner....very tastey and the mint dipping sauce was fresh and well awesome. We chose the thalis for dinner. I had chicken and the bf had lamb. The protein choices correspond with the mains listed in the rest of the menu so there were three different preperations of protein to choose from. All the little accompaniments were spot on from sweet, spicy and fresh. We left stuffed/full! Very affordable. If your a drinker they had Indian beers available as well. We will be back! read more

Went for lunch on September 15, 2017 friday at 11:00 am. They weren't open yet. We waited outside and we were welcomed by a waitress at around 11:10 am. She seated us in a two people table inside a room. The room smelled funny so we requested to be seated elsewhere. She got us another table in the main seating area. But another guy (possibly a waiter) quickly came and said we can't sit there. The table wasn't reserved and we were the first customers. When we said the small room smelled funny, he led us to the back room to be seated. It was dark and damp looking. We went to try the food looking at reviews in Yelp. Left disappointed because we couldn't even get a decent place to sit. Staffs really need to learn customer service. So many options for food around the city, wouldn't go back here. read more

I haven't been to the city of Kochi, but I've been to other places in south India, and the food here is the real deal. I came for the lunch buffet. The restaurant is pretty spacious and it wasn't that crowded. The inside is nicely decorated and has a variety of different seating arrangements: large tables, small tables, high-tops, and even a private room. The server was friendly and attentive. The buffet had a nice variety of items: sambar, idly, medu vada, rice, and various curries (chickpea, mushroom, egg, fish, chicken, and lamb), plus gulab jamun for dessert. They also offered complimentary dosa (with or without masala), which was tasty. Indian food can get a bit heavy, so try to pace yourself so you don't end up too bloated like I did . Overall it was a nice meal. I don't know what the dinner experience would be like, but the buffet at least gets my recommendation. read more

The service is spectacular! The servers are nice and polite and try to help you navigate the menu as much as they can. However, the food is too bland and not nearly as spicy as Indian food should be. I suppose the restaurant assumes that it's catering to people with low spice tolerance hence why everything just tastes like it's a couple of notches below of what it should be. The quantities were off too. The aubergine was very good though! Must try read more

Kochin Kitchen - Indian Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

tldr: For the price range, the restaurant has poor service and ambiance. Would not visit again. Food: decent, but nothing to write home about. Not freshly cooked and the bread was harder than expected. Service: poor, took a long time and wasn't asked about my meal/needed to call service for ordering and paying. Ambiance: poor to decent. Should be better at $30/head. read more

We were in Ottawa for the Canada Day long weekend and my friend wanted go check this place out. Being of South Indian (Sri Lankan) descent, I am usually disappointed when I visit an Indian restaurant so I told him I wasn't coming but the day's events ended up bringing me here anyway. I'm glad that they did! I ordered the lamb korma and it was really good! I would definitely recommend it. What I didn't like about this place is that it took forever for us to get our food, we were starving by the time it arrived, and I didn't walk in hungry. We were with a very large group though so that could have been a factor. read more

Kochin Kitchen - Lamb korma in the foreground, chicken koda in the background - Indian Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Came here on a whim. This establishment won a consumers award in 2019 and it's not hard to figure out why. This establishment is as authentic as it gets and the family running it beams with pride. The shrimp curry was frankly amazing. A lot of care went into making that sauce. Only 4 stars because service was very slow. read more

I was at Ottawa for my visa and I found this Indian place with good reviews. The place and people are very friendly and the food was indeed lasting in my mouth and head and pulled me there for dinner to try out. Had utappam with hot sambar! I loved the Kerala buffet with Kerala porotta! read more

Absolutely loved this place. This was easily the best Kerala restaurant I have been to and one of the best places for Indian food. My husband and I were walking in the Byward market and came across this gem. The pepper scallops and coriander shrimp were exquisite. Absolutely loved the flavors. We also loved the rasam. It had great homely feeling. The kodanadu chicken was also really good. My favorite was the lobster masala. We enjoyed that dish the most. We also tried the Ellayil pollichathu with salmon. It was an absolute treat to have the fish wrapped in banana leaf. All the mains came with 2 porottas or rice. We had lots of leftover and everything still tasted great the next day. The food is absolutely AMAZING. This place has to be one of the best places for Indian food. We have no doubts about eating here when we return to Ottawa. In fact, we were planning on dropping by to try their lunch buffet before heading out of Ottawa. read more

Great spot for a low key dinner. Lamb biryani was delicious. Service was attentive, polite, and fast.

Amazing Indian food! The salmon curry wrapped in banana leaves might be the single most delicious curry dish I've ever had. I can't reccomend this place enough. read more

Kochin Kitchen We had been meaning to trial Kochin Kitchen for some time and with a few nearby alternatives closed for lunch on Saturday, it provided us with the perfect opportunity. The restaurant is located in the Byward Market and has been in operation for just over a year. Entering through heavy double doors ensures a warm and inviting introduction to the simple but modern decor. Seating is more than adequate to accommodate singles, couples, or small groups. A generous lunch buffet included a variety of options such as sumptuous butter chicken, mouthwatering pepper lamb, vegetarian and fish curries, tasty parotta and a range of rice, soups, and salads. For only a few dollars extra on weekends the buffet also includes freshly made masala dosa, vada, and a special item that changes each week. Today it was Appam, a sweet type of pancake made with fermented rice batter and coconut milk. For desert there was lentil payasam and gulab jamun in rose water chashni that warmed and filled us with fond memories of Goa. The dine-in and takeout menus include a far greater selection and if the quality of the buffet is any measure, they are sure to not disappoint. The service was friendly and extremely attentive with plates cleared and water glasses filled on a regular basis. A second order of freshly made Appam was generously offered and greedily consumed. We have found our new favourite Indian restaurant. read more

Kochin Kitchen is the first restaurant I have been to where I have been surprised at how good it is EVERY TIME I go there. There are lots that are great, even consistently great. Lots that you remember having a great meal at, and when you go again can give you exactly what you had in mind. But "How can it be SO GOOD?!?!?" is not something happens more than once normally. Funnily enough, the Ottawa Citizen's Peter Hum seems to be experiencing the same thing. He recently reviewed them and said "I've been twice and each time was wowed by the potently spiced yet varied and nuanced dishes". Anil Oorkolil and the rest of the Kochin Kitchen crew: whatever you are doing, keep doing it! read more

Good food and great staff - they care about their customers! I went there with little ones who were tired after a long drive and the staff were very attentive to our needs! read more