Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Saravanaa Bhavan

    3.7 (41 reviews)
    ModerateIndian, Vegetarian

    Saravanaa Bhavan Photos

    SARAVANAA BHAVAN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

    Recommended Reviews - Saravanaa Bhavan

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Gagan G.

    One of the better Sarvana Bhavans to be honest. Delicious onion rava masala dosa and uthapum. Filter coffee had the exact amount of sugar we needed and the mysoor masala dosa was perfectly spicy. Definitely recommend if your in the area. The service was kinda bad though, we asked for spoons, the waiter brought 2 when she can clearly see there is 4 of us. Same thing with the napkins and water. It's ok though because the amazing food made up for it!

    Kanchan B.

    I came here solely thanks to my lovely banker at ABN Amro who told me about this place. So with my dad in town as well as a visiting colleague who likes South Indian food, we made our way here and luckily it was after the busy lunch period on a Sunday (around 2pm-ish) so we only had a 5 min wait before getting shown to a table. So if you are a fan of South Indian food, or vegetarian, this place is nirvana! Hands down, the best, softest, most buttery idlis I have ever tasted! Cant recommend enough getting the Mini-Idli appetizer! The Rava Kitchdi too was delicious, but a bit too spicy for me. My dad got the spinach masala (and a part of me was thinking.. oh-kay, really? but it was massively delish and a food-combo that I thought was totally genius after I tasted it! My colleague who got the Mysore Masala dosa was expecting it to be hot aka lots of chili's but found it a bit tame, and I agreed with his assessment - it wasnt spicy at all! We ended our meal with some South Indian Coffee, and this just totally hit the spot and was a great way to end our meal. Fantastic food and our table got lovely service by Soniya - absolute win for this place and cant wait to come back and bring more folks to this amazing restaurant! Yelp 180/ 2018

    Zoe B.

    Really good, truly (seemingly) authentic Indian! Our waiter offered some suggestions which helped me because I am always really indecisive with extensive menus. I ended up ordering their special platter for 1, which included at least 5 different types of curries, yogurt sauces, cheese, two types of bread and white rice. Even better? You can get as much rice and curry as you want. This was amazing but also deadly because I ate so much and was SOOOO full after. But it's ok because it was hearty and delicious. So come hungry! Also, be prepared to get messy! The real way to eat this is with your HANDS. Though they do give you a spoon, you're supposed to eat with your hands. It really does make the food taste better. I wouldn't say it's the best Indian food I've ever had, but it's definitely a solid option.

    Daniella S.

    If you want to have a real Indian experience - This is it! From the spicy South Indian food to the unflattering neon lights and the noise level - it really feels like you're having dinner in a family restaurant in India. We had to wait for an hour to get a table and about another hour to get our food. But I'm sure once the front of the house and the back of the house have found their rhythm this is going to be an awesome place. And the food was really almost worth the wait....

    Number 40 on the menu. It's amazing. Dosa FTW!!!
    Ally H.

    **Update. They say third times the charm and I managed to be charmed on my second go and I'm back for more. It's a southern Indian restaurant. Order the southern Indian specialities. All of the dosas are good to go! ***Earlier Review. I love Indian food. Or whatever I know of as Indian food. Butter chicken? Mango chutney? Garlic naans? Yes, yes and yes. But you can't get any of that here! Ha! Sorry kids! The restaurant is listed as vegetarian / vegan - but with lots of ghee, cheese and yoghurt in certain dishes, you'll need to ask just to be sure. Anyway, after hearing some rumblings and riding past a few times, I went with an English friend who is still struggling to find excellent Indian food (like the stuff you'd find in London) in Amsterdam after 5 years of living here. Since it was just the two of us, we got really lucky and snagged a table straight away. From our seat by the window, it was great to see lots of Indian families and groups here just getting amongst it. We could also see big groups milling about waiting for a table so there was a tiny bit of guilt too but that was soon replaced with wonder and curiosity of the giant giant menu! I specifically took a photo of everything we ate, as well as a description of it on the menu- because I'm hoping it helps people to choose what may (or may not) be more suited to. For our entree we had the curd vada. It was light and also served cold. I'd never had it before and it was lovely. Naans? The butter one was good. Piping hot, fluffy, crisp and slightly charred. Excellent. Same as their papadums! Didn't get to try their others but.. Next time! No onion bhajis as the chef with that specialty is on their way. So again, next time!! Mango lassi? Good. Sweet and light and delightful. Their speciality Southern Indian thali allowed us to get a sense of the curries they made (they explained the Southern is more saucy and the Northern is more vege) and it was great to get taste a bit of everything. We also had to order a dosa (what they're famous for being a Southern Indian restaurant and all..) as we watched a bunch of them floating past and it was pretty good. Piping hot and crispy on the outside and warm and gooey with cheese and potatoes in the center. Then the last dish we had was the palak paneer, nice and squeaky with the cheese, with a nice even balance of flavours. My English friend said to me at some point during the big and plentiful meal, that although everything was lovely and authentic- metal plates and all, it was just missing something in how everything tasted. I had to say I agreed with him but I was also quite a hungover so I'm willing to come back again to tackle the giant menu like some crazy game! The best thing for me at this restaurant was the feeling you get the minute you walk in. It's not like any other restaurant in Amsterdam (as far as I could tell from everywhere I've been). The feel and vibe is so so alive and refreshing! It has a food hall feel with lots of sounds of people, music, food eating and enjoyment. It kind of made the day for me! Next time though, the plan is for stretchy pants and more people. Because how can more options be bad in a place like this?!

    Meals with poori

    See all

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sunil R.
    1125
    10314
    35649

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    The food was delivered fast. The dosa was not cooked well. Some spots were too thick and some thin. Chutney was great. Rasa vadda was good.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Stay away.. Basic food. Not per south indian authentic standards. Madras Diaries is a better place than this for south indian

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Amin K.
    80
    41
    31

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Charan S.
    4
    84
    153

    10 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Indu R.
    20
    44
    0

    8 years ago

    Service is slow but food is very good. Great choice of vegetarian dishes which are authentic. Prices are reasonable

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Curry dishes were excellent. Food was very good but they play one song over and over and over and over

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of K M.
    1
    20
    0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 2

    Saravanaa Bhavan Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Saravanaa Bhavan

    We ended our meal with some South Indian Coffee, and this just totally hit the spot and was a great way to end our meal.

    Mentioned in 8 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Verify this business for free

    Get access to customer & competitor insights.

    Verify this business

    Hearth - Desert: Zucchini chocolate brownie served with spicy orange whipped cream

    Hearth

    4.7(43 reviews)
    0.3 kmDe Pijp, Zuid
    €€

    Hearth has such a warm and inviting vibe. The space is full of plants and natural touches, which…read moremakes it feel cozy but still modern. The staff was charismatic and genuinely helpful with the menu, taking time to explain dishes and give recommendations without ever rushing me. I ordered the black charcoal ravioli, which was rich and unique, and also tried the beet ravioli. I loved their creative take on raviolis. They were colorful, fresh, and full of flavor. The presentation matched the taste, and both plates felt thoughtful rather than gimmicky. It's the kind of place where you can relax into the atmosphere and enjoy food that's both beautiful and satisfying. Perfect for a slow meal with friends or a solo stop when you want something a little different.

    Oh my god. YUM. My friend and I were looking for a dinner spot and she was vegan - I stumbled…read moreacross Hearth and immediately made reservations. This delicious spot is off the beaten path of the more touristy spots in Amsterdam, located on a quiet side street. We absolutely loved our meal - with clear influences from french, asian flavors, and italian. We started with a delicious amuse bouche by the chef, followed by the "pate" and fresh bread. It was earthy and good; a solid start. Our main dishes were truly a treat! We split one of the gnocchi options - the tomato sauce was delectable; I truly could have licked the bowl - and the black mushroom ravioli - so much delicious umami flavor! We ended with the peanut butter brownie and, let me just say, I am UPSET that we decided to split one instead of ordering our own! The service was a delight - they were so kind, clearly wanting us to enjoy the experience!

    Photos
    Hearth
    Hearth - Broccoli gnocchi

    Broccoli gnocchi

    Hearth

    See all

    Meatless District - Spicy oyster mushroom skewers

    Meatless District

    4.3(49 reviews)
    2.4 kmDa Costabuurt, Oud West, West
    €€

    I have a lot of vegan and plant-based friends. 10 years ago when they asked me out to eat, I always…read moredreaded what fresh vegan hell I was in for. Fast forward a few years and now I'm delighted to accompany them to vegan restaurants such as Meatless District in Amsterdam, NL. The food was exquisite as was the service. I'm now obsessed with watermelon sashimi. I prefer this vegan bitterballen to the traditional because I didn't like the texture of the meat inside. I feel the dutch really like pureed meat. The mushroom bitterballen was so delicious as was everything else. The braised artichoke was just ok. Nothing to write home about but nothing wrong with it. It's just that everything else was so unique including the desserts. Lovely ambiance in the restaurant. I give my experience a 4 overall for the artichoke and I must mention the bathroom. This is more of a Dutch thing than anything else. Gender neutral bathrooms are cool. We Americans don't see that a lot. The problem is the individual stall was up a flight of stairs and so small that I couldn't even sit on the toilet and then there was nothing to pull myself up to get out the position I had gotten myself into. It was awkward. This stall needs a bar or something to help those of us who are not as able as we used to be. I'd go eat here again to try more of their dishes.

    This wonderful place is about a 1/2 kilometer from my apartment, so a five minute walk. It's a…read morelarge, beautiful space on a picturesque Amsterdam street with trams and bikes going by. Woody Harrelson just ate here last week too! I met him out front on Saturday as he was walking by the Meatless District, so I suppose he went in to try the next day. The food is good, need to try several options to find your favorite. The service is friendly and respectful. So many options and a nice bar and drinks!

    Photos
    Meatless District - Dining room

    Dining room

    Meatless District - Spicy oyster mushroom skewers

    Spicy oyster mushroom skewers

    Meatless District - Meatless District's specialty beer Blond Rebel

    See all

    Meatless District's specialty beer Blond Rebel

    Saravanaa Bhavan - indpak - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...