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Varam

4.3 (235 reviews)
Closed 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
Updated 3 months ago

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Naan , biryani
Camille M.

First time coming here after seeing it time to time. Food: yummy, I like the chicken 65 but found it a bit spicy . My husband thought the food lacked the spices it needed. Service: nice staff! Ambiance: cool and clean

Interior
Prem D.

We were there on a weekday, not much crowd. We started with Hyderabad Sherbath which has basil seeds, ginger, chilli, fresh lime, simple syrup, black salt, rose syrup, sprite. Unfortunately it did not taste good, I think rose syrup was out of place and ruined the whole taste. I was worried about the rest of the order. Next came the Kale and Palak chat made a 360, first I was off put by fruits in that like blueberries, but one mouth, it was great, melts in your mouth with flavor layers, very unique dish a must try and our top favorite dish. Bombay beet sliders continued the goodness. Salad that came with that did not have much dressing though. Sona Mor Panner Tiringa was exactly what the menu descriped Panner done 3 ways, with 2 pieces for each flavor. All tasted good perfectly spiced. Then on to the main course we had Methi Malai Mutter Saag, good tasting but looking totally different from the picture from their website. Bagara Baigan was good but there were spices missing in some portion of Baigan which tasted bland but otherwise ok. We had ordered bread basket. All of the breads were good. I am not fan of biriyani, but tempted by gongura and paneer combination and ordered it, surprisingly it was very well made. We also tried khubani ka Meetha, we were told they were just making it was not that great as it supposed to be served chilled and it was not as we were told they were just making it. But overall good ambiance, great service and good food, which can easily be great with few minor tweaks. Will go again..

outside
Amy Y.

I came to Varam after having noticed their daily thali lunch specials which end at 3pm, as they're one of the most visually appealing and varied that I've seen. I was happy to find out that everything was also delicious, and the service was fantastically friendly. Varam is hidden on the edges of downtown RWC with funny huge tablet menus (I think normal printed ones would work a bit better). The parking, both street and lot aren't too bad, but it's paid and they are strict with fining to a tee. When we went, it wasn't crowded at all, which allowed me to appreciate the beautiful interior more. They are a little extra upscale and fancy than the usual Indian restaurant, but the prices are still accessible. I love how unique their menu is, even though I can't decipher what many things mean. It seems they do specific regional dishes and add in modernized touches with fresh ingredients. - Varam Virunthu Platter Veg, non-veg, and fish appetizers - veg, chicken, and non-veg entrees - bread, pulao of the day, pappad, and dessert. It's like a ten-course meal! I really want to come back to try the other spreads. My thali consisted of a salad, a lentil curry, saag paneer, a bone-in goat curry, stewed chicken, delicate fish, a ground meat kabob, and some kind of soft breaded cheese. It also came with a mini scoop of rice, the pappad that's like a thin wafer, a piece of plain naan, and the dessert, payasam, which amazed me so much that I had to inquire about it so I knew what to order at all future Indian restaurants. It tasted like dreamy, creamy warm and sweet milk. - Butter Chicken The chicken was tender but not as hearty as we would have liked, though the curry was a flavorful velvety roux. It comes with a small bowl of rice, which is very generous because it's usually an extra side order. An extra order of naan was definitely needed to mop up all the delicious curry, but it's so worth it. - Garlic Naan One of the best naan in the bay! It was so fresh and dripping with butter. It was more of a grippy naan opposed to soft or fluffy, but that was made up for in crispness with multiple bubble pockets. Varam is now one of my favorite Indian restaurants in the bay! Will gladly make the commute out here whenever I'm craving Indian food or a multi-coursed set meal. And yes, I'm aware of the competitors in this same city - to be honest, I'd choose Varam over them all still!

Truffle Masala Dosa
Soumen B.

We got to try Varam for a quick bite and absolutely loved the food. This review is for their 5 star worthy masala dosa that would make you want to come back and try other stuff on their menu. Located in a central location of Redwood City downtown, right opposite to the theater, this place is a hidden gem for the Indian food scene in Bay Area. Will go back again to try more of their menu. Kudos on a good masala dosa, chef!

Michele T.

The lunch specials are what caught our attention. We ordered the chicken schnitzel which came with rice and veggies. The chicken tikka masala came with rice and dal. We also ordered a garlic naan to share. The schnitzel was nicely presented. We liked the veggies. The chicken pieces were a bit small. There were quite a few chicken pieces in the Tikka masala - good with the rice and naan. We asked for mild - still had a kick. We'd return to try other items.

Kumbakonam filter coffee
Sho R.

I stopped by for lunch on a Sunday. The place was not full. Food was spicy and flavorful. Butter chicken was my favorite here. Peshawari naan went nicely with it. Potlam chicken biryani was an interesting concept. Biryani wrapped in egg and cooked. That was cool. Though I should say biryani is biryani. I thought the filter coffee was ok.

Derek S.

Came by for dinner the other night and it was a mediocre experience. Made a reservation for dinner and the restaurant was empty. Parking is available in the private city-owned lots or on the street. Dining was available both indoors and outdoors. The vibe of the restaurant wanted to appear high end. It was weird that the music seemed to cut out like if someone manually mixed the music at home?!? Started off with the samosas which tasted like they were frozen. Moved on to the shrimp appetizer and it was ok. The shrimp were on the smaller side and weren't super fresh. The grilled cod for the main was gigantic and came with a bed of curry along with some asparagus. The garlic naan was good although even more garlic would have been even better. Service was attentive by the staff. ~$70/head after tax and gratuity with plenty of leftovers.

Chicken Masala Dosa
Mike L.

Varam offers generous portions, but the overall experience was a bit mixed for us. We ordered the chicken masala dosa, which was huge and had a good balance of crispy and fluffy texture when it first came out hot. However, once it cooled down, the texture and flavor dropped off and didn't hold up as well (and this was pretty quick) We also tried the curry chicken, which had a heavy nutmeg/cinnamon flavor that didn't quite suit our taste. It might be more traditional for South Indian curries, but it just wasn't what we were expecting. Service was also on the slower side, even though the restaurant wasn't particularly busy during our visit. Overall, Varam is worth a try for the portion size and unique offerings, but it may not be for everyone depending on your flavor preferences.

Hula
Rahul Reddy P.

As a Hyderabadi I loved the Haleem, Chicken 65 and Dosa. I also ordered the Hyderabadi Sherbet which was a good balance of flavors. The service was attentive, ambience was good/casual and the food was not pretentious. I will come back here again. It reminded me a lot of Ohris in Hyderabad.

Veg Platter
Rahul R.

Overall great experience! Nice ambience, good service! No wait, spacious restaurant! All food except veg platter stood out in taste! Photos attached!

Mocktail Mojito and Pinot Noir
M J.

Our 14th February visit was super disappointing. I did appreciate the gentleman separating a table of four to accommodate us. I don t know why though it was not that busy. Anyway the food came out cold and unlike explained while ordering all in one pile. Appam cold is worse than appam browned. What happens when you get both ? Yup one very disappointing pair of stone cold brown appams. The veggies sampler listed as sizzler doesn't sizzle just a spread of veggie tiny samosa sloppy veggie bites or cutlets and beyond edible rubbery paneer on some kind of a white metal plate. Don't even get me started on the dum biryani. don't go, sorry I changed my mind

Banaras bharwan aloo
Bhanusri S.

We had a wonderful valentine's day dinner with our friends group at Varam restaurant in redwood city. We ordered soo many dishes, most of them tasted great. The MPLR chicken biryani was one of the best I have had in US - very rich in ghee and flavorful. The Malabar parotta with Varam chicken curry was also memorable. The cream stone chicken was surprisingly good. Our veg friends said that Bombay beet sliders and Banaras bharwan aloo were their favorite. One commendable thing about the mango lassi and berries lassi we had was that it didn't have too much sugar. And the falooda for $8 was delightful. The quantity and quality of food for the pricing was definitely worth it. They also gave us complimentary chefs special dessert for valentine's day which was very nice of them. We had a great time staying late there with friends as the restaurant is open till midnight. We definitely look forward to another visit sometime. The only reason I reduced 1 star is they messed up the bread orders. And also the service was slow and understaffed. Room for improvement there, but otherwise no complaints.

Plain Dosa with Lassi
Alisa B.

On the more expensive side for dosa, but I left satisfied! Very delicious masala - perfectly seasoned potatoes! The dosa itself was crispy and not too thin. I enjoyed this, but I have definitely had better dosa in the Bay Area. Overall, a decent spot... but not a must try!

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29 days ago

Delicious food, have been a few times now. It's now our first choice for Indian food.

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Ask the Community - Varam

What is the noise level usually?

Has been quiet when I've been there

Are there any vegan items? Also prices for menu items don't show up on the website menu?

There are vegan items on the buffet but the selection is not very good.

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SF Gelateria - Sweet Cream & Birthday Cake

SF Gelateria

4.6(119 reviews)
0.3 mi

SF Gelateria is the perfect late night dessert stop if you are looking for something more special…read morethan your average scoop. They stay open late which is clutch, and their flavors are distinct and interesting like the Butterfly Pea Flower alongside the classics. The customer service was awesome and welcoming, and the shop has a lot of personality. From the knit decor to the cool golden gelato cart and the beautifully decorated flavor signs, everything feels creative and thoughtfully put together. Come here when you want a sweet treat with a creative twist. SF Gelateria is where late night cravings meet artistic gelato.

Even though it's called SF Gelateria, there are no locations in SF. I was the only customer when I…read morewent in the early evening. After sampling the Butterfly Peaflower and Honey Lavender w/Blueberries, I decided on a Piccolo cup (1 scoop gelato) of Honey Lavender w/Blueberries +I've never seen lavender and blueberries paired together, but it surprisingly worked! The lavender was present without being too strong, and there were blueberries mixed in. +Not too sweet +Durable yet cute cups and spoons -Gelato melted quickly and resembled ice cream more than gelato texturally. -Small portion for the price -No split scoops Side notes: 1.) Stamp cards available: Buy 9 scoops get 1 Medio cup (2 scoops) free 2.) Indoor and outdoor seating 3.) Walking distance from Redwood City Caltrain station *Verdict: Unique rotating ice cream flavors w/friendly service. If I was in the area, I wouldn't mind stopping by to try their other flavors.

Photos
SF Gelateria - Menu as of 07/09/25 Part 1 of 2

Menu as of 07/09/25 Part 1 of 2

SF Gelateria
SF Gelateria - Hazelnut & Tiramisu

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Hazelnut & Tiramisu

Temp & Time - Hojicha cake, flan cake, and hojicha tea

Temp & Time

4.5(140 reviews)
3.0 mi
$$

Love this store so much! Wish they closed later. Thai tea…read moreroll- 9/10 string Thai tea flavor - sweet- doesn't rlly tap into the bitter tea flavor but more the classic Thai tea sweetened drink Black sesame - 10/10 impressed everyone. Fine grounded black sesame but still a little grit for texture. Very strong natural black sesame taste. Matcha roll - 10/10 stunning flavor. Taste just like raw ceremonial grade matcha. Not excessively sweet a bit more on the strong matcha flavor less sugar. Delicious. Very strong flavor though. One roll is enough Coffee roll - 9/10 not bad standard mocha cake similar to paris baguette cappuccino cake. Classic mocha flavor Pink white sesame - 7/10 not my favorite. White cream is the white sesame and the pink is an artificial strawberry flavor. Overall taste like pocky.

Cute place that is tucked away behind Drunken Monk izakaya. I came here for a mommy daughter date…read moreday to indulge in some dessert and card games. Decor is cute but sleek, vibes are calm, bar seating by window and a few small tables with seats. Ordering is fast at the kiosk front desk which doesn't seem to have a cashier. Lots of tasty drink options with milk choices and customizable sweetness and ice level - much appreciated! Cakes were delicious and filled with freshly whipped cream. We had the hojicha and biscoff ones. Not incredibly busy - a lot of orders were takeout. Cons: A lot of things were out of stock by 1pm but maybe this is due to Mother's Day. Pricey but the items were high quality. Store is a small footprint with limited utilities (no WiFi, bathroom was temporarily out of order). Parking is very difficult- it's on el Camino so the cars are unforgiving if you're trying to parallel park, and the road parallel by a block is not much better. It has an alley and a very cramped space in the back for a lot. Expect to walk.

Photos
Temp & Time - Clockwise: Matcha Latte w/ oat milk ($6.75), Hōji Roll Cake ($6), Thai Tea Roll Cake (OTH), Hōji Latte w/ oat milk ($6.75)

Clockwise: Matcha Latte w/ oat milk ($6.75), Hōji Roll Cake ($6), Thai Tea Roll Cake (OTH), Hōji Latte w/ oat milk ($6.75)

Temp & Time - Matcha roll cake, plain basque cheesecake

Matcha roll cake, plain basque cheesecake

Temp & Time - Black Sesame Roll Cake

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Black Sesame Roll Cake

Donato Enoteca - oxtail pasta

Donato Enoteca

3.8(1.1k reviews)
0.2 mi
$$$

I've always lived in Redwood City but I haven't tried all the restaurants in/around the downtown…read morearea yet. I decided to try Donato because I saw that they had Happy Hour from 4-6:30pm. The cocktails were superb; they had the right amount of alcohol without tasting bitter. I didn't think I would like the Penicillin drink because the liquor was whiskey, but it tasted perfect and fruity, and so did the spritz. I also enjoyed a light lager. We ordered two of the mini burgers from the happy hour menu; the meat wasn't as moist as I'd like it to be, but the mustard really tied it together. I have to say the fries were absolutely delicious, the potato flavor wasn't overly greasy or salty like most placed make their french fries. Service was paced well, we didn't feel rushed and were able to relax. I will definitely be returning for happy hour!!

Honestly, this review is frustrating to write because Donato Enoteca is such a beautiful space. The…read morerestaurant itself is huge with multiple dining pockets, gorgeous wine displays, and a really upscale atmosphere that makes you expect an amazing meal. The best thing we had all night was the mussels appetizer. The red sauce was genuinely phenomenal and the toasted bread with it was perfect. That dish alone gave me high hopes. Unfortunately, almost everything after that missed the mark. The branzino was deconstructed tableside, which was a nice touch, but the fish itself was thin, underwhelming, and still had bones throughout it. Then when we asked for more of the bread from the mussel dish, we got this giant puffed pita-style bread instead, which totally confused us. The salad barely resembled a salad. There were maybe a handful of arugula leaves with scattered toppings, and it just didn't feel balanced or thought out. Then dessert came out cold, stale, and to make matters worse, there was literally a bug in the sauce. The wine was good and the service team itself was friendly, but the meal felt like one strange disappointment after another. Maybe this place shines more with traditional Italian dishes, but based on this experience I don't think I'd come back.

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Donato Enoteca - Bar

Bar

Donato Enoteca - Suppli calabresi (eggplant fritter)

Suppli calabresi (eggplant fritter)

Donato Enoteca - Branzino filet

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Branzino filet

Chuck's Donuts - Inside

Chuck's Donuts

4.2(550 reviews)
1.4 mi
$$

To whom it may concern,…read more I want to highly thank Shri for his awesome hospitality. We came in today at around 6:15pm and were intrigued with the amount of available donuts at this time! They all looked so delicious that we had to ask him for recommendations which did not fail! We had a confusion with the cash handling process with Shri but it was OUR mistake and not his. We miscounted our change and asked if we can please double check the cameras but we were the ones that made the mistake and not him. I want to sincerely apologize to him ( which we already did ) but most importantly thank him for his amazing service. Please thank him when you have a chance as he is an awesome asset for your business. We will come back because his service was outstanding. With all due respect, Arturo

Matcha donuts. Ube donuts…read more Cronuts. Open 24 hours. Whaaaat?! Yes. 24 hours. Hubs used to live in the neighborhood, so we visited Chuck's more than a few times. And do you know what? Every single time we came by, service was always patient, helpful, & friendly. Every. Single. Time. Having tried a vast assortment, I can say that donut wise, all are good, & some are great. The standout for me is definitely the Ube donut. Hands down. The fritter was my least favorite (tended to be dry). No frills. Interior is old school donut shop. But that is part of the charm. 4 stars

Photos
Chuck's Donuts - Ube Donut With Matcha Icing (9/10 rating) Matcha flavor is there. Ube flavor is there. Great flavors put together

Ube Donut With Matcha Icing (9/10 rating) Matcha flavor is there. Ube flavor is there. Great flavors put together

Chuck's Donuts - Strawberry cream cronut

Strawberry cream cronut

Chuck's Donuts - Assorted raised donuts

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Assorted raised donuts

Lavender 'n Cream - chocolate cupcake

Lavender 'n Cream

4.0(102 reviews)
2.4 mi

Cute little bakery. 1st time there. Crossiants, cupcakes, cakes, cookies, coffee and ice cream!…read moreCute already boxed cookies and treats to go! The wait staff came to check on is a few times while we had breakfast which was nice. I did like the Mediterranean egg with feta, tomatoes and spinach crossiant but next time I would get something different cuz the dizzle (think balsamic vinegar) was the same taste as the salad

Came here for brunch on a Saturday and honestly it was a nice surprise. From the outside it looks…read morelike just a dessert/bakery spot but they actually have espresso drinks + a full food menu too which I didn't expect. We sat outside on the patio (lots of outdoor seating, not much indoor space) and it was a super sunny chill vibe. Parking was easy too which is always a win. Service was really friendly and quick. We ordered the BLT sandwich, chicken sandwich, and the cream cheese + bacon bagel. Everything was good, nothing super mind blowing but solid and hit the spot. Portions are a bit on the smaller side and prices are definitely on the higher side for what you get. My latte was actually really good though. Overall I'd probably come back mostly because it's close by and convenient for a quick brunch / coffee stop, not necessarily a destination spot for me. Next time I'd try more of their bakery items since those looked better than expected from just walking in.

Photos
Lavender 'n Cream - Hot chocolate bomb

Hot chocolate bomb

Lavender 'n Cream - Chocolate Mousse

Chocolate Mousse

Lavender 'n Cream - Cookies & Petits Fours catering plate

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Cookies & Petits Fours catering plate

Varam - indpak - Updated May 2026

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