Amma Vegetarian Kitchen

This is a self serve restaurant with disposable cutlery - just a PSA, didn't bother us! We tried the South Indian thali, the vada and the Mysore masala dosa. The dosa was great, the chutney tasted a bit stale (made in the morning perhaps) for the first round of dosa, but was on point for the second round (probably a new batch). The vada was reheated but tasted great, thali was good value for money as well. The paysam was amazing, highly recommend! Parking was easy and free, there were spots in front of the restaurant.

Had dinner on April 28, seemed like a good home style food joint until the food came out. Or should I say we had to keep on getting up from the table to get our food items that were called out by order number, spoiling the dining experience. Now for the food review: Chole Bathura was pretty tasty and so was the Tomato Peas Uttappam. However, the rest of the food like Dahi Vada was way too sour; Masala Dosa was burnt, sambhar was decent, non spicy; Curd Rice was also too sour with broken left over rice, you can see the photos. Saving grace for curd rice was replacement with Idli Sambhar takeout, which tasted really average the next day. Lastly, the place needs a renovation, brighter lighting to take good food photos, men’s bathroom light kept turning off.

I recently dined at Amma Vege Kitchen and it was a delightful experience. The ambiance was warm and inviting, and the staff were incredibly attentive and friendly. The highlight, however, was the dosa—each dish was expertly prepared and bursting with flavor. I highly recommend the chili dosa which was an absolute standout. I’ll definitely be returning soon!

The wait was a bit long, but it was definitely worth it. The food was absolutely delicious.

So delicious and tasty food. My daughter went there and she suggested that the food is really tasty here and it was indeed. Great service and atmosphere. I would definitely suggest this place.

Good South Indian style food. Simple yummy and healthy. Good collection of dosas, sambar etc. mango lassi is very good. Ample parking outside and washroom access. Staff is good.

We checked this place when we were in DC for the Cherry blossoms. We did a pickup order for our dinner and it didn’t take a lot of time for the food to be ready by the time we arrived at the restaurant. The food quality was very good and the packaging was excellent. Saw quite a number of people enjoying their dinner and also an equal number of people waiting to get their order picked up. Wish the interior cleanliness of the place matched what was offered on the outside.

Bit of Nostalgia eating at Ammas. Ive been coming here for 20+years. Was my 1st Indian food restaurent after coming to US. They have kept the taste consistency for more than 2 decades that I witnessed and that is amazing. Chana bhatura, masala dosa are amazingly good Have to try Ammas feast on my next visit. Paneer Dosa is excellent ( note that paneer filling has lotbof greeen peas too) Sambar and coconut chutney are mildly spiced so can be enjoyed a lot with the dosa. Badusha ( balushahi as north Indian will call it) is something that one dont get at many other places and is very authentic.

Great place for Dosa. There Dosa is the best in Northern Virginia. We were a large group . The Dida's were crispy tasty . Loved their sambar dal . Friendly waiter .Ordered a takeaway for hubby . He loved it too .

Not exactly sure what the hype is about this place. Food is relatively inexpensive (the only pro). You order at the counter and self-serve when they call out your number. Food is cold by the time it comes out. Sometimes they forget your order. I waited more than one hour for onion uttapam. After 50 minutes, they asked me if I wanted to change the order because it'll take another 15 minutes to make uttapam. It still took more than that. And it was like thin crust pizza - not fluffy at all. Moreover, tables were dirty and they serve in disposable plasticware which takes away from the experience. You get what you pay for. Also, the restaurant is not stroller friendly. There are stairs at the entrance and no accessible entrance. There are better South Indian restaurants in the area with better food and service. We won't return.

I finally went to Amma Kitchen after my family had been raving about it for years. I had some Rava Onion Paneer Dosa, Rava Onion Masala Dosa, Sambhar, Rasam, chutneys, and a Mango Lassi - a nice and full meal! Overall, Amma was solid! It gave me the crispy dosa with spicy sambhar/rasam fixing I was looking for. However there are definitely better South Indian restaurant options in NOVA. The rava dosa was extremely crispy and flavorful but the paneer filling tasted a little plain. It could've used more masala and tikka flavors. There was also barely any paneer or potato filling. The sambhar was okay, nothing special. The rasam quantity was amazing but it was extremely oily and lacked next-level flavors. Again it did the job on a cold rainy day!

Mrs. wanted a snack. We picked up the following items from here. -Vada & Sambar. This item was good. Portion is a little bit on the smaller side. -Laddoo was superb! A nice treat for my sweet tooth! (+2) -Dahi Vada. Was alright. Portion was also small. Total was $18.52 with tax. Staff was very polite in their interactions according to the Mrs.

Sooooooo delicious! The best dosa! Worth going to, it's very simple inside and the food is served on paper plates. So it's very casual! But the food is good! Like what you would make at home. We also loved the idli and the sweets! Everything was perfect.

Ammah's Kitchen has had a face lift after Covid, they have painted their wall and the atmosphere is clean and friendly. It's a bistro-like atmosphere with no server. That's fine you order your food, and they always call you shortly. This is one of the few restaurants that's consistent with its quality and always has hot delicious food. The menu is limited that's wonderful.

Delicious Dosas! There are a variety of dosas, choola batura and other South Indian classic dishes on the menu with affordable prices. You can get a Plain Dosa for only $5 while a Masala Dosa is slightly over $7. The Masala Dosa definitely had me fooled for a paper masala by its ginormous two foot length! The soft tender idly and crispy savory donut vada were tasty, and not dense or greasy. I only paid only $23 for a Masala Dosa and the Rava Paneer Dosa, Idly/Vada, and 2 bottles of water. No wonder it was packed at 9pm on Tues night! It's pretty casual with no reservations and can always find a table. Both the Masala Dosa and the Rava Paneer Dosa were on point and came with samber (which is spicy!) and chutney. The aloo potatoes are tasty and definitely recommend getting the Masala Dosa over the Plain Dosa, which is also smaller. The Rava Dosa hit the spot with its porous texture and perfectly cooked, it's made from semolina rather than rice flour. The Masala Dosa came out pretty quickly in a few minutes while the Rava Dosas took longer to cook and came out in 10-15 minutes. Definitely worth the wait! My only complaint about the Paneer Dosa is that the peas are a bit stiff and hard, while the paneer is tender and tasty. The Onion Masala Dosa didn't quite have the crispy texture I was looking for. The onions are not cooked with the dosa batter and just simply stuffed inside along with the Masala. The Onion I wish the Masala Dosa was crispier and also that Paper Masala Dosa was offered on the menu. Don't expect to dine at 8:45pm - 15 min before closing (9pm) - take-out orders only. It was bustling right before closing on a Sunday night and the staff grumpily let my toddler, hubby, and I chow down a quick bite before closing the restaurant. Lesson learned! Glad to see the restaurant has been in business over 25 years and continues to be a hit! My parents visiting from out of town loved the dosas and idly. It reminds us so much of Edison or Jackson Heights. Authentic, affordable, and homey!

Wife happy = 5 stars Had not been for a long time, happened to be in the area, so ventered in. The decor has been revamped. Lovely, clean mordern look with South Indian pictures on the walls. It's self service and the girl at the counter was polite, professional and efficient. We both got the onion rawa masala dosa, and frankly it was one of the best in the area. Crisp and non greasy. Very authentic with green chillies and cumin. The accompanying Sambhar was perfect in consistency with a 'real authentic' flavor, spiciness and vegetable blend. Portion was generous. Took home a Dahi Vada. Wish had gotten two as it went too fast. Beautifully soaked and spongy in a bath of tempered tangy yogurt. Steady stream of ethnic diners was a great endorsement

Good food, served quickly and hot. Clean place. Order at the cashier and they will call your number when the food is ready. Glad I found it. I will definitely visit again, many times. Oh, plenty of parking!

An amazing affordable Indian place!! I got delivery from here, but I loved the Masala Dosa so much. The potato filling was like a very flavorful mashed potato! The Tomato Onion Uttappam was pretty good too, but not my favorite so probably wouldn't get again. Both came with sambar and chutney. The chutney was too tangy for me, but I enjoyed the sambar... tasty stew with a good amount of flavor and veggies. The Tamarind Rice was also delicious. I liked the pappadum that came with it... nice crisp! The pickle was way too acidic for me tho.

Poor customer service and subpar food. Balaji Cafe - which isn't that good either - is basically their twin, but I would still go with Balaji because of their slightly better customer service. Nonetheless, find an alternative to this place if you're craving Dosas. As a big Dosa lover, I came here having read somewhat positive reviews on Yelp; however to my dismay, I was thoroughly disappointed. I ordered the Rava Masala Dosa and it wasn't hot nor really warm at all; the Dosa itself was like papadum - paper crisp and thin with no real flavor or texture; the masala-potatoes felt like it was left out in the open, too. When I asked if they could heat it up, they seemed surprised. After they gave me new potatoes which was warmer, I was still very disappointed with their Dosa and literally left it aside. Having shared this with the lady at the front, I asked if I can order something else. I asked when their samosa was made but she said it was made 4 hours ago. 4 hours ago!? Talk about freshness. To my amazement, I asked which other menu options were fresh and hot. After she recommended the Cholé Bature, I decided to order that; however she still made me pay for it (when I left my Rava Masala Dosa). Seeing that she was clearly not interested in accommodating me nor listening to my concerns, I ordered, ate and left. The Cholé Bature was decent by the way. This place seems to mainly cater to those who are loyal customer and not for new customers. If you are debating where to get Dosa, this is not the place - not for the Dosa but mainly for the very poor customer service. This place deserves two stars

Today it just didn't live up to its reputation and our past experiences. The sambar was thick and idk it just wasn't all that great. Realized today that they do not have an easily accessible handicapped entrance. Those front steps in the rain were difficult for me to get mom inside. I used to love this place but now it's just meh. Better for "to go", I guess.

We have been going to Amma Vegetarian Kitchen for last few years. We were quite disappointed today. Dosa was 2/3rd the usual size. Sambhar didn't taste good. Mango lassi was warm and whole interior was warm. Seems like the staff has changed. Will not go there anymore.

Good restaurant serving authentic South Indian vegetarian food. I have tried most of the items in their menu and everything tastes good and there is consistency in the taste too. Prices are very reasonable and portion sizes are pretty good. One suggestion I would give them is for their Thali items. The curries and dals are the same every time. It would be nice if they switched the vegetables in the curries and provided some variety as it can get monotonous when we order the thali frequently.

As always Chole bathura was good but rest were mediocre food. Not impressed with coffee as well

We recently visited the original Amma vegetarian snack -in (not really a restaurant) located in Vienna (a few more locations around the area have opened). Not as crowded as before and pretty much everyone was observant with masks. We ordered the traditional masala dosa, mysore dosa and onion rava masala dosa. Cutlet appetizers. The food was excellent and served hot. Some of the menu items were not available. For dessert a sweet that was available and masala chai (mysore coffee was unavailable). One of our party indicated the food was much better than several months ago. Parking is easy to find and available. Nice family casual outing.

We checked this place when we were in DC for the Cherry blossoms. We did a pickup order for our dinner and it didn't take a lot of time for the food to be ready by the time we arrived at the restaurant. The food quality was very good and the packaging was excellent. Saw quite a number of people enjoying their dinner and also an equal number of people waiting to get their order picked up. Wish the interior cleanliness of the place matched what was offered on the outside.

Yes : Perfect for people who are NOT Flesh eater of dead animals: Yes Yes Excellent Perfect Not 100 % yes However We were traveling from New Jersey to Boone NC We googled it for pure vegetarian cuisine and here I am posting

I have been craving dosas since returning from India pre-covid and a local friend said Amma's has the best. I am happy to say that the family agrees and found their masala Dosa really delicious along with the papadum. I had never had a Rava dosa before and it was crispy and flavorful and so tasty as well. The restaurant is pretty unassuming. There is more space inside than one night think and we were able to get a table in a corner by a large window. though we ate in, we saw a lot of people doing take out. The samosas were ok but did not seem to be made to order. My only concern was that not all the staff were masked. We will definitely be back for more dosas but next time we might do take out as well.

Good South Indian food. Simple plain place to eat in. Good location. No issues. No more thoughts to add

We have been to Amma's literally dozens of times and, while we tend to like to order a variety of foods, somehow we tend to return to our favorites -- chole batura (chick pea curry with onions and chilis; fried bread) and/or masala dosa (rice pancake with potato filling). While my husband is originally from South Asia (Nepal) and I'm from Pennsylvania, we both find these dishes a bit too spicy, so we ask for the chilis on the side! We frequently also take visiting Nepalese relatives here, and they enjoy full spice -- some have also asked us to drop in to pick up some Amma food when we visit them in other US locations! Reasonable prices. Parking lot, and restaurant, are often very full.

We love their Masala Dosa. It comes with Sambar, which is like a nice treat. It's amazingly affordable and filling. We usually eat the dosa as a side dish to something else we made at home and use the Sambar as a flavoring to our own homemade soups. We're tried other items off their menu and didn't like them as much, but we figure that's because we're not Indian and don't have the appropriate flavor appreciation. The reasons this isn't a 5 star review is: 1. The place is usually needing of table cleaning. I mean I'm glad they're busy but when there are numerous tables filled with trash it's not appetizing. 2. It's difficult to get anyone on the phone. Their hours don't match what's posted here and so we try to check by calling to make sure we're not wasting our time driving there. Or we want to or preorder. We usually try to call a few times then give up. When we actually make it through we celebrate!

We have been coming here for the past 25 years and today was the very first day we had a TOTAL disappointment. We ordered the chole bhaturas and the bhaturas came out flat and oily. We also ordered the Amma's Feast and the sambar came STALE, aviole was partially cold, and everything else did not taste the same. We DO NOT plan on coming here ever again.

hi all went yesterday to pick up food from Amma Veinna 2 / 3 customers complained about sambar being stale and bad. to the 2nd customer they servered what they said was freshly made sambar but the customer was sensible and said no, me being a curious person said I wanted to taste the sambar before taking it home and trashing it. The young girls severed me the hot sambar which was being prepared fresh and it tasted good and fresh. so I told them to packed sambar for me but the girls were smarter than I was but less trustworthy they packed old stale sambar but the funniest part is the obliged me with extra stale sambar. plz check before you eat. been a regular customer of Amma at Veinna for the last 18 years never faced this kind of problem

Best South Indian food in the area! We had dosa and Chole Bhature. Had them to go and the packing is brilliant. They were fast!!

Hard to recommend this place. Especially compared to the alternative options nearby. It makes food courts look fancy. Also, the actual building and interior are...rough. Very rough. Go where you like, if you like this place, good for you. But for most, this an experience your life can definitely do without. The food seems mostly edible, but that's the most that can be said here, and the same can be said of a 6 year old cooking at home with discount ingredients.

I've been here countless times now and the food has always been consistently good. It's not a place you would go to for the ambiance but the food is the best south indian food in the area. My go-tos are the plain dosas and the chole batura.

always is so good. authentic south indian food. we drive one hour just to eat this food. they are fast, friendly , clean and cheap dosas, idli, sambar and vada.

I used to go here maybe 20 years ago when I lived in the area. When I was visiting recently, I came here to eat again. I didn't remember it being so dark and dreary looking inside but then again it's been so long. This was my first introduction to south Indian food and I definitely prefer it. The food was just ok. Didn't seem that fresh to me.

Wasn't all that impressed with the food and service. My friend and I couldn't finish half of our meal, and we didn't opt to take it home. But the main reason I won't return is that everything is served on plastic, paper, or (in the past) styrofoam plates, cups and cutlery...everything! You dump it all (including so-so food, unfortunately) in an overly-filled trash can afterwards -- And I seriously doubt if anything is recycled. This is understandable for carry out...but for in-restaurant consumption? Please! You're not a McDonalds! For a restaurant that has been around for years, I think that the investment in a dishwasher (or at least hire some folks to clean REAL dishes) would be a logical next step. As Tom Sietsema (Washington Post restaurant reviewer) said: "There's no dishwashing machine at the restaurant, so everything is served in paper or plastic on trays. The food, and environment, deserve better" Please make the change -- we're in the 21st century -- then I might return.

Went for lunch here after looking into the ratings and cravings for some good South Indian breakfast food. We ordered few Dosas and Poori and it was aweful. Don't know what happened with the restaurant lately. They totally disappointed us right from the basic dosa to the sambar everything was super bad. I hope they make changes and serve the customers some good food for which they come.

Good food. Self service. At that time of our visit, they were short staffed. Delays in cleaning.

You risk your life coming here in the age of COVID when the person taking the order and giving you your food doesn't wear his mask over his nose. New weekend staff are terrible!

We have been their regular customer for 10+ years but last time our experience was horrible. It almost seems like the chef and/or management has changed. We ordered a takeout with 4 plates of Chole Bhatura and one Masala Dosa. The chole were not cooked completely and they were hard and watery. The masala of dosa just had too much salt. Overall we weee not able to eat anything and $60+ bill was completely wasted. For the restaurant owner, you lost a customer not to pandemic but due to lack of your food quality.

Doesn't look like much when you walk past! It's a hut like store selling South Indian food. We ordered Masala Dosas, The Ammas thali, Masala vada and rasam vada. The thali had some of the best payasam I've ever had, but rest of the food was just okay. There are better South Indian restaurants that you can go to. But if you're in the vicinity and starving, this is a nice place to eat some comfort food!!

As other members mentioned, they make zero efforts to be environment friendly. I am positive that this will be one of the last places to adopt compostables. Such a shame, because the food is delicious

Started with the samosa appetizer, which came with a tasty dipping sauce. We also split the Vegetable Uttappam and the Paneer Dosa and found both to be enjoyable. I have to agree with Adrienne A. that I am completely unfamiliar with the cuisine, but we enjoyed the food and very reasonable prices. In the past, we've ordered Anna's Feast, which is definitely not for those who aren't fans of spicy food. And definitely go for the mango lassi!

Amma's is always a safe spot if you want some good, authentic South Indian food. It's a good spot if you want something quick to eat I got the onion and chili rava dosa and it was as expected...delicious and cooked to perfection. The dish comes with sambar and coconut chutney, both were great as well. I usually don't enjoy anyone's sambar except for my mom's, but amma's is the exception to that rule. It's tangy and spicy to the right amount. I recommend this place if you're in the mood for a quick bite of South Indian food.

I really wanted to rate this location high, after all it's the famed Amma's and I had been to their other location in Herndon. Since the Herndon location was closing soon, I trekked out to Vienna for a pickup order. It was a guy's weekend, yet the craving for some dosas was hitting hard. The guy on the phone took my order promptly and I was on my way to pickup. The location was nicer than the one in Herndon; boasting more seating, open space, and a modern ambiance. We ordered 2 types of Dosas and 2 Idli sambars. The idli and sambars were made well and tasted fresh, with the right consistency and Masala. However, the dosas were bland and all the stuffing was packed in the center to make room to pack the dosa. Even after redistributing the stuffing it was lacking flavor and the dosa itself was bland as well. I'll probably give this location another shot, but was disappointed that the flavor of Amma's is starting to slip.

Great Indian food! Generous servings. Based on the name of this establishment everything is vegetarian, obviously. There are plenty of vegan options as well. During popular dining hours it can be packed. Sometimes u may even have to wait for a table. (first come first serve) When it's slammed be prepared to wait 20 minutes for their famous dosa's(I think the preparation for this dish takes longer). I personally stick to the Chloe bhatura. This chickpea stewy concoction has a nice kick and is topped with fresh chopped onions and jalapenos. It is served with 2 fluffy pieces of bread. It is reasonably priced at 8$. I did dock a star off because they use styrofoam! Ugh, who uses this stuff anymore? I'm surprised this it's still legal. But I believe restaurants such as Amma's should lead by example, eliminate styrofoam from their business and become a more eco-friendly restaurant. Until then my friend you will remain at 3 stars.

Rava Masala dosa was good but do not drink tea here. it was just waste of money.

Final update.: it's unfortunate but due to their use of single use plastics, we won't be back. 1/26 update: they're still using plastic cutlery. I bring my reusable water bottle so I don't have to use styrofoam cups. Now on, I'll bring my steel spoon and fork, too. One less star each time this happens! Original review: I absolutely love this place for their dosas, idli and Sambar! It's also a vegetarian's dream with many other choices! I'm giving it one less star for environmental reasons. Management should consider using compost-able non-plastic spoons and forks. I'll up it to 5 stars when I see that change. Will be back soon

We have looked and looked for dosa in the NoVa area for years. And now we have found one. Not fancy but good, solid, authentic south Indian dosa, Idli, sambar and similar dishes. A real find. Good stuff.

I love the quantity and taste of the food here. Could definitely work on their masala chai, as it had too much masala and did not taste good. Apart from the masala chai, the rest of the items are really good, tasty and filling.

This is a staple for my cousins fiancé whenever she visits. I have tried the place before but didnt remember the experience. Tried it again this time and it hit the spot. If you want south Indian good this is the place to be. Granted depending on what you order it can take some time for example I ordered a customized green chilli, tomato and onion uttapam which came out quick. The group I was with ordered rava dosa which took a solid twenty minutes to come out. The only criticism I have is the uttapam I had was crispy all the way around but the inside seemed undercooked according to my friend but what do I know I eat anything if it taste good.

Generally been good, but every other time something irritates me About the place. Typically hygiene and quality related. Their facility and customers are generally dirty. A few dishes are very good in the restaurant ( if you can handle the unclean ambiance), but everything breaks apart ordering take out. The Chole Bhature arrived with an ounce of oil dripping out of the bread and the pongal was very average with putrefied Avial on the side. Their Sambar is usually good, but chutney is hit of miss - mostly a miss. I may still go there because my wife craves the food now n then. Hoping they improve their standards.

So, i guess if you are the only non-south indian in a dosa place, you've definitely made the right choice, and for that reason alone i thought i should love it, and yet.... i just didnt. it was very ok, the service was very kind and friendly and patient, explaining the different dosa styles to me. the lighting is not the best. i dont eat peas and the panir dosa has peas in it (even though the menu did not list peas as an ingredient), it looked great, but i can't say i tasted it. the ravi dosa has an interesting lattice to it, and its made with a different kind of batter than the traditional dosa-- both dosas themselves are great and the potato filling is tasty. The coconut chutney was the real star for me... and if you like south indian sambar and curries they bottle their curry and it looks amazing!

Decent South Indian food!! They could do better.... After craving something different, we decided to give this place a try, especially after a few friends recommended it. On entering we realized that it was more of a self serve restaurant (maybe I should have checked reviews before so that I was not surprised), however the inside was pretty big with plenty of tables. We went to the cashier and scanned through the menu. I ordered the vada idli and Rava dosa with paneer masala and a mango lassi. I also asked for some samosas to go but they were out. Only then I realized that they only make the dosas to order. Mostly everything else is premade at different times during the day. When my vada and idli came out, it was definitely microwaved. Idli was good but the vada was minuscule and a tad bit soggy. The coconut chutney was a little too tangy. The star from that appetizer was the sambhar accompaniment. Then my dosa arrived: crispy just as it should be with the perfect amount of paneer. Usually Rava dosas get soggy but not this one. Crispy all around and every bite: was a delight eating. I also ordered a mango lassi which was on point. Positives: Large space, affordable food, clean, helpful staff, amazing dosas. Negatives: Subpar idli vada and chutney, lassi was hot (chilled would be nice on a 90 degree day), the inside was boiling hot (I felt like I could eat outside and sweat less). If I had to eat there again I would probably do the dosas only. 2 stars less from the 5 due to the negatives I outlined above.

This is an awesome fast casual and authentic South Indian place. The menu has a variety of dosas whether you're craving a traditional masala dosa or interested in trying a dosa with a twist like with tofu or paneer. They also have true South Indian dishes that you'll find homes and not restaurants like pongal, aviyal, tamarind rice, curd rice, lemon rice, vada sambar, idli sambar, utthapam. Drinks like Mysore coffee and limca. Everything that I've had here is fantastic. They usually have specials of the day like rava pongal. The dining room is decently sized but it gets very crowded at peak times on weekends. We've brought my baby 2x now and it's been great. The one snafu is that service can be a little hit and miss. When my in-laws were visiting they really wanted dosas however it was a little past lunchtime. They close at 2:30-5 like most indian places and we called to request they accommodate us as we would arrive at 2:32 or something like that. They refused and were slightly rude about it. We were really bummed and went to Tyson's for dosas which were not very good. I get that they have their hours for a reason but they were so inflexible and not caring about it. It definitely put a damper in how we view the establishment. One thing that I'm bummed about is they don't sell anymore of the Adhithi brand of dosa and sambar in 32oz containers in the fridge and they were delicious. Tasted so fresh and they didn't expire for nearly 2 months! Today they didn't sell them anymore and instead they'll just sell their own sambar to go. That's disappointing. One new positive development is that they are now open for breakfast on weekends starting at 8:30am! A last tip is to check out the massages next door at Ayurway Wellness. Absolutely a wonderful combination to eat here and then go for a blissful shirodhara treatment.