Amma's South Indian Cuisine

Loved sharing a meal with so many dishes! The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, and the staff were incredibly helpful and attentive throughout the visit. It made for a really enjoyable dining experience, and I’d happily come back again. 🍽️

Arrived around 4:30!pm on a weekday finding only one waiter and two occupied tables. We still had to wait for a recently occupied table to be picked up and cleaned before being seated, even though there were plenty of other tables available. Menu does not offer full descriptions of listed items named in Hindu, so unless one is familiar with South Indian cuisine one feels at a loss as to what to order. Our waiter tried to help but we were unable to understand his English and embarrassed to have him repeat what he had just said. Even though we were the only diners waiting to be served the dishes took a LONG time to arrive. The samosas did not come with the dosa as we had requested, but in separate courses with at least 10’ in between. The samosas were lukewarm and the two dipping sauces scant in quantity. The dosa was good but the meager potato filling should have been spread out inside instead of being just lumped in the middle. A knife was needed so we could cut it in half and share it. The bone in chicken biryani took a long time to arrive, with chicken bone and skin but with hardly any meat. The rice was served cold so we asked for it to be warmed up and that took another 15’ 😠 The papadom was greasy and it did not have any cumin seeds which is what makes them so tasty. Our waiter disappeared mid service and a new young girl replaced him but she had to be summoned each time we needed something. Same speech difficulties as her previous coworker. That is why I suggest add a good description in writing to compensate for unintelligible spoken English. The warm rice dessert with cooked cashews and some kind of fruit, was just too sweet. Overall a big let down.

Visited today for both lunch and dinner because I was seriously craving some good South Indian food. For lunch, I had the non-veg thali with filter coffee — both were absolutely A1. Dinner was the Chicken Chettinad with Kal dosa. It was decent, but honestly, the thali stole the show along with Masala chai and Filter coffee. Definitely going back for the thali — and next time, planning to try the biryani too! Special shoutout to Lesly and the young woman at the reception — hands down, some of the most supportive and caring staff I’ve encountered at any restaurant in the US.

I visited this restaurant yesterday, and honestly, it was a disappointing experience. They automatically added a 20% gratuity fee, which is absolutely not worth it for the service they provide. Our dishes didn’t even arrive together — instead, they served each item about every 10 minutes, which completely ruined the dining flow. The place looks nice, and the ambience is the only good thing. The prices are extremely high, yet the portion sizes are very small. It feels like this restaurant is made only for the ultra-rich who want to show off, rather than for people who actually want good, authentic food.

DOSAS DOSAS DOSAS!!! Absolutely enjoyed the dosas from here as it was my first time trying one! My friend from India specifically recommended that I had to try my first dosa from this restaurant. We did not dine in although I hear the atmosphere in the restaurant is wonderful. Dosa was absolutely delicious & hardy as with just one order of it I was completely full. Love the crispy crepe & the potatoes to eat with it. We both got the vegetarian potato dosas. Comes with a tasty soup & lots of sauce too ! 10/10

The food was awesome and tasty when compared to other South Indian restaurants in the region. Me and my friends ordered the weekend special Non veg Thali. The food was amazing and fresh, which made me remember the memories from India. The food and the presentation give you an authentic South Indian feel. Me and my friends had a good time here, as it was also their first authentic South Indian food experience! The service provided by the staff is exceptional especially the once who served us - Khushi and Aditi. Thank you for making our day wonderful!!

Delicious food. We got the lamb butter malasa, the roti, the chicken 65, the eggplant curry, and the rice pudding. All tasted so good. Our server was also friendly and made earnest recommendations. We enjoyed our dinner here!

I’m a really big fan of Indian food so I was excited to try this place out. Overall, I don’t know if I’d go back, but it was an alright experience. The vindaloo wasn’t spicy at all which was a let down, even if I tasted great. I also noticed flies around the restaurant, which during early December shouldn’t happen. Leaves one to question where they come from.

I'm a fan of the original location of Amma's - it's where I had my very first dosa which is now one of my favorite foods - and when I happened to be in the University City area I decided to stop into their new location. Wish it was around when I was going to college in the area! It's a bigger space than the Center City spot but similarly decorated with dark wood panel, and I appreciated the gender-neutral individual bathroom stalls. It was quite empty on a weekday lunchtime in the summer; I hope it's more crowded during the school year with students because it deserves that! I already knew what I was getting, a masala dosa, and the server was able to quickly take my order. As I expected from their other location, the dosa was huge and served with three dips and a spicy sambar soup. A pair of people next to me who had only ordered curries were quite impressed and asked me what I ordered to try next time! The dosa was crispy and chewy in different places just as I liked it, with a deeply savory flavor that was accentuated by the dips. The only thing that would improve it is more of the potato filling, but I was filled up anyway from what I got. Amma's is the only place (well, two places now) I know of in Philly that serves South Indian food so it doesn't have much competition, but I think it will still easily make an impression on those who are new to the cuisine (if you order correctly) while satisfying the cravings of those who are familiar with it.

Enjoyed the veg thali. Had an assortment of over 10 dishes served in small portions with rice, chappathi and papad. Service was pleasant. Ambiance was good. Clean place. Rice and all the sabjis were fresh and served hot. The tangy eggplant dish and the vegetable korma deserves special mention. The sambar and rasam were good. The dessert, halwa was warm and melt-in-your mouth soft! Will visit to try other dishes. Found this location of Amma's more convenient to reach than Chestnut hill location. Seems this is the newer location

Run don't walk. Atmosphere is soothing and the food is out of this world. Fresh made to order no buffet sitting for hours. The masala Dosa was massive and crispy. The veggie platter is replete with the freshest options of picked veggies, curries, chutneys and roti's. The samosas were light as a feather and stuffed with spicy potato. So good we had to order to go containers of the various items so we could enjoy them again.

I was excited to have some Indian food as I'm one of the few in my family who like it. So I took myself to lunch here because it was well rated on my favorite app---Yelp. Service was great and restaurant was clean and elegant inside. As I'm not very familiar with South Indian cuisine outside Masala Dosa (on the menu), I decided to orger the non-veg sampler meal. Gotta say I was disappointed. Pappadom was not crisp in some spots and chapati was room temp. Chicken and goat dishes were too spicy for me ( I was not given a choice of spice level). Goat was also a bit too "goaty" for me - the flavor was strong. Both rices and daal were excellent and the sambar too (again a bit too spicy though). Two other veg curry were okay but only room temp. I really didn't like the coconut "soup" which I think was meant as a dessert. I think if I went back I'd stick with the dosa and ask for less spicy.

My friend has been wanting to try this place for a while! Whenever you pass by the storefront, you get immediately hit with the incredible scent of the blends of spices of Amma's. Since it was just me and a friend, we got seated around 5 pm on a weekend. The staff were friendly. We figured we would get the couples combo and opted for the non-veg option. I saw some pictures on Yelp that made it seem like there was plenty of food for two people and it seemed like a good deal to try out different dishes at a new restaurant! The non-veg combo says it comes with Mutton Biryani, Chicken Biryani, Chicken Roast, Chicken Kurma, Parotta (2Pcs), and Dessert). Once we got the non-veg couples combo, I was surprised as it looked different from the pictures I saw on Yelp as there was a significantly lesser amount of food. Nonetheless, the food was pretty decent! I particularly liked the Chicken Biryani (I think). The meat was tender and flavorful, but it was difficult for me to know what I was eating since there wasn't anything identifying what was what. I wish there were little labeled flags or something, as that would've been helpful! I enjoyed the various chutneys and the different samples of entrees. I don't think this was particularly filling for two people. I got their Mango Lassi which came in a to-go bottle (even though we were dining in). The mango lassi was creamy and not too sweet with a strong flavor of mango. I enjoyed the Mango Lassi but it wasn't the best I've had. I do wish they poured it into a cup or something, but the to-go bottle was cute. Overall, I'd give Amma's a 3.5/5; it's centrally located in University City and the food was decent. A little pricy for the amount of food we got, but would recommend the couples combo because it was a good way to sample some of the different entrees and dishes that they offer.

Amma's is by no means new to me, but my recent visit was my first in a while. I came in with a friend on a Friday evening. This was our first time at the UCity location. Parking here is much easier than the Center City location; the restaurant is also more spacious. We were glad that there was no wait on a Friday night; we were sat right after we walked in. Amma's is known for their famous Dosas, so my friend and I were planning to get one to accompany each of our meals. The other entrees on the menu differ a bit from other Indian spots, hence the word "South Indian" cuisine. It consists less of saucey curry dishes and more of tandoori meats and biryani/rice dishes. I went for the Ghee Roast Dosa and Butter Masala with chicken. The food took about 30 minutes to come out. I don't consider that an incredibly long wait, but it was a bit long for the number of people dining at the restaurant. The Dosa was delicious, just as I remember it. While it's a thin bread, the overall height and width (if you rolled it out) make a generous portion. The buttery flavor of the ghee combined with the crisp Dosa made the perfect combination. The several sauces on the side accompanied it very well. As with most side sauces, I enjoyed some much more than others. I've had both Butter Chicken and Chicken Tikka of various spice levels at many Indian spots before. This one didn't really do it for me. Butter Chicken is always a bit creamier than Chicken Tikka; once had a lot more spice than creaminess, even at a medium spice level. It wasn't unbearable, but a creamier sauce would've offset it well. Additionally, there were several chunks of different slices that I bit into that are typically removed from these dishes once they're finished cooking. I definitely found the Butter Masala here below standard. Overall, I think this place works for the South Indian niche. While I didn't have a specific rice-based dish, I know many people who enjoy those at Amma's. The Dosa is definitely one of the main highlights of this place. I'd say my only reason to return is for the Dosa's I've always loved getting over the years.

If you are looking for Clean, Hot, fresh authentic South Indian cuisine, good customer service, and value for your money then Amma's restaurant is NOT for you. Dosas are like "papad", items served are cold, small Coffee and Tea for $$ is not worth the money, and taste. Tables are placed too close to behind each other making it difficult to sit with proper posture, and is a potential source to get infected from the person sitting right behind you. Surprisingly how Philadelphia Health department is allowing this restaurant to operate under such conditions.

Long time due visit to this place, and I heard from my foodie friends about this place, and it definitely lived up yo its expectations. The restaurant is located on the S39 street and only street parking available. We went for lunch and we were to find street parking. There are no garages that I could find nearby, but you will be able to find a spot. This place looks great from outside having a ramp/steps to get to the main door. As you enter the dining area, they have one main dining hall and are definitely busy, mostly college crowd. The interior decor and ambiance felt so relaxed. We were greeted and seated and handed over the menu. The menu is definitely impressive and has a lot of authentic South Indian varieties, both for vegetarian and non vegetarian. We decided to go with the lunch veg meals which contain 11 items Roti/Kurma, Rice/Sambar/Rasam/Vathakolambu, then Gobi Manchurian, Kootu, poriyal. Everything on that plate was awesome. Best was the Vathakolambu perfectly made, and veg kurma was great, too. Tried the vegetable kurma and tasted fantastic with parotta, we will visit this place again for sure. Give it a try. This is a great place, and nice people.

Excellent service and food! This Amma's location is superrr close to UPenn's campus and makes it the perfect place for students to grab a bite. I randomly found this restaurant as my family was looking for something all of us would enjoy, and Amma's was so perfect we came for lunch two days in a row! The inside is roomy and quaint but no frills. Service was excellent - attentive, not overbearing, kind in bringing us extra sauce when requested. Both days, we shared a Masala Dosa and the Tiffin Combo. The dosa was BIG and served with 3 chutneys (coconut, tomato, and green) and a bowl of delicious sambar. Masala was flavorful and filling and can be requested on the side. Dosa was crispy and soft in all the right places and very flavorful. Tiffin combo was a great deal for the price, and we got to try pongal which we ended up really liking. Highly recommend Amma's, especially to bring your Desi family when you all have different food preferences and want to eat somewhere quick, tasty, filling, and relatively affordable.

Come one came all. We have found one of the best loco for Southern Indian Food. The 10/10 Medhu Vadai an Indian savory Donut with the chutney is delicious. Loved the crispy texture and most warm inside. The chutneys are authentically Southern 8/10. One of the best I have had. The Dosas are also well made with delicious Sambhar and 3 chutneys. It is delicious 9/10 I had the Vege Thali. Tiny bowls of curry's/appetizers and dessert for $18 and it is delicious. The variety of dishes were plentiful for one big hungry lad. 8.5/10 According to my partners their meat dishes were also a 9/10. Come and taste Superb Southern Food at Ammas. PS: I was not given anything for this review. Not even a free pakoda. However I'd my come to place

Amma's is a gem! I usually go to the one in center city, but this newer location on Penn campus is closer to me. This one opened in September, 2022, but I waited until the hype calmed down and students gone for their winter break. The interior is a similar design from the center city location, but slightly darker. Similar to center city one you scan the menu, and use app based order and payment (in this way people seated at the same table can order their own food and pay for their portion). I really like this because it avoids your credit card taken away to the back where you cannot see to pay for your food. A little rant here, but seriously, in other countries they either bring you the card reader to your table for payment, or you simply go up to the counter to pay. None of the shady deal of the server taking your card away! Ok, end of rant). I do have to say that my daughter went here at night time with about 10 people and instead of the app based order an actual server took the order and did one payment. The service is always polite and efficient; place clean, and 2 stalls of gender neutral restrooms. I always order my fave, dosa! This time I got to taste their idly and they were so good. The Indian coffee was also very delicious! In fact I loved it! My daughter said their various fish curries are also delicious. I have to try those next time.

They have special southern Indian dishes that I enjoy and put it in a different level. I had tried its non veg platter. Choices of protein is chicken or goat. I think it is tasty and makes the Indian style dining great. The dosa looks good and that I will come back and try. The air conditioner is not on good temp. I was sweating a lot while eating this spicy food. Masala tea is good but $5 a very small cup...worthy it?? I probably won't order it again.

I chose to take my husband here for dosas and we weren't disappointed. When we first walked in I noticed the chain restaurant vibe and got nervous until I smelled the food. The menu was extensive and everything was clearly labeled (gluten free, vegetarian, etc.). Our server, Priya, was fantastic. We enjoyed everything and will definitely be back.

Convenient location right off Penn's campus. Meter parking right in front. Ordered takeout tikka massala and it was good! A bit spicier than expected. The lady working there was really nice. Will be back!

I hit up Ammas in University City last month, tired of the same old bland food at University events. The Thayir vada - an Indian lentil doughnut in yogurt and spices - hit the spot. And the chilly paneer? Crispy, dry, and just the right amount of spice. As for the cold masala tea, I'd skip it next time. Food was good for the price, especially considering the area and cuisine. Service could use a boost, though. had to remind them a couple of times for missing items, even when the place wasn't that busy. No amount of tech and contactless ordering can replace attentive service. Despite the service issues, I'd definitely return. They're one of the better Indian spots around here and safer given the proximity to UPenn

Good food. A little pricey and somewhat oddly I had to knock on the door during open hours to get someone to open it.

Wow what a meal!!!! We had grilled chicken tikka masala, non-veg meal, masala chai all were excellent.

Really good and flavorful! Come here for the dosas 100%. The ammas special is so tasty and the chutneys r delightful. Tbh would skip the veg couples combo next time cuz i think theres a lot better things to try and the mixture of things in the combo felt like not enough variety - i.e. biryani and additional paratha/curry mix were pretty similar. Eggplant curry was yummy and spicy, but again real star of show was dosa. The cardamom rose pistachio drink was also delicious! Btw if ur a student theres a 15% discount - use it!!!

Authentic food that is Indian dad approved! The dosas come out hot and fresh and the filter coffee is legit.

probably one of the worst dining experiences i've had in a long time. my girlfriend and I came on a friday night for a late dinner. i've enjoyed takeout from ammas before but my in-person dining experience was incredibly disappointing tldr: the food was okay. the dosa is v solid and it's worth trying here. but the service was absolutely terrible. my tolerance for bad service is pretty good because I'm used to dining at traditional Korean and Chinese restaurants where service is often overlooked. but ... we received the wrong order with no apology or acknowledgement of a mistake. the parotta (layered bread) came 40min after we ordered when we were already done eating. and so we left incredibly frustrated and disappointed by our experience here a simple apology of acknowledgment of a mistake goes a long way and we would have been more understanding. but unfortunately, our server responded with "i was told you got the wrong order. what is that?" and I responded with 1) how would I know? and 2) but what I do know is that this is chicken and we ordered fish. a simple "i'm sorry. that's our mistake. Is there anything we can do to correct this?" would have changed the tone of our dinner. but it doesn't end here. we were wondering what happened to the parotta since it never came. After 40min passed since we ordered AND after all our food comes out AND after we're basically done eating, our server comes with the parotta and then walks away. I couldn't help but laugh in disbelief.

This was my first time at this location and I absolutely loved it. The first thing I noticed is how clean the place was. It had a nice ambience and the bathrooms were super clean too. You can scan the QR code at the table on your phone and order and pay directly through there making things super convenient. I had the onion masala dosa and it was SO. GOOD. I wish I took a picture beforehand, but I devoured it too fast. It came with sambar that had a good kick to it, a coconut chutney that I loved and two other chutneys that weren't my fave (an orange ish one and a green one) but I did appreciate the variety. The dosa itself was perfectly big and crispy and had a delicious potato filling that also had a kick to it. Masala dosas are my absolute favorite food and this one did notttt disappoint. Looking forward to coming back regularly!

Went with family for lunch and we ordered vegetarian thali platter. The parking will be little challenging to get considering it is in Philly main area. On entering you will be greeted and seated, the interior is nicely designed. The menu is very good and authentic flavor for food. We were in a rush so ordered platter and also ordered a takeout. The food came on time and the taste was awesome. This is a good place to visit and enjoy authentic South Indian food. The to go platter was nicely packed as well. Try this place !!!

Tried some of the vegetarian dishes: Samosa, Manchurian Gobi Cauliflower, Vegetable Kurma and was pleasantly surprised. Flavors were balanced, enough to excite, but not overly spicy or provocative. The mango lassi was cooling - a bit more yogurt than mango though. Apart from the enjoyable food, the staff were very friendly and helpful. I will certainly want to come back and try other dishes. The restaurant decor was new and modern and it would be a fine place for a family dinner or gathering with friends and schoolmates.

I was really impressed with the quality and flavors at Amma's UCity/west Philly branch. The menu is great with plenty of options and every bite was on point. We ordered samosas and spinach and onion pakoras to start, both of which were excellent, with generous portions. Then we tried the chicken thalasseri and a dosa special along with a serving of chapatis. The chicken was amazingly tender and properly slow cooked while the dosa was perfectly seasoned and had a great texture, along with a generous filling. As someone who grew up with great Indian food in the UK (both authentic and westernized), this place is right up there. Highly recommended.

Excellent South Indian restaurant. Excellent decor and very clean. The food was phenomenal! Well balanced spices with sufficient portions. The Pongal and the chicken Kothuparota were in point. The filter coffee was strong and perfectly brewed. This is a true gem in Philly!

One of the best Indian restaurants in east coast. Can't wait go for more! Best biryani.

Best South Indian I've had in a while, and Amma's was easily my favorite meal I've had this trip to Philly. I thought both the rasam and Mysore masala dosa were excellent. I'd be a regular if I lived here.

Tikka Masala was very good and flavorful and the chicken wasn't dry, I will be returning & the customer service was very good and nice ! It's also very nice and pretty in here, overall very clean

Aditi was a top notch waitress who made excellent suggestions and provided excellent service

The service here was AMAZING! My friend and I's server Aditi was amazing, punctual, and so kind. The service here was great. And my chicken tikka masala was DELICIOUS.

The service, restaurant and food were good. However, count me in the court of disappointed for the price per dish and overall experience.

Really Good. Quality food, nice atmosphere & staff. Definitely worth trying. We had multiple apps & entrees, everything was fresh and hot with a great presentation!

Really great south Indian cuisine in university city. Everything is well flavored and it has a cozy atmosphere. Good for a group or solo. I had excellent service from Appy!

Got Thayir Vada, Chicken 65, Egg Bonda & Briyani. They were all good and true to their southern Indian taste as described.

Ordered takeout and specifically the veggie platter. Service was prompt. All the different chutneys and sabzis were separated into little containers, allowing us to eat and enjoy without worrying about them mixing up during transit. South Indian food is delicious, and Amma's is as close to authentic as you can get in Philly. Highly recommend if you love Indian food and want to try something completely different, because South Indian food is nothing like what you typically get at restaurants in the states, which are mostly North Indian. Get the idli, dosa as well and you have a complete meal. Have leftovers? Buy some dosa batter and make fresh dosa, enjoy the leftovers all week long