Kalpasi Indian Cuisine

We had an amazing experience at Kalpasi Restaurant. The crispy keema dosa and the appaam were absolutely outstanding — perfectly made and full of flavor. Erhane, Sitaashma, and Salina were incredible with their service: attentive, genuinely kind, and always smiling. Alex, the manager, is truly the best manager you could ever ask for — professional, warm, and clearly passionate about making every guest happy. They all went above and beyond to make us feel welcome, even surprising us with homemade sweets at the end. That gesture alone says so much about the heart behind this place. Kalpasi is a true Indian gem — everyone is polite, warm, and genuinely goes the extra mile.

As lot of people said they charge for water also. All the starters which we ordered are not good. Even before ordering I told them to get the best food that chef can make.

Great customer service they handled an issue my grandma had with order and fixed it fast no charge. Good service. Dosa is very good but the weekend dosa options are better definitely come on weekend. This is in world gate so parking is meh. Overall it was all good. Oh yeah prices were really reasonable always declinw water bottle they give you its 1 dolla3 charge just ask for normal water.

Delicious South Indian food in the area. Great service and atmosphere. Attuakal soup, chettinad chicken and goat, and mutton varuval are must try. Mysore masala dosa and chutneys were delicious. Chicken 555, vada, chicken lollipops were very tasty. Chicken chettinad was a little bland but had good flavor. Food was served quickly and was hot. Overall a great experience. Will definitely be back to try biryani, fish and dosas.

Way too many opportunities to improve - easily makes it to the worst Indian restaurant experiences in DC area so far. Fish was smelly and foul, chicken biryani was sticky and plain fried (it shouldn’t be called biryani please!). Bar is limited. Restrooms are broken. Ambience is grubby. And it costed us about 50 usd per head for a dinner 🥷

Kalpasi appears to be good only for the Veg/non veg entree, as for multiple occurrences never had issue . But the recent take out experience from the restaurant had been terrible. Ordered a ‘Mutton Biryani’ and ‘Chicken 65’ . The biryani rice was clearly overcooked with excess water. It was sticky, mushy and had oil as well. The chicken 65 was just deeply fried chicken which appeared to be burnt. (Check attached images) . There was no garnishing of cilantro , curry leaves etc which is not how Chicken 65 should look. Both the dishes appeared to have been cooked in hurry . When contacted the restaurant, the manager says that is their specialty when mentioned the rice is like that and looks sticky. Would not order again any biryani or any fried food from this restaurant again.

Looking out for some authentic South Indian- Chettinad food, then stop by here and enjoy their food. A bite of their Aappam dipped on coconut milk would remind you of home cooked food by mom. Must try their mutton chukka and chicken chettinad too with their parottas and drumstick chicken. Do you miss that sarbbath that you enjoyed in your hometown, order their nannari sarbath, and complete your meal!

Excellent dosa, hot and crisp. Soft, hot,and moist idlis. Sambar and both chutneys,coconut and peanut, spot on !! Excellent. As far as the king fish curry I ordered, the sauce was excellent 10/10... but the fish was on the dry side, and that was a big disappointment, otherwise, I would have given them 5 stars. Still we enjoyed our meal and will be back for sure.

I went on Friday night for dinner and saw the advertisement for their Mother's Day buffet and came back two days later on Sunday for it! The staff were helpful with the menu, as this was my first time eating Indian cuisine. The dishes they recommended were perfect for me, not too spicy, but still incredibly flavorful. I will be back again soon!

This place was absolutely delicious. 10/10 highly recommend. I got the chicken tikka masala and garlic naan.

Staying at the Marriott nearby and this was one of the better rated food options in the area. Lucky me I happen to like Indian food! It was fairly busy on a Sunday evening but I was alone and seated right away. The waiter put a bottled water on my table with a menu. Was surprised to find I was charged $1 for it and was never offered other water or another bottle. I ordered: - aappam with egg curry - samosas - masala chai I'd never had aappam before! Similar to dosa but a more distinct flavor -- good! Their egg curry was tasty and came with a surprising amount of spice by default, so ask for mild if you need it. Samosas were among the best I've had. Super flaky shell and very generous filling with good flavor. Comes with mango chutney. Masala chai seemed like nothing to write home about, but I'm guessing was authentic. The back area of this place near the bathrooms is kind of run down and used for storage I think? They have screens up and maybe aren't anticipating people will walk past there on the way to the bathrooms but it was kind of odd. Service was fine. Minimal but friendly. I'd definitely return to try other dishes. Despite the weird charge for a water bottle the menu is pretty affordable for Indian food.

Huge shout out to our dear friend Alex. "Has it been over ten years????" Great food and drinks local to us in Herndon. Highly recommended!!!!

Not the best, but above average. Decor: mediocre (paper napkins). Prices: fair. Portions: fair. Wine pours: generous. Service: above average..

Good, flavorful food. Service was okay, and inside decor was basic but clean. The chicken tikka was a little bland but every other dish we tried was very flavorful and yummy. Overall a good experience.

Stopped in for lunch after doing a site visit. Was looking to do sushi but it was closed. Came in and no one was here. While ordering one person came in. I ordered the onion masala vada (falafel like fritter with herbs, spices, and chutney), Mutton Chukka Varuval for main course with a side of the potato masala. Well they brought everything all at once which I really don't like. This was probably due to the limited clientele so that the kitchen was not busy. The vada was quite tasty and the sauce was mild. The mutton was spicy but not overly so. It has a nice kick for lunch. I put it over the potatoes rather than the rice provided. I was happy with this lunch offering so 4 stars it will be.

Taste was quite good/authentic but service was so blah. It felt like you were bothering the one waitress who was there. Mind you, I was the only person in the restaurant. And when asked questions, either one word answers, or no answers. I don't think English was a barrier. But even if it was, there's a way to be friendly. That being said, I usually only go to these restaurants for the food and I will say the food is good.

Somewhat hidden in a strip mall mostly populated by lunch oriented chain restaurants, this place is one of the better Indian restaurants in Loudoun County. Mixed reviews were a concern but as I love spicy food, the "complaints" of too spicy had my attention. The menu is primarily from southern India, hence the spicy selection. They had unusual dishes including dosas. I ordered my standard lamb vindaloo "extra Spicy" - as a reference. My wife had Chicken Channai or similar. Also got garlic naan bread. My wife loved the chicken, just spicy enough with solid breast pieces, no junk. My lamb vindaloo was the ideal extra spicy that is both pleasurable and unashamed to be actually "extra". Typically, Lamb Vindaloo has large chunks of lamb and potatoes, but this has much smaller pieces of lamb and even the potatoes were cut smaller. Not sure why but it was noticeable. The naan bread was some of the best I have ever had, perfect to dip into the curry and scoop out some of the tangy sauce. Yum. So what is wrong? I imagine you might be thinking. Well, they appear to be cutting corners. Starting with the PLASTIC BOTTLE of water the waiter places on the table when you arrive. Its not free, its $1. Aside from the pushy way they do that, I despise plastic bottles. They really ought to offer regular water. The music varied between Indian and well known songs but not the original artists. Cutting corners is a bit of a turn off. Having said that, the prices are below the average, so even with 2 meals, naan bread and 2 giant beers we were still around $55. Next time when we go back (yes we will) I'm going to experiment with some of the less common items and I fully expect to enjoy the visit. I hope you do too.

Mango Lassi was tasty and the rice was fine. Everything else (cauliflower, Chana masala) was so salty it was almost inedible. Service was quick, and maybe other dishes are better but I love Indian food and I basically ate plain rice for dinner and threw out the rest.

This place was unbelievable, the staff were super friendly and helpful. Great food, relaxed atmosphere, and all the natives eat here so it must be great. Prices were too low for the great food I received.

Not a bad place. Pros: decently priced (compared to other Dosa spots in the area), good service, and a good spicy dosas, Kara Dosa. Cons: the place is a bit stuffy and cramped. Besides that, they gave us bottled water without us ordering it and they charged us for it, too which I found odd; it's a small thing but wanted to share. All in all, compared to other Dosa spots in the area - price and quality wise - this place is not bad.

My wife likes Indian food, I'm not a big fan but the things we do for love! I had the Tilki Masala with lamb and garlic naan. The garlic naan smelled great and had a strong garlic taste. The lamb was very tender and the peppers weren't soggy. The sauce was very nice, mild and flavorful. I said I'm not a fan, probably because I never know what to eat so I get the same thing. I will need to spread my wings and try something else but what I had was very good Atmosphere was quiet, we ate late on a football Monday night. Place was clean and casual.

Kalpasi looks good on the surface, nice ambience as you enter - better than the usual "take out" Indian, but not a "cloth tablecloth" and fine dining experience. I was truly put off when we ordered two glasses of water and were brought two glasses, and two bottles of water ($1 each charged automatically on the bill?) The service ebbed and flowed with the number of diners, it started off great, perhaps overkill every time we met the staff eyes, to completely ignoring us when a few more tables filled up. The food was pretty decent, but who gives PLASTIC serving utensils in a restaurant? We were given plastic serving spoons to scoop out curry onto our plates? REALLY??? We ordered appetizers (Chicken 65) and entrees, Vindaloo and a Dosa, and were given plastic utensils to serve ourselves!!! I also ordered a mango lassi and it was served in a plastic kids cup with a lid and straw - not the fancy glass you will see on Yelp! photographs - a kid's cup sized drink served with my dinner and I am an adult! This might be an okay "take out" place, the food was OK - Vindaloo and Chicken 65 ordered extra hot, but wasn't - there is that - but it will never be a go "out to eat" restaurant - it is a waste to pay for a waiter when you are being given picnic supplies to eat your meal. Very disappointing considering they went to the trouble to make it look fancier than the usual take out place.

Hate doing this but hubby went here for lunch... only one in the place. He is given the menu and then ignored.... Only one employee visible who is cleaning tables... 10 minutes pass and two patrons enter and go to the bar. Waiter runs over and takes their order for takeout. Hubby waited and was ignored so he left. Hope he wasn't ignored as he is white and the patrons not... I hope that wasn't the reason....

Kalpasi is my go to, every time I am craving for authentic South Indian food. Alex and his team do an amazing job in maintaining quality and service levels. My favorite dishes here include Mutton Chukka Varuvel, Chicken 65, Prawn 65, Fish 65, Malabar Fish Curry, Kalpasi Fish Curry, the whole fish tandoori... and more. The ambience is decent enough but the love, passion and taste by Team Kalpasi outweighs everything else!!!!

Food was only ok. What was shocking was that we disnt realize till after looking at the receipt, that we were charged for the bottled water they placed on the table? We didn't ask for bottled water?

The food was mediocre. The waitress was impolite. They don't inquire about water preferences; instead, they automatically bring a bottle and charge an extra dollar for it. This is not how a business should operate.

the food was absolutely extrordanary. The waiters were very friendly! The ambiance was classica and modern at the same Tim.

I love appam and I don't find them easily where I live. I have been to kalpasi few times in the past and loved it. But not this recent visit. We ordered a goat biryani and appam and chicken curry. Goat biryani and the chicken curry itself was from the fridge and not made fresh. It is easily distinguishable and was at least 2-3 days old. The waiter didn't want to accept it is old and just argued! We weren't looking to get a discount on the check! Never stepping in there again! It's sad to see Kalpasi loosing its charm!

Vada curry and vegetable chettinad Absolutely loved this place!! Amazing flavors, spicy and flavorful with a nice filter coffee to end the meal! Loved it! Highly recommend!

This is our 2nd visit in this place. I tried the same food, Shrimp Tika Masala and my sister got the Salmon this time which I forgot what it was called. I just thought I should write a review to remind us eventually what restaurant we liked and which food to try. We noticed that most of the customers are Indian people, well... it's an Indian restaurant haha! But what I'm trying to say is that, it must be a good authentic Indian cuisine. They have a friendly lady staff from Nepal who was very nice to talk to us. We appreciate it! This will be one of our favorite places for Indian food!

We absolutely loved dinner at Kalpasi. We'd been spoiled by amazing Indian food (and specifically Chettinad) back in the Bay Area and are so happy to have found our Chettinad go-to here in NoVA. Covid precautions: outdoor dining is spread out and all the servers were great about masking. Food: don't know what it was exactly but the aroma and taste was just spot-on - felt like we were eating in India. Veg/Pescatarian: they had a special Paneer Appetizer - so amazing. Our kids asked if we could get the recipe from them. Fish curry (Kalpasi Meen Kulambu) we got was also great. Onion Kulcha was perfect. Non-Veg: the boys got Chicken Lollipop; Mutton Chukka and Biryani - and loved it all. Overall: spice level was again, perfect. definitely got our moneys worth, and one of the few times we ate a ton and yet didn't feel all heavy afterwards. The food really is like homemade, not an oil dump like some places. Can't wait to go back and am sure this is going to be our regular place.

Always looking for good and different food within Indian Cuisine. Tried Kalapasi ( Restaurant) and Appam ( dish) for the first time. Both were impressive. Appams are mildly flavored and soft and my guess is that one can chose to order anything with it -either mild coconut chutney /tangy dip /spicy coconut flavored curry (likeI did). i am glad I did. Oh my .....curry was bursting with flavors and appam accentuated the flavors even more. Def worth five stars. Cant wait to come back for more dishes.

The atmosphere was welcoming and energetic, but the food was even better. The owner treated us like family, and made the experience something to remember. I would definitely come back again for the curry alone, and highly recommend without a doubt!

A little slow for takeout orders. The food tastes incredible and is super authentic. Got some kick to it so if you're sensitive definitely gonna want a cooling agent like the raita. I did also find herb stems in my meal but the food had such great flavor that I didn't even mind having to pick them out. The place has a nice night cafe vibe.

Awesome place.... Been there a few times and had their butter chicken. Really good and it is my go to!! Love the atmosphere and people, sit at the bar mostly, very customer service friendly. Highly recommend. Food is great, menu has lots to offer!!

This place serves the best Indian food money can buy. There are very few restaurants that serves food without compromising on quality and taste. Kalpasi has cemented its position on the list. I've been visiting this restaurant since 2017 and the taste has never changed one bit. The food served here is 'authentic' chettinad style and it's made to order. I really wish they could bring their Kasoori Tikki back on their menu. However, the item they brought in to replace it is also good. Paneer 555 - the flavors on this dish makes you crave for more. In no particular order, these are the must have's at Kalpasi - Appam (Veg or Non-Veg) with coconut milk to finish off the dish - Chettinad Koli Pepper Varuval (Free Range Chicken) - Attukal Soup - Kalpasi Meen Kulambu (The best I've in the country so far) - Chettinad Prawn Pepper Masala

We enjoyed the food we ordered. Expansive menu, including an entirely separate dosa menu. The Chettinad-influenced curries are uniquely spiced, as compared to most other Indian restaurants. Taste earns four stars but they did do things to lose points. Had a few issues with service. First, the night we visited (a Saturday night) they were out of many, many dishes throughout the menu. Second, while the service was very pleasant and attentive it was slow. They forgot to make my daughter's dish. Her food arrived when everyone was pretty well done eating. Not good. Willing to chalk it up to a bit of an off night but it is still unfortunate. We try to be especially understanding during COVID, but when you're the only ones dining-in, things should go awry as much as they did. Lastly, we are a family of six. I was surprised when they automatically added the gratuity. I've seen that, of course, at other restaurants but for larger parties. Frankly, we would have tipped at least what they added but it just struck me as very odd.

Kalpasi appears to be good only for the Veg/non veg entree, as for multiple occurrences never had issue . But the recent take out experience from the restaurant had been terrible. Ordered a 'Mutton Biryani' and 'Chicken 65' . The biryani rice was clearly overcooked with excess water. It was sticky, mushy and had oil as well. The chicken 65 was just deeply fried chicken which appeared to be burnt. (Check attached images) . There was no garnishing of cilantro , curry leaves etc which is not how Chicken 65 should look. Both the dishes appeared to have been cooked in hurry . When contacted the restaurant, the manager says that is their specialty when mentioned the rice is like that and looks sticky. Would not order again any biryani or any fried food from this restaurant again.

Went here for my boyfriend and mines "anniversary" before a massage! We sat at the bar and proceeded to try new things on the menu. I ordered the mutton and he got chicken curry mild! We also tried the garlic nann and the p bread that is home made and delicious! Hmm The atmosphere was very welcoming and inviting! They plan fun events- hosting a dosa party for NYE! We also tried oppam with coconut milk! Omg, yes! Must try as a nice dessert! will def be back!

So I am not sure why so many negative reviews. This is authentic South Indian or Tamil restaurant. It's a bit spicy... if you don't like it don't visit. My night, after playing 18 holes wanted to get a drink at TGI F so this testy and took a chance. Nathan, bartender was excellent... managing the customer inflow, take out orders, seating arrangements etc. my food was on the spicy side enjoyed it wouldn't trade for the world. Mutton chukka varuval, porotta and chicken 65 was on point. Recommend 100% and thank you Nathan..

This restaurant sets itself apart by serving some south Indian dishes that are hard to find in the generic "indian restaurant" scene of Washington DC. The proprietor is jolly. The ambience is rather lame and decor wholly lacking. But, if you have been hankering for your Appams, Dosas, Idlis, and good ol' traditional south Indian Thali, go here. The kitchen does an evanescent, airy Appam whose fringes are crisped to perfection. The sweetness of the fermented rice flour comes through perfectly, and is a great foil for a curry. (I was definitely missing the Syrian Christian chicken stew with coconut milk...this is more of Tamil kitchen). The Thali had a decent rasam and sambar, way better prepared and authentic flavor than a standard north-Indian kitchen trying to pull off south-Indian food. I give this only a 3.5 (rounded up) because of the general unpretentious, no-frills atmosphere which to my mind, brings down the whole dining out experience. The food on its own is enjoyable. Kudos to my Indian-food lovin' John K for alerting me to this out-of-the-way spot. Yes, Indian film stars are known to have frequented this corner of Northern Virginia.

What an amazing lucky find after a long flight and in the most unlikely of places. Dosas are one of my favorite foods and this place did it perfectly! When I was talking to the waiter telling him I could not decide between my favorite, masala dosa, or a spicy chicken curry, he brought me the dosa with a side of curry. For me it really was a perfect meal and I can't recommend it enough. If you like southern Indian food, a kind wait staff, and a cold Taj Mahal..... this is the place for you!

The food was good, didn't like the water bottles vs ice water. Then got charged for it. In a nice section of town.

This place has the rudest servers. The Indian servers acts/talk with an attitude such that they are doing Customer a favor by taking the order. The restaurant owner walk past by and only go to selective tables and talk. Like the rest of customers are fed for free. Food is good, but their customer service sucks! Good for takeout only.

I had the shrimp prawns. It was in a spicy sauce with white rice. It was tasty and the service was good. Can't say I've had much Indian food so it's hard to compare quality.

Best Indian food I've ever had. It's been a few years since I've been in the area, but so glad to be able to come back to Kalpasi and enjoy a few meals. It never disappoints.

Whenever I have a hankering for dosas or South Indian food - Kalpasi is the first one that comes to mind. To be fair, it is the closest one to me but the food, affordability and simple no frill service makes it the perfect weekday meal. I'm usually seated right away but the most I've waited is 10 minutes. The dosas, thalis and appetizers are mouthwatering and served piping hot packed with traditional flavors. They also have traditional South Indian dishes that aren't found at every restaurant but I do order the chicken 65 because it is that good (although basic). This is a true authentic experience but warning ... you will smell like food after. Embrace the fragrance my friends. A few improvements they could make is to update their menu to include dosas (lol half the reason I go!) and to increase the sambar quantity with the dosa. They could upgrade the decor as well but it has a homey feel. However, this place is a true gem and you will get a delicious meal at such a reasonable price. Highly recommend it!

This is a solid Indian spot located in Worldgate. I grabbed takeout. The guy on the phone and when I went to pick up was very friendly and even gave me extra rice. They were out of the soup I wanted so I got the attukal. It was meh and not much flavor, though not sure what to expect since I don't ever get it. Garlic naan is absolutely amazing ! I got the chettinad koli curry dish for dinner. Great flavor chicken was juicy tender and it was very juicy lots of curry sauce. The stuff was spicy! But really good and I would get it again. Very generous portions.

Kalpasi was ok. The service was not as good as I expected and the food was decent.

Been here twice and service both times was excellent. They give you water bottles and hand sanitizer and space you out - who doesn't love a sanitary place. Food is flavorful and hot; while it's a little too spicy for me, the owner gave out yogurt and mango lassi on the house to help with the spice. Sanitary and generous if you ask me.

Our first time eating here, and disappointed. Ordered for pick up. They were quick and prompt in that regard, but after confirming if the Paneer wasn't spicy, it was the complete opposite. Extremely spicy, it was not edible for me, and I had to give it to my friend. Portions are rather small, but doable for one person . Had Paneer not been so spicy, it had potential.

Rosemary naan stole the show. Got all vegetarian - everything was amazing!

I work nearby so came here for lunch. Parking sucks, never enough in the front especially during lunch, garage parking available. Service: Came here for lunch with a friend on a weekday. Staff was friendly and helpful. Food: We got the veggie thali and the aappam platter. Veggie thali came with salad, chapati, rice, sambar, veggies, yogurt, pappad and some sweets. I thought it was good and a good deal for the thali. If you want to try a little of a few items, this is a good choice. They have the option of getting chicken, fish or egg thali. The aappam platter was good as well.... it's basically 2 plain crepes with curry of your choice. Good if you want a light lunch. I recommend the place and plan on returning to try other items from the menu.

I have been a regular customer at this restaurant for over 5 years and I have seen it grow as a restaurant. Their food quality keeps getting better and they have added few new dishes as well. The staff is extremely friendly and takes good care of the customer, one reason why we keep coming here 1. Amazing selection of Indian beer and single malts . Something new to try 2. I would highly recommend their Aapam platter(egg & chicken both are equally good ) and Chicken lollipop

There food is awful except for the mutton chukka and the egg curry. Their customer service was the worst. Even before we finished they bought the check and insisted that we paid and dumped empty boxes for us to carry our food. They wanted us to be out even before we finished. Don't be in the customer service industry if you don't want customers. FYI we arrived at 2pm, they closed at 3 and they brought the check and pushed us out at 2 45

Fantastic vegetarian options with the perfect amount of spice. The Kasoori Tikki appetizer is amazing and brings me back to the restaurant every time I'm in Herndon. Perfect amount of spice and crisp. The eggplant curry is fantastic and is even better the next day. The wine is extremely well priced and the service is delightful. Best Indian restaurant in town.

Here at Worldgate Center is a good little Indian place; being stuck here in the time of Coronavirus at the Most Awesome Marriott, a shot of Indian cuisine was just the right thing. I had the Chicken Tikka kebab, Samosas, some Naan and a chapati (yum). The kebab was generous and enough for two days meal. The service was carry out, the folks friendly and the food hot and fresh. A little spendy ($2.50 for ONE chapati) but nonetheless good. Yum.

Great location and very friendly staff. Being in food business myself for 30 years I have to compliment the Kalpasi team. They have awesome selection of wine and specially my absolute favorite LA CREMA. Only suggestion of mine is to get a dozen or two of real wine glasses the big goblets. Sorry being a wine som I prefer real glasses versus the restaurant depot glasses. It is like drinking best scotch in paper cups. I suggest the owner to upgrade the glasses. The staff you have to give them ten out of ten. The food was also ten out of ten and the paneer tikka sizzler OMG can't beat it. Chef deserves my compliments equally.