Tharavadu - Authentic Kerala Restaurant in Leeds

Theravadu surpassed my expectations and was an unforgettable meal in Leeds. It’s a cozy and well decorated restaurant but surprisingly accommodating to large groups! Our group of 20 had attentive and friendly service which took into consideration allergies and requests. We tried several starters, drinks and mains and everyone was happy. They have a great vegetarian selection, seafood options and platters. I can highly recommend the thali which, albeit huge and filling, provided a range of their menu and included soup. There is a vegetarian, meat and fish thali. My favourite curries were the lamb saag and coconut (12 o clock on the thali photo) but I really liked the variety. The coconut and cabbage dish and many others were ones I had not tried and something new! The dishes are all nicely spiced, and can be made extra spicy upon request (except the thali I believe!).

I ordered the fish thali, while my friends had the chicken thali and the vegetable biryani. Every dish was exceptionally well prepared, flavourful, and served with clear attention to detail. The food quality was consistently high across all orders, and the service was efficient, courteous, and reliable. Overall, it was an excellent dining experience, and I would confidently recommend this establishment for anyone seeking well-executed, authentic meals.

This brings truly authentic Kerala cuisine to the city with a lively, bustling atmosphere and a menu rich in bold, coastal South Indian flavours. Diners frequently praise the well-spiced seafood, dosas, Kerala parathas, and regional curries, which go beyond the usual Indian restaurant fare and showcase the depth of traditional Keralan cooking. Service is generally friendly and prompt, even when the restaurant gets busy, and there are plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. While some times find it noisy or a bit chaotic at peak times, the overall experience is vibrant and satisfying, making it a popular choice in Leeds for authentic South Indian dining.

I visited Tharavadu with high expectations, especially given its reputation for Kerala cuisine. Unfortunately, the experience was disappointing overall. Many of the dishes lacked salt and the bold, layered flavours that are central to Kerala food. The food felt muted and toned down, missing the punch I was expecting. The Kozhi Kurumulag and Appam were good and were the better dishes we tried. However, the Chilli Paneer and Neranjan Kozhi were underwhelming, and the biggest letdown was the Veg Biryani, which lacked aroma and flavour and didn’t feel like a proper biryani at all. The service made the experience worse. After the food was served, no one checked on us even once. We asked for tap water early on, but it never arrived. By the end of the meal, we had to ask three separate times just to get water because we were genuinely thirsty. The staff were difficult to find when we needed anything, which left us feeling ignored. Considering the high prices, neither the food nor the service justified the cost. I really wanted to enjoy this meal, but it fell well short of expectations.

Fantastic food, flavours i've never experienced before. Excellent service. Upstairs can be a bit loud with large groups dining, conversation was difficult at times but didn't spoil our enjoyment of a wonderful meal. Next time i'll request a quieter table downstairs though.

What an amazing experience. I loved the food so much, some of the best Indian food I’ve ever eaten! The vegan options are really good- their take on poppadoms are so tasty and the fried lentil rings are unlike anything I’ve ever had before. Can’t wait to go back!

Yummy food😋 I had Vegetarian Thali. Good selection of dishes in right portions. All the dishes served were tasty, including soup served before the main thali and payasam (sweet dish) served post thali with perfect sweetness. Staff was friendly. Overall, good in taste, quality and service.

Visited at lunch time as part of a large Xmas party (there was 16 of us). Ordered from the lunch time express menu, chicken curry and I did not realise it would come as a dosa style dish. The food was too much for the price (£9.45), which I thought was good value for money. Drinks are on the pricey side, but where isn't nowadays. Virat Kohli has apparently visited and this is his favourite Indian restaurant. I can see why. The current (2025) British Prime Minister has apparently visited as well, although that's nothing I would brag about if this were my restaurant 😜 We were sat downstairs and it is quite cozy (can feel tight at times). Visit on a lunch time if you can, it's well worth it.

Solid dinner spot, feels like a hole in the wall but everyone knows about it and comes in. Not my favorite Indian restaurant but one I'd surely return to. Went for the chicken curry dish, the curry itself was really flavorful, but the chicken itself was actually surprisingly bland. Would probably get a different dish next time, but would of course order some kerala paratha.

Authentic flavors and delicious! The staff were friendly too! The place was packed on Saturday evening! Beautifully decorated with an original cricket bat!

Perfect on a cold winter's night in Leeds! We enjoyed our various fish curries, deliciously spiced, but personally I could have gone for more heat. Lovely service and a lively atmosphere. Not your typical menu either due to the Kerala style of cuisine, so that was exciting and unique!

The best restaurant in Leeds. friendly service, authentic food, great ambiance. highly recommended.

Tharavadu in Leeds is a standout for authentic South Indian cuisine, offering a taste of Kerala that's both rich and flavorful. The menu is diverse, with each dish beautifully crafted using fresh ingredients and traditional spices. The service is warm and attentive, making you feel welcomed and valued. Whether you're enjoying a masala dosa or the aromatic Kerala chicken curry, every bite transports you to southern India. The cozy, culturally infused ambiance adds to the overall dining experience, making Tharavadu a must-visit for anyone craving genuine Indian flavors. Highly recommended!

This place hasn't been reviewed in years, so I wasn't considering it, but am so glad I found it!! Amazing food!! Perfectly spiced and flavorful! The menu details the dishes and adds cultural information about each. I wish I could have eaten more. Also, it is full of regulars - a great sign for any restaurant.

Okay, I've only been the once. And that's a bit keen to say I'm giving five stars. But, I am a generous type and Tharavadu are more than deserving. To taste their cuisine is to know the true meaning of flavour. Perhaps that sounds like an overstatement? I dare you try their crab curry and tell me I didn't taste the most delightful thing in Yorkshire. I barely understood it. Three friends and I bore great holes in our stomachs for 3 hours so as to eat here sans booking. (We supped in Bundobust until a table was free.) And we are so glad we did! I'll admit, we were sat for a good 50 minutes before anything arrived, but all was forgiven the minute we began our starters. The chilli paneer is definitely delicious, and a very generous portion, but it's all about the massive prawns -- these were outstanding. The most delectable mistake that was ever made. (My friend had asked for poori, but we think our server misheard. We did not complain!) I don't really like seafood, and yet the meat on these was ridiculously good. I'll say it right now -- I had the least exciting dish of the table. I ordered a chicken curry, coconut based, and it was truly excellent. However, it paled in comparison to the flavours of said crab curry, the baked tilapia, and the dosa. The aubergine curry was unbelievable. Basically, food like this makes me feel like I'm losing my touch with words, because the more exquisite it is, the less I feel able to describe it, so end up listing superlatives and boring adjectives. Let's save everyone from TL;DR mode and just list them here: Divine Delicious Delectable Beautiful More-ish Exquisite Mouth-watering Etc. Truly, it's a wonderful establishment. You can tell that each dish is made with love and the knowledge of a masterful chef. It's probably, even based on one visit, my top place for Indian cuisine in Leeds. Further to this, despite the epic wait, the staff are all truly lovely. They were attentive, fun, friendly, and patient with us as we took forever to leave! Great new addition to the city. Last thing: Did I mention how reasonable the prices are? Can't believe it.

We had heard a lot of good things about Tharavadu in Leeds and this time we made it our mission to eat here. In Malayalm (the language they speak in Kerala), Tharavadu means ancestral home. The menu was very much Kerala and we went for a chicken starter, ulundu vada (spicy donuts) appam (rice pancakes), Kerala Parotta, Wayanad chicken, kerala chicken and kadala (chick peas curry). The food was good, the parotta was particularly well made and so was the vada. Overall, if I had to choose between these guys and Koinonia in Newark, I might choose the latter. The service, however was wonderful! If you want to go for Indian food and want something a bit more authentic than your Akbars or Nawab or East Z east, I'd definitely recommend Tharavadu.

A nice Indian restaurant, recommended by Le guide Michelin. The chicken curry that I had was delicious, full of flavor. I'm not a big fan of spicy cuisine but I enjoyed it. Would definitely go back next time I'll be in Leeds.

We were visiting Leeds on a tour and searching for a restaurant within walking distance of our hotel. All eateries close by were crowded (Sat night) and pricey, so we walked out and found Tharavadu. We thought we would give it a try and it surprised us with the flavors and price. The food was perhaps the best we had on our trip, with exquisite sauces and full flavored The food was fresh and served hot and compared with the best Indian restaurants at home in the SF Bay Area.

Been here several times and keep wanting to like it. I just can't. It's not "typical" Indian food so don't come in expecting that. It's ok food but seems to be a very rushed environment.

So I have to admit my visit to Tharavadu was a late night, slightly drunk visit. It still left a very good impression. The menu is varied but not so much that it is impossible to choose something. I had a seafood curry that may have been spicier then I would usually go for but the flavours were so divine that I was happy to cope with the spice. The atmosphere is great, with a real mix bag of patrons. Everyone is welcome even if there tends to be a waiting list. Get you name on the list and have a drink in Bundobust as you wait. It's the perfect unison.

Visiting from the states for a few days and have eaten here twice. I was recently in Kerala (Kochi), and this place really nailed it on the fabulous spices and seafood of that region of India. Very friendly staff and excellent service. I'll be here for a few more nights and will probably go there again!

Not your standard Indian restaurant, quite a range of different dishes. I recently went here after work as part of a large group and wasn't sure what to have, not being a massive fan of fish based curry I went for the Tharavadu Sadya. This is a great dish for people who aren't sure what to have, plenty of variety and three courses! The soup was nice and spicy, quite a lot of chilli oil. The main with it's 7 small dishes and bowl of rice gave a great range. Finally ending with a lovely semiya payasam. Another dish which looked exceptionally good was the pothu ularthiyathu, I would definitely like to go again.

Probably the best curry I've ever had in Leeds ! Spotted this place by accident walking past

Really nice food, different from anything else in leeds. Good veggie selection. The mutter paneer is tasty!