Chaat shops in Bay Area are quite popular in India for all the good reasons. But what do you know about some really old South Indian restaurants in San Francisco? If you’re looking for the best South Indian food in San Francisco, we know just the ones.
San Francisco restaurants definitely top the charts when it comes to variety. From the best Pakistani restaurants to special Indian cuisine, San Francisco has it all. You can also take advantage of home-cooked Indian food delivery in San Francisco or dine in. San Francisco has citizens of various ethnicities, which contributes to its multi-cultural food scene.
When it comes to dishes like Palak Paneer, Saag Paneer, and others, San Francisco offers many options. Years-old restaurants deliver some of the best Indian dishes. In fact, you will experience the perfect blend of modern restaurant staples and upscale options in these South Indian San Francisco restaurants. What does this mean? It is easy to find an innovative menu that serves dishes with inventive twists like tikka masala burrito in lunch specials.
Not to mention, Indian street food like Tandoori Chicken, Chicken Tikka, Dal Makhani Kerala style, and Chicken Biryani is available at an incredibly affordable price throughout San Francisco.
Take a look at our list of top restaurants for South Indian food in San Francisco. You will find some of the best curries, rice dishes, and other cuisines authentic to South India.
1. Udupi Palace
Location: 1007 Valencia St San Francisco, CA 94110 21st St & Hill St Mission
Operating Hours: Monday-Sunday (12: 00 pm to 09: 00 pm)
Contact: (415) 970-8000
Udupi Palace is a South Indian vegetarian restaurant that offers some of the best Indian cuisines you can find. It is definitely the place to go if you like giant masala dosas made with rice flour and stuffed with the best fillings. Not to mention, their chutneys, such as the tomato and ginger chutney, hit just the right sweet spot.
What else? Customers love the uttapam by Udupi Palace that comes topped with vegetables and chutneys. If you’re a first-timer, go for the famous thali of South India. This is a simple platter that features various curries with basmati rice, soups, and dessert.
Another essential part of their menu is Rasam, spicy pepper water. You can enjoy the unique tastes of dishes like Dosa and Sambhar without breaking the bank. At a very reasonable price, you can meet your cravings for Indian spices.
If you want to experience a range of South Indian dishes other than Butter Chicken and Chicken Tikka Masala and want to try something different, Udupi Palace is a must to try.
2. ROOH
Location: 333 Brannan Ste 150San Francisco, CA 94107 2nd St & Jack London AlySouth Beach
Operating Hours: Monday-Thursday, Sunday (5: 00 pm to 9: 30 pm) and Friday, Saturday (5: 30 pm to 10: 30 pm)
Contact: (415) 525-4174
India’s Good Times Restaurants hospitality group is popular for providing a polished setting. The SoMa location is perfect as it only adds to the dining experience.
Located in the heart of the SoMa district, the Indian Table and Bar perfectly brings the taste of South India to San Francisco. It was the first-ever outpost of ROOH in the US, but you can also visit their second location in Palo Alto. The dining destination delivers a memorable experience for people of all ethnicities.
When it comes to food, ROOH is one of the few Indian eateries that serves various Indian dishes for lunch and evening dinner. During lunch, you can enjoy dazzling dishes like butter chicken, tandoori monkfish, and vegetable berry pulao.
Sajan Sarkar, the renowned executive chef, prepares popular dishes using modern techniques and fresh ingredients. Furthermore, it is the perfect blend of Indian spices that make up the traditional flavors.
Ancient Ayurvedic wisdom and the six tastes rasas inspire the cocktail list. So you can savor all the sweet, salty, sour, astringent, pungent, and bitter flavors of ROOH bar.
3. Pakwan Indian Restaurant
Location: 501 Ofarrell St San Francisco, CA 94102
Operating Hours: Monday- Friday (10: 30 am to 10: 00 pm) and Saturday- Sunday (11: 00 am to 10: 00 pm)
Contact: (415) 776-0160
Pakwan is an authentic Bay Area Indian-Pakistani restaurant established by Khalid and Shahbaz in 1999. Pakwan Indian Restaurant successfully became popular among tourists, families, and businesses alike.
That is why the Bay Area Restaurant is now famous for delivering the best South Indian food in San Francisco. Today, Pakwan has three more locations in East Bay (Fremont and Hayward).
If you’re looking to enjoy authentic recipes of the Subcontinent in San Francisco, do not miss out on Pakwan. The mouth-watering Indian-Pakistani food made with traditional methods of cooking and a unique combination of Indian spices will keep you coming back for more.
Pakwan is a mini Indian food store chain that provides quick and authentic Indian cuisine at a reasonable price rate. The halal Indian food restaurant serves classic Indian-Pakistani recipes such as lamb biryani, saag paneer, and tandoori chicken, etc. What else? It is hard to find competition for the blend of biryani spices that Pakwan uses.
If you’re seeking a no-frills dining destination to enjoy South Indian food in San Francisco, Pakwan is your answer.
4. Dosa Allee
Location: 1020 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94102, United States
Operating Hours: Monday- Sunday (11: 00 am to 2: 00 and 4: 00 pm to 10: 00 pm)
Contact: (415) 400-5499
Dosa Allee is the perfect choice if you want to enjoy some South Indian food on the go. Their specialty includes Dosa which makes for the perfect thing to order during brunch with your friends or colleagues.
Chefs at Dosa Allee use the perfect blend of Indian spices to serve authentic Indian dishes on your table. Sure, the dosas are not to miss, but customers also swear by their lamb curry thali, which features various food items. What else? You do not want to miss the combination of garlic naan and tikka masala.
5. Campton Place
Location: 340 Stockton St San Francisco, CA 94108 Post St & Campton Pl Union Square, Financial District
Operating Hours: Breakfast: Monday- Sunday: 7: 00 am to 10: 30 am, Brunch: Saturday- Sunday: 11:30 am- 2:00 pm, Dinner: Monday- Thursday: 6:00 pm-8:30 pm and Friday- Saturday: 6:00 pm- 9:30 pm
Contact: (415) 955-5555
If you’re looking for exotic south Indian food near Union Square in San Francisco, Campton Place will fulfill all your cravings. It is a high-end Cal-Indian restaurant that offers a memorable dining experience.
From the luxurious ambiance and glittering chandeliers to the flavorful food, everything at Campton Place is top-notch. At this Bay Area restaurant, customers are bound to enjoy the rich taste of popular Indian recipes.
The famous chef, Srijith Gopinathan oversees Campton Place’s Cal-Indian menu. His expertise in traditional cooking and coastal Keralan cuisine along with the magic of seasonal ingredients, make mesmerizing dishes.
Campton’s customers love the Spice Route prix frix menu that only costs $155 for the mouth-watering tandoori dishes cooked in a traditional clay oven like a slow-cooked lamb. Other recipes on the menu include duck breast with rhubarb and basil and Maine lobster.
6. Curry Leaf
Location: 943 Columbus Ave San Francisco, CA 94133 Chestnut St & Taylor St Russian Hill
Operating Hours: Monday (closed), Tuesday- Thursday (11: 00 am to 3: 00 pm and 4: 30 pm to 11: 00 pm), and Saturday- Sunday (11: 00 am to 3: 00 pm and 4: 00 pm to 11: 00 pm)
Contact: (415) 440-4293
Opened in 2014, Curry Leaf is growing rapidly and becoming increasingly successful considering the time period it has been operational for. 8 years later, the restaurant serves its customers authentic South Indian food in San Francisco.
The Indian-Pakistani restaurant is now the new Russian Hill neighborhood favorite for its delicious cuisines. Every Tuesday to Sunday, Curry Leaf fires a huge tandoori grill to serve its customers a range of flavorful Indian dishes. Not to mention, you will only find halal meats at this restaurant, which can include lamb chops, chicken legs, chicken kebab, and beef recipes.
While customers love these dishes, their baingan bharta or mashed eggplant is the most popular. It features the perfect balance of earthy and spicy flavors that bring India to San Francisco.
On the other hand, you can also enjoy classic Indian-Pakistani dishes like biryani. A lot of Curry Leaf’s customers love their Chicken Tikka Masala and Paneer Tikka Masala.
7. Dosa by DOSA
Location: 1700 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94115-3130
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday (11: 30 am to 10: 00 pm)
Dosa by DOSA is one of the most popular Indian eateries in the Bay Area. Although you can find various kinds of Indian and Pakistani foods here, Dosa specializes in South Indian recipes. Nonetheless, it is the best place to visit whether you carve South Indian or North Indian cuisines.
DOSA started its journey with Dosa in the year 2005 in the Mission district. Today, Dosa also has another branch in the Fillmore district. The combination of flavorful South Indian food and welcoming ambiance ensures that you have the best dining experience.
If you’re looking to enjoy a cozy evening dinner eating South Indian food in San Francisco, look no further. The incredible layout and cozy setting deliver a feeling of comfort while the flavor and presentation of the food take you back to India.
Combined with excellent service, the Indian vibe in this place is hard to forget. You must try the masala dosa and fried idli whenever you decide to visit this South Indian restaurant.
While the flavors are perfectly balanced, the dining area is nicely decorated, and the staff is super friendly, expect the prices to be high. You might also need to make reservations prior to your visit as the tables get full easily.
8. Chennai Kings
Location: 418 Beach St San Francisco, CA 94133 Jones St & Taylor St Fisherman’s Wharf, North Beach/Telegraph Hill
Operating Hours: Monday (closed), Tuesday- Friday (5: 00 pm to 10: 00 pm), and Saturday- Sunday (12: 00 pm to 10: 00 pm)
Contact: (415) 929-6983
Chennai Kings is the place to visit if you’re craving authentic, traditional South Indian food in San Francisco. The Indian restaurant ensures that you have the best dining experience as everything from the dining space to the food served is top-notch in terms of quality.
Whether you want to have a classic option like biryani or more traditional South Indian food like dosa, Chennai Kings has it all. Customers come back for the paneer dosa, while you can also enjoy some richly flavorful chicken biryani. Not to mention, you can also inform them about your preferred spice level to enjoy customized dishes according to your preference.
9. Aslam’s Rasoi
Location: 1037 Valencia St San Francisco, CA 94110 21st St & Hill St Mission
Operating Hours: Monday-Tuesday (closed), Wednesday- Saturday ( 5: 00 pm to 10: 00 pm)
Contact: (415) 695- 0599
Aslam’s Rasoi makes for an ideal choice when looking for a contemporary Indian-Pakistani dining experience. The family-run eatery is in operation for over a decade now and it was first established by Chef Mohammad Aslam in 2016.
Mohammad Aslam specializes in tandoori dishes and taking traditional recipes to new heights. He adds generous infusions of Indian spices and earthy flavors. Chef Aslam and his dedicated staff use special South Indian sauces and spices to add taste to their dishes.
Some of the most famous recipes by Aslam’s Rasoi include chickpea fritters stuffed with seafood, freshly-baked naan, and pakoras. Not to forget, their customers also swear by Aslam’s curried lamb chops. What else? You do not want to miss out on a warm mug of spiced homemade chai that is infused with cardamom, cinnamon, and fennel.
Another thing that the years-old customer of Aslam’s Rasoi love is the comfortable interior. The eclectic style and setting are bound to leave you feeling stunned and cozy at the same time.
10. Rasa Indian
Location: 209 Park Rd, Burlingame, CA 94010
Operating Hours: Friday– Saturday (11: 30 am to 2: 30 pm and 4: 30 pm to 9: 00 pm)
Contact: (650) 340- 7272
Looking for one of the best South Indian restaurants near you? It is hard to leave out Rasa Indian in our list of top places for South Indian foods in San Francisco. Rasa is a popular Indian eatery that is known for taking Indian flavors to the next level. It provides a unique dining experience that you won’t easily forget.
As you enter Rasa Restaurant, the soothing ambiance welcomes you and instantly helps you get cozy. The staff is friendly and ensures that customers leave the place satisfied with their exemplary service.
But most importantly, Rasa’s flavor is unmatchable. You will enjoy some of the best Indian dishes from different regions of the country at Rasa Restaurant. The menu features a unique combination of traditional and contemporary dishes from South India. A few of their must-try cuisines include Rasa Chicken Biryani and Bollywood Dosa.
11. Adithi Indian Cuisine
Location: 1101 Valencia St San Francisco, CA 9411022nd St & 23rd St Mission
Operating Hours: Monday (closed), Tuesday- Thursday (11: 30 am to 2: 30 pm and 5: 00 pm to 10: 30 pm)
Contact: (415) 401-8959
Aditi Indian Cuisine, the perfect gateway for rich and spicy, traditional Indian foods, is based in Valencia St San Francisco. Ever since Aditi opened up, it has been serving the best culinary experience that is authentic to India. What customers love about this Indian restaurant is the way it represents Indian flavors perfectly blended with contemporary recipes.
The chefs at Aditi Indian cuisine carry years worth of experience in bringing ancient Indian food culture back to life. They use traditional Indian spices to create mouth-watering dishes, customizing them to the taste and choice of their customers.
You might think that finding South Indian food in the US is hard. But finding amazing Indian-Pakistani restaurants that serve South Indian dishes is quite easy. Located in the heart of San Francisco, you will find several restaurants serving South Indian, North Indian, and Pakistani dishes like Masala Dosa, Lamb Korma, Lamb Biryani, Lamb Chops, and Biryani, Idli, etc.
