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Udupi Bhavan
Categories: Restaurants Indian Restaurants Vegetarian Indian, Vegetarian [Edit]
1717 Middlesex StSte 3
Lowell, MA 01851
(978) 654-6653
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
29 reviews for Udupi Bhavan
Review Highlights
"The dosa are perfectly thin and crispy and huge."
(in 9 reviews)
"However, it is the best Southern Indian food I've had."
(in 4 reviews)
"I usually get the Paneer Dosai or the Mysore Masala Dosai."
(in 4 reviews)
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29 reviews in English
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Review from Chris P.
Chelmsford, MA
11/17/2011
I'm not even vegetarian but the food here is outstanding. The lunch buffet is excellent value and lets you sample a good variety of items with an amazing flavor distribution. The rasam soup has a nice kick and is a good way to start off your meal and prepare your sinuses and tongue for a full assault. In addition to the buffet items they bring you piping hot and soft naan and ask if you would like a dosa, which of course is served giant hot and fresh with potato filling.
If I could eat like this every day I don't think I would miss having meat at all. -
Review from Brian H.
Canal Winchester, OH
2/8/2012
Thoroughly enjoyed my meal. The food was wonderful - spicy, but not too hot. The staff were very pleasant, warm and inviting. I'm just visiting the area from out of state and was thrilled to find this place on Yelp. Great place for a meal and a memory!
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Review from R H.
Town of Chelmsford, MA
12/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
Our first visit to Udupi Bhavan. We went on a wednesday for dinner. They have Unlimited Dosa option. It was great. Dosas were crisp and thin. So many different variety of dosas. Amazing stuff. Paneer Stuffed Dosa was my fav so far. Will definitely visit again to try different dosas.
Kinda spicy masala. Sambhar was ok-ok. -
Review from Elisabeth W.
Groton, MA
1/9/2012
This place is great. I was introduced to it by some of my vegan friends who typically have a difficult time finding places to dine in the area. We usually go on Tuesdays, before going to pub quiz nearby. The dosai are always fresh and delicious and practically anything can be made vegan upon request. The staff is friendly and they always remember us and make an effort to make us feel at home. I've suggested this place to everyone i know that likes Indian cuisine, vegan or not, and everyone has come back with rave reviews.
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Review from San S.
Methuen, MA
1/11/2012
My husband and I visited the place for the first time today evening and it was a very good experience. We came to know of the restaurant through http://restaurant.com and had bought a gift certificate. When we visited there, the staff were very friendly and had recommended the dosa night offer. Without a second though we went for it and it was definitely worth it. The food was tasty and the portion size was quite huge and filling. After eating, we dint want to use the gift certificate and felt that we will be visiting the place often and will use it later. A very good place to be recommended.
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Review from An F.
Los Angeles, CA
11/24/2011
I give 3 stars only because its winter and they didn't put on the heat. That's the only thing I have to complain about. We were wearing our coats inside the restaurant while eating because it was so chilly. I had a cheese dosa and it looked like they added half of the amul canned cheese (which is how they usually make it in india) and half cheddar cheese. it was so yummy.. and adding 2 kinds of cheese made it unique. the coconut chutney was fresh and the sambar was decent too... having this brought flashbacks of my college days in india when i would go to eat dosa across the street... very yummy... definitely check it out if u like dosas..
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Review from Dirgni S.
Chelmsford, MA
7/4/2011
Fabulous Southern Indian restaurant. I've never had anything bad here. Both their menu items and buffet are great.
Whenever I've been to the buffet, the restaurant has been full, so nothing sits out for very long. Plus, as you're eating the buffet, one of the waiters comes by and takes your order (included in the buffet) for dosa - so you always get a fresh, hot, dosa.
The wait staff is always pleasant. One guy in particular is always very nice and makes sure we are enjoying our meal.
For anyone who cares, the buffet is now served on china - another yelper had complained that they used cheap plates. Maybe they read his review and responded. -
Review from Jenn S.
Reading, MA
9/10/2011
I didn't expect much out of Udupi Bhaven. It is located away from the street, behind a Subway restaurant. However, it is the best Southern Indian food I've had. Their dosas are great and the waitstaff is polite and quick. The restaurant is very clean and the food is pretty cheap (though meals do not come with popadoms and chutney like at many Indian restaurants). Whenever I am in the area, I stop in! Their rasam is also delicious.
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Review from Lauren C.
Lowell, MA
10/2/2011
Writing this review as I eat takeout from Udupi Bhavan. I am pleasantly surprised by the small Indian restaurant in the strip mall near my apartment. I chose Udupi over other Indian restaurants in the area because, as a vegetarian, I naturally liked the all-veg friendly concept.
I got an order of the Samosas Chaat, Vegetable Korma, and Paratha (since they were out of Naan and recommended this bread as a replacement). The portions are very generous, the Korma came with rice, and the spices and flavors are spot on. The people working there seemed nice and polite, and the restaurant was a little over half full for the Sunday buffet.
The only reasons I didn't give it 5 stars are 1) because the menu prices were not listed online...however, that said, it seemed very reasonable at $17.29 before tip and there is definitely enough food for about three meals..and 2) The Paratha was a little oily and didn't measure up to my regular Naan.
Overall, great Indian food at affordable prices which I think would be enjoyed by Vegetarians and Carnivores alike! I will definitely be back. -
Review from Beth D.
Denver, CO
9/2/2011
I went here with my Mom while I was home for a visit and we both really enjoyed the food. We shared mixed vegetable pakora, a dosai stuffed with veggies and an eggplant curry. Everything was really yummy. I loved the sambal that came with the dosai, could have eaten a whole bowl of it. I'll be back next time I'm in town!
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Review from Amanda W.
Swampscott, MA
9/14/2011
I have been going to Udupi for over 5 years now, and I can say without a doubt it is my favorite restaurant of all time. The masala dosa is as good as you get in India--always crisp and flavorful. The onion rava masala dosa is also superb and something I order every time I go (along with a chickoo shake and usually mixed vegetable pakora). My partner, who is from India, loves the chilli and onion uthappam, and we can also highly recommend the poori bhaji, south indian thali, and kancheepurum iddly (available on weekends only). Vadas are great too; we actually ordered 100 of them for a birthday party appetizer once.
Service is good (busy but not packed is best time to go) and the buffet can be fun to try once in awhile too, if you bring your appetite (they deliver fresh dosas to your table as part of the buffet).
I am not Indian by birth, but I do know how to cook Indian food and have traveled to the country several times (eating my way through every step). That said, this place reigns supreme in my book when it comes to dosa. If you're looking for authentic South Indian (or just something new to try--I've brought countless "meat and potatoes" family members here), Udupi's it. -
Review from Eric S.
Lowell, MA
9/13/2011
Best Dosai's in greater Boston. Friendly service and good food. I usually get the Paneer Dosai or the Mysore Masala Dosai. Also recommend the assorted appetizers plate. Great vegetarian food and tons of options.
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Review from Linda L.
Acton, MA
9/19/2011
This South Indian Vegetarian restaurant was a hit. We had the dinner buffet which was delicious. I didn't know what I was eating, but it was so good. And all for $12. I was shocked by the friendly and helpful waitstaff. I have never been in an Indian restaurant where the waitstaff seemed glad to see you and happy to have your business. The place is not fancy, but we will be back for the food and the friendly service.
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Review from Jessica H.
Hyde Park, MA
4/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
YUM!!!
My first Indian vegetarian restaurant. Why did I wait so long? So good. We just happened to be driving through Lowell last weekend so we figured we'd check this place out. I have heard of it but have never gone. Why oh why does Lowell have so many good vegetarian places when we don't even have vegetarian Indian places in Boston?
We went on a Saturday which was their all day buffet (yes!). The people working there were super nice. One waiter there helped me out by telling me which dishes on the buffet were vegan (almost all were with the exception of one entree that had dairy and both desserts had dairy, and some of the chutneys had dairy). Also dosas come with the buffet and they are vegan. So you get a lot of food for not much money. Plus children are cheap and we had my boyfriend's son with us. I thought the food was great (South Indian) + we got to try entrees and chutneys we have never had before such as the fried donut things. We asked for a mix of the 3 difference dosas but they only brought us 2 of the flavors. Not a big deal but we would have liked to try the other one. It was pretty crowded which was exciting to see - esp since we came at an off-time. Lots of Indians there, which is always a good sign!
Also that same waiter was really nice and talked to me about their other restaurants in Northern Virginia (after I told him I was from VA) and when he saw that I was getting something with dairy in it he told me right away that it wasn't vegan (I thanked him and explained to him that it wasn't for me, but instead for my boyfriend who isn't vegan). I love the special attention I got!
Anyway I was happy to be there and I want to come back! I just want them to add a vegan dessert to their buffet menu. -
Review from C N.
Dracut, MA
9/5/2011
Outstanding Indian restaurant! One of the best vegetarian Indian restaurants that I have patronized. Great services, consistently execellent dish (especially their Pakoras, BEST around). The food has heat, so those with mild taste buds or weak stomachs, Be Prepared! Every dish I have tried there was a flavorful concoction of spices. I would HIGHLY recommend anyone to go there for a great meal at TREMENDOUS price point. I challenge anyone to find a better veggie Indian place.
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Review from Jessica L.
San Francisco, CA
2/7/2008
This was the first place I had southern Indian food, specifically dosa. I fell in love. The dosa are perfectly thin and crispy and huge. The fillings are super tasty.
The service here is great and I always feel welcomed. Now that I live far away, I dream about coming here.
Plus, I nicknamed my favorite Celtic with the nickname Udupi Bavan out of deference. -
Review from Nick H.
6/28/2009
After a few wrong turns based on a useless printed Google map that I had too far zoomed out so I couldn't read street names, we finally found the faded sign that signaled we had arrived at Udupi Bhavan.
We entered to an all-Indian clientele and an all-vegetarian menu, then settled on a couple Udupi-Express lunch specials that included choice of dosai and a few other options that I now honestly forget. Being a relative novice to southern Indian food, I was unsure of what to expect from my order, but I was soon presented with a beautiful, huge "crepe-like" creation filled with potatoes and chutney that packed some mean spice. I also got what looked like a lentil arepa on the side, along with three separate bowls of amazing sauces.
Much dipping, munching, crunching, chewing and sweating later, I had consumed all of this and was honestly psyched to have found another gem of good Indian cooking around. For a less than $9 price tag this was definitely a steal.
If you are a Lowell native looking for some awesome Indian cooking or one of the lucky few to still have a job in the area these days, check this place out for your next meal or lunch break. -
Review from Julie M.
Amesbury, MA
10/27/2011
Just moved to the area and had takeout here....amazing! The waiters were very friendly and the food was perfect; can't wait to go again!
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Review from Brandon W.
Lexington, MA
2/5/2010 3 Check-ins Here
Meh but only because I have finally OD'd on South Indian food. That said, I gave Udupi a 5 star based on how I perceived others around me felt about Udupi.
When we entered the restaurant, there was a group of four from work (all Caucasian) who eat at Udupi on a weekly basis. They were chowing down on pakoras as appetizers followed by huge dosas. I know they love this place even though they are huge time carnivores. The rest of the patrons were all Indian (always a good sign). At my table, my two lunch mates are true vegetarians - not chickatarians (vegetarians who eat chicken) or fishatarians - from South India. They devoured their express talis and even ordered extra chappatis.
If you have never been here before or are new to South Indian vegetarian cuisine, try the dosas. I like the Masala Dosas (huge thin crepe with potatoes inside the crepe). Be careful with the Mysore Dosas - they are hot. The express talis are also very popular. -
Review from Rachel H.
Portland, OR
4/3/2009
Oh wow. We went in on a Sunday afternoon. It was busy despite the slightly out-of-the-way location... yet, plenty of room so we did not have to wait for a seat. DELICIOUS food, perfectly attentive without hovering server who didn't waste words on pleasantries but was pleasant... super fast service of food, delicious dishes.
Of course there are the requisite random ethnic posters in plastic frames on the walls... we expect that. The ambience isn't bad, isn't good. It's fine, but you definitely go for the food rather than the interior decorating.
Husband got a potato-based dosa, I had a curry with cheese and spinach. Washed it down with a charming thums-up soda.
Wednesdays (? thursday nights ?) are all-you-can-eat dosa night for $12.95 or something - includes dessert. Might go back with hungry friends.
Yumyumyum. -
Review from d s.
Lincoln, NH
5/18/2011
I love this restaurant! I've been going every time I'm in Lowell since I found it. The food is excellent and all vegetarian.
I recently became vegan, and still have no problem finding awesome food. Whoever I talk to when I order is always so helpful, talking to the kitchen to make sure there is no dairy, and to make it specially without if possible.
If you love (or want to try) Indian food, then definitely go here! -
Review from Liza M.
Reading, MA
6/5/2010
I asked them to make my dosa and curry dish HOT but alas they did not believe that I could handle it, and they made it quite mild, which was disappointing. getting past that the dishes were good. had the masala mysore dose. my those dosa are huge!!!!! also had baingan bhartha, poori and iddly. don't worry this food was shared with my hubby. it was a Sun, and apparently they have a buffet all day Sun until closing time, but I already had my heart set on the above dishes before I got there. Next time will try the buffet. servers were friendly. they brought me a tiny plate full of red chiles, kind of a red chile oil/paste to put in my food since I complained it wasn't hot enough. then they realized I was a little white Italian girl that could handle some spice!!! so maybe next time they'll make it hotter for me. We'll see! I will definitely go back soon, so man other things I have to try.
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Review from sunny s.
Providence, RI
4/10/2010
went on a regular day
i had a masala mysore dosa. the others in my group had chili uttapam, spinach dosa and masala dosa. of course we all shared.. all were EXCELLENT
for appetizers: the veggie pakora was not good as in some of the vegetables were bit raw, dhoi bora was full of flour and not much yoghurt sauce . the green chili pakora was very good though
service was a bit slow, will go back -
Review from Kerrin B.
Lowell, MA
1/29/2010
Best veggie indian restaurant around!!
Food was very fresh... the staff are so friendly and attentive.
We had an appetizer, salad and two meals and it was only $26!! I love this place..... -
Review from A T.
Burlington, MA
7/31/2010
Another restaurant downgrading to the buffet concept and diluting their core competency (yes, from the Harvard Business Review). The ($12?) buffet is a sort of random collection of dishes served on cheap plastic plates and dinnerware that you would use on a school picnic. Menu is still served but focus is on buffet. Surly waiters all around.
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Review from rkl d.
Westford, MA
3/13/2007
Authentic south indian food.
Interior decoration is not so good, but the quality and quantity of food is fantastic ! -
Review from Christen K.
Nashua, NH
10/14/2009
This place is heavenly! I will travel just to have there food and when I use to live in Lowell I would eat there almost every day. Sooo goood!
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Review from Corry B.
Dorchester, MA
8/14/2008
oooooooommmmmmmmmmmmaaaaahhhhhhhh. this sh*t is good! four broke ass friends went to lowell one day. one was a vegetarian, one was a vegan, one grew up on southern Indian food, one was afraid of anything that wasn't curry. when the four frends left they were stuffed silly and had spent about $8 each! so, apparently lowell is worth a visit from (what seems far away) boston, for it's mill town labor history and strong immigrant community- and DAMN this food is fine! georgous funny top-hat dosai, chili hot utthapam (a thick pancake, made with lentil flour that you can get with onion, chili, etc.) we split the south indian thali and it had all the joy that slathering chappathy bread with various sauces and curries and pickles can bring. the place was also extraordianarily friendly- so good overall that who cares that it's in a strip mall?
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Review from Avanti R.
Bedford, MA
4/5/2009
Udupi Bhavan lowell has the best South Indian veggie food in and around Boston and its suburbs. (very very spicy!)
It is a small place with about 10-12 tables. Weekday lunchtimes and weekends are very busy. My husband and I wonder everytime why they dont expand/open a bigger place.
My favorite dishes here are -- masala dosas, paper dosas, vada, idlis, upmas, uttappams, thalis, lemon rice, chole batura, salt lassi, sambarsadam (sambar rice), thairsadam (yogurt rice), rasam...
I've also tried mirchi bajjis and potao bondas/bajjis.. but I didnt think they were as great as their other dishes. I have never tried any of their desserts as I dont have much of a palatte for Indian sweets.
I've been to Udupi bhavan more often than any other Indian restaurant. It was my fav haunt when I was expecting my baby. And my husband didnt miss any of the "Dosa nights" when I was away on a long trip to India with the baby.
As much as I love them, I have to say that in all my trips there, there were a few (but only a few) times when I found the dosas were stretchy and didnt taste fresh/crisp. So they do seem to have 1 or 2 bad days (a year?). But I would still give them 5 stars - simply because even on their bad days, the food was better than any of the other South Indian places.
