Anna Lakshmi Restaurant in Köln

Amazing food, great prices, and the best hostess you can find.

Highly recommended. Very authentic. Very friendly, very delicious. I'll be back when I'm in Cologne.

Tbh the best food in Köln. Hole in the wall but unique.

Always a pleasure, thank you so much! 🙏🏻

Loveliest & most authenic place in Cologne. Love it <3

If you're looking for fantastic South Indian or typical Sri Lankan food, this is the place to go. A small restaurant with a big heart. Fair prices, delicious and authentic.

Because of the spicy and horrible Indian food, I've had diarrhea and stomach pain for four days now. Who can even stand eating those horrible spices and chili peppers?!

Kind of like eating at grandmas house if grandma is Indian.

It's always delicious and the service is super friendly. We enjoy coming here and also take something with us. It's always a pleasure for us to enjoy the food.

The ambiance is quirky, admittedly, but the food is excellent. And it's plenty! Plus, finally, it's actually spicy (if you want it), which I really like. Highly recommended.

Super friendly and delicious!!!

Absolutely great Indian and Sri Lankan food with authentic community atmosphere and unbeatable prices. Go!!

Such a good restaurant with delicious traditional food and very kind coworkers

You feel like you're in the living room of a very nice family! Delicious, incredibly affordable, and a very friendly owner.

A disastrous store. Dirty, unhygienic, and completely disrespectful to customers. The staff is arrogant and rude—you get the feeling that customers are just a nuisance. This is completely unacceptable.

The worst store I've ever been in. Filthy to the core, outrageously rude, and arrogant towards customers. You feel like you're treated like dirt. An absolute nightmare – never again!

Very cosy place that feels like I'm eating at my roommates kitchen. Very simple but honest and very delicious. Don't expect fast service or in general fancyness. I loved it there and gonna come back. But watch out, no cards allowed at all.

Very disappointing. The store is unhygienic and dirty. The staff was rude and arrogant towards customers. As a guest, you feel neither welcome nor taken seriously. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this place.

Unfortunately, it was a very negative impression. The store appears dirty and unkempt. The staff was unfriendly and displayed an arrogant attitude toward customers. You feel neither welcome nor respected.

Very friendly and generous family owned business

Simple but very clean restaurant with unbeatable prices and delicious food. Highly recommended for vegetarians, too.

The simple, sometimes makeshift decor with its mismatched tables and chairs reminds me of Asia. It's like my mother used to cook it, and it's very reasonably priced – I really enjoyed it and will definitely come back. It could have been a bit spicier; they probably didn't think I was capable of it.

Incredibly good food. A must-try. The ambiance is a little overlooked, but it's still very authentic and is now one of my top 1-3 must-go restaurants. The staff is super friendly. Very affordable.

Great Indian restaurant with delicious dishes and fresh ingredients. The service is friendly and attentive, and the ambiance is pleasant. Highly recommended!

It was so delicious and everyone was so nice 🤗😍

Very friendly owner making authentic Sri Lankan & Indian food. The food arrived quickly and was very tasty. You can ask for your own spiceness level and there are great options for everyone's preference.

I actually just wanted to exchange cash for the parking garage and was immediately greeted warmly. The staff were very helpful and attentive. While I was there, I smelled the delicious aroma of freshly prepared food and spontaneously ordered a samosa – for only €1. It was a hit: crispy, aromatic, and served with two delicious sauces (mint mango and chili). My conclusion: very friendly staff, great value for money, and delicious food. Since I've only tried the samosa so far, I'm giving it "only" 4 stars – but I'll definitely be back!

amazing curry just like home 😍🇱🇰

Super nice and authentic restaurant! I've rarely eaten as well as here! The atmosphere in the restaurant is incredibly cozy, and the staff is very accommodating, friendly, and helpful. A top tip for vegans! I'll definitely be coming here again!🥰

I love coming here for delicious, authentic, and affordable food. It sometimes takes a while, but it's worth it. The owner is super nice.

Super delicious, and the owner is super friendly. I come here often with friends. My favorite is the vegan kotthu roti. The portions are generous. It's not super fancy, but in my opinion, it has so much charm. I always enjoy coming back!

Very tasty and authentic. The place is a bit run-down.

I love this restaurant! very sweet service and delicious food, 10/10 would recommend 💗

Very nice and charismatic lady. The food was delicious and a fair portion for the price. Would definitely recommend to visit the place

Very tasty food, very nice, hospitable, and rustic atmosphere. Sambar this delicious is actually only available in Sri Lanka or Tamil Nadu.

Eat after you've seen the kitchen.🤮🤮🤮🤮

I can only praise this restaurant. One of my favorites, if not my favorite, in Cologne. Outstanding authentic food at super low prices. The owner is the best and is always happy to see you.

Very friendly staff 🥰 Immediately reminds us of our home country Sri Lanka and the food is fabulous 😍

This is such a lovely little shop – small in size, but truly big in heart and flavor. From the moment you walk in, you feel welcomed by the warm atmosphere and the genuinely kind staff. The owner, an elderly lady originally from India, brings a beautiful personal touch to everything. She still cooks herself and has now built a larger team to help, but you can feel her influence in every dish. The food is absolutely delicious – full of authentic Indian flavors and clearly made with care. From curries to snacks to fresh rice dishes, there’s something for everyone. Whether you're vegetarian or prefer meat, there are many tasty options. One special highlight is their Mango Lassi – you really must try it! It's refreshing, creamy, and perfectly balanced. Even when I’m not dining in, I often grab something to take home or just a quick bite to go. It’s become a favorite stop in my routine. The place may not be fancy or large, but the flavor, love, and authenticity make it truly special. Highly recommended – for both locals and visitors who want real Indian food made with soul and served with a smile.

The owner is very friendly and attentive. I've been eating lamb curry for years and I'm satisfied. In my opinion, the prices aren't reasonable these days, but you can make up for it with a generous tip. I can recommend it to anyone with some time to spare; it's also good for students on a budget. Please remember to bring cash, as she doesn't accept card payments. If you don't expect luxury and can settle for less, you'll feel perfectly at home in this modest place; you've found a gem! I can highly recommend it!

I felt like I was back in Sri Lanka. The people were incredibly friendly—it almost felt like being invited to a family's home for dinner. The food was delicious and, above all, authentic.

Authentic restaurant. You feel like you're in Sri Lanka.

Wonderfully authentic restaurant. Great food and homemade Lassie. The elderly lady, who appears to be the boss, radiates so much calm and warmth.

A very relaxed restaurant. The owner is always there, is very friendly, and cooks delicious food.

Such a sweet owner ❤️ any wait time doesn't matter, everything is done with love. We've been here several times and always love to come back!

The most authentic Indian restaurant in all of Cologne! An extremely delicious and varied menu and super-friendly owners. Anna is simply the best! A must-visit if you love Indian food.

Super delicious food with such friendly service! If we lived in Cologne, we would definitely come here more often. Highly recommended! The food tastes just like it does in Sri Lanka :)

Food is amazing!!!!!! Seeing a lovely older woman greeting u is just heart warming!!! Makes me miss my mum and also her food 100000000/1000000

You forget for a moment that you are in the middle of Cologne. The food, the ambience and, last but not least, the service are really good and very authentic. We'll definitely be back!

Rude service , we were told to wait outside for more than half an hour and then later denied seating . Improper staff and not at all good place to eat .

Amazing experience at Anna Lakshmi Restaurant! The food was incredibly authentic—rich in flavor and beautifully prepared. Lakshmi was so kind and welcoming and made sure everything was perfect. Truly heartfelt hospitality and delicious Indian-Sri Lankan cuisine. Highly recommend!

Very tasty and freshly prepared food. The welcome is warm and the service is very friendly. Recommended.

The best food I've eaten in a long time!! Such nice and lovely owners, very authentic and simply delicious. We will come back often (the prices are awesome too)😍😍😍

Great Indian cuisine, food and ambience transport you straight to India. The owner Anna Lakshmi is one of a kind and treats her guests like they are family. Very child friendly. Takeaway also available.

SOOOO DELICIOUS 🤤 Thank you 🙏 (Great banana cakes too)

We looked for a long time for an authentic Sri Lankan restaurant and found it here. Very tasty food, good portions and fair prices. The owner is very friendly. We felt very comfortable and would love to come back!

Very simple. Absolutely super. Loved it and will be back.

I visited the place recently just to have kottu as I saw recommendations. Lady was welcoming. Kottu was nice (and can ask if you want it spicy ) and I had veg rolls and samosa too which was served hot and fresh. As the place was filling with people I had to wait over a 45 minutes to get the tea after kottu. Food was inexpensive.

Really great food, warm owner. Very attentive to the desired level of spiciness, for those who can't tolerate it (it's often lost).

Update: unfortunately the waiting time is sometimes far too long. Everything comes to the table at a different time. Either you don't eat together or the food is cold 🫠Last time we ordered different dishes, but in the end we all received the same thing - a bit unfortunate and strange. Everything was seasoned the same. Then the menu should be adjusted. The state of hygiene in the kitchen is very questionable. If it doesn't bother you, you're in good hands here. We never felt bad afterwards either. But I would recommend not looking into the kitchen 😄 The place is more of a bistro than a restaurant. So far we've really enjoyed everything. All dishes are actually vegan unless you add something animal. If you can't decide, you'll get good advice. Especially the samosas and all the other fried little things are incredibly tasty! Be sure to try the sweet ones too 🥰 The naan is also delicious and is freshly prepared. I find it particularly delicious with garlic. The only disadvantage is that you sometimes have to be prepared for a long waiting time. The owner is so welcoming that we immediately felt like we were at grandma's house. You rarely meet so much humanity. Simple, delicious, protein-rich food to fill you up and inexpensive.

The best Sri Lankan food you’ll find outside of Sri Lanka. The care and love for this food is unlike any other

The ambience is simple. But it's definitely made up for by the service and the food. Definitely a recommendation.

Super nette Besitzerin und fantastisches Essen! Wir kommen regelmäßig und freuen uns jedes Mal wieder :-) wir lassen uns gerne was empfehlen.

Absolute insider tip! Authentic, delicious Indian food in the middle of Cologne.

Absolutely wonderful, food is like a hug, just like the service - it just feels like your grandmothers in the living room, only in South Indian style. Strong recommendation!

I would have liked to have been able to give my review without stars because I actually want to support this nice, family restaurant. Unfortunately, we weren't convinced. We waited 1.5 hours for our food - when it finally came, I was no longer hungry after my starter (Paneer Pakora). Unfortunately, the quality of the food was rather low, in keeping with the low price. The lovely and friendly owner does her best and tries to make all guests happy, but unfortunately that wasn't possible that evening. There were a lot of customers, but not enough staff. Since the restaurant is small and we were there for so long, the intense smell of cooking and the long waiting time made us feel a little nauseous. I'm giving it 4 stars because I want to support the restaurant, but I hope my review will help future guests.

Firstly it is a sir lankian restro... food is wrost here .. the food is nothing near indian.

I love the food and the grandma there is very friendly 🫶🏼

superbbbb … home feeling … extraordinary taste my aunty

Best place in the city. Good quality and amazing service!!! I would recommend this place to absolutely everyone! You feel like home

The cutest, sweetest granny takes our order, cooks it, and makes our tummy and heart full. This was a great, homely, wonderful experience. I spoke the language she did and it made it even more wonderful

We visited Anna Lakshmi on Monday evening. She gave us various recommendations and always seemed enthusiastic and happy: this was also reflected in the food. We felt like we were in Sri Lanka or India, very authentic. Thank you Anna!🫶🏽

I've been going to Anna Lakshmi's for years and am thrilled by the delicious, authentic food and the super friendly service! From a culinary point of view, the various dishes always take me back to my time in Sri Lanka. There are also various pastries, rolls, samosas and much more. which are also recommended and I would like to take home with me :) I now find the prices to be very low and they haven't increased since I've been eating here, but that can be made up for with tips. Tip: Take cash with you as you cannot pay by card.

Comida increíble. Puedes decirles si lo quieres picante. La señora es muy dulce y acogedor. El restaurante puede ser atractivo, pero la comida es totalmente genial.

Ammmmmmazing food. Tastes very authentic. You can tell them if you want it spicy. The lady is very sweet and welcoming. The restaurant might not be good looking but the food makes up for it. We tried veg biryani and kottu parota , and both were greatttttt.

Super great service! The food was incredibly tasty and... there was a large selection. Definitely worth a visit.

The food was really good and the service was super sweet

Super delicious authentic food, the owner is super friendly and warm. Lakshmi was recommended to me by several friends, I can only recommend it to others🫶🏼

Super tasty and authentic food! Also very fair prices and very friendly owners. Absolutely recommended ☺️

Mega tasty, cheap and authentic! We've tried a variety of things and it always tastes great. We always like to come back!

Very tasty food Very friendly and very warm staff. Overall happy with everything and would love to come back

I had my lunch there in Lakshmi Restaurant. It was quiet empty as I was there around 15:30. The owner very warmly welcomed me.I should say that this is the cheapest Indian restaurant I have ever been in Germany and food was very good.Also the quantity is surprisingly huge. I will recommend it to anyone who wants to grab the taste of south Indian cuisines at very affordable price…

Mega! That was a real piece of Sri Lanka in Cologne. At Anna Lakschmi you immediately feel like you are in a family-run restaurant in Sri Lanka. The food is not only incredibly tasty, but also super inexpensive. I felt like I was back in Sri Lanka. The hostess is very friendly and passionately ensures that everyone feels comfortable. Please support such authentic restaurants - unfortunately they have become a rarity in Cologne! 5 stars

Sehr leckeres Essen, sehr nette Service! Alles sehr authentisch und auch wenn sehr einfach mit viel Liebe gemacht. Werde öfter hingehen.

Good food in an unconventional atmosphere With very friendly service

Buena comida, gran gente. Preguntó por un menú compartido, que no estaba en el menú. ¡Pero lo tenemos, lo comimos, nos encantó! Recomendaría 10 / 10!

probably one of my favorite restaurants, I'm so happy and full and content with the world every time I've eaten here 😄 my original review from 7 years ago says, the shop hasn't lost anything in 2024!

Great, authentic restaurant run with passion and super friendly staff.

Wow, that was fantastic authentic food and home-made tea made from Indian spices. The ambience is less cozy, but I'm all about the cuisine. It's been a long time since I've had such good Indian food. THANKS.

Super delicious authentic food. Very nice service and very cheap. I'll definitely come back here :)

The food was delicious; and for that price (10euros for a plate of rice and curry) it was unbelievable. Its sri lankan for sure: it tasted exactly the same (or even better!) as the food I had when I was in Sri Lanka. And aunty is superfriendly. I loved this place and will absolutely return! Estuthi!

Authenticity on all levels: in the food, in the ambience and in the owner couple. The food is delicious and always reminds me of my trips to Sri Lanka and South India. Soul food for wanderlust 🧡

We have loved Anna Lakshmi's food for several years. Just a stone's throw from the city library or Neumarkt, you can get homemade Sri Lankan specialties at really reasonable prices and served with love. Everything about this restaurant is authentic - from the owner, the service, the ambience, the dishes to the food. My children insist on a few samosas on every trip to the city center - sometimes sold quite casually from the restaurant window. One of my favorite recommendations in all of Cologne!

Food is good and somehow tasty, but not authentic Indian taste at all, too much adapted to German taste, this is quite often in Germany. Waiting on main dish from promised 10 minutes expanded to almost 30, more then 20 for sure, with only two other persons in restaurant at lunch time. Served by old sweet and nice lady, but life stops when you step in this place. This could even be great experience if you know how to enjoy Indian understanding of life and time. Ambient is also many years behind time. It could be great experience if you wish to understand authentic Indian mindset little better with new adventure, because here is not about money and business, but how to live unstressfull life.

I love the food here. Especially, I liked the fish curry and rice. I would recommend you to try fish curry here. Thanks

I was looking for a proper South Indian style food and this was not the place .. sambar was not real South Indian styled, kothu was ok, veg biryani is not really a biriyani at all.. meals side dish was very very less and very less rice quantity as well.. may be Srilankan style food. Not again..

Honestly the two stars was just for the effort and the service of the aunty there. So kind and nice! The price is also affordable. It's just in the main street near Neumarkt.But the food is really bland. Kothu rotti was fine I guess but nothing special.

Really good and authentic food! Like in Skri Lanka and the service is super friendly

Like at grandma's house, only in Sri Lankan

Today we were only in the store for a short time because we urgently had to go to the toilet. We were greeted by a very warm older lady who offered this to us with the utmost ease and friendliness. This gesture surprised us so positively that we took a closer look at the store - we would probably never have come across it without this occasion. The food we saw on site looked incredibly appetizing. We spontaneously decided to take some naan bread with us on the go, and what can we say? It was simply fantastic! We were so impressed by the taste that we are sure we will be back very soon to try the other dishes too. A big thank you for this wonderful hospitality - you don't often find such warmth these days. We are already looking forward to the next visit!🩷