Chennai Chef in Köln

Amazing food, very friendly and hospitable staff. It was a great experience for a Sunday afternoon, we would totally recommend it! :)

We had no reservation so we had to wait in line for about 15 minutes. The lady who was leading the shift was very kind and accomodating, made sure we were served well, and advised us not to order too much (as we ordered 4 main courses for 2 persons), but we did not listen to her (unfortunately). We left very full, and did not manage to finish it all. I wish whoever was making the potato dosa would just move in with me and make me one every 30minutes 😂 Biryani was good, there was a lot of it. It was very flavourful, lots of spices, might be one of the best ones I've had. Enough chicken meat as well. There is a large selection of vegetarian dishes. Highly recommend, I would suggest to make a reservation if you do not like to wait.

Incredibly delicious food, at a good price and very nice staff

Amazing Indian restaurant, the best one in Germany IMO. Authentic South Indian food 😋 1000% recommended. Can't wait to come back.

We went to Chennai Chef spontaneously today and were happy to get a table. We shared Masala Dosa as a starter and Chennai Chef Lamb as our main course. The food was really great and would definitely be recommended.

Lovely shop, very authentic taste, with friendly people there

Super delicious authentic food!

Hidden gem , original South India kitchen from the politest people in Köln

Over 6 years of living in Cologne, this place has become my favourite place for having south indian food, Tamil to be specific. It’s a simple place with an even simple and down to earth family, serving delicious food. The dosa, Idlis, medu vada, chicken biryani are to die for. Everything else is also great. Only one wish is if they start delivering food or tie up with Uber Eats or Lieferando, that would just be lovely.

Very typical restaurant. I was with Indian colleagues confirming the owners and all the dishes are 100% from Chennai region. Very kind people, great food and good price

Great, very authentic Indian dishes. Warm owners and very friendly service! One is very reminded of India, where it is often not important that a place is particularly cozy and decorated or that the dishes are presented imaginatively, but rather that the taste and quality of the food are the focus. Absolute recommendation! P.S.: We specifically stuck to the South Indian dishes, which I haven't found of this quality in Germany.

One of the best Tamil meals I had in Europe. Missed such authentic food for 16 months. PS: The place is really crowded when I visit on Saturday, so please book the table before visiting

It looks unremarkable from the outside, but the Indian food is delicious and the service is excellent.

Heart warming place, amazing food

It was a great experience to dine in over there with great hospitality. Food was amazing and had a very authentic taste. Service was excellent as well with pretty quick assistance. The opening timings can be extended on weekends atleast. Will definitely recommend it to other friends. It's worth trying out for south Indian cuisine when one is in Köln. Pre-booking of the table is not possible on weekends so be prepared to wait during peak hours.

real chennai taste caffe and dosa i had. unforgivable experience

Super nice shop with really delicious food. Definitely go!

Loved the food. The best for anyone looking for pakka south Indian food.

I absolutely love this meal! I've been there twice so far and the food was gone so quickly that I couldn't take any photos. As a starter, I definitely recommend a dosa (Indian pancake) of your choice - it's enough for 2-3 people. Each curry is also offered with parrotas (flat bread) or rice. Both side dishes will leave you very full - the parrotas themselves are very tasty and a specialty of this restaurant. Indian cuisine offers many types of bread and the dosas and parrotas are a further enrichment. The curry is very tasty in every version. The dishes have a basic spiciness due to spice mixtures. You can compensate for this by eating slowly and drinking a mango lassi (yoghurt drink with mango flavor). If you want it extra spicy, you should know what you are getting into and let the waiter know when you order. I will definitely eat here several more times and can absolutely recommend it!

We are absolutely thrilled, the food is fantastic! The best Indian restaurant we have been to!!!! There is a great selection and everything tastes like delicious, individually tailored spices!!!! We would love to come back! Thank you for this lovely evening!!!!

Have you ever eaten dosa in Cologne? I never have. This is a great dish 😍 I recommend it with potatoes and with onions. We also found the veggie thali menu at the weekend delicious! But you can't come too late because otherwise it will be sold out 😋 Almost all dishes can also be ordered vegan. The selection is great. However, everything was spicy, whether slightly spicy or strong - be prepared! The portions are also large and filling. We received a very friendly welcome and were told that we would have to wait longer. But that wasn't long by any means for us. It's nicer to sit in the back, but of course it's not the same atmosphere as in a restaurant. In addition, the clothes smell strongly of food/fried food after the visit.

Strong Indian restaurant disguised as a kiosk. The focus is clearly on the food and the service. In my opinion, very authentic cuisine. The Chicken Chennai Chef is super tasty, interesting and at the same time sportily seasoned. Top!

Everything makes a very authentic impression. The service is very attentive and friendly. Had dosa massala. I can highly recommend it. Looks like a kiosk from the outside. Definitely go in. Is often well attended.

Very tasty Indian food. From the outside you think it's a kiosk, but inside it still looks cozy for eating.

An absolute insider tip. Not only were we served very warmly, the food was also an absolute hit and seasoned in an incredibly varied way, so that every bite was an absolute taste explosion. The prices are absolutely fair and I will definitely come back to try out more of the menu. Absolutely authentic Indian cuisine, which is also noticeable through the guests, as many seem to have found the food that they miss from their homeland here.

Very tasty food Very nice and authentic service Very clean

So far the food has always been very good and the service has been incredibly friendly. The menu is so extensive that we have to come back often to try everything.

Very authentic south Indian food. It's was a pleasant experience. But it's not restaurant, rather imbiss

10/10, authentic Indian cuisine and great service <3

Great food and great service!! Everything perfect I would say :)

Attention and good food are two words that describe this restaurant.

We regularly visit this family run restaurant and fully recommend this place. Food is prepared in open kitchen, serviced with a smile alongwith small talk by owner before/during/after food. This place is around 150 km (to and fro journey), still my family is always ready to travel for such delicious food. Few of my friends have already visited as per my recommendation and their feedback is also quite positive. Please book the table as it gets really crowded during weekend!

Tasty authentic South Indian food with excellent service. I highly recommend this restaurant.

Amazing place with real, traditional Indian food. Only here you can enjoy and taste great Masala dosa and delicious Idli or fantastic veg Thali. You need to try also deserts:-))))) Place is usually very occupied so better make a reservation:-))) I could feel South India's Heart for a while:-) Chennai Chef took my heart:-)

Amazing and authentic food.. loved each and every bite

Authentic South Indian, friendly and quick service.

Absolutely authentic Indian cuisine & atmosphere. Entrance is a kiosk. There is a very good restaurant at the back. The dosas were a 10/10. The Paneer Marsala was also really good. Spicy but not too spicy. Overall, the food was at the table quickly. The service was very friendly. We got a free spot straight away & will definitely come back again!

The best South Indian restaurant outside India (even saravanan bhavan doesn't stand close), absolutely home food, my home away from home❤️ 100% recommended.

A place to taste sub continental food. A family managed restaurant with choice of large South Indian dishes. Watch out for chillies and other spices.

Lovely staff and delicous Food. Go and get you something but be carefull, hot means hot!

The food tastes authentic and the waiters are happy to accommodate special requests. The owners are extremely friendly and helpful. Reservations are recommended as it was always packed when we went.

Very good food and friendly staff. A very homely atmosphere.

The food as well as the atmosphere is homely and comforting.

No matter if you're Indian or not this place serves the best food you'll ever taste. You just can't stop asking for more.

Amazing food. South Indian thaali is a must try if you are a South Indian 👌. Their filter coffee is pure bliss.

Great food service friendly when taking the order Ambiance is worthy of an insider tip

Everything is just right here. See good food, friendly staff and chic ambience. Keep it up!

You enter the restaurant through the Kosk and wait in front of the refrigerators in the entrance area until a seat becomes available. It took a relatively long time when I visited on Friday evening, for which the extremely nice service staff apologized several times. It's not her fault and besides, I had time and the wait didn't bother me in the least. Mine was taken when I was first in line and was served quickly but without hassle after a table became available. The food is exceptionally good and I will definitely come back and recommend the restaurant.

Home made, fresh and delicious food with loving service. Thank you!

Best Indian food we have ever eaten! The staff is super nice and the menu leaves nothing to be desired! Lots of gluten-free dishes too!

Really great restaurant to enjoy good food from south of India. Helpful and friendly staff and owners, and has vibe of typical restaurant from India. We ate Onion uttappa, chilly paneer and parota, feels authentic taste. All dishes were really good, but chilly paneer was little oily. It's also kind of open kitchen, so anyone interested can watch the making of dosa, vada, uttappa should really enjoy this place. I believe It's usually crowded, as it's not huge place. Nevertheless, great experience in Köln and definitely one of best Indian restaurants in Germany.

Good place for southern Indian foods.

From the outside, the Chennai Chef initially looks a bit inconspicuous. In particular, the kiosk in the entrance area does not immediately suggest that there is a restaurant behind it that offers great dishes from South Indian cuisine. We tried out the menu a bit and we were really impressed with the taste of all the dishes we ordered. Clear recommendation! :)

I think I honestly ate the best Indian food of my life here. I would never have expected this from the outside. The restaurant doesn't look particularly inviting; there is also a kiosk in the entrance area. The employee immediately invited us in in a very friendly manner. As a starter we ordered a samosa, it was very good, a bit spicy. Then I really wanted to try a dosa, we chose the one with potato filling and were completely thrilled. It tastes similar to grilled cheese and the warm vegetable sauce that comes with it is particularly good. Then we tried masala paneer, I don't think I've ever had this dish so delicately seasoned. If I visit Cologne again, I will definitely go here again.

The best South Indian food ever

As soon as you enter the restaurant, you will feel as if you are in India. So anyone missing home then go here

Great food. We ordered Medhu Vadai, Masala Vadai, Ghee roast and Onion Dosa. Tastes delicious, authentic and prices are reasonable.

We dined there last night, and the experience was absolutely fantastic! The food was delicious and reasonably priced. We tried the onion dosa, masala dosa, and chilli chicken—everything was incredibly flavorful and satisfying. I can't wait to return soon!

Addendum (14 Sep'24 - a year later): The high quality is maintained consistently till now! It's always lovely to see the owner couple who always ensures you get a personalized service ❤️ Will heartily recommend this restaurant to anyone anytime 😊 Thank you for the amazing food always 🙏🏻 Original review: When I miss my home food, I go to Chennai chef. When I miss my family, I go to Chennai chef. When I crave some amazing South Indian food, I go to Chennai chef. In a nutshell, I always find an excuse to have food here because of the amazing food, super genuine people and a really family-like environment. While I like all the food I've ordered here, my recent favourites are Podi Dosai, Set dosai, Vegetarian Meal with Parotta (which they only serve on Saturday afternoon). I even dreamt of eating the parotta the next day, because it was so delicious and felt homemade. They never use any additives or MSG or anything unhealthy. Thank you so much for establishing Chennai Chef which recreates the homemade aroma, flavour and taste!! 😊 Easily the best South Indian food in the entire Germany! 🥰

The spice is nice! Delicious Indian food, excellent customer service.

Great authentic dosa with spicy sambar. The buttermilk was also delicious but quite thick

The food was very tasty and the staff was very friendly and nice. Always my pleasure.

We visited this place twice, amazing south indian food. Super authentic. Owners are amazing, very welcoming We tried Biryani, uttapam, dosa and idli vada. Everything was perfect, plus chutneys were so fresh Also loved butter milk. Will visit again soon

I lost count of how many times I came here. I am not a big fan of Indian food, but this one, it's just out of this world. I think I have tried pretty much every dish and never got it wrong. Safe to say it is one of the best restaurants in NRW. The only problem is that they are so good that people are starting to realize it 🙈

Best place four South Indian vegetarian/ vegan food

We had the best and delicious, authentic dosa in Cologne. Staff was super friendly.

This is an amazing restaurant with great food. I will definitely visit this place again. We tried Medu Vada, Masala Dosa, Mysore Masala Dosa, Mutter Paneer, Idlis, Mango lassi everything was tasty. It is a small restaurant with great food. Prior reservation is recommended especially on weekends. The staff is very friendly and courteous.

Even though I had one bad experience I visited this restaurant again and it was terrible than the first... I won't recommend this restaurant if you are in a group more than two or three. The food was okay but the service was too bad as it is like the second person will get the food after the first one finish eating. We were a group of nine and it takes around 3 hours for them to serve all of us even though we ordered the same item... And it's dosa that's too funny that I am thinking how much time required for them to make one dosa even in one burner. Anyway it's my experience and my opinion.

The best place in the world where you can it. Delicious, original, you cannot find it in another Indian restaurants. The lady owner is so kind and cares about the restaurant like about her home. We always feel like real guests, not like customers and we always come back.

Incredibly sweet staff, freshly made, tasty dishes (love the dosa!) and a relaxed atmosphere. Truly enjoy every visit. It's worth mentioning that they even offer filter coffee, which tastes great.

Marcas completas para la calidad de la comida sabrosa y estaba recién cocinado + servido con una señora propietaria sonriente. Sencillo y muy auténtico South Indian

If you love authentic South Indian food then this was a gem of a place. Food was fresh and very tasty, per Indian standards, down to earth people with humble servings. Truly recommend if you are in Cologne. Just lived it ❤️

The taste is authentic south Indian (Tamil Nadu) but during the weekends it's a bit crowded and there's quite some waiting time if you don't have a reservation in advance.

Dosa is good but sambar is too thick. Also items get sold out, which is disappointing.

Extremely good Indian restaurant with fair prices. The Channa Masala with the Parotta, a doughy bread, was a poem. With the Maritta you could dip into the sauce and be enchanted by the Indian cuisine. Anyone who otherwise likes to eat masalas should definitely grab this, it is wonderfully seasoned and forms an optimal combination with the bread. As a starter we ordered a “crepe” with onions, a so-called onion dosa. I have to say that it's nice to nibble on a bit, but it didn't quite suit my taste, it's not really anything special. I would also like to highlight the moderate prices, especially for water. The staff is very friendly and accommodating, and one woman in particular is particularly memorable. The business premises are almost typically very plain and simply furnished, but the walls show that we are in an Indian restaurant. You can pay by card.

Very tasty food, dosa and sambar were really 🤤

Food really very nice i like ghee dosa very amaging colour and appearans texture next time will come again chennai chef

Best place to feel as if you are in India in Cologne. The people, the atmosphere and the food!

I love this store. There is sooo good food! Unfortunately I live a little too far away.

Simply delicious. Fried rice tasted just like what is served in my region of India. Chilly chicken also tasted good. I would suggest to serve fried rice with some sauce.

Amazing food and very friendly staff. Authentic South Indian food. 100% recommended.

The best Indian in Cologne. Incredibly delicious, authentic and super lovely owners. I just love it!

Eating in the kiosk. The food was really good. The staff was friendly and attentive. The only point of criticism is the volume. Eating a cozy meal and having a conversation is difficult to achieve. Nevertheless, we would eat there again if we are in Cologne.

It was my first time eating dosa and it was so crispy and delicious. The masala dosa had potatoes in it and was very filling. I would like to try other types next time.

Best sound indian food ever had in Germany.

The best South Indian Restaurant. Wonderful home feel food. Nothing more can be done. Congrats to the team. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

Very good authentic Indian food and loving service. We'll definitely be back!

Most authentic South Indian Restaurant in entire Cologne. Absolutely recommended to anyone who likes to experience the true indian cuisine. Though one has to accept that this place is within a kiosk, lacking some flair. I didn't care and I'd recommend you do the same.

Most authentic south indian food you can find in köln!! I tried Mysore Masala Dosa, Set Dosa and it was very delicious!!! Their Filter Coffee reminded me of Back home!!!! But waiting time was little longer than expected but overall everything was great.

Great place for authentic Chennai food. We tried Dosa,South Indian meals ,chicken biryani and everything was top class and as authentic as posisble. They have great service oriented mindset,must try while in the city

Probably the most authentic Indian food in Cologne. It was very delicious. Prices were okay. Service was very nice. The only point of criticism is the exhaust system. Unfortunately, after visiting a restaurant, all of your clothes smell very strongly of the food.

Excellent taste, a real insider tip. Very good service, friendly and professional. It's better to reserve in advance, as it's packed. Gladly again!!!

The restaurant hidden in the kiosk! Super friendly, super tasty and not expensive! Very authentic!

The best south indian food that i have ever eaten in my life and i am not exaggerating at all. I am very particular with food but i have to say this is the best when it comes to south indian cuisine. Chicken briyani is a must try. The owners are very nice and kind; which is an added charm to the great food served. Beautiful ambience with tranquility.

Very very nice people. Were very accommodating. Food took a little getting used to, but nonetheless very tasty. 👍

My wife is from South India and we visit Chennai Chef regularly and often invite friends. The owners are very friendly and warm. They always take time for their guests. The food is excellent. The South Indian/Tamil dishes are particularly recommended. Quote from my wife: "It tastes like home."

Tried this simple and cozy restraunt serving authentic South Indian food at a reasonable price. However, the service is a bit slow, but the owners are really humble and would make your experience pleasurable. Would definitely recommend the place.

Craving a taste of South India? Look no further than Chennai Chef in Cologne! This restaurant offers a delightful selection of dishes straight from Tamil Nadu. Dosa Paradise If you're a dosa fan, this is your heaven. They have a wide variety of these crispy, fermented crepes, including the classic ghee dosa. Their menu also boasts a good selection of idli (steamed rice cakes) and parotta (flaky flatbreads), perfect for mopping up flavorful curries like chicken, mutton and veg as well. They serve thalis as well… Authentic Flavors The highlight of Chennai Chef is undoubtedly the food's authenticity. They focus on Tamil Nadu cuisine, and judging by the number of Indian patrons, they're doing it right! A Few Caveats While the food is fantastic, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. Finding parking can be a challenge, so be prepared to park elsewhere and walk a bit

Excellent restaurant with authentic South Indian cuisine which is not so common in Germany. Apart from the fantastic taste of every dish, the service was also a true example of Indian hospitality. Biryani was authentic and delicious.

The smell of curry and taste at its best and then a family welcome. Everything was very tasty, we ate dos and enjoyed it.