Amma’s South Indian Cuisine

I'm a fan of the original location of Amma's - it's where I had my very first dosa which is now one of my favorite foods - and when I happened to be in the University City area I decided to stop into their new location. Wish it was around when I was going to college in the area! It's a bigger space than the Center City spot but similarly decorated with dark wood panel, and I appreciated the gender-neutral individual bathroom stalls. It was quite empty on a weekday lunchtime in the summer; I hope it's more crowded during the school year with students because it deserves that!I already knew what I was getting, a masala dosa, and the server was able to quickly take my order. As I expected from their other location, the dosa was huge and served with three dips and a spicy sambar soup. A pair of people next to me who had only ordered curries were quite impressed and asked me what I ordered to try next time! The dosa was crispy and chewy in different places just as I liked it, with a deeply savory flavor that was accentuated by the dips. The only thing that would improve it is more of the potato filling, but I was filled up anyway from what I got. Amma's is the only place (well, two places now) I know of in Philly that serves South Indian food so it doesn't have much competition, but I think it will still easily make an impression on those who are new to the cuisine (if you order correctly) while satisfying the cravings of those who are familiar with it.

Enjoyed the veg thali. Had an assortment of over 10 dishes served in small portions with rice, chappathi and papad. Service was pleasant. Ambiance was good. Clean place.Rice and all the sabjis were fresh and served hot. The tangy eggplant dish and the vegetable korma deserves special mention. The sambar and rasam were good. The dessert, halwa was warm and melt-in-your mouth soft!Will visit to try other dishes. Found this location of Amma's more convenient to reach than Chestnut hill location. Seems this is the newer location

I was excited to have some Indian food as I'm one of the few in my family who like it. So I took myself to lunch here because it was well rated on my favorite app---Yelp. Service was great and restaurant was clean and elegant inside. As I'm not very familiar with South Indian cuisine outside Masala Dosa (on the menu), I decided to orger the non-veg sampler meal. Gotta say I was disappointed. Pappadom was not crisp in some spots and chapati was room temp. Chicken and goat dishes were too spicy for me ( I was not given a choice of spice level). Goat was also a bit too "goaty" for me - the flavor was strong. Both rices and daal were excellent and the sambar too (again a bit too spicy though). Two other veg curry were okay but only room temp. I really didn't like the coconut "soup" which I think was meant as a dessert. I think if I went back I'd stick with the dosa and ask for less spicy.

My friend has been wanting to try this place for a while! Whenever you pass by the storefront, you get immediately hit with the incredible scent of the blends of spices of Amma's. Since it was just me and a friend, we got seated around 5 pm on a weekend. The staff were friendly. We figured we would get the couples combo and opted for the non-veg option. I saw some pictures on Yelp that made it seem like there was plenty of food for two people and it seemed like a good deal to try out different dishes at a new restaurant! The non-veg combo says it comes with Mutton Biryani, Chicken Biryani, Chicken Roast, Chicken Kurma, Parotta (2Pcs), and Dessert).Once we got the non-veg couples combo, I was surprised as it looked different from the pictures I saw on Yelp as there was a significantly lesser amount of food. Nonetheless, the food was pretty decent! I particularly liked the Chicken Biryani (I think). The meat was tender and flavorful, but it was difficult for me to know what I was eating since there wasn't anything identifying what was what. I wish there were little labeled flags or something, as that would've been helpful! I enjoyed the various chutneys and the different samples of entrees. I don't think this was particularly filling for two people. I got their Mango Lassi which came in a to-go bottle (even though we were dining in). The mango lassi was creamy and not too sweet with a strong flavor of mango. I enjoyed the Mango Lassi but it wasn't the best I've had. I do wish they poured it into a cup or something, but the to-go bottle was cute.Overall, I'd give Amma's a 3.5/5; it's centrally located in University City and the food was decent. A little pricy for the amount of food we got, but would recommend the couples combo because it was a good way to sample some of the different entrees and dishes that they offer.

Amma's is by no means new to me, but my recent visit was my first in a while. I came in with a friend on a Friday evening. This was our first time at the UCity location. Parking here is much easier than the Center City location; the restaurant is also more spacious. We were glad that there was no wait on a Friday night; we were sat right after we walked in. Amma's is known for their famous Dosas, so my friend and I were planning to get one to accompany each of our meals. The other entrees on the menu differ a bit from other Indian spots, hence the word "South Indian" cuisine. It consists less of saucey curry dishes and more of tandoori meats and biryani/rice dishes.I went for the Ghee Roast Dosa and Butter Masala with chicken. The food took about 30 minutes to come out. I don't consider that an incredibly long wait, but it was a bit long for the number of people dining at the restaurant. The Dosa was delicious, just as I remember it. While it's a thin bread, the overall height and width (if you rolled it out) make a generous portion. The buttery flavor of the ghee combined with the crisp Dosa made the perfect combination. The several sauces on the side accompanied it very well. As with most side sauces, I enjoyed some much more than others.I've had both Butter Chicken and Chicken Tikka of various spice levels at many Indian spots before. This one didn't really do it for me. Butter Chicken is always a bit creamier than Chicken Tikka; once had a lot more spice than creaminess, even at a medium spice level. It wasn't unbearable, but a creamier sauce would've offset it well. Additionally, there were several chunks of different slices that I bit into that are typically removed from these dishes once they're finished cooking. I definitely found the Butter Masala here below standard. Overall, I think this place works for the South Indian niche. While I didn't have a specific rice-based dish, I know many people who enjoy those at Amma's. The Dosa is definitely one of the main highlights of this place. I'd say my only reason to return is for the Dosa's I've always loved getting over the years.

Long time due visit to this place, and I heard from my foodie friends about this place, and it definitely lived up yo its expectations. The restaurant is located on the S39 street and only street parking available. We went for lunch and we were to find street parking. There are no garages that I could find nearby, but you will be able to find a spot. This place looks great from outside having a ramp/steps to get to the main door. As you enter the dining area, they have one main dining hall and are definitely busy, mostly college crowd. The interior decor and ambiance felt so relaxed. We were greeted and seated and handed over the menu. The menu is definitely impressive and has a lot of authentic South Indian varieties, both for vegetarian and non vegetarian. We decided to go with the lunch veg meals which contain 11 items Roti/Kurma, Rice/Sambar/Rasam/Vathakolambu, then Gobi Manchurian, Kootu, poriyal. Everything on that plate was awesome. Best was the Vathakolambu perfectly made, and veg kurma was great, too. Tried the vegetable kurma and tasted fantastic with parotta, we will visit this place again for sure. Give it a try. This is a great place, and nice people.

Excellent service and food! This Amma's location is superrr close to UPenn's campus and makes it the perfect place for students to grab a bite. I randomly found this restaurant as my family was looking for something all of us would enjoy, and Amma's was so perfect we came for lunch two days in a row!The inside is roomy and quaint but no frills. Service was excellent - attentive, not overbearing, kind in bringing us extra sauce when requested. Both days, we shared a Masala Dosa and the Tiffin Combo. The dosa was BIG and served with 3 chutneys (coconut, tomato, and green) and a bowl of delicious sambar. Masala was flavorful and filling and can be requested on the side. Dosa was crispy and soft in all the right places and very flavorful. Tiffin combo was a great deal for the price, and we got to try pongal which we ended up really liking. Highly recommend Amma's, especially to bring your Desi family when you all have different food preferences and want to eat somewhere quick, tasty, filling, and relatively affordable.

Come one came all. We have found one of the best loco for Southern Indian Food. The 10/10 Medhu Vadai an Indian savory Donut with the chutney is delicious. Loved the crispy texture and most warm inside. The chutneys are authentically Southern 8/10. One of the best I have had. The Dosas are also well made with delicious Sambhar and 3 chutneys. It is delicious 9/10I had the Vege Thali. Tiny bowls of curry's/appetizers and dessert for $18 and it is delicious. The variety of dishes were plentiful for one big hungry lad. 8.5/10According to my partners their meat dishes were also a 9/10. Come and taste Superb Southern Food at Ammas. PS: I was not given anything for this review. Not even a free pakoda. However I'd my come to place

I chose to take my husband here for dosas and we weren't disappointed. When we first walked in I noticed the chain restaurant vibe and got nervous until I smelled the food. The menu was extensive and everything was clearly labeled (gluten free, vegetarian, etc.). Our server, Priya, was fantastic. We enjoyed everything and will definitely be back.

If you are looking for Clean, Hot, fresh authentic South Indian cuisine, good customer service, and value for your money then Amma's restaurant is NOT for you. Dosas are like "papad", items served are cold, small Coffee and Tea for $$ is not worth the money, and taste. Tables are placed too close to behind each other making it difficult to sit with proper posture, and is a potential source to get infected from the person sitting right behind you. Surprisingly how Philadelphia Health department is allowing this restaurant to operate under such conditions.