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Simple South Indian restaurant offering kosher vegetarian cuisine ranging from dosas to uttappams.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 103 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10016
Phone: (212) 696-9458
Website: https://pongalnyc.com/
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Reservations: pongalnyc.com
Order: Order online
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Explore Best Affordable Vegetarian Restaurants at PongalNYC …
Specializes in Vegetarian food. Freshly prepared with the best ingredients, for those who live to eat not eat to live. · 103 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10016
Pongal: HOME
“I’ve lived in New York my entire life, and can say with absolute confidence Pongals is my all time favorite place to eat in the city.
Pongal Restaurant NYC (@pongalnyc) • Instagram photos and videos
103 Lexington Ave Authentic South Indian cuisine • Vegetarian • Vegan • Kosher • Jain • Open: Monday – Sunday 12pm-10pm · For every you ✨ #nyceats #nycfoodie # …
Reviews
Akshay Kapuria
We had a wonderful dining experience at this traditional Indian restaurant. The South Indian thali was absolutely delicious and beautifully presented, offering a perfect balance of flavors—from aromatic sambar and chutney to flavorful vegetable curries, soft idlis, crispy dosa & Medu Vada. Each item tasted fresh and authentically prepared.
The portion size was generous, making the thali very satisfying and great value for money.
The atmosphere of the restaurant was warm and welcoming, with a calm traditional vibe that made the meal even more enjoyable.
What truly stood out was the staff—polite, attentive, and always ready to help with a smile.
Overall, it was a delightful experience, and I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking to enjoy authentic South Indian food in a comfortable and friendly setting.
… moreThe portion size was generous, making the thali very satisfying and great value for money.
The atmosphere of the restaurant was warm and welcoming, with a calm traditional vibe that made the meal even more enjoyable.
What truly stood out was the staff—polite, attentive, and always ready to help with a smile.
Overall, it was a delightful experience, and I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking to enjoy authentic South Indian food in a comfortable and friendly setting.
IM IM
This place came highly recommended by my friend Mohini, and it truly lives up to the praise. Pongal is a gem for authentic Indian cuisine. The food is purely vegetarian and absolutely delicious, with a comforting, homemade quality that really stands out.
Their dosas and thalis are among the best I’ve had in NYC fresh, flavorful, and perfectly prepared. The service is another highlight: attentive, friendly, and patient, especially when helping navigate the extensive menu.
The ambiance is cute and colorful with comfortable seating, making it a relaxed spot for both casual lunches and dinners, whether you’re dining solo or with a group. If you’re looking for authentic Indian vegetarian food paired with great service and a cozy setting, Pongal is a must visit.
… moreTheir dosas and thalis are among the best I’ve had in NYC fresh, flavorful, and perfectly prepared. The service is another highlight: attentive, friendly, and patient, especially when helping navigate the extensive menu.
The ambiance is cute and colorful with comfortable seating, making it a relaxed spot for both casual lunches and dinners, whether you’re dining solo or with a group. If you’re looking for authentic Indian vegetarian food paired with great service and a cozy setting, Pongal is a must visit.
Nathan M.
OMG ❣️ By far the best Indian Food in Curry Hill! The addition of Bombay Street Food is awesome. Mutter Paneer off the charts. Bhel Puri fantastic. We have been coming for over 20+ years and they have NEVER disappointed! In fact my wife went into labor shortly after an amazing meal here and we gave birth to a beautiful baby girl who loves Pongal. HIGHLY RECOMMEND
… morePranay Gandhi
Visited Pongal for lunch today. We ordered the Mysore thali – the food was overall good, though the Idli was very dry and flaky.
It is on Lexington Ave – tough to find street parking in the neighborhood.
Service was friendly & good. The seating was warm and inviting.
… moreIt is on Lexington Ave – tough to find street parking in the neighborhood.
Service was friendly & good. The seating was warm and inviting.
Abha Gupta
Such an underrated gem. Me and my husband would anyday skip sarvana bhavan and go to Pongal. Authentic south indian food and top of the chart hospitality. We tried their mysore thali and most recommended Madras Rava Masala dosa. Crispy till the last bite loaded with flavors!
Their idly needs to get better – it was cold and dry so avoid that. Great food and good service!
… moreTheir idly needs to get better – it was cold and dry so avoid that. Great food and good service!
Sana Khan
Pongal has been one of my favorite eateries for YEARS. Their rava masala dosa is my favorite, and their chef Dipti is simply amazing. Thank you to Pongal’s Manager Tipu and his team including Rahul for their excellent customer service!
… moreVenkatesh Shamala
I had one of the worst Pongal dishes ever — ironically, at a restaurant named “Pongal.” The quality was extremely poor, and the food tasted cheap and uninspired. To make matters worse, they added a gratuity charge for a party of just three people, which goes against NYC regulations that typically apply automatic gratuity only for groups of five or more. Very disappointing overall.
… moreM W
DELICIOUS food, very friendly and attentive service, and very reasonable prices. Extensive menu of South Indian delights. Would happily come back!
… moreAnmol Shah
Tipu was gave us great service. The south indian food was amazing especially the idli, dosa, and the very best madras chai. As an indian, i truly recommend.
… moreRaj S
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3-Star Review for Pongal Restaurant, NYC
Visited Pongal with high hopes, especially being a Tamilian and excited to see a restaurant with a Tamil name in the heart of NYC. The location is nice and the restaurant has plenty of seating inside, which is a plus. However, parking nearby is quite a challenge.
The food, unfortunately, didn’t live up to the expectations. I specifically asked if the chef was South Indian before ordering the Chennai Thali ($20), and while it was confirmed, the thali itself was underwhelming both in portion and flavor. The spread included puliyodharai, rice with rasam, poori with kurma, and one muttakose (cabbage) curry.
Puliyodharai lacked any depth of flavor, rasam was just okay, but the poori and kurma were quite good. Honestly, I think I should’ve gone with the North Indian thali instead.
The most bizarre part? When I asked for pickle, the server replied, “Should I order 1 qty of pickle?” In all my visits to over 20 restaurants in the Lexington area, I’ve never seen a place charge for pickle with a thali meal.
Overall, Pongal didn’t deliver the authentic Tamil experience I hoped for. Average food, questionable pricing strategy, and not compelling enough to make me return.
… moreVisited Pongal with high hopes, especially being a Tamilian and excited to see a restaurant with a Tamil name in the heart of NYC. The location is nice and the restaurant has plenty of seating inside, which is a plus. However, parking nearby is quite a challenge.
The food, unfortunately, didn’t live up to the expectations. I specifically asked if the chef was South Indian before ordering the Chennai Thali ($20), and while it was confirmed, the thali itself was underwhelming both in portion and flavor. The spread included puliyodharai, rice with rasam, poori with kurma, and one muttakose (cabbage) curry.
Puliyodharai lacked any depth of flavor, rasam was just okay, but the poori and kurma were quite good. Honestly, I think I should’ve gone with the North Indian thali instead.
The most bizarre part? When I asked for pickle, the server replied, “Should I order 1 qty of pickle?” In all my visits to over 20 restaurants in the Lexington area, I’ve never seen a place charge for pickle with a thali meal.
Overall, Pongal didn’t deliver the authentic Tamil experience I hoped for. Average food, questionable pricing strategy, and not compelling enough to make me return.