Dosa Queen Bristol Review: South Indian Dosas Meets Sri Lankan Favourites on Cheltenham Road

Finding an Indian restaurant open for lunch in Bristol on a Saturday afternoon turned out to be more difficult than expected.

We had set out looking for somewhere suitable for lunch, starting around the top of Gloucester Road and gradually making our way towards the city centre. There are plenty of places to eat along the Gloucester Road stretch, but finding somewhere to park proved to be the first challenge. Eventually, we found a space on Hatherley Road, just off Gloucester Road, and set off on foot.

Our plan was simple: find an Indian restaurant serving lunch.

That proved to be harder than anticipated.

Looking for Indian Food in Bristol

We passed plenty of cafés, bakeries, restaurants and takeaways during our search, including Dev’s Kerala Restaurant, Artisan Chocolatier, Sidney and Eden, Cafe Dream, Perfecto Coffee Co., Boujon Bakery, Lona Restaurant Grill House and Juice Bar, Chimp House, Charcoal Grill, Joe’s Express Artisan Baker, The Golden Lion, Pizzarova, Xing Long Chinese Restaurant, Avana Lounge, Bishopston Fish Bar and Boston Tea Party.

There were also several pizza places, including Fireaway and Tomato and Basil Pizzeria. But we couldn’t find an Indian restaurant that suited us for lunch. So we eventually headed back towards the car and decided to drive on. That was when we came across Dosa Queen, at 217 Cheltenham Road, St Andrew’s, Bristol BS6 5QP.

It turned out to be well worth the extra effort. The lengths we would go to enjoy good food.

A South Indian and Sri Lankan Restaurant

Dosa Queen is a small, cosy restaurant specialising in South Indian and Sri Lankan food. The restaurant is situated just beyond Gloucester Road, continuing along the A38 as it becomes Cheltenham Road. When we arrived, it was relatively quiet, but given how many restaurants serving Indian food don’t open during the daytime, we weren’t surprised.

The atmosphere changed during our meal. A small family arrived, along with several regular customers, giving the restaurant a little more life.

There was also a photographer working during our visit, taking photographs of the food for the restaurant’s takeaway ordering platforms such as Just Eat, Deliveroo and Uber Eats. It was interesting to see the behind-the-scenes work that goes into getting restaurant food ready for online ordering. The chef was busy whipping up different dishes to be photographed.

The current owner has been running the restaurant for around two years, and from what we saw, Dosa Queen appears to be steadily building a following.

A Cosy Little Restaurant

The restaurant itself is clean and comfortable. It is clear that some thought has gone into the interior. Artificial green walls, neon lighting and carefully chosen tables and seating give the place a modern, casual feel.

It doesn’t try to look overly formal. Instead, it feels like somewhere that works equally well for a quick daytime meal, a casual dinner or a meal with friends and family.

When we arrived, we practically had the restaurant to ourselves, so our waitress kindly allowed us to choose where we wanted to sit. She then brought over a jug of drinking water, which was a welcome touch.

Throughout our visit, she was friendly, attentive and happy to explain the dishes and make suggestions.

An Interesting Hybrid Menu

One of the things that makes Dosa Queen interesting is that it isn’t simply another Indian restaurant serving the usual selection of curries. The menu brings together South Indian and Sri Lankan specialities, alongside more familiar Indian dishes.

There are dosas, parathas, idly, naan, hoppers and thalis, as well as curries and biryanis. Then there are distinctly Sri Lankan dishes such as kottu, Sri Lankan curries and fish cutlets.

There are also some unexpected additions, including crepes, cocktails, ice cream, milkshakes, waffles and mocktails. That might sound like an unusual combination, but we can understand the thinking behind it. A broad menu gives the restaurant the opportunity to attract different customers at different times of the day, including families, students and people looking for something beyond a conventional curry.

For us, the South Indian and Sri Lankan combination was the real attraction.

Ghee Podi Masala Dosa

Our waitress recommended that we try the Ghee Podi Masala Dosa to share as a starter. We’re glad she did. The dosa was super crunchy, fragrant and full of flavour.

The ghee made a noticeable difference, giving the dosa a wonderful richness, while the podi — the spiced lentil powder — added another layer of savoury flavour. Inside was the familiar potato masala filling.

It was an excellent introduction to the meal. The dosa was crisp enough to make every bite satisfying, while the ghee and spice gave it considerably more character than a plain dosa.

Given that the restaurant is called Dosa Queen, we were pleased that the signature dish lived up to expectations.

There are several other dosa choices on the menu, including plain dosa, masala dosa, ghee dosa, cheese dosa, onion uttapam and mixed vegetable uttapam. The Ghee Podi Masala Dosa is certainly one we’d order again.

IMG_4038 Dosa Queen Crunchy Ghee Podi Dosa Large

IMG_4046 Dosa Queen Dosa with potato masala

Jaffna Fish Curry

For our main dishes, we ordered Jaffna Fish Curry, described as fresh fish simmered with Jaffna roasted spices and tamarind. The curry arrived in a small bowl, which initially made us wonder if the portion would be enough. There was no need to worry.

Once we started eating, there was plenty of curry sauce and a good amount of fish. The sauce was creamy and rich, with the roasted spices giving it depth and the tamarind adding a subtle tang.

As Asians, we naturally put the dishes in the middle of the table and shared them rather than treating each curry as an individual portion. That allowed us to alternate between the fish and mutton, which worked particularly well with the rice and paratha.

Sri Lankan Mutton Curry

The Sri Lankan Mutton Curry was described as slow-braised mutton cooked with coconut, curry leaves and island spices. This was another comforting dish, with tender pieces of mutton and a rich, creamy sauce.

The coconut and spices gave the curry a rounded flavour without making it overwhelmingly hot. Again, the portion looked modest when it first arrived, but there was enough meat and sauce for us to share.

The curry was particularly good with the paratha, which was ideal for scooping up the sauce.

Fish Cutlet: A Nostalgic Sri Lankan Snack

Then came an unexpected treat. Our waitress suggested that we try the Fish Cutlet, a Sri Lankan snack consisting of spiced fish mixed into a filling, shaped and coated before being deep-fried.

For anyone familiar with Sri Lankan food, fish cutlets are a classic snack, often served at gatherings, tea time or as a quick bite. For us, it was a nostalgic addition to the meal.

The outside was crisp and golden, while the spiced fish filling inside had a soft, savoury texture. It was served with some salad on the side, making the presentation more colourful. It went extremely well with the rest of the meal.

We Probably Ordered Too Much

Looking back at what we ordered, we clearly got carried away.

Between the two of us, we had:

Ghee Podi Masala Dosa
Jaffna Fish Curry
Sri Lankan Mutton Curry
Rice
Paratha
Fish Cutlet

That’s a considerable amount of food for two people. It seems to be becoming a habit with us, seeing an interesting menu and wanting to try as many different dishes as possible! The good thing about ordering this way is that we were able to experience several parts of Dosa Queen’s menu in one sitting.

One thing we only noticed during the meal was the £9.99 lunch deal. The offer allows diners to choose a curry with rice or paratha for £9.99 per person. Given the quality and quantity of what we experienced, this represents a particularly affordable way to sample the restaurant during the day.

It also makes sense for a restaurant located close to the University of Bristol and surrounding student areas. For someone looking for an inexpensive lunch rather than a full evening meal, the deal is certainly worth knowing about.

IMG_4066 Dosa Queen Sri Lankan Mutton Curry and Paratha Large

More Sri Lankan Curries and Dishes to Try

Having enjoyed the Jaffna Fish Curry and Sri Lankan Mutton Curry, we were curious about the other dishes available. The curry section includes several Sri Lankan and South Indian choices that caught our attention.

Kathrikka Thokku, for example, features brinjal cooked in a bold, oil-rich Sri Lankan masala. There’s also a Sri Lankan Chicken Curry, described as a classic Ceylon-style preparation with coconut milk and curry leaves. For something milder and more vegetable-focused, there is Pumpkin Curry, made with pumpkin cooked in coconut cream and curry leaves.

The menu also includes Chettinad Chicken Curry, a bold South Indian curry with mixed vegetables in a spiced coconut gravy. Alongside these are more familiar choices such as Butter Chicken Masala, Lamb Rogan Josh, Saag Paneer, Goan Fish Curry and Dhal Tadka. There is clearly enough here for several return visits.

Dosa Queen’s Signature Dosas

The dosa menu is another reason we would return. After enjoying the Ghee Podi Masala Dosa, we would like to explore some of the other variations.

Options include:

Plain Dosa
Masala Dosa
Ghee Dosa
Cheese Dosa
Kal Dosa
Onion Uttapam
Mixed Vegetable Uttapam
Ghee Podi Masala Dosa

The name Dosa Queen sets a fairly high expectation, and our first dosa certainly gave us a good reason to try more.

Sri Lankan Favourites and Kottu

Another section we didn’t have room to explore was the Sri Lankan Favourites. This includes different varieties of kottu, one of Sri Lanka’s best-known street food dishes. There are vegetarian, chicken, lamb, seafood and mixed versions.

Kottu is particularly appealing when shared because it combines chopped roti with vegetables, spices and meat or seafood, all cooked together on a hot griddle. The menu also includes Sri Lankan-style fried rice and noodles, as well as a Colombo Cheesy Smash.

These are all dishes that we’d like to try on another visit.

Don’t Forget the Biryani

For those who prefer a more familiar Indian favourite, Dosa Queen also has a biryani section. The restaurant describes its biryani as aromatic rice slow-cooked with fragrant spices, tender meat and herbs, with chicken, lamb and beef options. After seeing the curries and dosa, we’d probably have difficulty deciding what to order on our next visit.

A Restaurant Worth Returning To

What impressed us most about Dosa Queen wasn’t just the food. It was the combination of variety, friendly service and the opportunity to try something beyond the usual Indian restaurant menu.

The South Indian and Sri Lankan influences give the restaurant a distinctive identity. A diner can come in for a dosa or idly, return another time for kottu, or settle down to a Sri Lankan curry.

The owner has only been running the restaurant for around two years, but it is already gaining recognition among local diners. After seeing regular customers arriving during our lunch, we can see why.

Our Dosa Queen Experience

We were very pleased that our search for an Indian restaurant in Bristol eventually brought us to Dosa Queen.

The Ghee Podi Masala Dosa was crunchy, fragrant and delicious. The Jaffna Fish Curry and Sri Lankan Mutton Curry were creamy and flavourful, with generous amounts of meat and sauce despite the smaller serving bowls.

The Fish Cutlet was an unexpected highlight and a nostalgic taste of Sri Lanka.

The restaurant was clean and cosy, and our waitress was genuinely friendly and attentive throughout the meal.

The menu is also what makes Dosa Queen stand out. This isn’t simply a place for the usual butter chicken, tikka masala and naan. The combination of South Indian dosas, Sri Lankan curries, kottu, idly, hoppers and biryani gives diners plenty of reasons to come back. And we certainly intend to.

Next time, we may show a little more restraint with the ordering, perhaps one curry, a dosa or kottu and some rice to share. Then again, there are still far too many things on that menu we want to try.