Imli in Tunbridge Wells

Myself and Mahesh Anna ( Restaurant Owner) are from the same village and studied in the same school. A few hours ago, I visited The Lungi Restaurant for dinner. As soon as I identified the fish dish name and tasted the fish, the flavors instantly reminded us of our coastal hometown — the kind of taste you find in Nagercoil side, especially places like Puthenthurai and Chemponkarai. ( Kanyakumari) The connection was so strong that we asked the table service person if we could meet the owner… and to our surprise, the owner himself — Mahesh — turned out to be from our very own village! The taste of the food brought out not just memories, but also reconnected us to a familiar face. Truly, food carries identity, culture, and sometimes, even long-lost connections.”

Enjoyed a wholesome south indian dinner with family. Loved Cauliflower 65, Poricha Kozhi, Masala Dosa and Gunpowder idli. Thanks to Ahmed for the special hospitality.

Get the hopper with your dish of choice, it is so great. Hospitable team!

1st time trying this restaurant. Dinner at the bar. Built a quick rapport with the wait and bar staff. They took the time to discuss the great menu, making well informed recommendations. Unusual (for my taste) cocktails were all spot on! Couldn’t be happier with this choice and i will be back soon!

Disclaimer: not for the faint of heart with regards to spice level. We went for lunch and had the thalis, which were excellent, but we're super spicy and left us feeling like we had really just experienced something. The flavors were different and more intense than many other Indian restaurants, but also extremely spicy. This would not be suitable for children. But for those who can the heat, it makes for an exceptional meal where you can sample a lot of flavors.

AMAZING! Ahmad took care of us, we never had Sri Lankan food before and gave us amazing recommendations. Would highly recommend the chicken curry and lamb rice dish

I really enjoyed the Srin Lankan food. The hopper was smooth and well cooked, the city very flavorful and the kothu was flavorful and had a great combination of textures. The coconut sambal was also good. It was noticeably spicier than the food I had in Sri Lanka. The staff was friendly. The place is very loud, between bad acoustics and loud music, it was hard to focus on the conversation.

Great south India food ever had in USA. Patio seating was great. Be sure to let them know your spice level for all items else it might be too spicy

I finally had the chance to try the cozy little gem down the street! This place serves authentic, flavorful meals that transport you straight to the heart of Kerala We kicked things off with the Kerala Beef Chukka, a rich and aromatic dish, perfectly spiced and tender, served with a delicious egg hopper that complemented the beef wonderfully. It was hands down our favorite of the evening. Next, we tried the Fish Cutlet and the Deafman Shop Tawa Fish Fry, both offering distinct flavors and textures. The fish fry was earthy, and unique. For dessert, we finished off with a Semiya Paal Payasam – a creamy, simmering milk with roasted vermicelli, flavored with cardamom and garnished with nuts and ghee. It was the perfect sweet ending to an already outstanding meal. I highly recommend making a reservation ahead of time, as the space fills up quickly, especially if you want a good spot in the back. We sat at the bar, which was also a great experience; the bartender gave us personalized attention, making the evening feel special. If you’re looking for authentic flavors, a warm atmosphere, and exceptional service, this place is definitely worth a visit!

Delicious South Indian and Sri Lankan food! We enjoyed the prawn appetizer, hopper, chicken kothu, and black chickpea and king fish Kari’s. Don’t miss the prawn appetizer and enjoy with the hopper and kothu. The curries were flavorful and tasty, but the portions were a bit small for the price. The fish was overcooked. We ordered the Sri Lankan dessert (forgetting the name), and it was very tasty. Not overly sweet and reminded me of a more solid coconut flan. It was new to me and we enjoyed it! Still very much enjoyed the meal and look fwd to coming back for Sunday banana leaf brunch.

Such a great meal & great service!! Loved all of the recommendations we were given

Went to dinner with friends and we were super excited to try some new-to-us Sri Lankan dishes. Lungi didn’t disappoint! The atmosphere was delightful, our waiter was very friendly and super helpful in describing the dishes and making recommendations, and every bite was more delicious than the last. We will DEFINITELY be back!

I come to Lungi atleast once a week. Their dosa is by far the best in the city. I have tried dosas at Semma, saravanna, nothing compares. My favourite is their paneer dosa - perfectly crisp! Can't wait to try more. If you get 1 thing off their menu, let it be this.

Food was great! Made me feel like I was at a luxury hotel! Ambience was very fancy, and the waiters were very friendly. Must try the Tawa Fish Fry!

Amazing food! Unfortunately we didn’t realize that the banana leaf brunch was only on sundays (we went on a Saturday) but the food did not disappoint! Amazing cocktails too!

Fantastic restaurant! It’s great to not have to go all the way downtown to get Kottu

I think this place might have a Michelin star and it’s quite good. The server recommended that we get the Kerala beef and I think that was a fantastic idea. It was her favourite dish of the night is an appetizer by the way the other dishes we got were the eggplant which was far too spicy for me and a chicken curry, which I liked a lot. The flavour was great. I would go again and definitely get the beef as well as the roti.

I had an amazing experience here with a friend! We were basically clueless what to order and the staff was tremendously helpful. Every single bite of food was delicious and flavorful. Highly recommend.

The food was exquisite, truly authentic South Indian food!

Sunday brunch is not recommended. It’s a very basic but $50 too expensive of a set menu with curries that all almost taste the same. Service is not good even though I think they are trying. There is much better food to be had in NYC.

Food is so good that it transported me back to India ,where the freshest ingredients are cooked in the purest and heartfelt way possible just like homemade.Service and hospitality is top-notch.Must must visit in NY PS:The restaurant name is reflected in the attire worn by people in the restaurant.

Stopped in for lunch. Place is clean and nicely decorated. Polite staff and good service. $25 “meat” thali is a ripoff. Not worth it. Get a dosa instead. Their lunch menu only includes 3 expensive thalis. Order off the regular menu.

We ordered the place after believing the reviews speak for itself. But honestly we did not enjoy the food. We ordered Ambur biryani and chilli mushroom.

This review is for SUNDAY THALI. I was there before for dinner, it was amazing, worth the price Sunday Thali OR Banana leaf thali NOT WORTH - quality, quantity, taste, price, not in par with their dinner Price- $50 for limited veg or non veg platter.. quantity- quantity is 3/4 of takeout condiment cup, with small piece of chicken or fish. Btw it’s fixed quantity platter, no refill Quality- I ate vegetarian, number of dishes were less than Non veg platter n quality is 2 star, left me a bad taste Non vegetarian platter, as I heard no meat or bread, just rice… QUALITY QUALITY FOR THE $50 is FORGOTTEN THIS THALI left a bad taste for me to visit Lungi again Note: Amala / coconut water- another failed drink… $10 for this mocktail, badly executed

As a South Indian, I must say they have things on the menu that I’ve never seen before in restaurants in the US. It was comfort food but boujie… perfect excuse to eat out. The king fish fry was… *chef’s kiss*… so freaking good. So many good ‘dairy free’ friendly items on the menu. The only problem I had was that they only gave a tiny portion of coconut milk with the hopper, but I guess i can just ask for more next time. Also, Nannari sharbat, Jackfruit curry reminded me of home. Amazing… will surely visit again and spread the word among friends too! And I wanna go back for their Sunday banana leaf feast in the future.

One of the best mutton rolls I’ve ever had outside of Sri Lanka—crispy, flavorful, and perfectly spiced! For the main course, we had lamb lamprice & hoppers with Srilankan prawn curry, and it was absolutely incredible. The flavors were rich, authentic, and reminded me of true Sri Lankan cuisine. If you’re looking for great Sri Lankan food, this place is a must-visit. Highly recommend and will definitely be coming back!

The food was incredible. Probably one of the best Indian restaurants I’ve been to in the city

This food is delicious. I highly recommend. We had Sakhawat as a waiter and he had great recommendations and was very kind. We will come back.

We waited multiple hours for our food as a party of 7 as we watched other customers who came after us get the exact same dishes as us an hour earlier. The food was pretty good, but the service was abysmal. No matter how good the food was, it could not make up the obnoxiously long amount of time it took for it to come out.

Fantastic dining experience. Great food. Great service.

It made us feel right at home! 🇱🇰So delicious!

Food was excellent. My only complaint is that once you are done with your meal, they ask you to leave. According to them, they have other people waiting to eat. My family and I felt rushed out of there. They don’t give you the time to really enjoy the place even after you have a nice dinner.

Delicious food. Attentive service. Mushroom appetizer - Gunter Chili Mushroom - was our favorite!

Very authentic South Indian and Sri Lankan food, just the right amount of spices and all the dishes were quite flavorful

Excellent food and service ! Very courteous people and friendly staff ! We had the cauliflower Manchurian the hopper and also paneer ghee roast ! Since it was Valentine’s Day they gave us dessert in shape of heart ! The staff especially Ahmed was very attentive and kind !

Review for lungi: too spicy to enjoy other flavors. If you like spicy you may enjoy this. Original Review for imli (erstwhile) (must have done rebranding without changing the review): One of the best Indian places in New York upper east side. And I am Indian, who likes moderate spicy food.

Sathish was great and the food was delicious

Lungi Restaurant offers a culinary journey like no other. Each dish tells a story, making every bite an experience to remember. The Kerala beef was absolutely incredible—so good we had to order seconds! The staff was exceptional. I can’t wait to return and indulge in their banana leaf brunch. A truly unique dining gem that’s a must-try!

Lovely meal, Satish was phenomenal!

Very good modern take on sri lankan and south indian food

Great service (Ahma was our server.) Delicious food. I’m plant-based and there are plenty of options. Bar seats a bit uncomfortable so we switched to a table. Very comfortable there. Will return!

After hearing such great reviews my family and I traveled from CT to have dinner at Lungi tonight, and it did not disappoint. The beautiful ambience and hospitable staff made for a warm, comforting experience. We decided to eat family style and shared a little bit of everything, and WOW. I’m not sure I can accurately describe how amazing the food was, my mouth is still watering. My personal favorites are the guntur chili mushroom and poricha chicken. We will definitely be back!!

Best food and drinks in the city!

We were there twice, at lunchtime and in the evening. The food and service were very good both times.

Vincent created a great home menu. Ahmed did a good job with serving it with love

The Veggi Thali is absolutely authentic.. bring you appetite before you order it.

Some of the food is hot; much of it is not what you usually eat in an Indian restaurant, portions are large and some of what we ate was delicious. Portions large enough that we took a lot home. Excellent service, calm environment, and NO LOUD NOISE - What a rarity! Satesh the manager took very good care of us. This place offers something different.

Excellent food lemonade was so good so unique service was extremely good and I wouldn’t recommend to people who hate spicy food but this is the place if you do

We loved trying new food, our server was great and informative.

The best cocktails in the city, been to many restaurant's in the city, by far the best. Danish is the best bartender in the city.

Food was soooo good..wanna visit again..Service and ambience was also great..Satish has assisted very well..Had a great night..!! A recommendable placeee..

Amazing food!! I’m South Indian and the food was authentic. They didn’t hold back on the flavor and truly showcased the diversity of South Indian cusine. Ahmed was an amazing server!!

Great food very authentic. Welcoming service. Ahmed was great!

Amazing food & service, thanks to Satheesh & the team at Lungi!

Excellent, authentic South Indian food in an intimate and elegant setting. Highly recommend the Beef Chukka (spicy!), Malabar Parotta, Ambur Biriyani, Fish Cutlet and Prawn Curry. Drinks (the guava cocktail) could have been stronger, but we had a great time!

Everything about this restaurant is amazing!!!! Ambiance, Food and service!!! Akhil took the time to explain the menu, made incredible suggestions and was beyond a pleasure!!! Will definitely come back to the restaurant of not weekly bi monthly!!!

They failed inspection, and therefore we stopped eating there. They were cited for multiple violations of the food safety/health code.

Tried Lungi for the first time and cannot wait to go back again! The decor adds to the island like atmosphere of Sri Lanka with subtle hints of blue and green to the rattan lighting throughout the space. Everything we ordered from the menu was amazingly flavorful and fresh. The dosa was perfect, kothu roti was the comfort food I did not know I needed in my life. The spices in the kerala beef were well blended and the meat was so tender. We also tried the paneer and calamari which I was surprisingly pleased with, the spices did not overpower. I will definitely be going back to try more dishes!

Really authentic South Indian food. It’s amazing and a must try.

Authentic Sri Lankan Food must try Kothu Paratha, Dosa is proper crispy,

Food was excellent, will be back soon

I caught a cockroach on my seat's backrest with a napkin and handed it to our server prior to ordering our meal. They apologized. We were initially hesitant, but proceeded with ordering the lamb biryani, idli, and drinks. The food was good, service prompt, we paid the full price and tipped normally at the end of our meal (it was our decision to stay, despite what has happened). No compensation was offered. Our server assured us that the cockroach is a one-off incident. We hope it will be addressed. Needless to say, we will not be back anytime soon.

This is a fabulous restaurant! Every dish (we had four plus dessert) was wonderful, the host was so gracious and kind, staff were excellent. The flavors were intense and delicate, spicy and soothing. Absolutely delicious! Thank you!

The food here is so authentic and tasty that it reminded me of my home food. We ordered chicken kothu porotta, hoppers, mutton paaya. Try the Paaya with hoppers or string hoppers. It’s amazing. Hard to choose a favorite . The staff here were so welcoming and friendly.

This was probably the most stressful dining experience I've ever had. The food was good, but there weren't many Sri Lankan dishes on the menu. It was also overpriced—$14 for three idlis and $8 for one egg hopper. There was a long wait just to order; it was very disorganized and chaotic. The portion sizes are small for what they charge you for. Once we finished eating, they quickly took our plates and cutlery away, making us feel rushed. At one point, the hostess told us to leave because she needed the table ASAP and there were people waiting but we had just ordered dessert. She apologized afterwards, but it made everyone feel uncomfortable. We were also seated by the entrance, so we could clearly see that no one was waiting for a table. So she lied to kick us out. The servers were always rushing, and one nearly crashed into us twice so that was fun. When it was time to pay, they forgot our masala chai, and we overheard the server scolding another server about it. At that point, we didn’t even want the chai anymore, but our server insisted we take it. Then, he stood over us while my friend drank it. In our rush to leave, we quickly paid the bill on the mobile POS, but the server was watching us and even scrolled through the bill, not allowing us to adjust the tip amount. Overall, it was just a bizarre experience, and I won’t be coming back.

Bunch of us went to Lungi for dinner on New Year’s Eve and it was probably one of my fondest memories of the year. The food was authentic and managed to capture the essence of each region/community it was from. We loved the appetizers so much that we ordered it thrice! Cocktails were outstanding too! But the biggest props goes to the team at Lungi. The staff were incredibly kind and patient with such a great sense of humor. The service was personal and we felt connected to the food and the team at Lungi. Shoutout and love to the owner, wait staff, and the kitchen. Lungi would be perfect for a private dinner or an intimate party! The outdoor seating area gives you the best of both. 12/10 will come back for more! ♥️

We have been wanting to try Lungi after being fans of Imli, and my husband and I finally made a reservation. We went early on a Saturday, so it wasn't too busy. Don't be afraid to use the call button for service! After waiting a while ready to order, the server came over and helped us pick our meals. I ordered a mocktail, the guava lemonde which i had to stop myself from downing in one go it was so good! I also ordered the Kerala Beef Chukka from the small plates. It was excellent, though a little on the spicy side for me, but i powered through since the flavors were delightful. It came with a flat, flaky bread (not sure the name of it) to dip into it with. My husband ordered the Kori Ghassi, which was also on the spicy side, but delicious. We also got a hopper each, one plain and one egg. By the time we left it was getting busy and I can see the issue others have had in regards to the service, but if youre not in a hurry, I just say enjoy! I really loved the music too. Will return soon.

Such a flavor explosion and loved the higher spice level and different sauces used to cook the dishes. The staff was super helpful in their suggestions on our order as we were vegetarian. The cauliflower and mushroom starter and the jackfruit and Kuttu paratha were exceptional! Would highly recommend if you like your food on the spicer side. That said the coconut curry and idliappams were a perfect accompaniment if you wanted to tone down your spice level. The staff was beautifully dressed in traditional Lungis and very attentive .

Outstanding cuisine. We loved every bite! Superb service. Such a varied and interesting menu. We were a fairly large group, and the wait staff were superb.

I am a Sri Lankan and rarely find authentic Sri Lankan food- Lungi tasted like my mum’s cooking. I really enjoyed the hoppers and fish cutlet and would visit again.

Good vibe and good food. Nice place for a party of 10+. Service was a bit slow. I am really not a fan of using artificial colors in the food however, I understand that it makes the food quite authentic however, they need to come up with ways to find alternatives and still make the final outcome of the dishes look and taste authentic.

All right people this is the most authentic Indian restaurant I’ve ever been to in the United States. I travel for work. I have been to over 30 states in the United States. I have tried every kind of Indian restaurant there is this to date is the only restaurant I have been to that kept the original culture that taste the spice levelto what a south Indian food is I have been to Hyderabad. I have been to Kerala I have seen and tasted the actual South Indian dishes. This to me is the number one place in New York City if you guys want to check out a good Indian food please go see these guys amazing food amazing atmosphere very fast service and the portions are amazing.

The food was soooooo good . Great service !

Amazing!!!!! You will not find MORE AUTHENTIC Indi-Srilankan food in NYC let alone New York State, I will dare to say! The Paradise of a global gourmand! RUN don't walk!

Terrific South Indian (Tamil / Kerala) food. The cuttlefish thoku and Kerala mutton stew with appams (hoppers) were our favourites!

Great food , fantastic atmosphere and amazing service

Had gone to this location back when it used to be Imli. Ever since I saw this new place come up, I've been meaning to try it. Decided to go here for lunch with my out-of -town friend, and we both loved it! He had the Masala Dosa and got a Veg Kothu to-go and I had the very well-made Chicken Kothu. Simple cooking with clean flavors that reminded us of food from back home. So 10/10 for nailing the flavor profile. Edit: Visit #2 was very dissapointing. Booked a table for dinner. It was 1st of Jan and the restaurant was quite full. We were seated at the back at a corner table and the minute we were seated i felt like this table was going to be ignored like how I ignore my fitness. We waited a long time to get the menu card and it was another long wait to have the people take our order. We ordered the Malabar Porota and Kori Ghasi (chicken curry). The food took forever to come but was good. The flavors were amazing. We also ordered the Hopper (which is basically an appam) and it was raw!! We sent it back and waited another 15 mins to get a fresh hopper. Again, food wise we were happy but the service was very very unsatisfactory. Reducing the rating because of this appalling experience.

Great service, excellent food and genuine & caring people. It is a reflection of their love for authentic food.

Tried here for the first time today for our new year treat. The food was delicious and loved how the service and atmosphere of the restaurant. It was indeed busy today, but couldn't complain the wait after tasting the food. We wanted to try Srilankan dishes and it tasted just like the food back home. My favorite was the mutton rolls and the hoppers was delicious as well with the sides of pol Sambol and seeni Sambol. Definitely will come back again to try other dishes.

Great Food , Great Service and Great Staff

Incredible authentic South Indian food with warm and inviting service. The manager, Satish, makes you feel right at home. Can’t recommend it enough!

I came back to this place after the restaurant owners renamed/brought in a new menu and I can attest that its still great! I loved the mutton roll appetizer it was so delicious and the filling was incredibly flavorful. I also really enjoyed the Kori Ghassi with the dosa and coconut chutney. Will definitely come back to try their new lunch special!

We went to lungi after reading the Michelin recommendation. It was so worth it. So excited we finally have a restaurant in Manhattan that serve authentic appam and idiyappam with coconut milk, like how grandma did. Great staff and service.

The food was delicious! Our server and all restaurant staff was very friendly!

Amazing and authentic South Indian food with fantastic service!

Highly highly recommend! Lungi is an incredible new restaurant in the Upper East Side, featuring absolutely phenomenal authentic South Indian and Sri Lankan food. The vibes are great, the service and staff is awesome and super friendly, the drinks are very uniquely South Indian/Sri Lankan, and the food is absolutely top notch. It just recently won the Bib Gourmand award from Michelin, very well deserved, and would expect it to win many more. The food and experience absolutely rivals (some dishes even top) the food at the other famous South Indian places in Manhattan. Overall 10/10 experience! Have been here 3 times now, and we haven't had a single bad drink or dish. And each time the service and the experience are phenomenal. A can't miss place for any fan of South Indian/Sri Lankan food!

Reminded me of home. Food was delicious.

Had dinner here last night. Friendly staff and delicious food from southern India and Sri Lanka. The Kothu Roti was a standout. Highly recommended.

Very tasty! Lots of exciting new dishes to try

The food was unique and delicious and the staff were friendly.

This place is amazing! I absolutely loved everything. The owner is very sweet and the way they care about the people was top knotch! Everyone should be eating here.

Nice ambience. Three different seating zones. Good friendly staff. We sat in the patio section which is nice and spacious and fully closed/heated. We think this place has some great flavours in their roasts and curries. I don't usually eat meat but will try occasionally. One of the things I and my wife agree on was that their meat (goat and chicken) were not fresh. They were too dry which is a sign of being frozen and/or over cooked. More likely they were just not fresh. The flavours were amazing but when meat is dry it's harder to eat. We couldn't finish either of our dishes I would strongly encourage this place to use fresh products as it will really propel the experience and food to astronomical heights.

I tried the following dishes: king fish fry, beef fry with Parotha, Hopper with coconut milk. All of them were freshly made and tasted delicious. The pain killer cocktail (old monk) was good too. Anyone missing Kerala food, please visit here. Especially the beef fry with parotta will take you back to Kerala. Keep up the good work. Hoping to try the thali someday.

The food was incredible! Ahmed was our server and he had great recommendations and really took the time to explain each menu item and how it should be eaten. Would definitely recommend and will be back!

Great service, terrific menu and well made! Some of the best South Indian food I've had that wasn't home made!

Walked in for lunch on a Saturday afternoon and the place was relatively busy. Staff was kind enough to get me seated even though they were about to close the restaurant for afternoon. What was formerly Imli is now Lungi, and I believe it is the same team, but with a more South Indian and Sri Lankan forward menu. Fresh look too - new interiors, brighter decor, and a good patio seating. Sri Lankan food good us excited and we ordered Vegetarian Kothu ($22), Kerala Mutton Stew (27), and Plain Dosa ($15) for our little one. Cocktails are mixed by their partner, Vincent who was friendly enough to chat with us and also make a very good Old Fashioned! Food overall was good, although the Kothu did not live up to it's Sri Lankan standards (my reference being Sigiri on LES). Kothu was very roti forward and lacked the kind of roasted taste that I was expected. It was much more moist and didn't really have much flavor. The stew on the other hand was flavorful and tasted better the next day! Service was excellent, and the menu is slightly on the pricier side. Definitely worth a visit for their South Indian menu and cocktails. Will visit again with friends and family!

Amazing cuisine, service, and look to the whole restaurant

Outstanding service. Manager helped us pick dishes. Food was great.

Great initiative to bring some Sri Lankan food to the table, cute place with good service. However, if you are looking for authentic sri lankan food this may not be the place to go. We ordered the egg hopper, lamb kottu and mutton rolls. Kottu was very mushy and lacking flavor, egg hopper was cold and stiff and for a whopping $9 dollars for one egg hopper it was definitely not worth the price. Mutton rolls were crispy but again lacking flavor and actual mutton in the roll. Manager was willing to serve us another dish instead but we chose not to get anymore to not be disappointed any further.

Good food Good mood thank you.😊