Vel Kitchen in Reading

Recently visited the VEL restaurant, must say the food is outstanding at pocket friendly price , the South Indian dishes is a must try here !

Great place! Love the dosas and idlis.

Chicken lollipop tasted off, like it was old Chicken, the dish was too sour, vinegar overload. Chicken fried rice was promised with breaded chicken, but it wasn't.

I recently dined at this restaurant and I have to say, the chicken lollipop is absolutely the best! The meat was perfectly seasoned and cooked to perfection, with a crispy exterior and juicy, flavorful interior. Each bite was a delightful mix of textures and spices. It's evident that the chefs take great care in preparing this dish, making it a standout on the menu. If you visit this restaurant, do yourself a favor and order the chicken lollipop—you won't be disappointed!

Very tasty Sunday lunch buffet for a fantastic price... thoroughly enjoyed the authentic Tamil Nadu style spread . Highly recommended

I was happy about your buffet menus. I enjoyed today's lunch watching India's final there. Really good food good mood thank you guys especially manager madhan

Satisfied food and great experience as always. We received a complimentary desert as they get to know it’s our wedding anniversary. Thank you all who are in Vels specially Madhan who is welcome us same always.

Food is really good especially the Sunday buffet lunch which is a great value for money

Service was very good, parotta and dragon chicken was good but biriyani could have been better.. overall enjoyed the service and experience... A tad bit on the expensive side..

Had a lovely dosa and veg Manchurian the service is really slow and the chutneys are very bland and needs some improvement. The hygiene rating also needs improving . The management have to look into this further to improve the service overall and the quality.

Food was really delicious and service was fab. Though the restaurant was going to close soon, they never rushed us and were taking orders and serving. I would defo come back here again and recommend to friends and family.

We love Vel, although we think some of the dishes have become spicy. The Potato and Spinach is a favourite but we found it to be rather spicy, whereas before, it never had been. Anyway, delicious still, and we are obsessed with the Veg Fried Rice.

I have visited Vel many times with family to enjoy the South Indian Sunday breakfast buffet (veg). We have consistently enjoyed the delicious and wholesome food. Highly recommended. Keep up the good service.

They deliver wrong items when we order in uber eats but when we go to the restaurant,they will deliver the right item.

Always love a good masala dosa.

Very poor service. Short staffed . Even with 2 tables of customers, they are not able to serve on time. Food is also not great. Needs lot of improvement. Full replanning required. If they take customer reviews seriously, they can improve

My wife and I traveled through India for ten weeks, twenty years ago. We spent much of that time in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. They say that taste and smell are fantastic triggers for memory and the flavours of our meal took as back to the beaches of Varkala, the backwaters of Allepey and the temples of Mamallapuram. We were looking for a long early evening meal so googled “Best Dosa In Reading” and realised Vel was a restaurant we’d passed many times but never visited. When we arrived and saw the many we couldn’t resist ordering more than the single dosa we intended to share :) We ordered the paneer dosa, fish Moilee, Chettinadu mutton curry and dhal tarka, with rice. Great portions. Perfectly and authentically spiced. The service was wonderfully attentive but unobtrusive. We would thoroughly recommend Vel to all our friends and will return soon.

Food was really yummy. Best place to eat south Indian food. Dine in with live kitchen.

Good food service could be better

"The food was incredibly tasty; I loved every bite. I tried the chicken lollipops, Madras chicken, ghee dosa, and naan bread, all of which were of excellent quality thanks to the new chef at the restaurant. The service was good, the staff were friendly, and there was ample space for families, despite the presence of a bar. The addition of a separate space for families was appreciated. I'll definitely be back, especially since the prices have dropped with the new menu additions. You should definitely give this place a try!"

This restaurant has been my go to takeaway spot for mutton biryani. The spices were spot on and the mutton was tender. Definitely satisfied my craving for authentic South Asian flavours. They also make it a little extra spicy as requested. It also comes with a pot of raita. Suggestion: It would be good, if they could provide some gravy/curry with it, as some other restaurant does.

Had weekend buffet for just 12£ Food was simple but tasty. Parking is difficult, but you can park at nearby free parking. Definitely will visit again, as the food was really good

Food items were wrong , food taste was really bad , and the order arrived about an hour late from initial estimated time of delivery and food was can cold

Fried rice and Dosa was good but chole was prepared in paneer gravy and doesn't taste good.

Really friendly excellent food Come from Nottingham and don’t have a good Indian near us this was so good anyone who likes real Indian food should definitely try here

Absolutely amazing food! Came here with my mates from Nottingham! All of us are new to Nottingham Indian food! Amazing atmosphere and fantastic fresh food! A gem here! Thank you!!

The door was a bit annoying, as cold air kept coming when it was open, but everything else was absolutely amazing!

Excellent South Indian authentic taste I suggest: Mutton chukka Extra large size dosa with various types of chutney Chettinadu chicken soup

Food was not sealed correctly and had split out of packaging, and had soaked the bag in oil

Went in there to have some food as soon they opened and ordered some Channa Batore. The place was clean, the food was delicious and the staff were very polite! Definitely a must visit!

Very tasty lunch buffet. Choices are limited. No choice of breads makes it a 4 star instead of 5.

Friendly and great recommendations. Absolutely lovely…

Disgusting, expired food served. Ordered online and can't expect worst of south India cuisine. Even soft drinks bottle are rusted.

I cannot fault the food or the service. I had the chicken tikka masalla, but found it a little spicy for my pallet. Staff were very apologetic even though it wasn't their fault and even bought me a complimentary vanilla dessert to take the heat away. The service was quick and apart from the spiciness, the food was amazing. This was the perfect place to eat before going onto Proud Cabaret a few meters' walk down the road. Highly recommend it.

Friendly and warm and attentive service. Plenty of choice on the menu and willing to explain some of the more unusual foods ! Lovely food and we all enjoyed every bite.

Very disappointed. The punjabi samosas were tasteless and the Mutton Pepper curry that I paid £14.99 for was not worth it based on the taste as well as the portion and I am not a big eater!

The food and service were excellent and made it an enjoyable evening. Will definitely be going back soon with my family for another excellent meal.

I recently visited the restaurant, and regrettably, the experience was disappointing. The service was notably slow, with inexperienced staff showing a lack of customer care. After waiting for 20 minutes and observing uncleaned tables, no one provided details about the buffet or ala carte menu. Ultimately, we left without having any food. It's disheartening when the quality of service doesn't match the flavors of the cuisine.

The buffet meal was quick and offered a lot of delicious options! Overall the food was amazing :) the bread was perfection and the mango lassi my gf had was so thick and full of flavour!

I have ordered 2 chicken fried rice but I have received only one chicken fried rice. This made me upset. Please do check the orders before sending them.

For the past year, Vel has been our go-to spot whenever the craving for spicy Indian food strikes. We have been there on multiple occasions and have consistently been delightful. The staff, notably the manager, stand out for their attentiveness and ability to tailor recommendations based on individual tastes.

This spot is great if you want authentic South Indian cuisine with genuine hospitality. The taste and freshness of the food is amazing and the customer service is on another level.

Vels is a cosy restaurant that especially caters to the taste of south Indians away from home. We were passing via Reading and were recommended this place. We had a lovely non-veg thaali and Mr Vignesh, kindly ensured that we got our desired meal even though it was slightly after lunchtime. Definitely will be going back especially as the Sambar, rasam, chettinad chicken brought back memories of home.

Little gem. Impressed with cleanliness and efficient kitchen staff. Food was tasty and portion size is good too.

Excellent Variety , quick service and quality food . Must visit for anyone craving southindian cuisine

Authentic South Indian food 😋 very good quality of food and excellent taste. I will definitely recommend to have thier varieties of food to all who are in search of home feel Taste and hospitality.

Excellent food and helpful service. Quite quiet when we went but it was only 6 o'clock. Recommended.

Very good tasting food with a very good efficient service and extensive menu The atmosphere was pleasant and the surroundings were bright and not overcrowded. We will definitely visit again

Excellent service and good very nice thank you!!!!!!!!! Lovely atmosphere very nice restaurant always come with family

This is a delicious place with an amazing menu, lots of space, comfortable seating and great service.

Quantity is pathetic. Very small fish with smallish quarter lemon . £22+ absolutely wasted. Will never order again. Would have uploaded pic but it's not possible here

Went there a few nights back. Food was ok, but to small in portions. Atmosphere a bit dreary. Very quiet but staff were friendly

Really delicious, very fresh, high quality food, we had vegan dishes, all really lovely, good drinks (raspberry mojitos and fresh juices), relaxed atmosphere, very friendly staff, very clean washrooms, takeaway boxes heat sealed. Will 100% be back. Best curry/Indian food in Reading. Can’t believe it’s been here so long and we never ate here before. It was Friday night, not overly busy. …… unfortunately having now eaten here mid week, I now change my rating. Wednesday night, very very quiet, mushroom Manchurian freshly cooked and tasty… followed up with a selection of microwaved tasteless slop. Absolutely insulting, bill £70 for 3 drinks and microwaved from frozen slop, will never ever eat here again. Hard working people do not deserve microwaved slop in exchange for their money. I’d rather they were honest and said what food they could cook fresh and what was not fresh.

food was phenomenal and the crew was absolute best, shoutout to Puja who served us she was brilliant, customer service was peak excellent

This place has one of the best chicken chettinad I've had in London

Fabulous food and service. Food was lovely and really friendly atmosphere. Advice on what to choose greatly appreciated - spicy and very tasty!

Good service and tasty food, prepared in kitchen freshly. Enjoyed the experience with family and friends

Friendly staff and the food was good..

We ate there earlier today, unfortunately we were on a timescale so didn't have the opportunity to take our time enjoying the food as much as we would have liked. I can say that if you want a proper authentic and amazingly tasty Indian meal this is the place to go, miles above your typical English curry house experience. Dishes we didn't know existed and our server was brilliant at explaining what each was and how they were prepared. We have already decided to go back for a decent sitting next weekend. I can recommend the lollipop chicken and dosa, so much so that I have already got on YouTube trying to work out how to make my own!

First time and we definitely were not disappointed. Lovely food and great hospitality. We’ll be back…

The food got delivered on time, but the packaging is very poor. The packet dropped and my whole meal was plastered to the floor.

Great mix of southern and northern Indian cuisine.

The staff were very patient and explained all the authentic dishes to us. The food was delicious.

This place has been my go to meal stop since one year. My family and I love the healthy freshly made authentic Indian food that they prepare. The staff is very helpful and welcoming and they listens to your concerns very patiently. I love this place and would definitely recommend to anyone who are in search for an awesome meal!

Very good Indian restaurant in Reading. Serves authentic South Indian dishes.

Staff and quite friendly and service is quick. Buffets are available but we didn’t try that. South Indian food was ordered which was reasonable taste and good quality

Very impressed with delivery and food has always been tasty as i have always ordered from Vel but had to go and pick it up and was never available on Just Eat so absolute bonus for me now Thank you Vel and team

Amazing food, lovely staff and excellent service! Would definitely recommend to all.

Good variéty menu, great meal and good service but really ridiculously expensive. Otherwise it would be five stars.

Amazing food. I just love South Indian Cuisine - particularly Masala Dosa and the Chicken Pepper fry. Took my sister there to introduce South Indian food for the first time and she loved it. We've now been back a 2nd time and the service was lovely the food different but as good as preciously.

Hi can you improve your Dosa batter please as it’s completely sour and service too slow.

The food here makes we want to travel to south India. The Gobis and Thosai’s are soooo good. The paneer curry was fantastic too. We have eaten here a few times and if you want to eat Indian food, which is different to a traditional curry house, Vel is the best option in Reading.

New management and staff! New chef! First tried the lunch buffet few weeks ago and was pleasantly surprised. Fresh and tasty! Thought let’s try again & see if it was one off or not. This time tried the breakfast buffet and again really surprised! The sambar was so delicious, really took me back home. Think new management is turning it around. Keep it up.

Vel is welcoming and the food delicious with a wide variety os South Indian flavours. We had a late lunch the food was super tasty and banana chips which is a must when visiting. The staff are attentive and very accommodating to special requirements.

The food was of a very good standard. The dosa was served warm and tasted authentic. The chutneys were fresh and tasted like home made chutneys, The sambar was good quality - sufficient dhal and veg and not made watery. The food was not fancy and complicated with multiple flavors. This meant I could enjoy the taste and appreciate the freshness of the food.

Nice service and the food was tasty.

South Indian food is different from what you get in an average Indian restaurant. The person I went with was put off by this because she is not adventurous. It was also too spicy-hot for her. I loved everything and will go back by myself. If you want tandoori chicken and sag paneer, go somewhere else. The restaurant is large, with all hard surfaces and no soundproofing. There was a big party, and it was extremely noisy. Perhaps avoiding Friday evenings is a good idea. I went once before at lunchtime, and it was fine.

I usually go to Vel for breakfast buffet over the weekend however this was a last minute plan to go for dinner and I had the best uttapam. The service was quick and I would visit soon agsin

A fantastic dining experience from start to finish. We often eat out for a curry but were unfamiliar with South Indian cuisine. So we had no idea what to order and the waiter kindly suggested a starter and main for each of us, which turned out to be absolutely delicious. Beautiful flavours, tender, tasty and perfectly cooked. Service was also wonderful and we would heartily recommend to anyone in Reading. You will not be disappointed!

It was a pleasure to find authentic south Indian flavors in heart of England. I say this because while there is no shortage of so-called "Indian" restaurants, most of them are run by non-Indian chefs and taste and flavors are completely off. The unique part is that they also offer drinks and non-vegetarian dishes. Absolutely recommended.

Terrible. Waited ages for terrible food sadly.

Delicious food in time delivery

I can say this is a hidden gem in Reading. The staff here is extremely welcoming and always greets you with a smile. The ambience is superb. The food is excellent, always fresh. I am a big fan of breakfast buffet. Highly recommended..

We ordered 2 mutton biriyani. We received only one. But the taste was really good. We also ordered Rava dosa, Mysore masal dosa. Rava dosa directly went to bin since it tasted horrible. Mysore masala dosa was bad but the stuffing was good, so managed to eat it. Overall i would order mutton biriyani in future and nothing else from this hotel. And the just eat service disappointed us. we stayed in a hotel. We received a call from delivery driver, we clearly told them that we are walking down to collect it. By the time we went down, they left without any information leaving the parcel with the reception. We had to make multiple calls to the restaurant, and finally came to know that it was left there with missing orders. Highly disappointing.

This place is authentic! Vow ! Very reasonably priced and they have a parking behind , but limited . Make sure you tell the waiter your car registration number so that they can issue virtual permit . Extensive choice of food , just like in Chennai !

The Best at Taste and Quality The food we had enjoyed at the time of dinner. It was really delicious taste with great quality, everything had unique taste which we had ordered.!

Lovely food, staff was very friendly and the prices were very reasonable. If you are in Reading and want to have a nice Indian meal I would strongly recommend it

Wonderful South Indian Restaurant! We have been here couple of times now. Great food,excellent service and at reasonable price too. Being a vegetarian and hubby ,non vegetarian was quite hard to find a good restaurant which were good at both.Vel has stood out in this regard and has never disappointed us. As a vegetarian,have tried Gobi 65,medhu vada,kadai veg curry,veg fried rice,veg biryani,Rasam,lunch buffet. Rasam was a top notch,classic taste . Gobi 65 ,my next favourite. Have heard a lot of breakfast buffet.Will be soon trying it. Overall nice food at a decent price.your tummy and pocket ,both will be happy.

Unfortunately only was able to try on last day visiting Reading, but was the best meal we had in the area...which was a high bar as we never had a bad meal anywhere. In our region of the u.s. Indian restaurants tend to be Punjabi...

Very good authentic Indian food. Enjoyed the fish curry. Would definitely recommend. Reasonable price.

Durch Zufall bin ich in dem Restaurant gelandet und habe es nicht bereut. Wirklich authentische und leckere indische Speisen. Sehr...

I went with a friend of mine last night for dinner, we had Gobi 65 (really good), a chicken tikka masala and a paneer curry too with garlic naan. Everything was DELICIOUS. Every time I visit from Spain I come to have dinner at Vel....

Good food and good hospitality. They have wide spread of breakfast and it's tasty and good. It can be go to place for good breakfast on a lazy Saturday or Sunday.

We used to love this place and were there every week but it’s been taken over by new management and it’s not the same at all anymore in taste (tasteless food), quality (plastic crockery, cheap yellow coloured) and presentation (the yellow crockery is horrifically a...

Very much worth for the money, specially the buffet on weekends. Staffs are so kind and respectful 😇🥗🥗

Very good service. Excellent food and good service. My kids really enjoyed the food and it was great.

Food is good, but could have been better if they have used fresh paneer for the curry. Curries were little spicy for me.

I had a fantastic meal with my family today. The food was incredible, but what really stood out to me was the amazing service by our waiter, Pragadheesh. He was very attentive, helpful and polite. We are South Indians and are always on the look...

The service is wonderful. The servers went out of their way to make us lassis and deliver our food. Would definitely return.

Vel was a great experience with great food friendly service staff good restaurant ambience to a great dine