Minerva Coffee Shop — Restaurant in Andhra Pradesh

Spent an year in Tirupati so far and have gone through Minerva a few times. A couple of lunch options and twice for dinner. They are decent in South Indian and thats about it - nothing to write home about. My last visit was w.r.t. a mother's day dinner evening which could have been a lot better - made the mistake of ordering North Indian.

I ordered mango juice (not shake) without ice or sugar - and it was super bland. Its probably some cheap mango that was used which had no taste. Expect a 2-3 star restaurant to serve a much better standard food. For starters, one of the things we ordered was french fries - they delivered the fries but with that they delivered ketchup in sachets (as if I was at Mc. Donalds drivethru) - that was super cheap and tacky - a small cafe also does better by serving in a small bowl or a cup. While I am not high maintenance, I expected some standards for the price that we were paying. Told Somashekhar the manager or supervisor, specifically that most restaurants spoil Aloo Gobhi by having a lot more Aloo than Gobhi - can you pls ensure that its balanced? We got exactly the imbalanced version - hardly any Gobhi, just some minced pieces sprayed and the overall dish had almost no salt. Ordered Kadhai paneer - made with a strong cashew (or similar paste), it was nothing but a shahi paneer or maybe even butter paneer - not at all the Kadhai paneer. Every time we ordered Roti, the waitress would wait to tell the Supervisor before she went to the kitchen. And if Somashekhar was not there, she would just wait by some TV screen. Each roti order was at least 20 mins wait!!! All of this was a major disappointment. And when we politely shared the feedback with Somashekhar, we were taken aback for his retort asking why we didn't complain before itself and there was not a single sorry for the poor service and the poor food.

For all those who rave so much about Minerva - it seemed like a lot of hype with hot gas and nothing much!

Great...

Minerva Coffee Shop, located within the Minerva Grand Hotel in Tirupati, enjoys a prime location that makes it easily accessible for both locals and visitors. The restaurant boasts a very good ambience, offering a clean, comfortable, and aesthetically pleasing dining experience suitable for families, tourists, and business travelers alike.

The food here is the real highlight. We began with the lemon coriander soup, which was simply outstanding—refreshing, flavorful, and a perfect start to the meal. Starters like gobi manchurian and crispy corn were also well-prepared, maintaining a good balance of texture and taste.

For the main course, we opted for naan accompanied by vegetable kofta, kadai paneer, and kaju tomato curry. Each of these dishes was rich in flavor and cooked to perfection. The gravies were distinct in taste and paired well with the soft, freshly made naan. The masala dosa was decent, though not exceptional, and the veg dum biryani was satisfactory, offering a mildly spiced, aromatic experience.

The dessert truly impressed us—gulab jamun served with ice cream was a delightful end to the meal, with the warm and soft jamun complementing the chilled ice cream beautifully. However, the show-stealer was undoubtedly the coffee. It was rich, aromatic, and served as the perfect conclusion to a hearty meal.

Service deserves a special mention—it was attentive, prompt, and courteous, enhancing the overall dining experience.

Overall, Minerva Coffee Shop lives up to its name and reputation. With excellent service, great location, and consistently tasty food, it is highly recommended for anyone...

Top Three Reasons to Visit Minerva Coffee Shop

Delicious South Indian Cuisine: The South Indian dishes, especially Pesarattu-Upma, are exceptionally tasty. Welcoming Ambiance: The cozy and clean restaurant provides a very welcoming environment. Variety in Meals: Offers a mix of South and North Indian cuisine, pleasing for all meal times.

Detailed Review

We enjoyed food at Minerva Coffee Shop, Tirupati, during our one-day stay at Minerva Hotel. We had the opportunity to have all three meals here—breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Minerva Coffee Shop is a cozy restaurant located at Minerva Hotel. It is clean and has a very welcoming ambiance.

Regarding the food, the taste of the dishes was very satisfactory. The complimentary buffet breakfast was a mix of South Indian and North Indian cuisine, with the South Indian dishes being particularly delicious. For lunch and dinner, we ordered a la carte and tried a few dishes that were truly mind-blowing, such as Pesarattu-Upma, Daal and Ghee Rice, Curd Rice, and Paneer Tikka. Every bite of these dishes pleased us. I highly recommend the Pesarattu-Upma, which was served with a variety of chutneys. It was a great piece of tradition on the plate.

We did have a constant concern with the service. It seemed that they had limited staff, resulting in delays in getting the food to the table on time. Even a simple dosa took much longer than expected. I recommend they add sufficient staff members to reduce these delays.

Signing Off, Hiral...