Blockbuster Cafe & Bakery - Indian Pure Vegetarian — Restaurant in Alpharetta

Blockbuster needs a lot of work on their customer service and value for money. I have been here 3 times for dine-in, and the service was very poor on my last visit. We ordered several different types of dosa, and the server just put the dosa on the table without telling us which type it was. When one is a rava masala dosa and one is a ghee rava dosa, how would we know? In addition, we ordered vangi bath. What does vangi bath mean? It literally means eggplant rice. There was NO EGGPLANT in this vangi bath at all. Instead, there was only potato fry. We did not order aloo bath, we ordered vangi bath. On top of that, there was too much masala powder added, overpowering the dish. We asked the staff why there was potato in the vangi bath and no eggplant, and got a rude response that potato is normal in vangi bath and there was eggplant, but it was "small pieces." Eggplant is not an expensive vegetable, in fact it is one of the cheapest vegetables to buy. One can easily buy a pound of eggplant for less than $1. To pay $7.99 for vangi bath and get not even a single gram of eggplant is ridiculous. I attached a photo so everyone can see, it's just rice, curry leaves, peanuts, and potatoes.

In addition, Blockbuster recently moved from paper plates and trays to metal trays. This is more environmentally friendly, but they significantly cut the portions of chutney and sambar they are serving. They used to give a full bowl of sambar with dosa, but now it is a small compartment in the metal tray. Two chutneys weren't even fillling that small compartment. The tomato chutney was so salty, I couldn't even eat it. When a single dosa costs $15, how hard is it to give a full amount of chutney?

Last, about the atmosphere. This was a problem on our last visit, there was a loud and low vibrating sound coming from the ceiling the entire time. I think it was an A/C unit or some other machine, but it was extremely loud and annoying. Someone else has noted this problem in their review as well. It is difficult to sit and eat with a sound like we are in an airplane.

For the high prices they are charging, one can find a full service restaurant which offers better service...

Reading the other reviews, I can only hope our experience was a one off. Went here for dinner with mine and a friends’ family. First off, we ordered separately - they took both our orders wrong. Mine, I ordered one lemon rice (among other things), for whatever reason they took that as two Lemon rice orders and was charged for both. My friends’ order: he ordered Samosa masala without raw onions; he got onion samosa without onion (not even kidding). We sent the samosas back and asked for samosa chaat.

Service: the person serving was so lost. She delivered one of our orders to another table. And another was about to be delivered to a wrong table also and i flagged her down.

The food: I sincerely hope this was a one off.. maybe we ordered the wrong things. But every item, except for the idly and parota was stale. Infact, the samosa masala which we eventually got was spoilt / inedible. I was getting a funny feeling but ate a few bites, and now I’m made 3 visits to the toilet and unable to sleep. Idly admittedly was ok. The lemon rice x2 we got, went straight into the trash can and it was clearly stale. All in all, bad experience.

The person taking the order was nice and all, and I get it that they’re probably still trying to figure out operations - but come on, don’t slack on quality. Likely won’t...

A Hidden Gem!

If you're craving authentic South Indian flavors, Blockbuster Cafe & Bakery is a must-visit! Here's why:

Location & Parking Located conveniently with ample parking, it’s easy to access without any hassle – perfect for a laid-back outing.

Ambiance The vibe is relaxed, with a self-serve atmosphere where you order first, which suits the casual setup. They serve food on Styrofoam/paper plates and cups, keeping it simple.

Menu Highlights The focus here is on South Indian dishes, and you’ll even find unique treats like Goli Soda. Highly recommended if you want a taste of something traditional and fun.

Our group tried:

Mysore Bonda and Chutney – a standout! Perfectly prepared, just like back in India. Puri Chole and Puri Curry – fluffy, soft puris paired with expertly spiced chole. Vegetable Biryani – cooked to perfection, with just the right blend of spices. Black Forest Cake – a delightful end to the meal, incredibly soft and balanced in sweetness. Pricing & Seating Prices are standard, and there’s plenty of seating both indoors and outdoors.

In a sea of emerging Indian eateries, Blockbuster stands out for its food quality. If you’re after flavor and authenticity, this place is worth...