Aditi Indian Dining — Restaurant in Virginia

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Aditi Indian Cuisine in Alexandria, and it was an absolutely fantastic experience from start to finish. We tried a variety of dishes, and each one was a delightful surprise.

For our main courses, I had the Chicken Biryani, and my partner had the Cochin Shrimp Curry paired with Kerala-style Parotta. shrimp curry was a standout—creamy, well-balanced with just the right level of tanginess, and the Parotta was flaky and authentic, hitting that perfect note of crisp and softness you’d expect from a Kerala-style bread.

For starters, we had this wonderful Malai Shrimp dish infused with cardamom and a hint of mint. It was creamy and rich without being heavy, and I’d definitely recommend it as a must-try appetizer. We also enjoyed a baby spinach chaat that added a nice crunch and fresh flavor to the start of the meal.

They also served a beautiful blue-hued drink made from the extract of Shankupushpam flowers (butterfly pea flower), which was both visually stunning and delicious, especially with the dried lime garnish. If you’re into trying unique beverages, that one is a highlight.

The ambiance of Aditi is elegant and welcoming. The décor is lovely, the noise level is comfortable, and the service is top-notch—professional, courteous, and very accommodating. It’s a great spot for families, groups, or anyone looking to enjoy authentic Indian cuisine in a refined setting. They have a nice selection of Kerala-inspired dishes hidden in the menu, so there’s plenty to explore if you love South Indian flavors.

Overall, highly recommend Aditi Indian Cuisine. It’s a gem in Alexandria, and we’ll...

Disappointing Dining Experience

Our visit to this restaurant was far from satisfactory. Here are some specific issues we faced:

1.If you decline bottled water (which is chargeable), they only provide tap water. Bringing your own water is not allowed, which feels like an unreasonable policy.

2.The restaurant does not permit outside bottled water, even if it’s a more affordable option. This policy felt quite frustrating.

3.Most dishes contained dairy products, which was problematic since my daughter has allergies to milk and eggs. The menu barely indicated vegan options, with a tiny font in the corner. When we brought this up, the waiter claimed it was our fault for not mentioning the allergy upfront—very disappointing response.

4.The goat meat dish was tough, undercooked, and difficult to chew.

5.The mango milkshake was pre-made and already sweetened. We requested it without sugar, but they couldn’t accommodate since it was not freshly prepared.

6.The puri was over-fried and came out burnt.

Overall, the food quality was poor and the service from the staff was unprofessional.

Prices were noticeably higher compared to other Indian restaurants, without a corresponding increase in quality.

Despite reserving a table through the OpenTable app, our reservation was inexplicably canceled after the meal, with no explanation provided.

We were hoping for a pleasant dining experience, but unfortunately, it didn’t meet expectations in terms of food,...

Would give zero stars. Ordered from Uber Eats for around 6:30 pm. Order was set for pickup at 7pm. Get there at 7 pm was told 2 more minutes...ok. 5, 10, 15, 20 minutes go by, I keep asking and they keep saying "soon". More customers are arriving, waiting, and leaving frustrated without their food. I wait 40 minutes. The man is clearly flustered with everyone asking about their orders and some people are yelling at him. He is rude to everyone. I go to ask, again, when my order will be ready and he snaps at me and tells me to leave. I never yelled, but he took his inability to manage out on me. I left at that time, 45 minutes since my food was supposed to be ready for pickup...which is 75 minutes after I ordered. Uber Eats wouldn't even refund my money and I had to go and buy dinner elsewhere since I still needed to feed my family. Uber app notified me that my order was ready at 8:10pm...1 hour, 10 minutes after it was supposed to be ready. 1 hour, 40 minutes after I ordered. What a circus. The staff could have said, sorry we are overwhelmed with orders, please come back at 8pm and we will throw in a free appetizer...or been honest about how long the order was taking. But no. Standing for 45 minutes. Met with rudeness and lies about when I could expect my order. Never giving them my business, which is a shame since we...