Madras Restaurant — Restaurant in Lusaka Province

This place is awesome (if slow). The food is spot on - we come here with friends from India and they are consistently very happy with it, so I am taking their word over my own admittedly underdeveloped palate. Dhosa is great for any meal, although we typically come for a 9:00 breakfast or so. You can call the morning of or the night before (if breakfast) and place an order so as to spend less time waiting. Get the lime drink (it has a name I can't recall) and ask for it only slightly sweet - great for kids or adults. Service is slow, although that is nothing new in town, so don't expect to bang in and out quickly. But if you call ahead, have some time to sit, and want a delicious, incredibly filling meal, this is a great place.

For kids: there is also a small trampoline for the smaller ones.

Seating: almost entirely outdoors in a covered veranda. Easy place to eat when it is raining.

Parking: tight, but have not had to park...

Feedback on Madras Cafe Zambia

Unfortunately, we had a very disappointing experience during our recent visit. Chef Neem was extremely ill-mannered and showed a complete lack of professionalism, which is unacceptable in the hospitality industry.

We ordered two paneer dishes, both of which had paneer that was clearly not fresh — it had a foul smell and was very hard. When we politely raised our concern, instead of acknowledging the issue or apologizing, the response we received was dismissive and rude. We were asked, "What do you want, a discount?" — which is not the kind of response any guest should receive when reporting a legitimate food quality concern.

A more respectful and customer-focused approach is expected, especially in the food service industry. We hope the management takes this feedback seriously and addresses both the quality of the food and the conduct...

I had an extremely disappointing experience at Madras Restaurant. Despite claiming to serve halal food, I discovered that some items on the menu may not actually meet halal standards. This is deeply concerning for customers who rely on such assurances for religious and ethical reasons. Transparency and honesty are essential, and this kind of misrepresentation undermines trust within the community.

To make matters worse, we were charged 770 ZMK for food we didn’t even consume. This level of customer service is unacceptable. Restaurants have a responsibility to ensure fair treatment, and this experience has left me feeling cheated and disrespected.

I strongly recommend double-checking with the staff about food standards and being cautious about their billing practices. Better yet, consider visiting other trusted establishments where your values and rights as a customer...