Avocado, sun dried tomatoes, olives, garlic, lettuce and great dressing ( probably forgotten something!). So good at Banana Leaf Restaurant Kovalam in Kovalam
Fruit salad with fresh coconut. at Banana Leaf Restaurant Kovalam in Kovalam
Tasty salad. at Banana Leaf Restaurant Kovalam in Kovalam

  • Banana Leaf Restaurant Kovalam
    (4)
    2
    Loading...
  • White Vegetarian
Lacto
Ovo
Pizza
Indian
Western
Juice bar
Bakery
European
Middle Eastern
Breakfast

Vegetarian restaurant serving Indian and Western-style foods. Most dishes can be made vegan upon request. Limited choices nearby. NOTE: 100m from Lighthouse Beach - next to Suprabhatam Restaurant. Google maps leads in the wrong direction. Open Mon-Sun 6:30pm-9:30pm.

Leaflet | Protomaps | © OpenStreetMap contributors

4 Reviews

First Review by Sheen per

Avatar veganphotog

veganphotog

Points +453

Vegan
01 Feb 2026

Great spot in Kovalam

I happened upon the owner my first time visiting this spot and he was super friendly and helpful. He’s interested in building community in town and collaborating with other business which was nice to hear.

I got takeout twice. Once in the afternoon and the vibe in the restaurant was welcoming, quiet and chill, as I suspect most people were at the beach. The evening was more lively with a bit of a longer wait, as the food is all made to order.

Both times I had juice while waiting - the mango was good but the pomegranate was fantastic! When I ordered food I specified “no ghee, no milk, no butter, no yogurt….” the usual communication I’ve been doing in restaurants in India. The waiter quickly said “vegan” and that made me feel so at ease.

The parota (made with oil) and the traditional Keralan vegetable dish Aviyal were so good. As was the tofu mango curry the following night. I was fortunate to get a vegan brownie each time, too! Apparently they’re popular so reserve one when you arrive.

Updated from previous review on 2026-02-01

Pros: Staff understands what vegan means, Cozy, inviting, welcoming atmosphere, Delicious variety

Night time vibe... at Banana Leaf Restaurant Kovalam in Kovalam

Vegan brownies! at Banana Leaf Restaurant Kovalam in Kovalam

Traditional Keralan vegetable dish… aviyal at Banana Leaf Restaurant Kovalam in Kovalam

Great juices at Banana Leaf Restaurant Kovalam in Kovalam

at Banana Leaf Restaurant Kovalam in Kovalam +2

Avatar LeighStainsby

LeighStainsby

Points +134

Vegan
31 Jan 2026

Delicious, authentic food

Vegetarian restaurant with some vegan options, and the kitchen is happy to adapt other dishes where possible (this is also the case for those following ayurvedic diet).
Staff are welcoming and friendly and the owners are open to suggestions as they are keen to evolve the menu to make it more inclusive.
Lighter options include hot and cold soups, salads, and a Bhudda bowl.
Drinks include soft drinks, sodas, lassie, juices, tea, coffee, smoothies, and fermented ginger or pineapple.
They make a mean vegan brownie, but be quick as they sell out fast!

Pros: Fresh, healthy food; your body will thank you, Extensive menu offering Indian and European dishes, Offers breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks

Cons: Be patient. The food is cooked fresh to order, Booking may be required in high season

Chana masala and yellow coconut rice at Banana Leaf Restaurant Kovalam in Kovalam

Vegetable biryani & yellow coconut rice at Banana Leaf Restaurant Kovalam in Kovalam

Dal tarka at Banana Leaf Restaurant Kovalam in Kovalam

Mushroom masala at Banana Leaf Restaurant Kovalam in Kovalam

Vegetable pakora at Banana Leaf Restaurant Kovalam in Kovalam

Avatar MarPet

MarPet

Points +26

Vegan
27 Feb 2024

Indian and Arabic Kitchen and a pleasant atmosphere

For two years Banana Leaf has been run by new owners. From an ordinary Indian restaurant, it became a nice cafe and a cozy place for dinner. I like to work from here in the daytime because it is chill, and quiet and offers a lot of space between the tables = security, and privacy.

There are Arabic/Turkish options on the menu, which vary my diet in Kovalam. I like their wraps! Ask, if you are vegan because half of the Arabic dishes contain milk, curd, or eggs.

His Indian vegetable curry tastes to me like a ragu by my Ukrainian grandma! I fall into sweet memories of my childhood by eating it. In general Indian dishes taste better than in Subrapatham, which is located just the next door. Subrapatham is lovely, but I go there not because of the taste, to say the truth.

Banana Leaf is a bit more expensive than the other vegetarian options in Kovalam, but the atmosphere and the food are worth it.

Pros: taste, atmosphere, good organised

Cons: a bit expensive

Avatar

BananaLeafKovalam

09 Dec 2024

Thanks for your very kind words.

We make everything from scratch - evens soups, currys etc. Nothing is pre-prepared. This takes a bit longer and costs a bit more but most people think that what we do is worth it!

Avatar Sheen per

Sheen per

Points +273

Vegan
14 Jan 2024

Excellent food, great people

Been coming to BL for many years. Indian vegetarian but most things can be made vegan. As well as Indian food they do great salads(not Indian style salads but closer to western style). Wildcards are baba ganoush and other Middle Eastern dishes.

Often bake breads, croissants and cinnamon rolls and more besides.

Staff are friendly-especially Rahul.

Pros: Too many to pick one out

Cons: None

Avocado, sun dried tomatoes, olives, garlic, lettuce and great dressing ( probably forgotten something!). So good at Banana Leaf Restaurant Kovalam in Kovalam

Avatar

BananaLeafKovalam

22 Feb 2024

Thanks for your lovely review and for liusting us on Happy Cow!

Write Review Update Listing
For Members
Why was my review removed? Guidelines for writing a review View our privacy policy
For Business Owners

Claim this business

See inaccurate information? Submit an update here Link to this page from your site See an unfair review? View full terms & conditions

This page has been viewed 1007 times.