Truly Herbivore, Ashok Nagar

On a friend’s recommendation, my family and I went to Truly Herbivore in Ashok Nagar for dinner. Conveniently located on 11th Avenue, near the water tank and a short walk from Ashok Pillar, this vegetarian-only restaurant caters even to Jain preferences, making it a delightful spot for herbivores like us.

I first visited this place a few months ago for breakfast with the same friend. We enjoyed a delicious spread of pongal, vadai, and filter coffee, leaving me impressed. What stood out then—and surprised me—was that the restaurant operates 24 hours, a rarity in Chennai. I made a mental note to return, and today, I did, this time with my family.

For dinner, we were six adults and tried a mix of dishes across cuisines. We started with Pani puri, crispy spring rolls, sabudana vadai, and corn cheese spheres—all served promptly and freshly prepared. Next, we enjoyed soups: mulligatawny, roasted pumpkin & peanut, and manchow. For the mains, we had plain dosa, Mysore masala dosa, veg quesadillas, and chilli garlic noodles. To wrap up, we indulged in desserts—meeta pan ice cream, dry fruits & waffles ice cream, kulfi, and fresh lime soda.

The restaurant isn’t large, with seating for about 40 diners and a small party room. Thanks to our prior booking, we had a table reserved, which turned out to be a wise decision. On a regular Tuesday evening, the place was packed for the two hours we were there. Valet parking was a welcome convenience.

The menu is extensive, offering a wide variety of dishes: South Indian classics like idli, dosa, Pongal, and appam; North Indian breads and curries; Italian pizzas, pastas, and gratins; Chinese noodles and dim sums; Mexican rice and enchiladas; Continental breakfast items; salads; Indian sweets; and a tempting dessert lineup of ice creams and sundaes. Typically, multi-cuisine restaurants spread themselves too thin, but here, most of the dishes we tried were flavorful and well-executed.

They also serve a South Indian thali for a complete meal and offer a midnight buffet at ₹500 (USD 6), from 11:30 PM daily. The latter sounds like a perfect pitstop for late-night work or a return from airport—something I plan to try next time.

For six of us, who are moderate eaters, the total bill came to ₹4750 (USD 58), including taxes. Given the variety and quality, this felt reasonable, especially considering the desserts we enjoyed.

Overall, it was a delightful family dinner, and I look forward to returning to explore more of their menu—perhaps late at night!

Disclosure: I write reviews about (products or restaurants) that I have (bought for my usage, or visited) and paid in full. There were no sponsorship or advertisement, or commission of any sort involved in this post.