Annapurna Kitchen is located at 311 E Palm Ave. adjacent to Sanatan Mandir temple. Credit: Photo by Ray Roa

Tampa Heights’ new South Indian restaurant breathes life into the tired phrase, “hidden gem.”

Located next to the Sanatan Mandir temple at 311 E Palm Ave., Annapurna Kitchen dishes made-to-order favorites like dosa the size of a forearm, uttapam and samosas. All of the dishes are vegetarian and most items are vegan—but everything on its small menu is packed with rich, savory flavors.

Annapurna Kitchen—which takes its name from the Hindu goddess of food and nourishment—operates out of a to-go window, but guests are more than welcome to dine-in at its banquet hall-turned-restaurant, filled with plastic tables and chairs.

Dosas—a thin, crepe-like pancake made from a batter of fermented rice—can be prepared with a variety of vegetables, spicy dipping sauces, chutneys and hearty stews, while uttapam is a thicker, flatbread-like dish that’s made from the same batter as dosas.

Medu vada, savory doughnuts made of fermented black lentils or “urad dal,” steamed rice cakes known as idli sambar and chole puri—a chickpea curry with a side of fried bread—are all popular menu items, too.

Annapurna Kitchen offers a wide variety of dosas—ranging from masala and masore dosa to a “Chef’s Special” dosa. Credit: c/o Subodh K Mahato

For a sample of Annapurna Kitchen’s best eats, the Punjabi Thali offers a platter of rice, naan and a spread of savory sides like creamy lentils, a tomato-based paneer dish (that’s reminiscent of tikka masala) and curried chickpeas—all for $13.

Temple chef Subodh K Mahato tells Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that the restaurant is able to keep its prices so low because it’s technically a nonprofit organization associated with the temple. Last year, temple members Sam, Yatendra and Rani Kumar donated the kitchen and restaurant to Sanatan Mandi.

Annapurna Kitchen largely serves its community before and after services and caters the temple’s popular religious events, but Mahato says more and more folks from the surrounding Tampa Heights neighborhood are stopping in for a bite.

Longtime chef Mahato has helmed the temple-associated kitchen for the last several months and wants to eventually introduce more dishes to its menu. Since the food is currently served in a very casual way, he wants to add a few more entrees and larger format meals.

The lunch menu at Annapurna Kitchen in Tampa, Florida on July 24, 2025. Credit: Photo by Ray Roa

He also plans to add Indo-Chinese offerings to the menu, most notably a Manchurian-style dish that boasts deep-fried veggies that get coated in a sticky, tangy sauce.

Before leading the temple-associated kitchen, East India-born Mahato worked on several cruise ships based out of Miami. While he’s spent over 20 years honing his skills in Italian and American steakhouse-style cuisine, he’s delighted to be focusing on Indian food once again.

You can place to-go orders at Annapurna Kitchen by calling (813)-999-1098, but there’s no social media or website for the restaurant. The temple associated restaurant also offers catering services.

And if you’re unsure of what to order at Annapurna Kitchen, Chef Mahato or his employees are happy to recommend dishes.

Sanatan Mandir’s Annapurna Kitchen is open from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5 p.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday-Sundays.