Chayakada

This place is an amazing spot to enjoy chai , filter coffee, and other beverages. They also have a fantastic Indian menu. We tried the Veg Puff, Chicken Puff, and Scrambled Egg Sandwich. Everything was tasty, and they even let you adjust the spice levels for the sandwiches. Overall, it’s a must-visit place for anyone looking for a fancy café with an Indian menu.

I was here with my friends to grab tea, and we ended up buying their freshly prepared savories. Very cool, and beautiful ambience to spend time by yourself or with your friends and family. I missed seeing the 'chenda' picture on their wall along with all other beautiful art and nature of the place that it re ok represents. It was a hot day so I ordered a shahajahan drink, pazyampori, and unnakaya - a malabar savory. The service is great and the servers will prepare your tea and coffee as per your preference if you have any. The staff is really very friendly and accommodating. My friends ordered Chaya, coffee, strawberry milkshake, puffs and chicken cutlet. We shared to taste each one and enjoyed the delicious freshly made savories. The beauty of it is that you get the experience of Kerala right sitting in San Jose. I will highly recommend and yes it's a women owned place and I highly support them. Must visit.

The best Kerala-style restaurant in South San Jose! It doesn’t feel like restaurant food—it truly feels like a home-cooked meal made by your mom. I’ve visited several times over the past three weeks, and each time I’ve left with a happy heart and a full stomach.

Loved this place! It’s earthy, grounding, and serves absolutely delicious food. The owner, Aleena, radiates positive energy—you can see her working with so much joy and happiness, truly living her best life. Despite the name Chayakada (which means “tea shop”), the menu is impressively diverse—ranging from sandwiches and snacks to hearty main course specialties. The space is welcoming and thoughtfully designed, with board games, books, a carrom board, and cozy corners that invite you to relax, unwind, or spend quality time with family. I only wish it was closer to home! I’ll definitely be back and highly recommend it to anyone looking for an authentic, laid-back Malayalee experience.

Been waiting to try this place since the sign first went up and was not disappointed. The flavors of the savory pastries are warm and super comforting. The Kerala Chai was different from any chai I've had in the states. It was very light and complex without being overpowering. It's not sweet by default so if you're looking for something on that end of the spectrum, you can ask them to add some sugar for you. The saffron chai was also amazing with a more subtle, almost middle easten profile. The people and the atmosphere are also amazing. I spoke with the owner, Aleena, for some time and you can tell she has a passion for her craft. I believe she said she came from the science and tech industry before moving to this. She has a focus on quality, in-house ingredients, and showing people that Indian food is so much more than what we're used to and using authentic recipes passed down through her family. She wants people to come in, take their time, have a chai and pastry, read a book, and chat with no pressure to jet out the door. It's the perfect spot not only for the relaxing Santa Teresa neighborhood, but all of San Jose and beyond. I will definitely be back and highly recommend everyone give this place a try.

Chayakada has amazing ambiance and picturesque nooks that will definitely satisfy your instagram aesthetics. The cafe also has multiple board games and books. But the food is the HIGHLIGHT, we tried the chicken puff, it was hot, crispy and tasty. Would definitely recommend the Sharjah shake. The ghee rice with curry and the chicken sandwich is worth a try too!

Update: I needed some me-time and went here today and tried the egg puffs and salted caramel chai (iced). Too good! Hands down my favourite hangout spot now. ---- Such a wonderful cafe. I came here with my parents and kids today evening during what looked like peak hours. The person in the front was so warm and greeted us with a smile even though there were at least 25 people inside the cafe. There was a line to order food and once we ordered it took about 10-15 min to get the food. The drinks arrived within 5 minutes and best part we can customise our drinks. Every item tasted so good. They had books and toys for kids. They were so warm and checked on us several times asking if we needed anything. The owner also came by to check if we had feedback or needed anything customized. Overall such a pleasant vibe. Definitely coming back for the chai and snacks.

Amazing pazhampori, egg puff and cutlet. All the items were amazing! 5/5 rating for all the sides. Only the main dish of egg rice bowl, probably a little more variety like Karikku with mor curry, olan, red chammanthi, etc. But everything was amazing indeed and in San Jose only!