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My colleagues have been recommending the lunch buffet at Madras Chettinaad in Alpharetta for years now. I finally made it and I wasn’t disappointed one bit.
I usually stay away from buffets due to my inability to regulate appropriate portion sizing, but I skipped breakfast this particular day, so I was hungry.
Over my work career, I have visited countless Indian buffets, all over the country. Usually I leave too full, eat the same dishes and feel slightly disappointed with the overall quality of the food.
Not at Madras Chettinaad, the experience was great, the selection was more than I could enjoy and the quality of food was high. In my book, this makes it one of the best Indian restaurants Atlanta has to offer.
It’s a great sign when people are lined up for the opening at 11:30. I was there just after 11:30 and had to wait for a few minutes while they ushered all the groups to the tables.
My total bill, including tip was just over $16. I didn’t look to see what they actually charged for the buffet, but was probably around $13. Its a great value for the food you are getting. This was on the weekday of course, I think the price might be higher on the weekend.
Madras Chettinaad Restaurant
The restaurant itself doesn’t look like much from the outside. It is located in a strip mall next to a Publix.
Once inside, the restaurant is very large. There is a bar when you first walk in. The main dining hall was packed already, and they just opened. It is one of the largest Indian restaurants I have seen in the area. There are even separate rooms in the back that are perfect for a large group or corporate outing.
The buffet itself is very large. There are four main sections of buffet warming stations. Appetizers and naan in one. Vegetarian in another. Non-vegetarian in the third and the fourth was deserts, but I didn’t even look at that one.
Madras Chettinaad Food
I’ll start this by saying I don’t know what the correct strategy is for the Indian lunch buffets. I see some folks using the small metal bowls for curry and some not. I usually let all the flavors and curry join together over a bed of rice. It’s delicious. I see the benefit of the bowls if you want to taste each item individually.
I usually start a buffet with a plate full of vegetables. When I go for seconds, I usually eat a little meat. I generally stay away from the appetizers and desserts and just sample the main entrees.
Here I tried some saag paneer, chana masala, dal makhani and a delicious spicy mushroom dish. I wish I took note of the mushroom dishes name, it was actually my favorite of the the day.
I know, I over did it…
Here I sampled the chicken tikka masala, chicken 65, a green bean dish, some more dal makhani (my favorite Indian veg dish) and some other mixed vegetables.
There were a few items I skipped over, namely the mutton curry, egg curry and fish curry. I don’t know why I didn’t try them. Come to think of it, I don’t think I ever sampled those meat selections at an Indian restaurant. I usually just stick with chicken.
In the end, there was not a single recipe I did not enjoy. Everything was super flavorful and had the right amount of heat for me.
It certainly was spicy. If you don’t like spice and heat, you probably should look elsewhere.
If you are looking for other great ideas for places to eat in Alpharetta, check out our posts on:
- the best restaurants in the Avalon in Alpharetta
- the best brunch in Alpharetta
- the best sushi in Alpharetta
For more delicious restaurant ideas, be sure check out our directory of reviews to other metro Atlanta restaurants.
Madras Chettinaad is located at 4305 State Bridge Rd #108, Alpharetta, GA 30022. The lunch buffet is only served at lunch. During the week the hours are 11:30-3:00. On weekends it doesn’t open until noon. Dinner starts at 5:00 daily.