Malabari flavours
Customers praise the genuine Malabari flavours and carefully cooked food.
Coconut Shell Restaurant
International City
Coconut Shell Restaurant is a Kerala and Malabari-focused restaurant in International City, known for flavorful meals, fresh milk tea and affordable traditional dishes. Reviews make it worth considering for Kerala meals such as pothichoru, relaxed dine-in visits and casual breakfasts or evening snacks.
Reputation Score
4.1
★★★★☆
368 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Kerala pothichoru
The pothichoru is described as fresh, authentically flavoured and a good-value, properly sized meal.
Fresh milk tea
Fresh milk tea is a standout for one regular diner, who describes it as aromatic with a rich, bold taste.
Clean setting
A recent diner found the restaurant spotless and the environment super clean, with complimentary hot water as a thoughtful touch.
Outdoor seating
The outdoor seating is described as especially pleasant, giving tea and snack visits a more relaxed setting.
Large orders
A customer ordering food for 60 people reported strong quality and an attractive price.
Tips for a Better Visit
Check prices. Ask for the latest prices before ordering; one diner specifically noted that prices had increased.
Allow time. For delivery, build in extra time rather than relying on a 20-minute estimate, since one order took more than an hour.
Try pothichoru. Pothichoru is a useful first order if you want Kerala flavours and a reported 15 AED value meal.
Check tea. If ordering tea during the day, confirm that it is freshly prepared, as a regular customer reported inconsistency.
Try snacks. For an evening visit, chicken noodles, tea and traditional chicken biryani were specifically recommended.
Plan the visit
Practical details
International City France Cluster Dubai Q08 Shop 20
Warsan First - France Cluster, Dubai
| Mon | 6:00 AM – 12:30 AM |
| Tue | 6:00 AM – 12:30 AM |
| Wed | 6:00 AM – 12:30 AM |
| Thu | 6:00 AM – 12:30 AM |
| Fri | 6:00 AM – 12:30 AM |
| Sat | 6:00 AM – 12:30 AM |
| Sun | 6:00 AM – 12:30 AM |
Common Concerns
Delivery delays
Several customers report delivery taking over an hour, including for a distance of roughly 100 metres.
Slow service
Service can be inconsistent, with one diner describing it as slow and careless.
Small portions
The kothu paratha was considered decent, but its portion felt smaller than at other Mallu restaurants.
Dosa complaint
One customer received a burnt dosa and said a replacement or refund was not accepted.
Tea consistency
A regular customer says daytime tea has sometimes not been fresh, and one tea order was missed entirely.
Customer-reported prices
These are customer-reported mentions, not a current price list. Prices may have changed.
AED 15
special Iftar pack
“had an amazing experience at Coconut Shell! Their special Iftar pack for just AED 15 is absolutely marvelous—great taste and excellent value for money”Google review · March 2025
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The Bottom Line
Coconut Shell Restaurant is a Kerala and Malabari-focused spot in International City, with reviews pointing to traditional meals, breakfasts, tea and casual evening snacks. Beef fry and the biryani options are among the named favourites, while pothichoru is praised for its fresh, authentic Kerala flavour and satisfying portion. It is the sort of place to consider when you want familiar South Indian food without a formal dining setting.
The menu has a useful mix of full meals and smaller orders. Kerala Sadhya has been described as tasty and reasonably priced, and reviewers have also mentioned kothu paratha, chicken noodles, pakora, club sandwiches and fresh juices. Fresh milk tea is a highlight for one regular, although tea quality has not been consistent for everyone.
Dine-in reviews often mention a clean, welcoming atmosphere, pleasant outdoor seating and friendly service. The space is described as small indoors and outdoors, so expectations should stay casual rather than spacious. Food orders for groups have also received positive feedback, including one order for 60 people.
The main caution is service reliability. Multiple reviews report delivery delays of more than an hour, even over short distances, while dine-in service has occasionally been slow. Ask for updated prices before ordering, and allow extra time if using delivery.