South Indian Breakfast
Reviewers single out the idly, dosa, idiyappam and appam, with breakfast described as hot and fresh.
Tea Drop Cafeteria & Restaurant
Al Garhoud
In Al Garhoud, Tea Drop Cafeteria & Restaurant is a small, road-facing spot for Kerala-style and South Indian comfort food. Breakfast regulars come for hot idly, dosa and fresh milk tea, while the karak tea and paratha sandwiches suit a quick snack or casual hangout.
Reputation Score
3.8
★★★★☆
539 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Tea Favourite
Chai and karak tea are recurring favourites, including one reviewer’s comparison to a Kerala thattukadda.
Good Value
Customers describe the menu as pocket-friendly, with good quantity and packing for the price.
Relaxed Atmosphere
The small dining room has a road-side atmosphere where one reviewer said they could sit and chat without being rushed.
Large Sandwich
The club sandwich was specifically praised for its unusually generous portion.
What to Eat at Tea Drop Cafeteria & Restaurant How we choose these items We use AI to find praise and criticism of specific foods and drinks in a selection of Google reviews. For Tea Drop Cafeteria & Restaurant, this list is based on 50 reviews, not every review of the restaurant. The score is positive reviews minus negative reviews. For example, two positive reviews and one negative review give +1. Each review counts once per item; neutral comments do not change the score. A zero score is not a positive recommendation. “Only neutral feedback” means there are no positive or negative votes. “Mixed feedback” means equal numbers of positive and negative votes. The quotes are examples of what people said, not every comment we counted. We use different reviews where we can. We normally show up to 10 foods and 5 drinks with non-negative scores. Items with the same score stay together. If a tied group would go past the limit, that group and the lower non-negative scores go into Honorable mentions. If an overflowing positive top tie would leave the list empty, we show up to 10 items from that tie and keep the rest in Honorable mentions. Foods and drinks with a negative score are under What to Avoid. Use this as a guide to what reviewers liked, not a guarantee that you will like it too.
Foods and drinks mentioned in reviews of Tea Drop Cafeteria & Restaurant, ranked by positive reviews minus negative reviews. Zero-score items have no net positive feedback; their labels distinguish neutral-only from mixed feedback.
Food 9
-
Cheese paratha Net +1
“It has so many option from veg to non veg Chai egg or chicken or cheese paratha and samosa both veg and chicken is the best For the price is good Not expensive at all. good quantity Staff is polite and friendly It’s near to work so frequently we order from them Especially chai”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“It has so many option from veg to non veg Chai egg or chicken or cheese paratha and samosa both veg and chicken is the best For the price is good Not expensive at all. good quantity Staff is polite and friendly It’s near to work so frequently we order from them Especially chai”May 2022
-
Chicken paratha Net +1
“It has so many option from veg to non veg Chai egg or chicken or cheese paratha and samosa both veg and chicken is the best For the price is good Not expensive at all. good quantity Staff is polite and friendly It’s near to work so frequently we order from them Especially chai”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“It has so many option from veg to non veg Chai egg or chicken or cheese paratha and samosa both veg and chicken is the best For the price is good Not expensive at all. good quantity Staff is polite and friendly It’s near to work so frequently we order from them Especially chai”May 2022
-
Club sandwich Net +1
“The food is usually great. I have had the club sandwich (HUGE quantity), and some porotta rolls. All of them were great, just what you would expect from a cafeteria like this.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The food is usually great. I have had the club sandwich (HUGE quantity), and some porotta rolls. All of them were great, just what you would expect from a cafeteria like this.”August 2025
-
Dhal idiyapam combos Net +1
“Our go to BF place in the area, best dhal and idiyapam combos or egg curry with paratha, iconic atmosphere next to the road.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Our go to BF place in the area, best dhal and idiyapam combos or egg curry with paratha, iconic atmosphere next to the road.”December 2025
-
Egg curry with paratha Net +1
“Our go to BF place in the area, best dhal and idiyapam combos or egg curry with paratha, iconic atmosphere next to the road.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Our go to BF place in the area, best dhal and idiyapam combos or egg curry with paratha, iconic atmosphere next to the road.”December 2025
-
Egg paratha Net +1
“It has so many option from veg to non veg Chai egg or chicken or cheese paratha and samosa both veg and chicken is the best For the price is good Not expensive at all. good quantity Staff is polite and friendly It’s near to work so frequently we order from them Especially chai”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“It has so many option from veg to non veg Chai egg or chicken or cheese paratha and samosa both veg and chicken is the best For the price is good Not expensive at all. good quantity Staff is polite and friendly It’s near to work so frequently we order from them Especially chai”May 2022
-
Paratha sandwich Net +1
“Breakfast served hot and fresh. The right spot fir a quick bite. Serves indian Pakistani food as well as Arabs enjoys the Paratha sandwich and karak tea”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Breakfast served hot and fresh. The right spot fir a quick bite. Serves indian Pakistani food as well as Arabs enjoys the Paratha sandwich and karak tea”February 2025
-
Samosa chicken Net +1
“It has so many option from veg to non veg Chai egg or chicken or cheese paratha and samosa both veg and chicken is the best For the price is good Not expensive at all. good quantity Staff is polite and friendly It’s near to work so frequently we order from them Especially chai”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“It has so many option from veg to non veg Chai egg or chicken or cheese paratha and samosa both veg and chicken is the best For the price is good Not expensive at all. good quantity Staff is polite and friendly It’s near to work so frequently we order from them Especially chai”May 2022
-
Samosa veg Net +1
“It has so many option from veg to non veg Chai egg or chicken or cheese paratha and samosa both veg and chicken is the best For the price is good Not expensive at all. good quantity Staff is polite and friendly It’s near to work so frequently we order from them Especially chai”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“It has so many option from veg to non veg Chai egg or chicken or cheese paratha and samosa both veg and chicken is the best For the price is good Not expensive at all. good quantity Staff is polite and friendly It’s near to work so frequently we order from them Especially chai”May 2022
Honorable mentions (2)
-
Charcoal biriyani Net 0
Only neutral feedback
“Note : The rice in the charcoal biriyani is same as the malabari biriyani. They just fry chicken and pit it on top of the tranditional mallu biriyani thats all….”
Positive 0Negative 0Neutral 1
-
Malabari biriyani Net 0
Only neutral feedback
“Note : The rice in the charcoal biriyani is same as the malabari biriyani. They just fry chicken and pit it on top of the tranditional mallu biriyani thats all….”
Positive 0Negative 0Neutral 1
Drinks 2
-
Karak tea Net +2
“It's not a bad place for a quick snack. Karak tea was nice!”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“It's not a bad place for a quick snack. Karak tea was nice!”August 2025
“Breakfast served hot and fresh. The right spot fir a quick bite. Serves indian Pakistani food as well as Arabs enjoys the Paratha sandwich and karak tea”February 2025
-
Pista milkshake Net +1
“Also the Pista milkshake is very yummy where you will get a decent quantity for just 10 aed only.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Also the Pista milkshake is very yummy where you will get a decent quantity for just 10 aed only.”February 2022
What to Avoid (2)
Food 2
-
Double omelet sandwich Net −1
“I clearly asked for a double omelet sandwich on bread for takeaway. Instead, I was given one in a paratha.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“I clearly asked for a double omelet sandwich on bread for takeaway. Instead, I was given one in a paratha.”May 2025
-
Wade Net −1
“I used to enjoy the wade it served by this Restaurant. Soft & tasty with ginger also used as an ingredient. Recent past the quality has gone done. May be the chef has changed.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“I used to enjoy the wade it served by this Restaurant. Soft & tasty with ginger also used as an ingredient. Recent past the quality has gone done. May be the chef has changed.”February 2023
Tips for a Better Visit
Allow Time. Avoid delivery when timing matters: one Um Ramool order promised in 30 minutes took around 90 minutes.
Call Ahead. For dine-in, consider calling before arriving; a reviewer waited 15 minutes for masala dosa and 10 minutes for paratha.
Avoid Peak Times. Delivery may take longer at busy periods, so order outside peak times if possible.
Confirm Takeaway. Repeat the requested bread or paratha format at the counter and check the parcel before leaving.
Check Packing. Check that extras are included in takeaway orders; one reviewer said salad and additional masalas were sometimes missing.
Parking Available. If you are driving, a review mentions many parking spaces near the restaurant.
Plan the visit
Practical details
32 Marakech St
Umm Ramool, Dubai
| Mon | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Tue | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Wed | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Thu | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Fri | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Sat | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Sun | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
Common Concerns
Late Delivery
Delivery timing is the biggest risk: reviews describe waits from 60–90 minutes to two hours, including nearby orders.
Slow Service
Dine-in and takeaway orders can also be slow; one reviewer waited over 10 minutes before anyone took the order.
Staff Attitude
Several reviews report rude, dismissive or impatient interactions when ordering or following up.
Order Errors
A takeaway omelet sandwich was requested on bread but arrived in paratha, and the complaint was reportedly denied.
Inconsistent Freshness
One delivery review found the sandwich paratha stale, while another reported finding a hair in a paratha.
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Tea Drop is a small cafeteria in Al Garhoud that works best for a quick Kerala-style or South Indian meal. Breakfast standouts mentioned by customers include idly, dosa, idiyappam, appam and fresh milk tea; the karak tea, paratha sandwich and samosa also fit the casual cafeteria setting. ” The menu is described as reasonably priced, with good portions and packing.
Customers also mention dhal with idiyappam, egg curry with paratha and porotta rolls. The road-side location is often busy, but the atmosphere can be relaxed enough to sit and chat. A review also notes many parking spaces nearby.
The major caution is service consistency. Some regulars report friendly staff, fresh food and punctual delivery, but a much larger set of detailed complaints describes delivery waits of 60–90 minutes or even two hours. Dine-in orders can drag too: one customer waited 15 minutes for masala dosa, while another waited over 10 minutes just to place an order.
Staff attitude and handling of mistakes are recurring concerns, including a takeaway sandwich arriving in paratha instead of bread. For a time-sensitive meal, eating in or calling ahead is safer than relying on delivery; check takeaway items before leaving.