El Rey

Truly a culinary gem of the community. I've been a couple of times to Appu's cafe at the medical building and have always been impressed with the food. I tried the new location at Palo Verde and it's still amazing! All the food I ordered was outstanding and the customer service is top notch. Please come to Appu's for lunch if you haven't already!

This place is small but the food is great. The people are very nice and the service was exceptional. I had the all you can eat lunch. There is a butter/tikka masala sauce that is awesome.

Shobana Karthik

11 years back we visited Appu’s cafe when it was part of the Long Beach Hospital. Visiting it this cafe for the first time and we were happy we did. Food was simple, tasty and filling. “Chatting with the owner” should be one of the items on the menu as you will be immensely delighted to hear him speak!! ☺️

Nutan S

I had a lovely experience at this Indian fusion restaurant and felt compelled to share! Right from the moment I walked in, the staff impressed me with their warm, polite, and genuinely courteous service — something that made the entire meal feel even more enjoyable. One of the highlights for me was the abundance of vegan options on the menu — a thoughtful and much-appreciated touch. It’s rare to see such variety without sacrificing flavor or creativity. The dishes felt like a fresh, modern reinterpretation of Indian home cooking — not traditional, but in the best way. They reminded me of meals a health-conscious Indian mom might invent in her kitchen: light, nourishing, and inventive, yet still deeply satisfying. I tried the Desi Quesaritta, vegan mushroom soup, and vegan Indian flatbread — each dish had its own unique twist and was packed with flavor. And I can’t go without mentioning their vegan mango lassi — absolutely delicious. Creamy, refreshing, and surprisingly dairy-free! If you’re open to Indian flavors presented in a new, health-forward light, and you appreciate kind service and thoughtful menu curation, this place is absolutely worth a visit.

Susan S. McClellan

This is a cozy Cafe specializes Indian influenced food with Mexican fusion. It is an entirely vegetarian restaurant. There are also vegan dishes and all dishes include turmeric. Talk to the proprietar to learn more about the beneficial aspects of turmeric. The food was delicious and served beautifully. I will certainly go back.

Arth Patel

Visited Appu's Tumeric Cafe after seeing great reviews on Google and Yelp. The place did not disappoint. We ordered Mix and Match Tacos, Desi Quesadilla, iced chai with lemongrass and Mango Lassi. Tacos were okay but the Quesadilla was amazing. Worth ordering. We also liked the nice lemongrass twist on iced chai. The food is clean with not too overpowering spices and grease. Would definitely visit again.

keshav narain (Kesh)

A fantastic experience. Food and menu were entertaining and inspired. Most notably, we enjoyed meeting VR, the owner and chef who guided us along our culinary journey. His life and philosophy inspired us and left feeling both our souls and stomachs were fulfilled.

Mary T

This is the first time I've been to Appu's new location on Palo Verde. The strip mall has ample parking albeit it probably varies. The strip mall is right by the 405 freeway entrances so be on the alert for how to enter! Six of us went for an early lunch; 4 had never been before. We were cordially seated and two tables were quickly combined for us to sit together. The place is spotless! Wile I originally inquired if Saag Paneer could be made as it was not on the menu, I was told yes but then opted to share dishes with one person. We checked out the Saag Aloo and Paneer Tikka Masala, the latter dish I was not so familiar with but then became my preferred dish. Both were flavorful but the Tikka Masala had the extra charge. The accompanying rice made for a filling me. We had to pay extra for the bread but it is probably the one thing you might not need with the rice. Also, the bread is a flat bread and does not absorb the sauces as well as I would have liked. We were treated to some mango lassi and it was light and refreshing. As one might know, southeast Asian drinks can be so caloric as usually they are made with condensed milk but not Appu's. A full serving size is well under 200 calories. If you've never been to Appu's and you want to eat healthy, this is the place but it's not boring vegan or vegetarian but a thoughtful fusion of spices and aromatics. Appu's original location is now holding cooking classes! Call for dates and times. Check it out!

leila A

soooo good! must try honestly. everything came out quick and fresh. the mango lassi was soooo good. just try everything. i will be coming back for more!

Outdoor Adventure Seeker (Triple J)

Well, today was something different. Was helping a friend build a gate for the side of his house. Around lunch we decided to go grab some food. I had no idea where we were going, but I let the other 2 guys pick the spot. We ended up at Appu's Turmeric Cafe. I immediately regretted not throwing out an option on where to get food. Having seen enough Tik Tok and Instagram videos on some of the ways they prepare street food in India and the blatant lack of cleanliness, I was fully ok with myself if I never had to eat anything from India. Well, being hungry and realizing that this was the only option I did what I had to do. I ordered the Maharajah Bowl and a Lemongrass and Chai tea drink to pair it with. I know that I was being judgemental and not all food from India is horrible or made in a manner that is dirty. So when I took my first bite of the Maharajah Bowl I was blown away. All the flavors that came through in every bite was amazing. The lemongrass, the turmeric, the curry, everything was so flavorful and delicious. I was never expecting to enjoy my lunch so much. The only problem that I came across was that The Maharajah Bowl did not come in a bigger bowl. I literally walked out craving more! Also the bread, is heated and cooked to perfection. I will definitely be coming back to Appu's. Atmosphere got 3 stars because it's pretty quiet and boring inside. A little music from India would be appropriate and add some ambiance.

Rachel Lehcar

Amazing experience to come and taste authentic vegan food. I felt so welcome and you can taste the passion. Will be back all the way from Texas.

c hart

I rarely give five stars. This is a 4.5 round up. The flavors are excellent. The options are wide. The care and consideration that goes into the food prep is apparent. Chef has passion and that is evident both in the menu, in his staff’s execution of his vision and in his conversation. He helped me choose high protein paneer and I am very satisfied and didn’t finish my portion!! Excellent results. Friend had the Maharaja burritos that made this place famous and she enjoyed it and also found the portion plentiful. It was so good - I took one home. Chef explained the Mexican fusion part is a way to easily make “to go” items from Indian food. Inspired idea! Check out captions for more details.

Aaron Laney

This place is small but the food is great. The people are very nice and the service was exceptional. I had the all you can eat lunch. There is a butter/tikka masala sauce that is awesome.

EazyFree

Truly a culinary gem of the community. I've been a couple of times to Appu's cafe at the medical building and have always been impressed with the food. I tried the new location at Palo Verde and it's still amazing! All the food I ordered was outstanding and the customer service is top notch. Please come to Appu's for lunch if you haven't already!

Alexsandra Canedo

Great food! We got soup and bread sampler. The best combo

Larry Chang

Food is amazing, and the price is reasonable too. The made a great balance of fusion.

I had the saag aloo curry and the galub jamun dessert. The curry was fresh, healthy, warm, and filling. I've never had an Indian dessert before and I'm hooked. The galub jamun dessert was sweet but not overly sweet. The owner is SO NICE! He always has a smile on his face & is passionate about his food. Every time I go he's chatting up the regulars. The only thing I had that I wouldn't order again was the Maharani - it felt like 95% of the burrito fillings was rice.

Just ate here last night and it was absolutely delicious! Everything we tried was extremely tasty, but the Paneer Tikka Masala was insanely good. Highly recommend it with ANY of the flat breads. The service was top notch. You really feel taken care of.

Fantastic! My wife and I love to come here for Endless brunch; three main dishes (including masala), naan, rice, soup and salad with a dessert. The service is always phenomenal and the food is fresh. We recommend Appu's to anyone looking for Vegan, but you will find something you like even if you aren't!

Love this place. I've been coming here since Appus was inside Long beach hospital. This is the one place I know I'll always feel good after eating it every time. Vegan and vegetarian menu!! The flavors are so fresh tasting, there's so much variety, the mango Lassi is insanely good, i crave it. I don't often eat food out because of my sensitive pallete but Appus always feels like good home cooking. Huge bonus is theingredients taste really clean which is so important to me. My faves are the The staff is always very precious and genuine and the owner is a sweet heart. Highly recommend the gulab Janum, the quesorito, any of the burritos, and SAMOSAAAS with the chutney so good !!!

I visited Turmeric Cafe and had the paneer tikka tacos along with a hot vegan chai. Both were absolutely delicious. Everything tasted incredibly fresh and wholesome, and you could really tell that quality ingredients were used. What made the experience even more special was how thoughtful the owner was. I asked what options they might have for my 16-month old, and the owner kindly brought out a few samplers without hesitation. It was such a sweet gesture, and it genuinely felt like he cared about making sure my baby had something nutritious and enjoyable to eat. Great food, warm hospitality, and a very welcoming atmosphere. 10/10 would definitely recommend this Appu’s Turmeric Cafe and I’d love to go back!

Appu’s Cafe is FANTASTIC! The food is delicious and it is healthy. I ate the taco trio and I was super impressed with the variety of flavors. My wife had the protein bowl and that was delicious as well. Our daughter had the quesadilla and she ate the entire thing. The food is delicious and fairly unique. The service is great. I highly recommend this restaurant.

Lauren V

Just ate here last night and it was absolutely delicious! Everything we tried was extremely tasty, but the Paneer Tikka Masala was insanely good. Highly recommend it with ANY of the flat breads. The service was top notch. You really feel taken care of.

Charlie

I had the saag aloo curry and the galub jamun dessert. The curry was fresh, healthy, warm, and filling. I've never had an Indian dessert before and I'm hooked. The galub jamun dessert was sweet but not overly sweet. The owner is SO NICE! He always has a smile on his face & is passionate about his food. Every time I go he's chatting up the regulars. The only thing I had that I wouldn't order again was the Maharani - it felt like 95% of the burrito fillings was rice.

Alistair Wilkerson

Fantastic! My wife and I love to come here for Endless brunch; three main dishes (including masala), naan, rice, soup and salad with a dessert. The service is always phenomenal and the food is fresh. We recommend Appu's to anyone looking for Vegan, but you will find something you like even if you aren't!

V JG

What a hidden gem! Delicious, fresh flavors even close to closing time. The owner truly cares and is passionate about quality and giving healthy options. I’ll be back! The vegan samosa with garbanzo beans was delicious!!

Needed something healthy after the CSULB pow wow--a 5-star gathering. We laughed upon seeing the small bowl of beans over rice--I guess someone thinks I should be on a diet. :) Taste was OK; glad it was warm. Really friendly, clean, chill. Realized I really like meat.

Ya- Ya

Needed something healthy after the CSULB pow wow--a 5-star gathering. We laughed upon seeing the small bowl of beans over rice--I guess someone thinks I should be on a diet. :) Taste was OK; glad it was warm. Really friendly, clean, chill. Realized I really like meat.

Unimpressed with the food. Not horrible but not enough paneer in the bowl I ordered, and the sauce was kind of watery and pooled at the bottom of the bowl. Not a ton of flavor, either. Kid working was really sweet and nice environment but I thought the food was meh.

Lindsay Conlisk

Unimpressed with the food. Not horrible but not enough paneer in the bowl I ordered, and the sauce was kind of watery and pooled at the bottom of the bowl. Not a ton of flavor, either. Kid working was really sweet and nice environment but I thought the food was meh.