If you're searching for vegan food in Waterloo, South Indian cuisine deserves a spot on your shortlist — and My Dosa Place is one of the easiest places in the city to eat plant-based without feeling like an afterthought.

We should be upfront about one thing: My Dosa Place is a 100% pure vegetarian restaurant, not a dedicated vegan one. That distinction matters. South Indian cooking traditionally leans on ingredients like ghee (clarified butter) and curd, so not everything on our menu is automatically vegan. The good news is that a large part of our menu either already is vegan or can easily be adapted, because rice, lentils, and vegetables have always been the backbone of this cuisine — long before "plant-based" became a category on a menu.

"Veganism isn't a restriction here; it's a celebration of rice, lentils, and fresh vegetables that have nourished our people for centuries."

Here's a straightforward guide to what to order.

Why South Indian Food Is Naturally Vegan-Friendly

South Indian tiffin food — the dosas, idlis, and vadas that make up our menu — is built on a batter of fermented rice and lentils. No eggs, no dairy required for the base. Historically, this style of cooking developed in vegetarian households where plant-based ingredients weren't a dietary trend but simply the everyday pantry. That's why, unlike a lot of global cuisines where "vegan" means stripping things out, here it often means the dish is already close to its original form.

The two things to watch for are ghee (used for roasting some dosas) and curd or milk-based touches in a handful of curries and sweets. Both are easy to ask about or ask around.

What to Order at My Dosa Place (Vegan or Easily Made Vegan)

Dosas

Most of our dosa batter is rice-and-lentil based, which is naturally vegan. A few standouts:

• Masala Dosa A crispy rice and lentil crepe stuffed with spiced potato masala. Ask for it made without ghee and it's fully plant-based.
• Onion Rava Dosa A savory semolina crepe with onions, herbs, and spices.
• Paper Roast Dosa Extra-large, paper-thin, and crispy. A great choice if you want something light with no filling to double-check.
• Rava Plain Dosa Simple, crispy, and served with chutney and sambar.

Tiffin Items

• Idli Sambar Steamed rice and lentil cakes served with hot sambar (a lentil and vegetable stew). This is one of the most naturally vegan dishes on any South Indian menu.
• Medu Vada Crispy fried lentil "donuts" served with sambar and chutney.
• Puri Bhaji Fluffy deep-fried puris with a spiced potato bhaji. Check that the puri dough hasn't been enriched with dairy before ordering.

Chutneys and Sambar

Our coconut, tomato, and mint chutneys, along with our sambar, are made from vegetables, lentils, coconut, and spices — no dairy needed. These come standard with most tiffin and dosa orders.

A Few Simple Questions to Ask Your Server

Because ghee and curd can appear in small amounts depending on the dish, the easiest way to eat fully vegan here is to ask two things when you order:

• "Can this be made without ghee?"
• "Does this chutney or curry have curd or milk in it?"

Our kitchen is used to accommodating these requests, and most of our dosa and tiffin items can be adjusted without changing the dish's character.

Common Inquiries

Because ghee and curd can appear in small amounts depending on the dish, the easiest way to eat fully vegan here is to ask these questions.