CAFE NOVA

Amazing food. Tastes even way better than it looks like. The owner is so patient and proud to share his knowledge in authentic food with wonderful recommendations. I will definitely come back to try the nanns and other dishes. Already recommended this place to a few friends who live nearby.

I have been to Cafe Nova for the fifth time. I love it. It’s food and flavors are South Indian, Sri Lankan, and malay-ish; it’s a treat to have it right on campus and markedly different from the North Indian orientation of a lot of US Indian restaurants.

I recommend the following dishes:

To drink: the Mango Lassi (yogurt-based beverage), or the cardamom chai with milk (it's a tea and is not in the menu).
For appetizer: the Chili chicken and the Gobi Manchurian (the latter is a cauliflower-based appetizer; it's probably the most delicious item on the menu; it's a must).
For entries: the Chicken Tikka Dosa (I cannot get over it), the glorious combination of Chili Chicken and Nasi Goreng (an incredible flavorful rice with an egg on the top), and the curries (go with the restaurant's suggestions but the mustard curry is my favorite).
For the side: the paratha is great, the butter naan, and the samosa.
Just see the photos...

Food was absolutely delicious! We ordered naasi goreng , samosa, fish curry and rice. All of the dishes were so flavorful and the spicy level was on point . I literally felt like I was eating at a restaurant in Srilanka . After having our lunch we ordered koththu for for dinner too because we know it definitely will be yummy and didn’t wanna regret not ordering.

The restaurant was so spacious and clean.
This place can definitely accommodate small events and gatherings.

Ordered the Kothu Paratha, and it was really delicious. The prices are affordable and the portions are really generous . Staff is very friendly and offered recommendations for when I come next. It is a casual cafe setting, a great place to have lunch. Highly recommend if you like spicy food. Really look forward to eating here more often.

Delicious! Ordered to go, got the chili chicken and the kothu roti with chicken curry. Chilli chicken ($6.99) in the picture is in red, the kothu roti ($9.99) is in the other two containers: basically roti paratha (layered flatbread), chopped up and stir fried with veggies, which is then topped - in this case with the curry chicken in the small container. In the restaurant they would have done the topping, they give the curry in a separate container to not make the roti soggy on the way home. More than enough as a meal for two people, as well as flavorful. Very happy with this new addition to Rogers Park, will come back often!