Our story
For more than twenty years, Woodlands has been Central Florida’s home for pure vegetarian South Indian cooking.
Cooked the way it’s cooked at home in the South
Woodlands started with a simple idea: serve the everyday food of South India, done properly, to anyone who walks in.
Our batters ferment overnight. Our sambar and rasam are made fresh daily. Chutneys are ground in-house, and every dish is cooked in a kitchen that has never handled meat, fish or eggs.
Today we serve families, students, office crowds and plenty of first-timers from our restaurant on South Orange Blossom Trail in Orlando and from Woodlands Express in Lauderhill.
New to South Indian food?
A quick guide to the words on our menu.
- Dosai
- A thin, crisp crepe made from fermented rice and lentil batter. Masala dosai is filled with spiced potato.
- Iddly
- Steamed cakes of the same batter. Soft, light and best dunked in sambar.
- Vada
- Savory lentil donuts, crisp outside and fluffy inside.
- Uthappam
- A thick, pancake-style dosa with toppings cooked right in.
- Sambar
- A lentil and vegetable stew soured with tamarind. It comes with almost everything.
- Rasam
- A thin, peppery tomato-tamarind soup, sipped or poured over rice.
- Thali
- A full meal on one plate: rice, bread, curries, soups, curd, pickle and something sweet.
- Avial
- Mixed vegetables in coconut and yogurt, a Kerala classic.
- Pongal
- Rice and lentils cooked soft with black pepper, cumin and ghee.
- Bisi Bele Bhath
- Karnataka’s comfort dish of rice, lentils and vegetables with warm spices.
- Kootu
- Vegetables and lentils simmered with coconut.
- Payasam
- A sweet milk pudding with vermicelli, cashews and raisins.
Questions guests ask
Anything else? Call either restaurant and we’ll help.
Is everything on the menu vegetarian?
Yes. Our kitchens cook no meat, fish or eggs, so every dish on the menu is vegetarian.
Do you have vegan options?
Many South Indian dishes contain no dairy, including most dosai, iddly, sambar, rasam and several curries. Ask your server and we’ll point you to them or cook without butter, ghee or cream where we can.
Are there gluten-free choices?
Dosai, iddly and uthappam are made from rice and lentils. Rava dishes, breads and some Indo-Chinese sauces contain wheat. Tell your server about any allergy before ordering.
Can I bring a large group?
Yes. Call ahead so we can set a table. A gratuity is added for larger parties.
Do you offer takeout and delivery?
Yes, both restaurants offer takeout, and delivery is available through popular delivery apps.