




About
A South Indian Escape on the Kona Coast
Tucked away under the bright Hawaiian sun, Swami's Dosa Grill brings the soul of South Indian street food to Kailua-Kona. This isn't your typical food truck fare; it is a fragrant detour from the usual beachside burgers, where the air around the truck is thick with the earthy, toasted aroma of cumin, mustard seeds, and fermentation.
The Art of the Crispy Dosa
The star of the menu is undoubtedly the dosa—a thin, fermented crepe made from rice and lentil batter. The chefs here achieve a textbook shatter-crisp exterior that hides a tender center. Whether you go for the classic Masala Dosa, stuffed with a spiced potato and onion mash, or prefer to dip into the vibrant, cooling coconut chutney, every bite offers a complex play of textures.
Island Living Meets Traditional Spice
The vibe is laid-back and quintessential Kona—expect to stand on your feet near the truck, enjoying your meal with the salt-kissed breeze of the Big Island. It’s a perfect spot for locals craving a plant-forward lunch or visitors looking for an adventurous, spice-forward departure from the daily grind. Keep in mind that seating is limited and the island sun can be intense, so snagging your food to-go for a nearby waterfront picnic is a local favorite move. The service is friendly, though the popularity of this truck often means a short wait during the lunch rush—a minor trade-off for fresh, made-to-order dosa that beats anything you'd find in a sit-down cafe elsewhere on the island.
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Amenities & Features
Location
75-124 Hualalai Rd, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, 96740
More to Explore
More cuisines in Kailua-Kona
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Reviews
Showing 6 of 0 community reviewsAnush BansalGoogle Maps
Recently
The owner is super friendly, but the food is not authentic as it claims. We ordered a mysore masala dosa, and it was evident that the batter was old and had no salt. The chutneys had a decent taste, the aloo was comparably liquidy, and the sambhar tasted like daal.
Swathi JhaGoogle Maps
Recently
The restaurant first of all opened 20 minutes late from their scheduled time, and the entire experience just went downhill from there. The ordering process was chaotic there was only one person handling customers, taking orders, and cooking at the same time. It was self-service, but nobody explained anything or guided customers on how or where to order. Then came the dosa $18 for something that was barely cooked. It looked and tasted underdone, with the batter still feeling raw in parts. It was flipped on both sides instead of being properly crisped, had no oil or seasoning at all, and ended up tasting dry and bland. The aloo masala wasn’t even inside the dosa, it felt more like plain aloo sabzi served on the side. Overall, a very disappointing experience and honestly a waste of money, food, and ingredients. Definitely not worth the price.
Anisha AlladaGoogle Maps
Recently
Unexpectedly great south indian food in big island. The tomato chutney so good and spicy.
Sujatha SubramanianGoogle Maps
Recently
After 5 days of travel to Maui and not having any luck there with getting Indian food, I had made up my mind to check out this place when we landed in Kona. This is in s food court - nothing fancy about the ambiance. But it had decent South Indian food and that is exactly a vegetarian like me would seek. I ordered a plain dosa with extra ghee to eat there. Sambar and chutney were good. I did a take out for Pongal and vegetable Biriyani. Pongal was good but could be better with more ghee. I would not get the veg Biriyani - Instead the sambar rice I saw someone else getting there looked yummy. Curd rice is also a tempting option. Definitely recommend this place if you are craving South Indian and don’t mind a meal with no meat.
Pranav BhounsuleGoogle Maps
Recently
Good Indian vegetarian food. Tried all their dosas. They are good but could give me potato filling for the price. Chai / coffee is overpriced. It would help if they gave the oz of coffee for that price. Masala soda is highly recommended.
Pinak PandyaGoogle Maps
Recently
It is behind 76 gas station in a food court. After ordering from self ordering kiosk, food arrived fairly quickly. I only saw one person working. I am assuming that is swami who is owner and chef of this restaurant. Food was very good. I ordered masala dosa, cheese dosa and vegetable dosa. Also, samosas, Masala lemonade and masala Pepsi. Considering big island doesn’t have lot of Indian restaurants, this place serves best food. Opens at 11:30am-3pm and opens again at 5PM and closes at 8:30pm. Owner was very kind and offered complimentary water bottle and ice cream to little one in our party. Overall great experience and I highly recommend this place. When I went around 5pm there weren’t many people but I am thinking you may have to wait if you went around dinner time during peak season. This should not deter you from trying out this place. I ate at this establishment when it was food truck few years ago. I remember food to be good even back then.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Swami's Dosa Grill Food Truck
Common questions from diners about Swami's Dosa Grill Food Truck in Kailua-Kona.
