Recent social media posts
27/09/2026
Awww…it’s baby Babajis! And a lot younger Billy & Max cooking dosa together at the Tesselaar Tulip Festival
Before two restaurants.
Before we had our own marquees.
When we only had just two tavas.
That’s how Babajis started - with just $100 + one tava.
The Tulip Festival was one of the first festivals we ever cooked at!
I remember the hot days,
the torrential down pours,
the bitterly cold days,
the queues 100mt long
the days when there wasn’t a soul in sight.
These were the days when the Tulip Festival only had one food area, at the top, next to the stage.
It’s been a few years since we cooked at the Tulip Festival but it will have a little bit of our heart and a heap of our gratitude for giving us a go.
(Thanks Mel & Paul T)
🌷 We’re just a 15 min drive from the Tulip Festival, which is open throughout the school holiday.
🌷 This year it’s 30% off as the tulips, whilst pretty, have struggled with our strange weather. Kids under 16 are free and there’s plenty of free activities during school holidays.
🌷 Bookings appreciated. Walk ins welcome.
babajiskitchen.com.au
https://tulipfestival.com.au/
26/09/2026
Reminder! We have a smaller menu on public holiday weekends - to help us manage the much bigger increase in visitors and unpredictability.
Though to be honest, it’s still pretty big with lots of your favourites and something for everyone!
Check it out here!
babajiskitchen.com.au
Bookings strongly encouraged. Walk ins welcome.
24/09/2026
Visiting us this long weekend? You need to know this!
Important things first!
Yes, we’ll have toddy! (And beef fry & Malabar parotta & fish fry & all your Kerala favourites! 😋😋😋)
We ‘can’ be busy on public holidays. They are hard to plan for and hard to staff for us.
We’re in small towns … which has its own challenges different to the city.
Please be kind.
But hey - you come from far & wide & we LOVE seeing you!
Here’s what you need to know:
* We ‘may’ close to walk ins at 4-5.30pm to allow our staff to take breaks if we haven’t managed them.
* We ‘may’ stop take away - to help us give the best service to those dining with us that we can.
* We run a smaller menu on public holidays, which does not have dosa & sadya BUT it does have plenty for everyone ( vegetarians, gluten free, kids) and we WILL have all your Kerala favourites. You can find this on our website under ‘Menus’.
* We do have a 15% public holiday surcharge on Friday and our usual 10% surcharge on Sat & Sun. This contributes to - but does not fully cover - the cost of higher wages at these times. It’s not us being greedy - it’s us being able to look after our team.
BABAJI’S WARBURTON
🐕 We will close bookings for the b**r garden, the night before. Walk ins will still be welcome. So if you are bringing a pup - best to get organised and book your spot the day before.
🅿️ Parking can be tricky. You are welcome to use the RSL carpark just a couple of doors down (we have permission from the RSL). If parking on the local roads - please be mindful of locals & emergency services needing access. Parking inspectors will be out.
BABAJI’S BELGRAVE
🅿️ Parking options - Try Hayes Carpark, the carpark at the back of Woolworths or the big FREE carpark at the train station.
🌷The Tesselaar’s Tulip Festival is on and tickets are 30% off! Kids under 16 are FREE! It’s 15-20 mins from Babajis Belgrave
Lets all have an awesome public holiday weekend!
X Babajis
23/09/2026
Travel really is the best medicine for perspective, to challenge oneself, to feel uncomfortable.
As someone who surfs two cultures at Babajis - I actively choose countries to travel to whose culture I don’t understand. Not so much for the landscape and sites - but for the people and for a better understanding of the geopolitics that make up our world. And this holiday it was - Azerbaijan and Georgia.
A few folk were worried for me - ‘isn’t it dangerous?’, with Azerbaijain on the Iran border and Georgia bordering Russia … but to be honest, I felt as safe as I do walking the dog at night in Monbulk - so safe!
And so I set off, reaching Azerbaijan first - steadily travelling through the mountains through villages where life would be tough.
The environment felt harsh, the rivers dry, the roads primed for landslips which Russian Ladas stubbornly chugged up. Maybe for this reason, I felt the harshness in their people (Or did I really? )
I never once felt unsafe.
The Georgia - Azerbaijan border was a 400 mt walk through ‘no mans land’ … fences along each side. Neither side welcoming each other.
And on reaching Georgia, I instantly felt the warmth of the people. The rivers started to fill, picnic spots in the forest lined the roads and the cars were replaced with newer Japanese offerings.
And it made me reflect on how we judge people quite different to ourselves (even in Australia).
And at times - how we may miss the ‘cues of kindness’. How many of these cues did I miss in Azerbaijan? Were her people really so harsh?
Public holiday weekends at Babajis are often tricky… and sometimes, for us, that is because of the different cultures at play.
Unusual in our team (half Aussie / half Indian / many local juniors and some grumpy old timers (yes - me!) ).
We can be intense.
We can be rude.
You can be intense.
You can be rude.
Cultural misunderstandings firing like a kids BB Gun.
And so as we move into a busy public holiday weekend ahead we’re reflecting on the ‘cues of kindness’ we need to give and those cues we may miss.
Here’s to a great long weekend for everyone.
Be kind and look for the cues - whereever you head.
Billy, Babajis.
17/09/2026
WIN a pass for 6 ADULTS (Kids go free) to our local tulip festival at Tesselaar Tulip Festival!
Pick up a colouring sheet. 🎨
Do your magic. 🌈
Hand it back to us with your details.
We’re picking the best entrants on 17/9 & 24/9.
🌷The Tesselaar Tulip Festival is back in Silvan, just 15 mins from Babaji’s Kerala Kitchen Belgrave | South Indian Restaurant, from 12 Sep – 11 Oct.
😋 We’re open all week. Only closed Wednesdays.
babajiskitchen.com.au
11/09/2026
GIVEAWAY! We know how our people like to make memories in GROUPS! So - thanks to uncle Tesselaar - we’re giving away tickets to the Tesselaar Tulip Festival for 6 adults in one hit (kids under 10 are free)!!!!
The Tesselaar Tulip Festival is back in Silvan from 12 September – 11 October
Haven’t booked tickets yet? That’s okay because you can still book your 30% off tickets online: https://tulipfestival.com.au/
-OR-
Stop by Babajis for your favourite beef fry & Malabar parotta, sadya with fish fry or pick up some goat curry … do some colouring in with the kids (or not)
You can do it in while you eat (who are we to judge any smudge?!). Once it’s handed in we’ll pop it up in our takeaway windows for its moment of fame. Your efforts deserve to shine.
We’ll be drawing two lucky entries at random over the next couple of weeks in time for school holidays. Giveaway Draw 1: Thurs 17/9 and Draw 2: Thurs 24/9
So while the school holidays might not have started yet your school holiday prep-game starts now at Babaji’s.
This giveaway is open to all ages. Entries must have a name and method of contact to be considered valid. “Winners” to arrange collection from Babaji’s Belgrave during regular opening hours. Giveaway is at our Belgrave restaurant only (sorry to our Warby fam but we’re working on something for you guys too! Stay tuned!)
07/09/2026
Holidays for me are a little bit forced.
It’s a small business owner thing I need to work on.
I love what I do for a job. Running Babajis.
Yet I feel the weight of trying to keep Babajis doors open - challenge after challenge hitting the hospitality industry - keeping my beautiful and talented team in jobs and their families looked after.
But now that we are a little bit bigger and I know we have a team that cares - I know - I MUST take time out.
Time away from the commute along the Warburton Highway to Babaji’s Kerala Kitchen Warburton | South Indian Restaurant - with its speed cameras cloning themselves.
Time away from the constant fight - Cockatoos Vs Bins in the Belgrave Blacksmiths Way at Babaji’s Kerala Kitchen Belgrave | South Indian Restaurant.
Time away from the keyboard warriors on social media.
Time away from the harsh judgements on google reviews.
Just time away.
I know Babajis will be ‘just fine’ in my absence … and only now - on day 5 - am I starting to decompress.
So here I am …in Azerbaijan!
Why Azerbaijan?
I’ve told folk (with an accompanying wink 😉) that I was looking for a place without Aussies and Indians - for I wanted to enjoy a meal in peace - blissfully unaware of judgements and sometimes ungrateful behaviour towards hospitality staff.
I needed to get away from my cultureS.
There’s truth in that (and in that mission - I succeeded).
But truthfully - it’s the history of migration and how cultures blend that fascinates me and led me to Azerbaijan.
Located along the Silk Road in the Greater Caucasus Mountains - is a country that understood the importance of trade, of providing a place of safety to outsiders as ‘caravans’ from China and the ‘Stans passed through with their goods (salt, silk, gold and spices).
As I walk the cobbled streets, feeling completely safe and welcomed as a tourist, I wondered - how that ‘welcome’ presented itself in the 18th and 19th centuries.
And what we, today, can learn from it.
Holidays - a time to reflect.
X Billy, Babajis
P.S Both Babajis are open as usual. Bookings always helpful. Walk ins welcome.
28/08/2026
Here’s the thing … Belgrave’s looking busier than we expected this weekend. We’re happy for the love but 😬
We thought you were Onam’d out … but apparently not!
Just a reminder - we are a small team - doing our absolute best.
We Live.
Dream
and Do -
Kerala +
Community +
Great food +
Friendly Service.
Please help us with a little bit of patience.
You are in the Hills. Suns out. What’s not to love?
(Need to know - no biriyani this weekend. Tooo much for us to manage. No one star reviews because of this please. Thats just mean).
Babajis.
(P.S - See notes about Onam at Babajis Warburton. We have just 30 spots left for lunch on Sunday).
27/08/2026
I always laugh when our Federal member Aaron Violi MP asks me, Billy, to be a judge on the Casey electorates apprentice of the year award. 😳
We all know I’m a loose canon sometimes and waaaay too blunt.
This politician is brave. 😂
And even braver than you’d think as I also did the honour of the judges speech this year!
But seriously, I’m honoured to be asked, representing hospitality, along side my fellow judges Bec from Humphris Nursery and Pat from Hat Trick Electrical Services.
And this year was harder than some to choose.
What should we have looked for in a apprentice?
We’d love to hear your thoughts below.
The journeys to being apprentices varied, with many making great sacrifices for their future.
There were those who lived and breathed their trade.
Helping others in the community with their skills after they had knocked off.
There were those with stories of resilience.
Stories I could relate to.
But what really came across is the kind of people these (mostly) young apprentices were in the workplace.
Lifting their team up, contributing to a positive workplace and genuinely caring folder their colleagues. Being self aware and aware of the mental health of others.
We know it’s not easy out there at the moment, cost of living pressures affecting many of us and having a massive impact on our mental health.
But spreading positivity at work - is incredibly valuable for any employer.
So HOW did we 3 employers from very different trade backgrounds make a decision?
We looked for:
Passion.
Hard work.
Resilience.
Kindness.
Did we get it right?
Every single one of our 10 finalists (from 50 entrants) demonstrated these qualities.
To all of you - congratulations - know that with the values you’re being celebrated for - ‘you’ve got this’ and whatever life throws at you.
Billy
Babajis
P.S Babajis Belgrave is open today 12-9pm.
💰We’ve got some cost of friendly week day lunches going on ($15-$20)
🥥🍆🥬 Sadya is available all day and weekend for Onam.
❗️Sorry - no biryani this weekend. Toooo much cooking going on in our kitchen for Onam. Please bare with us if we don’t have your favourite as we catch up with our non sadya menu.
26/08/2026
The festival that feels like its never ending … is close to the end! This weekend we welcome you to Babaji’s Kerala Kitchen Warburton | South Indian Restaurant for Melbourne’s BEST onam sadya.
Saturday & Sunday - 2 sessions both days.
12.30 (looking full) and 2.30 (getting busier).
Fry sides available - fish, beef, chicken.
(& chicken nuggets / chips to keep the kids happy).
Bookings online only. Head to our website - events.
x Babajis x
23/08/2026
For the first time - we did us!
Each year we invite our community to come and celebrate Onam with us.
By ‘Community’, we don’t just mean our Kerala community … we mean EVERYONE!
But for some reason … we struggle to get others not from our Kerala community there.
Even those that reckon their ‘foodies’.
Perhaps its because ‘Onam’ is a cultural festival … specific to Kerala… and as humans, we don’t like to impinge on someone else’s culture?
We don’t think it’s because of ill wishes or racism… it’s just people being people.
Sticking to what they know.
Not wanting to offend.
Not wanting to get out of their comfort zone.
But this year, for the first time… we had quite a lot of our Hills locals joining us!
People not really familiar with our food, and our Kerala culture.
Curious people wanting a foodie experience.
And we could not be more grateful and more proud that so many of you joined us to celebrate such a significant cultural event for us.
Sad you missed out?
You’ve got one more chance!
This time it’s Babajis Warburton’s turn this weekend.
29-30 August.
P.S We’re serving sadya every day this week at Babajis Belgrave and Warburton (not just the weekend) - because - it’s Onam! 😊
Limited tickets available online now.
babajiskitchen.com.au
22/08/2026
👋 Tomorrow! Hope everyones having a wonderful onam. Tickets available for Melbourne’s best Onam Sadya Babaji’s Kerala Kitchen Warburton | South Indian Restaurant next weekend.
21/08/2026
To help us manage tricky Onam logistics, we’ve just closed the bookings for today’s Onam Sadya.
Still pondering - should we come try Melbourne’s BEST onam sadya? (we stand by that!!!) … we still have spots left for today and tomorrow.
Walk ins welcome from 2.30-4pm and then 6.30-7.30pm.
Just turn up and we’ll look after you.
❗️We are only running an Onam Sadya menu today along with chicken fry, beef fry and fish fry.
(Chicken nuggets and all the payasam they can eat (you’re taking them home 😂🍬) is available for the kids!)
We’ll be back to our full usual menu on Monday.
(Babaji’s Kerala Kitchen Warburton | South Indian Restaurant is running a full Babajis menu today).
🦘What the heck is Onam?
Onam our biggest festival in Kerala. Whilst we joke to those not from Kerala that it’s kinda like Christmas when we celebrate the ancient wise and very kind King Mahabali (Santa) coming back to visit his people - actually Onam is our harvest festival.
The best bit - we ALL celebrate the harvest.
Christian, Muslim, Hindu - this is a celebration for everyone.
Same applies at Babajis.
You don’t need to be from Kerala to join us for our Onam feast but if you like truly authentic cultural foodie experiences - this is IT! Just come. You’ll be welcomed.
21/08/2026
Some thing never change.
Across the decades and globe.
It’s a quiet Friday afternoon and in walk these two - Owen & Braden - their backpacks laden with heavy school books and homework. They’d come to Babajis ALL the way from Glen Waverley - after school - on the train.
If it had been Kerala, a 16 year old Chef Jithin (pictured) and his friends looking for an after school treat - would have been patiently waiting for the ‘egg puff’ delivery man - with his fresh out of the oven steaming hot egg puffs destined to reach Joys Bakery in Kaipuzha.
These - with a fresh lime soda - was the taste of a Kerala childhood.
And 16 year old Billy - she’d be heading to the blue stone chippy in Emerald (where Woolies now lies), ordering a steaming hot bag of potato cakes drowned in vinegar. The taste of being a teenager in the Hills in the 90s.
But these two, as they walked in - we clocked them - for it’s unusual to see two young people of Chinese heritage at Babajis.
Studying the menu - they both confidently ordered vegetarian thalis - a dish that gave them a little taste of Kerala.
… and when their food arrived, in hushed tones Owen explained all the elements of a Kerala thali to his mate Braden. (But not quite hushed enough for us not to hear his perfect explanations)...
… ’this is moru, save it till the end. It’s great for digestion’.
Of course - we were surprised and curious.
Who were these two Chinese Aussie boys and what were they doing at Babajis on a Friday afternoon in Glen Waverley school uniforms?
(‘They must actually be Malaysian and not Chinese’ - we thought as Malaysian cuisine is so heavily influenced by South India).
But no - it turns out - these two are Chinese Aussie and it’s their ’thing’ to watch food vids on YouTube and travel across Melbourne after school trying different food.
Even if that food is a 90 + minute train trip from Glen Waverley to Belgrave!
😊 These two just made our day.
🌼 It’s Onam at Babajis Belgrave this weekend - we’ll be taking a break from our usual menu and instead serving our Onam Sadya all weekend.
The chefs have been preparing all week for this very special occasion to us. Tickets still available and we will be able to manage some walk ins.
19/08/2026
A message straight from our Head Chef Jithin to our Mallu community x x x ...
‘We know that you are all busy with celebrating different community Onam celebrations, with hundreds of community celebrations happening’...
If you are after a good, wonderful and handmade onam sadya -
- NOT factory made - everything cooked traditionally - cooked in big pots - a very homely sadya
- If you want to enjoy with your family & friends in a QUIET atmosphere a traditionally served sadya
- If you are interested in having a TRADITIONAL Onam sadya - you know where to come!
Babaji’s Kerala Kitchen presents you Melbourne’s BEST Onam Sadya in both our restaurants - Belgrave & Warburton
Tickets available this weekend at Babajis Belgrave!
SAT 22nd August
12.30 pm - almost booked out!
2.30 pm - spots left!
6.30 pm - spots left!
SUN 23rd August
12.30 pm - almost booked out!
2.30 pm - spots left!
Head online to book -
https://www.babajiskitchen.com.au/more/about-us/news-and-events/onam-sadya.html
(Limited tickets available at Babajis Warburton Sat / Sun 29-30 August)
(Everyone 🇦🇺, of course, welcome).
Address
1/1644 Burwood Highway
Belgrave, VIC
3160
To get to the south Indian restaurant and food stand located at Burwood Highway in Melbourne, there are several options for transportation.
If you're traveling by public transport, take the train to the nearest station and then transfer to a bus that stops at Burwood Highway. From there, it's just a short walk to the restaurant.
If you prefer to drive or take a taxi, head towards Burwood Highway and look for available parking spots near the restaurant. Please note that parking may be limited during peak hours.
Overall, regardless of your choice of transportation, it should be fairly easy to find this south Indian restaurant and food stand located on Burwood Highway in Melbourne.
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What people say
South Indian restaurants are known for their unique and flavorful dishes that are a treat to the taste buds. Babaji's Kerala Kitchen, located on Burwood Highway in Melbourne, is one such restaurant that serves authentic South Indian cuisine with a touch of Kerala's tropical flavors.
The restaurant offers a wide range of dishes, including Sadya served on banana leaf plates, dosa, Malabar biryani, parotta, and South Indian filter coffee. The food is cooked by 'home-style' cooks who bring out the true essence of Kerala's culinary traditions.
What sets Babaji's Kerala Kitchen apart from other South Indian restaurants is its location in the lush forest of Melbourne's Dandenong Ranges. The ambiance is serene and peaceful, making it an ideal spot for a relaxing meal after a long day of hiking or exploring the nearby national park.
Apart from serving delicious food at their restaurant, Babaji's Kerala Kitchen also offers catering services for weddings and events. They specialize in live dosa catering and have a gypsy kitchen that travels to festivals across Victoria.
Overall, Babaji's Kerala Kitchen is a must-visit restaurant for anyone looking to experience authentic South Indian cuisine with a touch of tropical Kerala flavors.
