Kerala and South Indian · Culver City
By Monty Khas, Anonymous Critic. Pays every bill.
Most Indian menus in Los Angeles lean north: butter chicken, tikka masala, naan. Mayura is different. Tucked into a modest strip mall on Venice Boulevard in Culver City, this family-run restaurant has spent more than 20 years cooking the food of Kerala, India's lush southwestern coast, where coconut, curry leaves and tamarind rule the kitchen.
The people
Mayura belongs to Padmini Aniyan and her husband, Aniyan Puthanpurayil, who brought the flavors of their home state with them when they moved to the United States. The family still runs the restaurant, and you can taste the care in the cooking.
The room
From the parking lot, Mayura doesn't look like much. Step inside and the dining room is bright and modern, a comfortable, easygoing space that works for a quick lunch or a long family dinner.
What to eat
Start with the Kerala special fish curry. It's tangy, sour and fiery, the kind of curry that makes you reach for more rice. Even better, order it with appam, the soft, lacy rice pancakes with crisp edges that are perfect for soaking up the sauce.
Avial is the vegetarian dish to get, a mix of vegetables cooked down with coconut and gentle spices. It's mild, comforting and very Keralan. The dosas are excellent too, especially the ghee roast dosa, crisp and golden from a generous coat of clarified butter.
Mayura's special cheese and vegetable uthappam, a thick, savory rice pancake, is a regular favorite, and medhu vada, crisp lentil doughnuts served with sambar and coconut chutney, make a perfect starter. Venpongal, a soothing mix of rice and lentils seasoned with pepper, cumin and ghee, is South Indian comfort food at its best. The menu also covers familiar North Indian dishes for anyone who wants them, but the South Indian side is the reason to come.
Before you go
Mayura is at 10406 Venice Boulevard in Culver City, with parking in the strip mall lot. It's a good stop before or after a visit to downtown Culver City, and takeout travels well.
Why it matters
Kerala's cooking is one of the great regional cuisines of India, but it's rarely found in Los Angeles. Mayura has been flying the flag for two decades, and it remains the city's best introduction to the food of India's spice coast.
The Quick Fix
What to order: Kerala special fish curry with appam; Kerala avial; ghee roast dosa; Mayura special cheese and vegetable uthappam; medhu vada; venpongal
Pricing: Budget to mid-range. A lot of food for not much.
Best for: South Indian food lovers, vegetarians, families, casual lunches and anyone curious about Kerala cooking
How it compares: LA's best Kerala restaurant; more regional than Roots, more of a sit-down meal than Artesia's dosa counters; the fish curry is the best on this list
See where Mayura ranks: The Best Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi Restaurants in Los Angeles: Our Top 10 for 2026
The food was always this good. We're just paying attention.