Madras Dosa · Algarve, Portugal

Live dosa catering.
Freshly made
at your event.

Discover dosa: a golden, savoury South Indian crêpe made from rice and lentils.

We cook small, party-size dosas in front of your guests, with a choice of fillings, homemade chutneys and sambar.

Birthdays · Parties · Office events · Retreats · Weddings

Small golden dosas with potato masala, onion and carrot, paneer and capsicum, and podi, served with chutneys and sambar
Tap a dot to discover what’s on the plate

Illustrative food image · presentation may vary

New to South Indian food?

What is a dosa?

A savoury crêpe. Thin, golden and crisp, served with a filling, topping or dip.

Dosa batter is traditionally made from fermented rice and lentils. We cook it on a hot griddle and serve it in small portions, so guests can try different flavours.

How to enjoy it

  1. Choose your dosa.Try it plain, topped with podi, or filled with potato masala, paneer or egg masala.
  2. Add a dip.Tear off a piece and dip it into chutney or sambar, a lentil-and-vegetable stew.
  3. Find your favourite.Enjoy another flavour. We can adjust the spice level to suit your gathering.
THE INGREDIENTS

Rice meets lentils.

A simple grain-and-pulse pairing. Lentils contribute plant protein to the batter.

THE PROCESS

Time brings flavour.

Soaked, ground and slowly fermented at home. Around 24 hours of preparation bring a gently tangy flavour.

THE HERITAGE

Centuries at the table.

A dosa recipe appears in the 12th-century Mānasollāsa—around 900 years ago.

One service, planned around your event

A live dosa station
for your guests.

Freshly cooked food, a little theatre and a menu planned around your gathering.

A clean live griddle cooking small dosas with different fillings and toppings
Live station illustration · setup may vary

What you can plan with us

  1. Freshly cooked dosas.Small, party-size portions, made live for your guests.
  2. Your choice of flavours.Pick your dosa styles, fillings and toppings.
  3. Homemade sides.Freshly ground chutneys and warming sambar.
  4. Spice & dietary requests.Tell us what your guests need so we can plan together.
  5. Something refreshing.Mango lassi or coconut water alongside your dosas.

Where we cater
Across the Algarve and nearby regions by arrangement.

Tell us about your event ↗

Packages & prices

Choose your event package.

Unlimited savoury dosas, freshly cooked for your guests. Choose your package and flavours. Prices shown are final package prices per person. The minimum booking charge is equivalent to 20 adult packages.

Savoury favourites

Classic

€19 per person

  • 3 dosa stylesChoose three from the dosa styles menu.
  • 1 filling & 1 toppingChoose one from Fillings and one from Toppings.
  • 2 homemade sidesChoose two from the chutneys and sambar.
  • Drinking waterSelf-service drinking water included.
Enquire about Classic ↗

Unlimited food & drinks

Full Menu

€45 per person

  • All dosa stylesThe full choice of savoury dosa styles.
  • All fillings & toppingsEvery option from the fillings and toppings menu.
  • All sweet dosasBoth sweet dosa options, unlimited.
  • All drinksUnlimited mango lassi and coconut water.
  • All homemade sidesAll six freshly ground chutneys and sambar.
  • Drinking waterSelf-service drinking water included.
Enquire about Full Menu ↗

All packages include unlimited savoury dosas during your agreed meal service. Celebration includes one sweet dosa and one drink per person; Full Menu includes unlimited food and drinks. The host chooses the event menu within their package, and guests choose from that selection. Children aged 0–3 eat free, ages 4–9 pay half price, and ages 10+ pay full price. Booking, children’s prices & service details ↓

View the full food & drinks menu ↑
Anitha spreading dosa batter on the griddle at her live catering station
Anitha at the griddle

The person behind the griddle

Meet Anitha.

I’m Anitha, from Chennai—formerly known as Madras—in South India. After several years in Germany, I now call Lagos, Portugal, home.

As a Bharatanatyam and Carnatic music teacher, sharing Indian culture is a big part of my life. The name Madras Dosa is a connection to my home city. Through it, I’m sharing another side of Indian culture: the food, the flavours and the pleasure of gathering around something freshly cooked.

If you’ve never tried a dosa before, I’d love to make your first one. You can watch the batter spread across the griddle, choose your filling and enjoy it warm, with freshly ground chutneys alongside. There’s no need to know the names or how to eat it—I’ll happily guide you.

I make small, party-size dosas so your guests can explore different flavours and find their favourites, while enjoying the celebration around them.

When you book Madras Dosa, you’ll speak with me about your plans—and meet me at the griddle. My hope is that everyone leaves feeling well fed, welcomed and a little more familiar with the food I’m happy to share.

Let’s plan your celebration ↗

Planning your event

How to book.

Please book at least 10 days before your event. For events sooner than that, contact us: we may be able to help, depending on availability and guest numbers.

  1. Share your plans

    Send the date, venue, guest count and any dietary requests.

  2. Agree your menu & quote

    We’ll discuss food, drinks, service arrangements and the venue setup with you.

  3. Confirm & enjoy

    Confirm your written quote and pay the 30% advance payment to reserve your date. The balance is due 48 hours before your event.

Your questions, answered.

Booking & prices
Is drinking water included?

Yes. Every package includes self-service drinking water, served at room temperature from a dispenser. Mango lassi and coconut water are included according to your chosen package.

How far in advance should I book?

Please book at least 10 days before your event. You can enquire earlier to check your preferred date. If your event is less than 10 days away, contact us directly on WhatsApp: shorter-notice bookings depend on availability and guest numbers. Your date is reserved only once we confirm your booking.

What happens after I send an enquiry?

We’ll reply on WhatsApp to check availability and discuss your menu, guest numbers and price. Sending an enquiry does not reserve a date; we reserve your date after you accept the written quote and pay the 30% advance payment.

How much does live dosa catering cost?

Our packages are €19, €29 and €45 per person, with different choices of fillings, sides, sweets and drinks. All packages include unlimited savoury dosas from your selected event menu during the agreed meal service. Celebration includes one sweet dosa and one drink per person. Full Menu includes unlimited food and drinks, including sweet dosas, mango lassi and coconut water. This covers the confirmed guest count; additional guests must be agreed in advance. Travel outside Lagos, Luz and Alvor, and extra staff for events above 40 guests, may cost extra. Any additions are agreed in your written quote before booking. Compare the packages.

How are children charged?

Ages 0–3 eat free; ages 4–9 pay half price (€9.50 Classic, €14.50 Celebration or €22.50 Full Menu); ages 10+ pay the adult rate. The minimum booking charge remains equivalent to 20 adult packages. Please include every child in your actual guest count, including those eating free.

When do I pay?

A 30% advance payment reserves your date after you accept the written quote. The balance is due 48 hours before the event. For a booking agreed less than 48 hours beforehand, full payment is due on confirmation. Payment is arranged through a Stripe payment link after we agree your quote. Your quote confirms the final total and any agreed extras; the displayed package prices are the final per-person rates. Travel, additional staffing or dining tableware are charged only when agreed beforehand.

Can I change, cancel or move my booking?

Please confirm your final menu, dietary requirements and guest numbers at least 7 days before the event. For shorter-notice bookings, we agree these details when confirming. Later changes depend on preparation and availability and must be agreed in writing, including any price adjustment. Reductions after the deadline do not reduce the confirmed booking total. Extra guests are not automatically covered by an unlimited package.

  • Cancel 7 or more days before: payments refunded, less specifically agreed, non-recoverable purchases already made for your event.
  • Cancel 2–6 days before: cancellation charge of 30% of the booking total.
  • Cancel less than 48 hours before: cancellation charge of 50% of the booking total.

Any payment above the applicable cancellation charge is refunded. With at least 7 days’ notice, you can request one move to an available date within 6 months; any price difference is agreed before confirming. For unsafe outdoor weather, contact us promptly to discuss the agreed backup or rescheduling. If we cannot provide the service and no alternative is agreed, we refund your payments. These booking arrangements do not limit applicable statutory rights.

Your event & venue
How many guests can you cater for?

The minimum booking charge is equivalent to 20 adults on your chosen package: €380 for Classic, €580 for Celebration or €900 for Full Menu. Children’s discounts do not reduce this minimum. Tell us the total number of adults and children so we can plan the station safely and comfortably. Larger events are agreed individually; events above 40 guests may need extra staff, with any additional charge agreed in your quote.

What do you need at the venue?

We need a clear, level cooking area, access to water, convenient parking or unloading access, and rubbish bins for the station and your guests. Our electric teppanyaki grill and food warmers need nearby, earthed 230 V sockets with enough circuit capacity for the complete setup. We confirm the number of sockets, circuit capacity and layout with the venue before booking; a single shared socket or extension lead must not be assumed sufficient. Outdoor events need a dry, sheltered cooking area and a weather backup. Venue photos help us plan.

Can you travel outside the Algarve?

We cater across the Algarve, with nearby regions available by arrangement. Travel is included within Lagos, Luz and Alvor. Other locations may have a travel charge, agreed in your quote before booking.

How long will you cook, and when do you arrive?

We arrive around one hour before the event to set up. Live cooking is planned around your agreed meal time, and we keep making dosas as guests eat during that service. Chutneys, fillings and sambar are prepared beforehand and kept warm in food warmers at the station; dosas are cooked live on our teppanyaki grill. We confirm the setup, meal-service and finish times in your quote.

What equipment and tableware do you bring?

We bring our teppanyaki grill, food warmers, cooking-station table and napkin holder. Paper plates, paper napkins, plastic cutlery, paper cups for water and plastic cups for mango lassi and coconut water are included. Tableware and drinks are self-service: guests help themselves. Dining tables, chairs and guest seating need to be arranged with your venue.

Can you provide dining tableware, servers or helpers?

Yes. For weddings and other formal events, proper dining plates and cutlery can be arranged at an additional charge. Servers and extra helpers can also be arranged for an additional charge. Tell us what you need when enquiring so availability, staffing, tableware quantities and all extra costs can be agreed in your quote. Dining tables and chairs are not included.

Who handles cleaning and rubbish?

We clean and pack away our own station and equipment. General venue cleaning, collecting guests’ used plates and disposing of event rubbish are the host’s or venue’s responsibility. Please provide rubbish bins for guests and our station; we can supply rubbish bags if needed.

Menu & dietary needs
Who chooses the menu for the event?

The host selects dosa styles, fillings, toppings and sides within the chosen package. We prepare that agreed selection and bring a display menu so each guest can choose what they would like. Full Menu includes the complete selection. Please confirm your event menu, dietary needs and final guest numbers at least 7 days before the event, or when confirming a shorter-notice booking.

Is the food spicy?

We can discuss spice levels when planning your menu. Chilli dosa is very spicy, with a fiery red chilli-and-garlic spread. Podi dosa is medium spicy, and our onion & carrot topping includes chilli. Tell us if your guests prefer milder flavours.

What do the menu symbols mean?

Symbols highlight confirmed allergens and plant-based options; they are not a complete allergen guarantee. We use a shared kitchen, utensils and griddle, so cross-contact is possible. Shop-bought ingredients also need checking. Please discuss allergies before booking so we can review your selected menu and whether we can meet your needs.

Can you cater for vegans and vegetarians?

Yes. Plain and podi dosas with plant-based fillings or toppings are vegan options. Ghee, benne, paneer, cheese mix, coconut & jaggery dosa and mango lassi contain milk; egg dosa and egg masala contain egg. All six chutneys and sambar are vegan. Chilli dosa contains ghee, with a vegan version available on request. Our sweet dosas are not vegan. Tell us your guests’ needs when booking.

Can you guarantee gluten-free food?

No. Our dosa batter is made from rice and lentils, which are naturally gluten-free. However, we use shop-bought spices, including hing, and cannot guarantee that our dishes are gluten-free or suitable for people with coeliac disease. Please tell us about any allergies or dietary requirements before booking.

Which dishes contain mustard, sesame or nuts?

Most dosas are cooked with sesame oil; ghee and benne dosas use ghee or butter instead, and coconut & jaggery dosa is cooked with ghee. Chilli dosa contains ghee unless you request the vegan version. All six chutneys and sambar contain mustard seeds and sesame oil. The chutneys are freshly ground, then tempered with sesame oil. Only peanut chutney has added peanuts; our other chutneys have no added peanuts, but are not guaranteed peanut-free because ingredients and equipment may come into contact. Peanut chutney contains peanuts; Nutella, banana & almond dosa contains hazelnuts and almonds; mango lassi has a pistachio topping. Tell us about allergies before booking so we can confirm the full ingredients and preparation.

About dosa
How do you prepare your dosa batter?

We make our batter at home, starting with rice and lentils. We soak them for 10–12 hours, grind them for around 1 hour, then leave the batter to ferment for another 10–12 hours. From soaking to fermentation, that’s around 24 hours of preparation before it reaches the griddle.

Do my guests need to know Indian food?

No. Dosa is easy to try, and the small portions let guests explore different flavours. Plain dosa with potato masala and chutneys is a good introduction.

Can dosa be part of a healthy meal?

Yes. A rice-and-lentil dosa can fit into a balanced diet: rice provides carbohydrate, and lentils contribute some plant protein. Pair it with sambar and vegetable fillings or toppings for variety. Portions, cooking fats and extras such as butter, cheese and sweet spreads affect the overall nutrition. Read ICMR–NIN’s guidance on a balanced diet ↗

How old is dosa?

Dosa has a long South Indian history. A recipe called dosaka is recorded in the 12th-century Sanskrit text Mānasollāsa, associated with King Someshvara III. That gives it around 900 years of documented history, although its precise origins are debated and the dish may be older. Today’s versions have continued to evolve. Explore the historical reference ↗

Let’s plan your event

Request a quote.

Tell us a little about your event. Let’s plan something delicious together.

WhatsApp +351 920 348 207 ↗

support@tisram.eu ↗

Small golden dosas with potato masala, paneer and capsicum, onion and carrot, and podi, served with chutneys and sambar
Illustrative food image · presentation may vary

Minimum booking charge: 20 adult packages. Travel, servers, helpers and formal dining tableware, if needed, are quoted separately and agreed before booking. Payment is arranged via Stripe after your quote is agreed.

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