“You want your city clean and green, stick to Delhi. You want your city rich and impersonal, go to Bombay. You want them hi-tech and full of draught beer, Bangalore’s your place. But if you want a city with a soul, come to Calcutta.”
– Vir Sanghvi
Well, we don’t disagree much with the above quote. This part of India may lack in so many different things, but when it comes to being passionate , this city does everything fearlessly. Be it celebrating Durga Pujo, watching a football match, or having political arguments – the liveliness of this city is unmatchable.
But wait…did we miss that one thing that defines Bengalis ??
Hmm … not actually, this blog is all about that – The famous cuisines at our favourite restaurants of Kolkata!!
Food and Bengalis are truly match made in heaven, in Kolkata you just can’t declare yourself as a non-foodie. In this article we are not going to tell you about Roshogullas or Hilsas, here we are listing out how you can have a full day of eating out in Kolkata.
For every meal, we have listed our favourite restaurants of Kolkata, where we keep coming back time and again. This list is by no means exhaustive – this is as a local we loved going. Some of these places, we have been going since childhood and not even once we regretted the choice.
P.S: We are not responsible for your stomach if you try to finish everything in one day 😂
Table of Contents
Breakfast at famous restaurants of Kolkata
To start the day, you can choose any one of the four places we have recommended below, depends upon your food-mood on that day.
The moment you heard Kolkata and breakfast together, you knew that Flury’s has to be on the list. One of the best cafes in Kolkata with a rich history dating back to pre-independence India. Founded in 1927, Flurys is one of the most talked about and famous restaurants of Kolkata.
Flurys is an English breakfast paradise, especially if you are interested in bakeries. The famous Flurys breakfast consists of grilled sausages, crispy bacon, poached egg, bread, grilled tomato, mushroom, butter accompanied with tea or coffee. There’s a delicious range of cakes, pastries, and other delicacies, while the signature Flurys tea and rum-balls is a particularly popular combination.
The Terreti Bazaar opens at 5am and it is Kolkata’s unique mini-Chinatown. As the name implies, this place not only serves excellent Chinese food, but also preserves the heritage of the local Chinese immigrant community. The Sino-Indian population, which settled in Kolkata as early as the 1780s, has historically played an important role in defining the city’s cuisine. And the proof is the Chinese and Indian breakfasts they serve. The most popular dish served at this breakfast market is steamed momos (chicken, pork, seafood, vegetables). Besides the delicious momos, this breakfast alley includes delicious homemade sausages, stuffed breads, pork rolls and wantons.
At the turn of the 20th century, Nahoum Israel Mordecai moved from the Middle East to Calcutta. He was part of a community of over 4,000 other Jews from Syria and Iraq known as Baghdad Jews.
Nahoum was one of the most talented pastry chefs in the community. A little different from traditional Bengali cuisine, Nahoum’s sweets mix Western classics such as brownies and cream puffs with Jewish and Middle Eastern sweets such as challah and baklava. Others, such as bakery coconut and cheese samosas, are a pure fusion that is the result of a marriage of traditions and tastes. Do visit this place if you want to try something different in breakfast.
Haridas Modak
A typical Bengali breakfast would ideally consist of “Luchi” (fried puri), delicious “Alu r torkari” (potato sabji), and Dal along with crispy jalebis. If you are anxious to go back to the good old days of Kolkata and have a fascinating urge to devour the joy of these magical food, you need to go to the best possible place. There are two Haridas Modak stores at the Shyambazar crossing.
The hall, with several wooden tables and benches, offers the sparse Old-World charm. There was a time when food was served on banana leaf plates at Bengal weddings and other special occasions. After 250 years of illustrious journey, Haridas Modak is one of the places where “Luchi” and “Alu r torkari” still being served in banana leaf – a bite of food here can immediately teleport you to the traditional kitchens of a Bengali household
Lunch at famous restaurants of Kolkata
For the lunch, let’s take you to the some of the classics in Kolkata which defines the restaurant culture here
Peter Cat:
A legendary restaurant standing tall amidst all the eateries of Park Street since the 1960`s. Apparently named after a cat who made the Lord`s Cricket Ground, London his home in the 60`s, this family run eatery boasts of a wonderful ambiance and is beautifully decorated.
Their signature dish remains their version of the Chelo Kebab, originally a dish from Iran. The fame of this dish at Peter Cat is such that food lovers visiting the city take time out to make a trip to the restaurant so that they can gorge on the Chelo – two succulent pieces of mutton kebabs marinated in Persian spice mix, served over a bed of buttered rice with a poached egg and grilled cubes of chicken and vegetables on the side.
The reddish light of the entire restaurant creates a unique atmosphere.
Mocambo:
A long hanging lamp on the table with red leather seats, the art-decor walls, and the white turban of the waiter – This is one of the rare experiences in Kolkata and is becoming rare over time.
The dishes you must try here are “Fish A la Diana” which is Bhetki ( a type of fish), cooked in creamy sauce and stuffed with prawns. “Bhetki Bell Meuniere” is another specialty. Devil’s crab is also one of our most ordered foods. Labelled as a heritage, this is presented in crab shells and crab meat is cooked in creamy mustard sauce.
Arsalan:
If you’re in Kolkata and order a plate of biryani at a restaurant in the city, you’ll always be served delicious rice with pieces of meat and large boiled potatoes.
Yes, this is a feature of Biryani that was developed here and has maintained its popularity for over 150 years. Arsalan deserves all the accolades said about its Biriyani. Known for its Mughlai cuisine, it is a sin for foodies to visit Kolkata but not this place. The quantity and quality of biryani is plentiful, and one dish is enough for two people. The taste explodes in the mouth and the soft mass of mutton melts in the mouth. Rice is less spicy than Hyderabad and less oily than Awadi.
Mutton Biriyani and Chicken Reshmi Kabab is our choice in Arsalan!!
6 Ballygunge place:
This popular restaurant is known for its traditional and modern Bengali cuisine. Try dab-chingri (prawn cooked in tender coconut) and hilsa (local fish) wrapped in banana leaves and steamed with mustard & coconut mix.
The buffet here is one of the best you can get in town-it’s a great introduction to Bengali cuisine. 6 Ballygunge Place in Ballygunge is one of the best restaurants in the country serving Bengali cuisine. The restaurant boasts beautiful interiors and elegantly arranged structures that bring out the glory of Victorian Bengal.
Evening snacks in Kolkata
After a heavy lunch, and a walk around the city it is time to grab some evening snacks. And when it comes to snacking, options are literally endless. Listing here five such places that gives you authentic evening feel with some classic foods that made us nostalgic.
Indian Coffee House:
The Coffee House is a historic location in the heart of College Street and has many memories. Years later, the coffee house still accepts hundreds of customers every day and offers coffee and light meals at very reasonable prices. The location is not very clean, but it is still the hub of all Bengali Nostalgia makes it easy to beat CCDs and other new cafes
A historic coffee shop deeply rooted in the social movements of Bengal.
Great Manna Day had a very famous song dedicated to this cafe. This is Kolkata’s oldest cafe and the centre of intellectuals in the city. Artists, poets, writers, thinkers, and political leaders all come together here to brew their intellects with a cup of coffee and delicious food.
The entire cafe was a smoking area, but now it’s a bit restricted. Foodies can try Mutton Afghani and Infusion (a version of black coffee). The waiters still adorn ancient white traditional uniforms with head turbans.
If you’re in Kolkata and looking for the spirit of the city, go to the coffee house and experience it once.
Dacres Lane:
Dacres Lane has a history of 200 years. This 200-year-old alley is named after Philippe Mille Nadacre, a collector of Calcutta who met the sailors here. Even today, it still functions as a meeting place for lovers and colleagues. Dacres Lane offers history to your plates. Sit on a rattling bench and enjoy the most delicious and cheap street foods
Paramount:
This 102-year-old sherbat shop is itself a landmark, right next to the city’s oldest educational institution on College Street in northern Kolkata. The small space is packed with marble tables and wooden benches, forcing guests to sit nearby. Paramount is one of the few shops in town that sells only sherbat made from the syrup made here. These recipes are a well-maintained family secret. Not surprisingly, this store is the busiest during the long, hot, and sultry summers, when people line up in turn to eat light meals. The most popular drink is Daab (tender coconut) sherbat
Kalika
A legendary store for those who like fried food. It is near College Street. The prices are very low, but they offer a variety of fitters stuffed with different things like potato, brinjal, onion, prawn, banana-stem, Bhetki cutlet. These are famously called “Telebaja” in Kolkata. Along with “Muri” (puffed rice), “Telebhaja” makes the most staple evening snack in Kolkata!!
Coffee House, Paramount and Kalika are very close by. You can take a walk in the famous College Street, soaking in the smell of books and visit all these three places
Famous restaurants of Kolkata for Dinner
To end your day with a “high” note, let us take you to places which serves liquor along with some lip-smacking foods
Golden Joy:
For those who like Chinese food, there is no better place than Chinatown. Chinatown is basically located in Tangra (East Kolkata). Famous for authentic Chinese cuisine.
If you’re from Kolkata and haven’t visited this place yet, you’re missing something big!!!
Golden Joy is one of the most famous restaurants in Chinatown. We highly recommend having Thai soup, chili garlic fried chicken, golden fried prawns here.
Beyond Mainland China, this is the most authentic Chinese cuisine place in Kolkata. This place serves liquor as well.
Opium Resto-bar:
This sophisticated bar has a unique ambience and a pleasing aura. You can chill in the comfortable seating. The ambient lighting, warm interiors and cool atmosphere are very inviting.
Enjoy mouth-watering food and hard drinks in the rejuvenating and splendid ambience of Opium Bar and restaurant. Oriental omelettes, mutton Patiala, fish Irani, liver fry are an absolute must here. All of these can go with your favourite choice of drink here. One of our top favourite places which being a bar also serves some amazing foods.
Oly Pub:
Park Street in Kolkata is a foodie’s paradise. You will want to try every restaurant and the various foods they offer. One such restaurant we’ve always wanted to try was Olypub for steaks. The steak is truly delicious. We have rarely experienced such well-made meat.
Chicken Ala Kiev they serve is literally buttered and delicious
It has a rich heritage and tradition that brings everyone back to a part of nostalgia. The mysterious charm of the old world which emanates from this place makes it even more interesting
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Pritha Gupta
nice list – would like to hear your take on some of the newer places to eat in the city..Olypub though very dear to me for the nostalgic feels – yes, as a middle-class Bong kid – I had my first bite of rebellion here..but once you eat a proper steak you would know how bad it actually is!
The Exploring Eyes
hey Pritha, thanks for reading it through. We can curate a list on new places. However being in Bangalore, whenever we visit Kolkata, we are drawn towards these nostalgic places.
And yes for so many of us, Oly Pub has very similar memories !! 😉