The culture of a mess is intrinsic to Chennai’s culinary landscape and are believed to have arrived in the city in the 1930s. Rayar’s mess is to be one of the oldest messes in the city and is known for retaining not just their humble setting but flavours that are true to the cuisine. A mess is a modest eatery serving authentic South-Indian fare, like the one you would find in traditional households. Most of Chennai’s old and popular messes are located in localities like Mylapore (also called mess mecca) and Triplicane. You will often find a beeline of loyalists and city dwellers flocking these eateries during breakfast hours and throughout the day too. For your next visit to the city, here’s a roundup of Chennai’s best messes.
Rayar’s Mess, Mylapore
A name that would feature on most people’s favourite list of vegetarian messes in Chennai is Rayar’s Mess. Nestled in a corner in Mylapore, the mess was started by P.V. Srinivasa Rao in 1930. Even over nine decades later, the mess continues to be frequented by many loyalists during breakfast hours (7 am to 10 am). Most claim that the restaurant has retained its flavours just like it has stuck with its humble setting.
Some must-tries from their menu include their South-Indian thali, their fluffy, cloud-like rice idlis, pongal, and dosai. While nothing comes close to the filter coffee in Chennai, the one at Rayar’s mess has a fan base of its own.
Address: 31, Arundale St, Madhavaperumalpuram, Mylapore, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600004
Timings: Breakfast- 7 am to 10 am Lunch- 3 pm to 8 pm
Price for two: INR 300
Bharathi Mess, Triplicane
Started in 2012 by siblings, S. Kannan, and S. Saravanan, Bharathi Mess serves more than 500 people across breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The vegetarian mess is known for its no ajinomoto and baking soda policy and for its hygienic cooking practices.
Highlights from their menu include their ghee masala dosa, sambhar rice, veg biryani, onion rava dosa, and onion uthappam. Some sweet preparations from the roster that one must definitely pick include their sakkarai pongal and payasam.
Address: 15, Ponnambala Vathiyar Street, Vinayaka Nagar Colony, Mylapore, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600004
Timings: 7 am to 10 pm
Price for two: INR 150
Erodu Amman Mess
If you are looking forward to a breakfast or lunch at Amman Mess, make sure to arrive at least 30 minutes before your meal time. You will always find a beeline of diners waiting to secure a spot at the mess. Serving both vegetarian and non-vegetarian delights, Amman’s food will take you to the flavours of traditional Chennai kitchens.
Highlights from their menu include chintamani chicken, mutton nalli fry, Japan chicken, pepper paneer and mushroom, and a range of vegetarian and non-vegetarian biryanis that they offer. Most diners would also recommend you to go for their vegetarian and non-vegetarian spreads that are served on banana leaves. They won’t serve you any carbonated drinks, so either go for buttermilk or coconut water.
Close the meal with their coconut payasam ice cream, which would be the first pick of servers if you ask them for recommendations.
Address: Multiple locations
Timings: 11:30 am- 4 pm, 6:30-11:00 pm
Price for two: INR 700
Nair Mess, Triplicane
Located in Triplicane, Nair Mess was founded in the early 1960s as a Kerala mess. Most catering to the Malayalees who came to Chennai looking for work, today the mess is popular for its traditional Kerala fare.
Highlights from their menu mostly include their non-vegetarian preparations including their fish fry (vajaram), chicken fry, mutton, fish, and prawn gravies, and coconut oil omelette. Diner favourites also include their kappa meen curry and mutton kurma.
Address: 22, Mohammed Abdullah, 2nd Street, Opposite Stadium, Chepauk, Triplicane, Chennai
Timings: 11:30 am-3pm, 7 pm- 10:30 pm
Price for two: INR 200
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