Opposed to lives that pace faster than time, people from Bengaluru prefer savouring their food with ease and comfort. They invest themselves as much into preparing as into eating it. From small tiffin rooms that are intrinsic to the city’s culinary landscape to fine-dining restaurants, here’s a roundup of Bengaluru’s best South Indian restaurants as per locals. Some of them also share their favourite dishes from the eateries that you should definitely try when visiting the city.
Oota Bangalore
“It would be fair to call Oota Bangalore one of the city’s most well-researched restaurants. It has done extensive travelling and research to bring the food it does on our tables,” said author Deepthi Tanikella. It is a restaurant that represents the richness and diversity of Karnataka’s rich culinary traditions and heritage.
The menu at the restaurant has been curated by chefs who traversed over 15,000 km across little roadside shacks, hole-in-the-wall eateries, temple kitchens, and popular khanavalis to capture the true essence of the state’s culinary richness.
“My staple order is the sanna and neer dosa with yenne badnakai (brinjals stuffed with ground masala cooked in a hot and sweet gravy),” added Tanikella. Some other highlights from their starters include prawn ghee roast, manji tawa fry, and mandakki mensinkayii (puffed rice tempered with spices, tossed with fresh herbs, and served with crispy banana pepper fritters).
From the mains, the kumbala curry (mustard, coconut, and curry leaf flavoured curry), batata gassi (baby potatoes simmered in a coconut curry), and kori curry (Mangalorean chicken curry cooked with coconut and spices). The restaurant also offers a range of bread options, including jolada roti (jowar flour roti), akki roti (rice bread), and chukke roti (whole wheat bread).
Some must-try desserts from their menu include bale hannu halwa (Udipi-style ripe banana halwa), sheer kurma, and ragi manni (finger millet and coconut milk pudding).
Address: 331, 5B, EPIP Zone, Near L&T Infotech, Whitefield, Bangalore
Price for two: INR 3,000
Chikkanna Tiffin Room
“Chikkanna Tiffin Room is a hole-in-the-wall food joint serving the best masala dosa in town. It is soft and served with spicy aloo palya (any fried, or sometimes sautéed, vegetable dish), and a moreish chutney,” said Anagha Maareesha, a journalist and a city dweller.
With various outposts in the city, some highlights from their menu include their full pudi plain dosa and extra ghee dosa. Their mini bath masala and lemon rice, and full pudi bath masala are some other must-tries from their roster.
Address: Multiple locations
Price for two: INR 300
Chalukya Samrat
Columnist Aslam Gafoor, whose love for Bengaluru is infectious, recommends Chalukya Samrat for its Mangalore buns. The restaurant has a legacy of over 40 years and has been serving since 1977. It is known for its authentic South Indian dishes, and some standouts include a special meal called laghura, masala dosa, badam halwa, and mango thumbli.
Other South-Indian dishes that stand out from their menu include the ghee button idli, kesari bath, onion rava masala dosa, open butter masala dosa, raw banana bajji, and rava vangi bath. They also offer a range of Indian and Oriental dishes starters and main course dishes for you to choose from.
Apart from their badam halwa, the kashi halwa is another must-try.
Address: Multiple locations
Price for two: INR 1,200
Central Tiffin Room (CTR)
Popularly called CTR, Central Tiffin Rooms, is a legendary hotel steeped deeply in the hearts and history of Old Bengaluru. It was founded in 1920 and has been serving the “best butter-heavy benne dosa and mini masala dosa in the city for over a century,” said Dyumna Chhabra, a working professional who moved to the city a few years ago.
Some other highlights from the menu include the poori saagu and the Mangaluru bajji, maddur vada, and kesari bath. A hot cup of filter coffee will tie the meal together.
Address: 7th Cross, Margosa Road, Malleshwaram, Bangalore
Price for two: INR 300
Karavalli
According to Mehak Surana, a student at Christ University Karavalli, Vivanta Bengaluru is a must-try if you are looking for a hearty and delicious South Indian spread in the city.
It is an award-winning restaurant serving traditional coastal fare and authentic flavours of the land. The menu is crafted using time-honoured recipes that have been passed down through generations, with each dish telling the story of the region’s deep-rooted history. It is an ingredient-forward space that uses aromatic spices like cloves, cinnamon, homegrown chillis, and the freshest of vegetables and meats.
Known for its seafood, the restaurant’s menu highlights include its Malabar prawn curry, tiger prawns, and prawn milagu. Other dishes on the menu include mutton eshtew, Mangalorean fish curry, and patrade (colocasia leaf rolls). For dessert, try their dodol (jaggery and rice cake), elaneer payasam, or chiroti (wheat flaky pastry).
Address: Vivanta, 66, Residency Rd, Srinivas Nagar, Shanthala Nagar, Ashok Nagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560025
Price for two: INR 4,500
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