The best restaurants South India

Located next to the Karthika guesthouse, this restaurant doesn't look like much, but the food is good and the prices are very competitive. The owner is from Gujarat and he will certainly make you taste some specialities of his native region. English is not spoken very well, but we make ourselves understood. Several vegetarian thalis (pure veg) are proposed, from Gujarat of course, from Punjab, Bombay and South India. Many other choices on the menu.

This is a restaurant to remember if you want to enjoy well-prepared fish and seafood. The menu offers a wide choice of Kerala, North Indian and international dishes. The portions are copious, and the waiters are quite pleasant. In addition to the large selection of fish products displayed on a stall at the entrance of the establishment, beef, mutton, chicken and vegetarian dishes are also served. The establishment is licensed to sell alcohol. Like everywhere, be sure to check your bill before paying.

Located on the rooftop of the Sasthapuri Hotel, this restaurant, renovated in 2018, allows you to dine in an open-air room. Plants, bamboo decor, dimmed lights, checkered tablecloths... But don't expect a romantic atmosphere: the restaurant serves as a bar to an almost exclusively male population. Indian and Chinese cuisine, as well as specialties from the Malabar coast are offered. Beer, wine and other spirits are also served. One of the most pleasant places in town for dinner.

Excellent and cheap, this is one of the oldest and best restaurants in town! The setting is not the most attractive, but what attracts the crowd here is the quality of the food. The menu is varied with specialties such as Kerala parothas, masala dosa, idli, or the inevitable biryani, to be accompanied by a very good coffee or chai. Sweets are also on the menu such as fruit salads. The only drawback is the high number of customers, which will probably force you to queue.

This popular restaurant is located next to the Mount Carmel Church. The waiters are bustling, orders are shouted towards the kitchen, the flow of guests does not stop. They serve good South Indian vegetarian food (or more exactly pure veg), fresh, generously served and not too spicy, all on a banana leaf. Everything is good: thalis, soups, breads... There are also tandoori dishes, ice creams and fruit juices. Recommended, even if you will probably have to wait a little to get a place.

Located on the^first floor above a supermarket of fine products, this restaurant does not shine for its atmosphere, rather cold and devoid of charm. However, the menu is interesting and offers a variety of cuisines: traditional Kerala dishes, Thai recipes, soups, tandoori brochettes, Chinese noodles, burgers... Beef, lamb, chicken, fish and seafood, the choice is vast. We particularly recommend the Kerala specialties, like beef kizhi (cooked in a banana leaf). A good option!

This restaurant is located in the hotel of the same name. If you are in transit between two buses, this is the ideal place to take a break. You can find vegetarian food from South and North India and Chinese specialties. The Veg Noodles or the biryani are a complete meal. The menu also includes fresh fruit juices, ice cream and falooda, an Indian frozen dessert that combines rose syrup, rice vermicelli, fresh fruit, milk and ice cream. The establishment is located on the left side of the bus stand.

You won't be able to miss it: it is perhaps one of the nicest restaurants on the waterfront. The service can be a bit slow, but the menu is varied, with Kerala and international specialties, and will satisfy all your desires. It's a good place to sip a beer or a cocktail while admiring the view. This Beach Hotel establishment also houses the German Bakery, a bakery/pastry shop that makes it the ideal place for a gourmet break. Professional service. A pleasant place to stroll.

The restaurant of the Trivandrum Hotel proposes an excellent keralan cuisine! The room is a bit cold, but what is in the plate is worth the detour! You are served warm pink water to help your digestion. Great choice: beef, chicken, fish (price by weight), vegetarian... The meals served for lunch are good. The fish and seafood dishes are all more delicious than the others. Also a great choice of meat and vegetarian dishes, and succulent parothas. Authentic!

A restaurant located in an elegant ^18th century colonial house superbly restored. It offers a cuisine mixing traditional Kerala specialties and contemporary influences in an absolutely magnificent setting. Careful presentation, quality of the products, courteous and self-effacing service... without doubt the best choice for a charming dinner in Trivandrum. This establishment now has such a reputation that it is considered by many specialists as one of the best restaurants in South India!

A newcomer in Fort Kochi that aims to make you discover Tibetan gastronomy. The restaurant is colorful and has a small room with just a few wooden tables. The menu is exhaustive: steamed or fried momos declined in several recipes, kothays, Tibetan bread, thentuk and thukpa (traditional noodle soups), but also noodle dishes, breakfasts, fresh fruit juices... It is very good and the prices are very low. Small room with statuettes and other Tibetan objects.

The elegant pub-restaurant at Niyati Boutique Stay is an address to remember. The room is long with a long bar and counter stools. The menu offers good quality Kerala and international specialties. The dishes are nicely presented. It is also a good place to come for a cold beer (nice selection) or a good glass of wine in Fort Kochi, which has very few options! Musicians come to perform regularly in the evening. An exciting new establishment.

Without a doubt the best and most creative restaurant in Kovalam. It is located in the Beach Hotel II, near the lighthouse. The menu is divided into three parts: orient, occident and fusion. The "fusion" dishes are of course the most original. The creole grilled fish, served in orange vinaigrette with cumin potatoesis a delight. Soups, salads, vegetarian dishes or the traditional Kerala fish curry, not to mention the desserts, you will want to try everything! Discreet and attentive service.

In the street facing the Centre Square Mall, perpendicular to MG Road, you will find this small, very well kept and popular establishment. The place is impeccable. On the menu, different specialties cooked in the tandoor (chicken tikka, naan), noodles, fried rice, byrianis... The menu is quite extensive and the cuisine more than adequate for this price range. Combos" are also proposed, i.e. formulas with dish, drink and Indian bread in the choice. You can also come and have a break and sip a fresh fruit juice or a chai.

Located in a large antique store, Heritage Arts, this atypical restaurant is worth a visit. Choose to sit in the middle of the store or on the terrace overlooking the ocean. It offers traditional Kerala cuisine as well as ginger specialties cooked before your eyes in the open kitchen. Try the Chicken Masala served with rice, appam or chapathi, the Paneer Butter Masala or try the homemade ginger ice cream. An original place to have lunch during your visit to Jew Town.

If you have a little hunger, take your path! Here you have the choice between different thalis: Gujarati, Health (health) or Rajeshani (Maharashtra), Rajasthani or Classic Thali. Attention, these are real thalis where there are no less than 20 dishes (curry of cauliflower, chaat, dal, parotha, desserts…), all at will! Forget the à la carte dishes available at night, the address has established its reputation on the quality of its thalis! If you want to taste authenticity, here is an address to remember!

Opened in 1942, this address is one of the oldest in the neighborhood still in operation. Here, seafood is magnified, especially if you are a fan of squid, prawns, crabs, lobster... Try the Mangalore Special Prawns, a spicy shrimp curry or the fresh clam curry with coconut chips, Maruvai Aajadina. The restaurant doesn't look like much, but you feel good and the staff is very attentive.

The ex-Café India still has the same direction. Very good Parsi food at reasonable prices. Try the Lagan no bhonu, a traditional Parsi dish similar to thali. Great choice of dishes at low prices: the traditional Dhankshak, a complete dish with brown rice, a dal and 2 brochettes: vegetarian, chicken or mutton. But also fish dishes(Saas Di Macchi), vegetarian and non-vegetarian kebabs, different curries, etc. Jimmy Boy Cafe is also a very good place to have a gourmet break: cakes, chocolate mousse, green tea...

Enjoy vegetarian or non-vegetarian dishes in a comfortable, air-conditioned room. There is also Chinese cuisine. The fish are perfumed and the presentation of the dishes is cared for. 

Yet another restaurant on the seafront, offering the same menu as the others... The prices, here too, are rather high. The setting is pleasant and some (slight) efforts are made to decorate the place. Products of the day's fishing of course, but also delicious specialities cooked in the tandoor. Don't hesitate to try the butter garlic mussels or the kadai dishes, served in a hot cast iron bowl. The cooks are more inspired here than in the neighboring establishments... Friendly welcome.

Of course, it's not cheap, and the frame is a tristounet, but Italian dishes are good and you can compose the topping of his pizza.

Overlooking Marine Drive, located on the first floor of the Intercontinental Hotel, the Kebab Korner offers subtle cuisine with delicate flavors, but it has to be very spicy. Young chef Amij Bhardawj presents on his map the best specialties in northern India. Cooking methods are traditional, the result is spectacular. The room is beautiful but relatively dark. The view on the bay is splendid, especially in the evening.

Fish and shellfish stalls are aligned with the foot of the giant fishing nets. The daring will not hesitate to choose directly in a crate the object of their meal that will be fried in a saucepan. If you are looking for adventure, check out prices before ordering.

A full-of-the-year address, one of the favorite dates of backpackers, where you can suck with really cheap currys and byrianis.

Very popular with young Western tourists, this tiny restaurant serves good Western specialties at very attractive prices. The menu is varied and you will easily find what you are looking for. Their salads, pastas (penne, fettuccini or spaghetti), beefsteaks, seafood, served with vegetables and potatoes and sandwiches are very good. The desserts are excellent. They make good breakfasts too. Reservations are not required, but you will probably have to wait for a table.

The Raviz restaurant is quite expensive but is delicious, especially the weekend buffets. Keralese specialties are performed perfectly, including fish and crab. It is the ideal place to dine in a cozy atmosphere with impeccable service.

This restaurant, located in a large brown building, is held by a family that makes a point of offering quality moplah cuisine. The Byrianis are succulent. A popular establishment.

A home lunch offering delicious moplah cuisine, a term naming the Muslims of Kerala. Fish and seafood specialties. Open only at lunch time.

A nice coffee at the corner of a street in the center of Fort. Forget about the Arabbiatta penne, Spanish or French specialties and concentrate on dishes: Biryani of sheep, shrimp or simply vegetarian. Feel free to take a look at the specialties of the day, marked on mirrors. It serves pressure beer or bottled beer and wine.

Located inside the Focus Mall, this restaurant specialized in grilling is perfect after a shopping marathon. The kitchen is good without being extraordinary, a good alternative to all those looking for less spicy dishes where to taste a more European cuisine.

This small restaurant offers keralian specialties such as fish curry, beef dishes, delicious noodles, scented soups, stiffness and eggs. The service is fast. A popular place for the local population.

This is the hotel restaurant of the same name. It serves excellent moplah cuisine (including sheep or chicken biryanis) as well as traditional Indian and Chinese cuisine.

This café is located on the first floor, which avoids being annoyed by the salespeople. The pizzas are good. Some cakes are on display. A pleasant place.

Located near the train station and at the corner of Manjakulam Road, this modest establishment serves the right non-vegetarian cuisine in the South and North of India. The service is smiling. The sandwiches are delicious. It can sometimes be very hot, so it is better to sit just under the fan.

This establishment of the famous Kerala franchise is a good option for a good meal at low prices. We recommend chicken masala with a Kerala parotha, a delight!

It's the multi-kitchen restaurant at The Avenue Regent Hotel. It is located on the ^1st floor. Unlike many local restaurants, they serve alcohol, wine and beer. It's a little expensive, considering the quality and quantity. In addition to Indian cuisine, he offers some continental, Chinese and Thai dishes.

One of the restaurants at Casino Hotel. The breakfast buffet offers a variety of excellent dishes. Alcohol is also served.

Opened in 1937, Haji Ali sees himself as the very first fast food in Bombay. Of course, the place has changed much and today the shop has become a real reference address. We eat sandwiches, vegetarian hamburgers, pizzas, but the great specialty is fruit juice. Cool, drink without moderation, we tear them apart. The most requested are watermelons, mangoes, kiwi. The rates of fruit juice are too high (between 2 and 4 times as expensive as elsewhere).

Bombay Brasserie is a chain of restaurants that also has establishments in Bangalore, Chennai, and Kolkata. On the menu, Indian specialties revisited in a contemporary way but without ever falling into cliché. The presentation of the dishes is meticulous. As far as the cuisine is concerned, it is a success. Moreover the setting is airy, elegant and modern. It is good to linger on the covered terrace, sitting comfortably. In the evening you can also come and drink one of their delicious cocktails with friends. The latest trendy place in Worli.

The large room is very elegant. The map is varied with local specialties of course, but also from North India, China and some Western dishes. At noon you can choose the buffet or à la carte. Quality cuisine but service sometimes slow. The staff were very friendly and helpful.

This is the Hotel Nahar Coffee Bar. Lassis, fruit juices, different teas and snacks (sandwiches, masala dosas, cakes…). A pleasant place to take a break.

This imposing construction houses one of the oldest establishments in Ernakulam, serving healthy vegetarian Indian cuisine in a large air conditioned room with carefully decorated decoration. Thali can be chosen and crowned with giant sundae or milkshake.

Reasonable prices. An institution among Parsi cafes: Berry pulao, salli boti, patra ni machli, dhansak, curry rice... the choice is vast and everything is exceptionally good. Good child atmosphere, relaxed. Beer is served.

The small dining room is located near the hotel reception of the same name. It's nice and food is good, especially Western food. However, it's not a lot of money, so it's a bit expensive, because we're forced to order more. The presentation of the dishes is careful and the service is impeccable.

This coffee shop is part of a widespread franchise in India that offers espressos, cappuccinos, iced coffees, fruit juices and sodas, chocolate cakes, some sandwiches and samosas. The atmosphere is young, the music a bit loud as well as the air conditioning, some cafés have a small bookshop. There are about fifteen of them in Mumbai. From a practical point of view, they often have clean toilets, which is an information you should take into account during long walks...

Located in front of the Regal cinema, here is a good transalpine restaurant in a very cosy setting with a lot of woodwork. They serve very good pizzas and Italian dishes that are good. For meat lovers, they serve a very good filet mignon as well as various burgers, tacos... Breakfast is also available. The place is also a pub, so you can have a cold beer, a cocktail or a glass of wine. Attentive and courteous service. Another establishment is located in Bandra.

This restaurant is an institution in Mumbai! On the menu, the traditional cuisine of the Konkan coast and Mangalore. A very large choice of fish and seafood (crabs, lobsters, gambas, squids...) that can be tasted in an air-conditioned room or on an open air terrace. The service is impeccable and the food absolutely delicious; but, delicate palates, beware: it is often very spicy! A bottle of chilled Sula Chenin Blanc will be the perfect accompaniment to the fish specialties. Reservations are recommended.

In the same street as the Residency Hotel, in the heart of Fort, here is a small Parsi café recommended for a typical lunch at a low price. The setting is very pleasant and has kept its authenticity. The dishes offered vary every day of the week. The Parsi specialities with mutton or chicken, and notably the famous Dhanshak, are available all week long. You can also come and have a good breakfast (cheese omelette), accompanied by a fresh juice (carrot, watermelon, orange...). Excellent value for money.

This is a great place to enjoy tandoori kebabs (Chicken Tikka, Reshmi Kabab, Malai Kabab, Fish Tikka) or traditional North Indian dishes. This restaurant is famous for its excellent biryani. Another specialty of the place is the famous Butter Chicken. Great choice of vegetarian dishes, fish, shrimps, chicken, mutton... Don't hesitate to ask the waiter if you want your dishes not too spicy. The decoration of the restaurant is sober but successful. The food is good, the service efficient and the atmosphere very pleasant

Located just across from Chowpatty, on Marine Drive, this small unpretentious establishment is the ideal place to take a break, have a snack and a cold beer. And why not try the specialty of the place, the Iranian coffee. The waiters are friendly and give good advice to choose a dish. The atmosphere is relaxed, a juke-box plays rock classics from the 1980s or Bollywood classics, and the TV broadcasts sports events, mostly cricket matches. In the evening the place fills up quickly.