Places to Eat in Kolkata

Eating out in Kolkata is a rewarding experience as you will come across a wide variety of cuisines in different restaurants throughout the city – from South Indian, to Bengali, Chinese, Continental and even American fast foods.

When it comes to food, Kolkata exudes a magic that no other Indian city can ever dream of. The list of delicacies available here is simply mind-boggling and they have never failed impress even the harshest food critics.

Street Food

The city of Kolkata is the original paradise for phuchka and jhaal muri and one will easily come across innumerable little stalls on the street corners selling these finger licking treats. But we found the best phuchka at the junction of Wood Street and Theatre Road; a bit spicy but the taste was heavenly.

The New Market area is also flooded with delicious street food options like egg rolls and chana bhatura.

If you want a different kind of breakfast then wake up at around 6 in the morning and head straight to Tiretta Bazaar on Sun Yat Sen Street. Try to come early as everything gets sold out very quickly here. There is a string of vendors that sell delectable dishes like Chinese sausage, pao and fish ball noodle soup. You can also pick up moderately priced Chinese wares from the authentic Chinese shops located on this street.

Local Bengali Cuisine

Fish curry (macher jhol) with fine rice is the staple food in this part of the world. We tried this dish almost everywhere in the city but there is a particular chain of restaurants in Kolkata named Bhajahori Manna that serves sumptuous Bengali dishes including the famous macher jhol. The price of the dishes usually starts from INR 110. The ambiance in each of its outlets is pretty unpretentious but who minds? The taste is perfectly authentic – so we do recommend them.

Kewpie’s is another place that deserves special mentioning and for Bengali seafood delicacies, just walk into Oh! Calcutta. You will keep returning there for the lip-smacking dishes although the prices of the meals can make your wallet lighter.

Western and International Food

When it comes to international food in Kolkata, the first restaurant that comes to mind is Peter Cat. You must have heard of Iranian dishes like chelo kebab and every Kolkatan swears by the quality of the food served here.

Chelo kebab is a unique composition of mutton seekhs, chicken kebabs, vegetables and a small portion of steamed rice. If you do not give a try to this legendary dish here then you will surely miss something.

The five star hotels in the city have dedicated restaurants that serve great western food, too. So if money is not a problem then you can have a meal at the Oberoi and J.W Marriott and enjoy the experience. The prices are steep here but we loved the overall ambiance and the taste of the dishes.

Cafes and Coffee Houses

The mushrooming of cafes across the city prove that the concept of coffee-on-the-go has grabbed the attention of the citizens and such places have recently become ever popular hangout places with the young crowd. There are a number of Café Coffee Day and Barista outlets strewn across the city but the all-time favourite is, of course, the Indian Coffee House which is now an institution by itself. This place is mainly frequented by the old-timers and the students of Calcutta University but we fondly remember visiting this place one fine afternoon when we were absolutely taken aback by its colonial style architecture, the dresses of the waiters and the super delicious piping hot coffee. You may not like the old world feel of this place but it is definitely one of the must visit places in Kolkata.