Mangalore India – Best Places to Eat and Dishes to Try

Mangalorean cuisine is as diverse as its demographic which is made-up of settlers from Goa, Udupi, Kerala, and the North. This medley of influences is very much reflected in the city's dining culture, which offers a wide range of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes characterised by a strong and fiery flavour of ginger, garlic, and chili.

Specialty dishes

Being a coastal city, Mangalore is famous for its delectable seafood prepared using fresh, local, ingredients such as coconut, jackfruit, bamboo shoots, besale, breadfruit, and jaggery.

One of the highest-flying of all the local dishes in Mangalore is the fry, which consists of shallow fried fish coated with semolina (rava). Kane rave fry is one of the most popular dishes in the city and is an all-time favourite with the locals.

Once you tried this tangy ladyfish speciality, we recommend you also sample the following: seer fish fry, anjal fry, pomfret fry and bangude fry, which are all uniquely tantalising.

Another speciality not to miss out on when in Mangalore is the chicken ghee roast, made using Kundapur masala to marinate the chicken which is then roasted with liberal lashings of ghee.

There are also plenty of vegetarian delicacies in Mangalore, most of which have a strong influence from Udupi cooking, which comprises dishes made primarily from grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruit. We recommend you try the traditional veg thali, which is served on plantain leaf and consists of steamed as well as spiced rice, sambar, appalla, ajethna, rasam, chutney, baji, menaskai, kheer, buttermilk and/or curd.

You will also find many popular South Indian dishes in Mangalore including dosas, upmas, and idlis, which come with delicately spiced sauces in accordance with local tradition. Rice is the staple of Mangalorean cooking and is, therefore, used in all forms to make some of the most flavoursome Mangalorean specialities such as rice rottis, kori rottis, sannas, pancakes, and pundis.

Additionally, Mangalore is famous for its unique sweets and ice creams, which are produced using jaggery rather than sugar. When in Mangalore we heartily recommend you try the gadbad, a creamy flavoured ice-cream layered with jelly, dry and fresh fruit.

Street food and local restaurants

In Mangalore, Car Street is known as the go-to place for foodies and home to some of the best local restaurants and street food offerings in the city. There you will find everything that is deep-fried, decadent and delicious from biscuit rottis to podis, ambades, vadas, chattambades, dosas, goli bajes, patholis and maska buns.

If you wish to try some of the aforementioned we recommend you head to Balli's Shop, which serves excellent masala dosas for INR70, fantastic aloo bondas (INR25) and tasty dhal and dahi vadas (INR35).

Nandini Veg Fastfood is another superb place to sample some local delicacies, which are yummy, very generously-portioned and budget-friendly. Their veg biryani and mushroom ghee roast are exceptional and will set you back around INR100 and INR150 respectively.

Another restaurant to try if you're in search of local fare is the New Taj Mahal Café, which charges a mere INR70 for set meals and serves up some excellent sweet treats including home-made halwa. We recommend you try their godi halwa, which is considered one of the Café's specialities.

There are numerous restaurants and eateries in Mangalore, but few offer a truly authentic taste of the city. Anupama, on Kadri Road, is an excellent family-run place that serves a fantastic kane rave fry (INR250) and chicken ghee roast (INR500). Another restaurant to try the latter is Shetty Lunch Home on Balmatta Road, which also does great fish curries, ghee rice, mutton korma and other Mangalorean specialities. Janatha Deluxe at Hotel Shaan Plaza serves up a great thali (INR120) and a wide range of both South and North Indian dishes.

Western and international food

Being a multicultural city, Mangalore also has plenty of restaurants with continental, western and fusion cuisine. You will be spoiled for choice when it comes to dining out in the city, which is charactersied by its eating-out culture.

Diesel Café is a great, casual, eatery situated on the ground floor of Hotel Prestige, on Balmatta Road. It has a bright and jovial interior, friendly and efficient staff and a small but varied menu offering Italian, British, French, Thai and American style snacks and all-day breakfasts as well as vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals. Diesel Café 's exotic roasted vegetable bisque (INR180) and chicken wings in devil's sauce (INR250) are absolutely superb, as is their pulled pork burger (INR250) and authentic oven-baked pizzas which will set you back around INR300.

Another place of note that serves up some quality fare is Brick House, located on New Balmatta Road. This stylish restaurant serves a great mixture of continental dishes, sides, snacks, and drinks. If you're looking for some cheesy fires (INR100), stacked burgers (INR150) or peri peri chicken (INR250) this is the place to go! We also recommend you try their hot chocolate mud pie (INR150) which is truly sumptuous.

The Village Restaurant, on Airport Road, is great for family gatherings or a romantic meal. It has fabulous outdoor seating, very efficient and friendly staff and a very reasonably priced menu. The restaurant serves authentic Mangalorean cuisine as well as Chinese, Mediterranean, and continental dishes. We recommend you try their risotto Napolitana (INR300), crab meat soup (INR180) and vegetarian pizzas (INR330) before sampling some warm carrot cake (INR150) and buttermilk ice cream (INR85).

Cafes and Coffee Houses

Café Coffee Day on Balmatta Road is a cheery little place that has excellent coffees, teas, sundaes, shakes, cakes, pastries and snacks. It's a great place for a smoked chicken sandwich (INR100), a veg samosa (INR25), a nutty fudge brownie (INR60) and a taste-bud tingling choco frappe (INR120).

Chai Eat Café on Railway Station Road is also a great place for a quick coffee and a piece of cake. It has a cosy, warm, interior, with artsy walls, modern seating and super quick service. If you happen to be in the area we recommend you drop by and try their sitaphal cream (a delicious apple dessert) and masala milk, infused with almonds, cashews, pistachios, saffron, and spices.

Bars and drinking venues

You will also find plenty of pubs and bars in the city. One of the best is Liquid Lounge on Balmatta Road, which gets pretty busy on the weekends. The bar has neon-lit interiors, a relaxed atmosphere, excellent service, tasty food and great cocktails. They also serve beers, wines, and spirits but we heartily recommend you try their flavoured martinis (INR350) or strawberry daiquiri (INR350) both of which are fabulous.

The Old Bison on NG Road, opposite big bazaar, is a great place for drinks. It has a stylish interior, super-efficient staff, and a chilled-out atmosphere. The menu offers a wide selection of modern Indian and continental dishes, including finger chips (INR130), burgers (INR220) and fish fingers (INR150). The Old Bison also has a great selection of cocktails, spirits, and wines at very affordable rates.

Mangala on Silva Cross Road, opposite Fatima Retreat House, is also an excellent option if you want to have a drink and unwind. The bar has a modern and chic interior, live music, a trendy crowd and a jovial atmosphere. This bar serves excellent trademark cocktails (INR250), a wide selection of beers and the best burgers (INR250) and kebabs in town. Highly recommended as the go-to place for a great night out!