The rich flavour of ghee, fried cashews, pepper adding in that kick and fresh coconut chutney intensifying the taste - aah! Pongal is bae! Our love for it is so deep that we even have a festival named after it. While most of the South Indian restaurants in Chennai serve pongal, here's a curated list of the best pongal places in the city. Happy thulping.
Top Spots To Relish The Best Pongal In Chennai
Mathsya
In addition to offering the best Udipi food, Mathsya also offers delish Pongal. Served with tomato and coconut chutney along with sambhar, a plate of Pongal will only cost you around INR 100.
Rayar's Mess
Being one of the three main dishes they serve, pongal at Rayar's Mess is all about simple, clean flavours you will find in paati's kitchen. Served with chutney, the pongal here has won many hearts and continues to wow people with its simplicity. A plate of pongal would cost about INR 50.
Find the best iconic messes in Chennai here.
Welcome
Another iconic eatery in Chennai, Welcome Hotel's ven pongal is among the most popular dishes you'll find being packed or ordered here. Served with chutney and sambhar, this dish is widely ordered on Sundays. Just the right amount of salt, simple tempering and spicy chutney make this dish simple yet killer! One plate of pongal costs about INR 50.
ID
A plate of their keerai vada and pongal will make you feel like it's Pongal everyday (or whenever you feel like celebrating it). Subtle but hard to miss flavours make the place popular among residents. They are also generous with cashews, so more crunch for you. Price for a plate of pongal costs about INR 110.
Adyar Ananda Bhavan
Their signature pongal-vadacurry will have you going back for more. Grab some sweets too (coconut boli is TDF), and it's a mini-party. Price for a plate costs INR 70.
For a complete list of the best sweet shops in Chennai, click here.
Ratna Cafe
This place is as iconic as it can get! Having stayed true to its flavours, Ratna Cafe has some serious loyalists and we're guilty of frequenting this place for its medhu vada and pongal. That drizzle of ghee really makes a world of difference. Price for a plate costs about INR 60.
Murugan Idly Shop
Their chutney options and idlies are hands-down the best, but you just cannot miss out on their pongal. Bathed in ghee and served with generous amount of cashews, the pongal here will win your heart. Their sweet pongal has raisins too and get sold out really fast. Price for a plate costs INR 55.
Sangeetha Veg Restaurant
A satisfying serving of Pongal along with three different chutneys and sambhar sum up Sangeetha's pongal dish. Pongal here is served for breakfast and you cannot ask for a better start to your day. That, a good old cup of suda suda kaapi. Price per plate is INR 60.
For a complete list of the most iconic restaurants in Chennai, click here.
The Grand Sweets & Snacks
Served between 6 am and 11 am, GSS is also great for pongal. Soft, rich in ghee but not evidently glossy, the subtle yet impactful flavours come beautifully together. Price for a serving of pongal costs INR 60.
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