Top 10 South Indian Restaurants In Kolkata For An Authentic Onam Sadhya Feast

Tamarind serves a mélange of traditional and improvised dishes curated from Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, including soups like mutton alias, vegetable alisa, non-veg peethala charu and rasam. If you're vegan, they offer a wide range of options for you, including kothmiri paneer or the pal katti masala and beans poriyal. With numerous options to choose from, selecting the main course can be a bit challenging. However, you can try out the Keralan specialities, such as Malabar prawns and Meen Moilee (fish cooked in coconut milk), or some lip-smacking Hyderabadi delicacies like gosht-ki-haleem.

Timing: 12 PM - 10 PM

Price: INR 1,300 for two

Must-Try: Appam and Stew, Chicken Chettinad, Malabar Curry and Coorg Chicken Fry

Contact: 07980865074

Google Rating: 4.3/5

Instagram: @tamarind.kolkata

Hotel Swagath is a comfortable, low-cost hotel with complimentary breakfast and parking in the Ballygunge neighbourhood of Kolkata. The hotel has a restaurant that serves South Indian cuisine 24/7. The flavours range from hot sambhar and chutneys to soft idlis and crispy vadas. They're comforting and familiar. With a combination of rice, dal, curries, rasam, and curd rice, their vegetarian thalis, which are served on banana leaves, are a true feast. They also serve lavish banana-leaf spreads with an endless array of specialities during festivals like Onam, giving you the impression that you are in South India.

Timing: 7 AM - 10 PM

Price: INR 900 for two

Must-Try: Rava Dosa, Masala Dosa, Filter Coffee and Curd Rice

Contact: 03340882222

Google Rating: 3.9/5

Instagram: @hotelswagath

Served on a banana leaf with appam, the Kerala-style stew tastes of the ocean. Kozhi Roast and Mutton Olathede, packed with spice, the soft, dry mutton curry will melt in your mouth, are must-tries. You can even take the card of the owner and contact her before your next visit, and she’ll be sure to keep an extra helping of their famous mutton stew aside just for you. The dosas are laden with spices, onions, chillies and flavour. It comes with an array of condiments to choose from. We love the Pink Chutney and Inji Puli (sweet and sour ginger pickle). They make special dishes on a pre-order basis – the traditional South Indian mutton curries are worth making the call for.

Timing: 9 AM - 10 PM

Price: INR 500 for two

Must-Try: Kozhi Roast and Mutton Olathede, Pink Chutney and Inji Puli

Contact:  08100116769

Google Rating: 4/5

Instagram: @ammini.restaurant

New location alert! The co-owners of La Macario Cafe on Wood Street, Radhika and Anshika Jalan, also own La Vanakam. The menu features South Indian dishes, chaats, and main courses that combine recipes from both the North and South, as well as chai, filter coffee, and a variety of soft drinks. Order Podi Tatte Idli, a big, tender idli that is liberally covered or mixed with ghee and hot, handmade podi powder. Butter idlis, fried idlis, and thatte served with peanut chutney are some other things you can look out for.

The Chilli Cheese Dosa is a variation on the traditional South Indian dosa, featuring layers of cheese and a handmade spicy chilli oil drizzle. It is flavourful and fragrant. Malabar Paratha and Classic Set Dosa with Chettinad Curry are undoubtedly tasty and fragrant!

Timing: 7 AM - 10 PM

Price: INR 600 for two

Must-Try: Malabar Paratha with Chettinad Curry, Podi Tatte Idli, Benne Dosa

Google Rating: 4.2/5

Instagram: @la_vanakam

One of Kolkata's favourite South Indian places, Anand is synonymous with dosas in the city. The Masala Dosa is a classic and a must-try. If you like your dosas super crisp, go for the 'wafer' dosas, which are paper-thin and very crunchy. Start with a plate of idli-vada served with nariyal chutney and a hot katori of sambar. They also have the gunpowder masala, so be sure to say yes when the waiter asks if you need ghee (you need to mix the gunpowder masala with the ghee and then eat it).

Timings: 11 AM - 9 PM; 9 AM - 9:30 PM on Sundays. Closed on Wednesdays.

Price: INR 950 for two

Must-Try: Masala Dosa, Paper Masala Dosa, idli-vada with nariyal chutney 

Contact: 03340013364

Google Rating: 4.2/5

Banana Leaf offers flavours from Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala, and is renowned for serving the finest classic dosas, layered with ingredients such as cottage cheese, spicy powders, and potato curry. They also offer hearty vegetarian meals that are worth trying, especially if you have a huge appetite. Their famous South Indian thali comes with Malabar Curry, Dal Fry, Mixed Vegetable, Appam, Neer Dosa, Malabar Parotta, Bisibele Bhaat and steamed rice with curd and papad as accompaniments. Start off with Jeera Milagu Rasam and then work your way through the Idli section and finally hit the Dosas and Vadas. And if you are a bit experimental, try out their Chinese Dosa section – Gobi Manchurian Dosa, Paneer Manchurian Dosa, Mushroom Manchurian Dosa, or Gobi Masala Dosa. For dessert, consider Thana Semiya Payasam, Yalneer Payasam, or Akhrot Halwa.

Timing: 8 AM - 11 PM

Price: INR 600 for two

Must-Try: Podi dosas, dhania dosas, Mysore Masala Dosa, Thana Semiya Payasam, Yalneer Payasam

Contact: 03346039144

Google Rating: 4.1/5

Instagram: @bananaleafkolkata

This place is all about nostalgia. While the food scene in the city is rapidly changing, time appears to have stood still at Jyoti Vihar. And that’s what we LOVE about this place. The same look and feel, menu, prompt service and, of course, the quality of food. It is a must-visit for people visiting Kolkata on holiday as well. Apart from the authentic South Indian dishes, the variety of flavourful chutneys draws all and sundry (even hardcore non-veg lovers) to Jyoti Vihar. Their coconut chutney is among the freshest we’ve had, the dosas are perfectly golden and crisp, and the masala fillings are freshly made. We love pairing the dhania-filled Malli Sada Dosa with their special chutney.

Timing: 10 AM - 6 PM. Closed on Monday

Price: INR 300 for two

Must-Try: Dhania-filled Malli Sada Dosa, filter coffee, milk upma and curd rice

Contact: 09748084091

Google Rating: 4.1/5

Office para folks around Dalhousie and families around central Kolkata have much to cheer for. The Chutney Co. – the South India cafe from the same group that owns Piccadilly Square in BBD Bag – is here to serve cuisine that satiates the soul this Onam. The Molagopodi Dosa is the best here. The Chutney Co. serves a variety of chutneys with each dosa, and you can choose up to three from nine different options available. We highly recommend trying the raw mango one and the Curaikkay Chutney.

Timing: 11 AM - 9 PM

Price: INR 200 for two

Must-Try: Curaikkay Chutney, Molagopodi Dosa and filter coffee

Contact: 06291905166

Google Rating: 4.4/5

Instagram: @thechutneyco

Molagapodi Idli, Idli Finger Chips, Onion Chilli Vada, Gunpowder Dosa, Cheese Chilli Dosa, Chilli Onion Tomato Uttapam, Coconut Uttapam -- you get to gorge on all of these items and more at Kurry Patta. We also recommend the Mixed Uttapam, which is incredibly soft and delicious. We love Rava Dosa and a hot, piping plate of Sambar Vada, so we also ordered these here and didn't regret it one bit! You can also order DIY batter kits, which comprise freshly ground batter, special coconut chutney, and sambar. You can refrigerate them for up to three days. All the batters and the filter coffee decoction come with instructions on how to make them at home. Awesome, right?

Timing: 7 AM - 10 PM

Price: INR 500 for two

Contact: 03379613497

Must-Try: Rava Dosa,  Sambar Vada, Idli Finger Chips and Coconut Uttapam

Google Rating: 4.3/5

Instagram: @kurrypatta

Housed in a traditional Bengali-style home from the 20th century. One of India's most well-known exports, the simple pappadam—a thin disc made of lentil and fried till crispy—is the inspiration behind the restaurant's name. Interestingly, they are also free at Pappadam and include a dried red chilli that has been salt-cured. Try their Chicken and Mutton Mangalorean Ghee Roast with Appam, Neer Dosa with the Chicken Chettinad, Pork Vindaloo, and Chicken and Mutton Malabar Curry, served with the traditional Malabar paratha. Their Squid Kali Mirch and Crab Masala Curry, without the shell, is definitely our top pick. In addition, you can try their Bhetki/Pomphret Goan Curry, Pomphret Moilee, and Squid Chettinad with Lemon Rice or Curd.

Timing: 12 PM - 10 PM

Price: INR 1,200 for two

Must-Try: Squid Kali Mirch and Crab Masala Curry without shell, Neer Dosa with Chettinad Curry, Pork Vindaloo, Crab Recheado and Chicken and Mutton Mangalorean Ghee Roast with Appam

Contact: 09874567678

Google Rating: 4.2/5

Instagram: @pappadambytbc