The diversity of the restaurants in Bangalore is in keeping with the pace of and rising standards of the hungry, moneyed masses.
The diversity of the cuisine available in Bangalore is reflective of the social and economic diversity in this city. Roadside vendors, tea stalls, South Indian, North Indian, Muslim, Chinese and Western fast food are all very popular here. Bangalore can also be called a foodie’s paradise because of the variety of eateries available everywhere.
Some of the renowned traditional vegetarian restaurants in Bangalore are MTR (Mavalli Tiffin Room), Vidyarthi Bhavan, Udupi Krishna Bhavan, Ramakrishna Lunch Home, Hotel Sharavathi in Yelahanka, New Krishna Bhavan, Janatha Hotel, Central Tiffin Room, Restaurants at Janardhana Hotel and Chalukya Hotel and Ullas to name a few. The masala dosa – rice pancake smeared with red chilli chutney and stuffed with potato curry, ‘set dosa’ – 3 medium sized dosas, ‘benne masalae’ – thick rice pancake prepared with butter – are some of the local favourites, and few stake the origin of these dishes from Bangalore. Bisi bele bath, Rava idli, Pongal, the spicy Uppittu, served as Khara Bath in most of the Bangalore restaurants, are some of the other local favourites.
The Muslim cuisine of Bangalore is unique as it delivers an interesting blend of Mughlai cuisine, Hyderabadi Muslim, or Nawabi cuisine as it is called, with a distinct Bangalorean flavour. The MM Road in Frazer town is renowned for its unique collection of Muslim restaurants, Mughlai takeaways, Chinese restaurant, salad bar and Arabian-themed restaurants.
Empire Hotel Restaurant of Shivaji Nagar is very famous and has its own chain of restaurants throughout Bangalore. The Chandni Chowk area of Shivaji Nagar also has concentration of tightly packed restaurants and tea shops, where business booms behind closed shutters until the wee hours of the morning. The most favourite sought after delicacies include the Tandoori Chicken, Bangalorean Biriyani, Sheek kebabs, Sheek Rolls, Chicken kebabs, Rumali Rotis and lots more.
Road side stalls are not difficult to find in areas with a Muslim population. They serve barbecued and tasty Beef sheesh kebabs and Phaal, a local Bangalorean recipe of beef cubes in spicy green masala, served with hot Rice Sevian (plain steamed vermicelli). Fried Mutton Brains is also a really tasty choice for daring ‘foodaholics’.
Chinese food and the Thai food served in most of the restaurants in Bangalore are customized to cater to the tastes of the Indian population.
Arabian cuisine is also slowly on the rise in Bangalore restaurants with Shawarma and Falafel gathering popularity although these restaurants are usually frequented by Arab students and Indians who have lived in the Middle East.
Some of the bakeries in Bangalore are also quite popular for a quick snack. There are also many fruit juice stalls.
Bangalore also has some fine dining and specialized restaurants. For good Mangalorean and Konkan style seafood, there’s Kudla, Mangalore Pearl and Sa-na-dige. The city also is known to have really good Italian and Continental food in restaurants like Sunny’s on Lavelle Road and Olive Beach. Restaurants in the five-star hotels also offer authentic and delicious meals. Some of these include Blue Ginger (Thai/ Vietnamese, Taj West End), Raj Pavilion (Colonial Indian Cuisine, Sheraton Windsor Manor), Zen (Japanese / Korean, Leela Palace), and the many 24-hour cafes these hotels run.
Our pick for ‘Best restaurant in Bangalore’ is Empire Hotel Bangalore – located in Shivaji Nagar. They serve the best non-vegetarian thalis you will find in Bangalore city.
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