Things to do in Kochi (Cochin)
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Dal Roti
You’ll hear the buzz about this place before you even arrive in town – it’s the best food in Fort Cochin. Friendly and knowledgable owner Ramesh will hold your hand through his expansive North Indian menu, which even sports its own glossary, and help you dive in to his delicious range of vegetarian, eggetarian and nonvegetarian options. The setting is chic minimalist, with whitewashed walls and bench seating, helping you focus on the yummy dishes here.
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Cinnamon
Cinnamon sells gorgeous Indian-designed clothing, jewellery and homewares in an ultrachic white retail space.
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Synagogue
This synagogue, originally built in 1568, was partially destroyed by the Portuguese in 1662, and rebuilt two years later when the Dutch took Kochi. It features an ornate gold pulpit and intricate, hand-painted, willow-pattern floor tiles from Canton, China. It’s magnificently illuminated by chandeliers (from Belgium) and coloured-glass lamps. The graceful clock tower was built in 1760. There is an upstairs balcony for women who worshipped separately according to Orthodox rites. Note that shorts or sleeveless tops are not allowed inside.
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St Francis Church
Believed to be India’s oldest European-built church, St Francis Church was originally constructed in 1503 by Portuguese Franciscan friars. The edifice that stands here today was built in the mid-16th century to replace the original wooden structure. Adventurer Vasco da Gama, who died in Cochin in 1524, was buried on this spot for 14 years before his remains were taken to Lisbon – you can still visit his tombstone in the church.
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Teapot
This stylish haunt is the perfect venue for ‘high tea’, with quality teas, sandwiches and full meals served in chic-minimalist, airy rooms. Witty tea-themed accents include loads of antique teapots, tea chests for tables and a gnarled, tea-tree based glass table. The death by chocolate here (Rs50) is truly cocoa homicide. Trust us.
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Kashi Art Cafe
An institution in Fort Cochin, this place has a hip-but-casual vibe, along with hip-but-casual service. The coffee is as strong as it should be and the daily Western breakfast and lunch specials are excellent. A small gallery shows off local artists.
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Solar Cafe
This arty and funky cafe at Draavidia Gallery serves up organic breakfasts and lunches in a brightly coloured and friendly setting. There’s a fun open kitchen and the upstairs veranda seating overlooks the hubbub of the street below.
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Frys Village Restaurant
This cavernous family restaurant is one of the best places in town for authentic Keralan food, especially for seafood like pollichathu (fish in banana leaves) or crab roast (Rs50 to Rs100 depending on size).
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Salt 'n' Pepper
Superbly average food, but the streetside tables bustle nightly with punters having a special-teapot tipple.
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Jew Town
The synagogue is smack-bang in the middle of Jew Town, a bustling port area and centre of the Kochi spice trade. Scores of small firms huddle together in old, dilapidated buildings and the air is filled with the biting aromas of ginger, cardamom, cumin, turmeric and cloves. These days, the lanes right around the Dutch Palace and the synagogue are filled with antique and tourist curio shops rather than pungent spices. Look out for the Jewish names on some of the buildings.
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Pardesi Synagogue
Originally built in 1568, the Pardesi Synagogue was destroyed by the Portuguese in 1662 and rebuilt two years later when the Dutch took Kochi. It features an ornate gold pulpit and hand-painted, willow-pattern floor tiles from China. It's magnificently illuminated by chandeliers and coloured-glass lamps. The graceful clock tower was built in 1760. There is an upstairs balcony for women who worshipped separately according to Orthodox rites.
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Casa Linda
This modern dining room above the hotel of the same name might not be much to look at, but it’s all about the food here. Chef Dipu once trained with a Frenchman and whips up delicious local Keralan dishes alongside French imports like Poisson de la Provencale (fish fried in oil and herbs, Provence style). The Keralan dry-fried coconut prawns (Rs140), made to a loving mother’s recipe, are scrumptious.
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Oy’s Restaurant
This new addition to the dining scene is one of the hippest looking restaurants in Kochi. The setting is groovy lounge-like: with low-slung couches backed by bamboo; low glass-topped tables; and a bass-heavy chill-out soundtrack. The Southeast Asian–focused dishes are original and reasonably good – try the grilled prawns with crunchy vegetables (Rs145).
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Mattancherry Palace
Built by the Portuguese in 1555, Mattancherry Palace was a rather generous gift presented to the Raja of Kochi, Veera Kerala Varma (1537–61), as a gesture of goodwill. More probably, it was a used as a sweetener to securing trading privileges. The Dutch renovated the palace in 1663, hence its alternative name, the Dutch Palace.
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Grand Pavilion
This is the restaurant at the Grand Hotel and is as retro-stylish as the hotel itself. It serves a tome of a menu that covers dishes from the West, North India, South India and most of the rest of the Asian continent. The meen pollichathu (fish cooked in banana leaves, Rs150) here gets the thumbs up.
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Indo-Portuguese Museum
The Indo-Portuguese Museum, in the garden of the Bishop’s House, preserves the heritage of one of India’s earliest Catholic communities, including vestments, silver processional crosses and altarpieces from the Cochin diocese. The basement contains remnants of the Portuguese Fort Immanuel.
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Ens Kalari
If you want to see real professionals have a go at it, it’s best to travel out to Ens Kalari, a renowned kalarippayat learning centre 8km southeast of Ernakulam. They hold one-hour demonstrations Monday to Saturday at 7pm (one day’s notice required, admission by donation).
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Brunton Boatyard
This imposing hotel faithfully reproduces 16th- and 17th-century Dutch and Portuguese architecture in it’s grand complex. All of the rooms look out over the harbour, and have bathtub and balconies with a refreshing sea breeze that beats AC any day.
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Santa Cruz Basilica
The imposing Catholic Santa Cruz Basilica was originally built on this site in 1506, though the current building dates to 1902. Inside you’ll find arte-facts from the different eras in Kochi and a striking pastel-coloured interior.
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Dutch Cemetery
The Dutch Cemetery, consecrated in 1724, contains the worn and dilapidated graves of Dutch traders and soldiers; it’s gates are normally locked but you can ask the caretaker at St Francis Church if you want to have a look around.
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South Star
This upmarket version of the Bimbis chain of restaurants is in a dark, moodily lit space that’s plushed out in nice chairs and dark-wood tables. The bulky menu has North and South Indian victuals, as well as a massive choice of Chinese dishes.
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Fishmongers
Behind the Chinese fishing nets are a couple of fishmongers, from whom you can buy fish (or prawns, scampi, lobster), then take your selection to a shack where they will cook it and serve it to you (fish about Rs40 per kg).
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Cook & Eat
Mrs Leelu Roy runs a popular cooking class called Cook & Eat in her great big family kitchen. Several of the homestays in towns are also happy to organise impromptu cooking demonstrations and classes for their guests.
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Niraamaya
Popular throughout Kerala, Niraamaya sells ‘ayurvedic’ clothing and fabrics – all made of organic cotton, coloured with natural herb dyes, or infused with ayurvedic oils. The clothing is very simple, but makes for an original gift.
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