Restaurants in Southern Kerala
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Thaff
An absurdly popular joint that has scrumptious Indian bites, with some Arabic flavours mixed in, to boot. It does succulent roast spit-chicken (Rs90), scrumptious shawarma (Rs25) and brain-freezing cold ice-cream shakes (Rs25).
reviewed
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A
Pizza Corner
A bit of East meets West, with tasty pizza’s sporting everything from traditional toppings (margarita) to Indian twists on a theme (ie Punjabi chicken tikka).
reviewed
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B
German Bakery (Waves)
In a swanky new location on an airy, sunburnt-orange balcony, this remains the most popular hang-out in town. Finger-licking pastries still take pride of place on the menu, as do a huge range of winning breakfasts, strong coffee and quiches. Nowadays it’s easy to spend the entire day relaxing here, with a varied selection of classy main courses featuring curries, seafood, tofu and pizzas taking you into your evening meal.
reviewed
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C
Fusion
This funky eatery has an inventive menu where dishes from the East meet dishes from the West – and it seems like they get along pretty well. You can get regular Indian or Western meals, but the fun part is trying their fusion options where the two cuisines collide to form yummy new taste combinations. Also serves French press coffee and herbal teas.
reviewed
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Sreepadman
For dirt cheap and authentic Keralan fare – think dosas (paper-thin lentil-flour pancakes) and thalis – where you can rub shoulders with rickshaw drivers rather than tourists, hit Sreepadman. This is a real hole-in-the-wall with a view: there is neat seating out the back with temple tank views.
reviewed
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Kerala Coffee House
With oodles of atmosphere and top service, this perennially popular hang-out has tableclothed dining under the swaying palms. It serves cocktails (around Rs80) and has particularly flavoursome pizzas (Rs70 to Rs90), all served to a dancy, reggae soundtrack.
reviewed
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Hungry Eye Kitchen
We love the stepped, multilevel design of Hungry Eye – this way everyone gets uninterrupted sea views. Very diplomatic. Thai food is a speciality here, and the kitchen can whip up red and green curries as well as the usual suspects of Varkala dishes.
reviewed
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D
Suprabhatham
This cosy little veggie place dishes up excellent, dirt-cheap and truly authentic Keralan cooking in a rustic setting. Out in the palm groves, it’s secluded and intimate, with an option to dine under the stars to a nightly orchestra of crickets.
reviewed
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Meenachil
This is our favourite place in Kottayam to fill up on scrumptious Indian fare. The family atmosphere is friendly, the dining room modern and tidy and the menu expansive – everything from biryanis, veg and nonveg dishes to tandoori.
reviewed
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E
Harbour Restaurant
This beachside, casual Euro-style eatery is run by the swish Raheem Residency Hotel. It’s a little more casual and budget conscious than the hotel’s main restaurant, but promises equally well-prepared Indian and Western cuisine.
reviewed
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F
Swiss Cafe
While the setting here is lovely, with an upstairs balcony and lots of wicker seating, the menu offers pretty much the same choices as everywhere else, with a few token Swiss dishes (ie schnitzel) thrown in to justify the name.
reviewed
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Nalekattu
The traditional Keralan restaurant at the Windsor Castle is in an open-walled pavilion and serves tasty Keralan specialities like chemeen (mango curry) and tharavumappas (duck in coconut gravy).
reviewed
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Calfouti
The menu here doesn’t look that different from everywhere else, but the setting is a notch swishier than most places, with an upper level balcony, colourful lamps and more than its fair share of dinner-time fairy lights.
reviewed
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Oottupura Vegetarian Restaurant
Bucking the trend and serving only veggie options, this budget eatery has a respectable range of yummy dishes, including breakfast puttu (flour with milk, bananas and honey) and lots of lunch and dinner options.
reviewed
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Ariya Nivaas
Close to the train station and convenient for a quick feed between trains, this popular thali (traditional ‘all-you-can-eat’ meal) place gets positive reports from travellers. It’s sparking and run with efficiency.
reviewed
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G
Kream Korner
This relaxed place is popular with Indian and foreign families and offers a tasty multicuisine menu. The yummy cold coffee with ice cream (Rs25) beats a frappuchino any day. There’s another branch on Cullan Rd.
reviewed
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H
Kerala House Family Restaurant
Don't expect much in the way of décor (think formica), but do expect one mean fish-curry masala. The fish pollichathu (baked in banana leaf), with ginger, vegetables and spices, is also top-notch.
reviewed
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I
Indian Coffee House
This branch of the Indian Coffee House chain serves its yummy coffee and snacks in a unique, four-storey, spiralling tower lined inside by bench tables. Equal parts funhouse and Indian diner, it’s a must-see.
reviewed
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J
Royal Park Hotel
The extensive menu at this swish hotel restaurant is heavily meat-centric, but the food is excellent. You can order from the same menu in the upstairs bar and wash down your meal with a cold Kingfisher.
reviewed
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K
Maveli Café
Part of the Indian Coffee House chain, Maveli serves its standard tucker in a unique, narrow, four-storey spiralling tower lined by bench tables. Equal parts funhouse and Indian diner, it's a must-see.
reviewed
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Somatheeram
This bare-bones beachside restaurant whips up consistently tasty Indian fare. The location, right on the main beach where you can dig your toes into the sand, is about as good as it gets.
reviewed
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Fayalwan Hotel
This is a real Indian working-man’s diner, packed to the rafters come lunchtime. There are concrete booths and long benches for sitting and tucking in – try the mutton biryani (Rs45).
reviewed
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Hotel Suryaas
It’s no surprise this cosy dining room is packed to the rafters with hungry families come mealtime – the North and South Indian food here is excellent. Thalis cost Rs45.
reviewed
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Juice Shack
A funky little health-juice bar that doubles as Varkala’s informal intranet – this is where long-termers come to gossip and share the latest news the old way.
reviewed
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Hotel Guru Prasad
In a neat colonial building still clinging to remnants of a once-cheery paint job, this busy lunchtime place draws the punters with dirt-cheap set meals.
reviewed
