Periyar Tiger Reserve
Overlooking a pool and a lagoon through floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the cavernous restaurant at the swish Kofiland resort (3km west of town) presents…
Must-see restaurants in Kerala
Kerala
Tucked into a neatly repurposed red-and-white colonial-style building, in the heart of town, this busy all-veg spot draws the crowds with its cheap thalis…
Kochi (Cochin)
At the heart of Mattancherry's Jewish quarter, with a small balcony above a sprawling antiques warehouse, this charming, low-key 1st-floor cafe-restaurant…
Kochi (Cochin)
For authentic Italian – imported Gorgonzola, prosciutto, olive oil, Parmesan – head upstairs to this cosy mural-filled place serving Kochi's best pizza,…
Alappuzha (Alleppey)
In the heart of town, popular Thaff cooks up expertly spiced South Indian bites (appam, idlis, Keralan meals, prawn masala), with some North Indian and…
Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum)
For comfort food, icy air-con and free wi-fi that really works, take a trip 2km east of the city centre to Cherries & Berries. The menu includes waffles,…
Kerala
With a separate air-con dining room, this simple place opens early for cheap breakfasts (dosas, vadas, coffee) and is popular with families for lunch …
Kovalam
This sweet little cafe right on the main promenade has been going strong for a long time and still makes a popular spot for breakfast, a fresh juice or a…
Varkala
A low-key, long-running cafe-restaurant with candlelit tables that keeps busy thanks to its efficient service, decent coffee and reliably good food, from…
Periyar Tiger Reserve
A shack-like, yellow-walled family operation just back from the park-access road that's particularly good for breakfast or lunch – mainly for the fluffy…
Varkala
For authentic, fairly priced Kerala cooking – appam (rice pancakes), dosas, thalis, lunchtime biryanis – not far from the beach, pull up a seat at…
Kochi (Cochin)
A back-to-basics Mattancherry cheapie for breakfast and lunch masala dosas and other pure-veg South Indian favourites like vadas (doughnut-shaped deep…
Kochi (Cochin)
This brightly decorated and breezy place with an arched ceiling is a great family restaurant with authentic Keralan food, especially seafood like…
Kochi (Cochin)
A dark, buzzing 1st-floor restaurant, serving Kochi's best spicy Andhra cuisine on banana leaves, from biryanis to fish curry. Try a thali (₹170 to ₹190)…
Periyar Tiger Reserve
Sprinkled with potted plants and hanging vines, this long-standing roof-terrace joint cooks up a simple assortment of Indian and Continental food from…
Kochi (Cochin)
Wander through the Ethnic Passage antiques and fashion gallery to reach this cosy European-style cafe; the handful of tables proffers tasty though pricey…
Varkala
Keralan-style meals, masala dosa and uttapam topped with onion, coconut or tomato are the expertly spiced stars at this bustling pure-veg South Indian…
Kerala
Biryanis, omelettes, Bombay toast, masala dosas and other affordable pan-Indian delights at this branch of the beloved ICH, hidden down a lane just south…
Munnar
South of town, SN is a cheery place with a warm orange interior; in busy periods it's packed with people digging into thalis, masala dosas and other…
Munnar
In the slightly smart hotel of the same name, this brightly lit restaurant serves Chinese, North and South Indian and Keralan specialties, including…
Periyar Tiger Reserve
Tasty, no-frills local specialities – masala dosa, appam, Keralan meals – and North Indian curries, at sensible prices, opposite Kumily's bus station.
Northern Kerala
All your favourite biryanis, veg cutlets, fish curries and filter coffee, in a no-fuss split-level setting with veg and nonveg sections.
Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum)
For fresh bread, cakes and little bags of biscuits, next to MG Rd's well-known Azad restaurant.
Periyar Tiger Reserve
A local favourite in the bazaar, serving spicy pure-veg meals including several takes on the lunchtime thali.
Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum)
A classic, cheap pure-veg place opposite the Secretariat specialising in tiffin snacks, thalis and dosas.
Alappuzha (Alleppey)
Central full-service supermarket stocking everything from fresh fruit to pans and toiletries.
Munnar
Next to a small playground, the DTPC's outdoor food court includes a New York Chicken outlet, a dosa stand and a juice bar.
