Konkan Coast
On Malvan’s main drag, this great, family-run place specialises in Konkan cuisine including bangda tikhale (fish in thick coconut sauce), prawns malvani…
Must-see restaurants in South India
Maharashtra
No English inside or out, but this simple but super Maharashtrian stalwart is absolutely excellent for the state's fiery regional cuisine. Try jhunka …
Kozhikode (Calicut)
Join the inevitably long queue out the door at this always-packed restaurant, founded in 1939. The overwhelming menu is famous for its legendary chicken…
Kovalam
In the lanes behind southern Lighthouse Beach, this little restaurant plates up some of Kovalam's best vegetarian food at reasonable prices, in a simple…
Chennai (Madras)
Meat-eaters will drool over the yummy North Indian tandoori dishes served in well-lit, stylishly minimalist surroundings, but the veg food here is…
Chennai (Madras)
Very fine South and North Indian vegetarian fare, plus glorious fresh juices, in a beautiful dining room decorated with carvings and paintings, inside a…
Maharashtra
Inside one of Nagpur's most regal hotels, this equally austere, incredibly atmospheric restaurant serves the delectable recipes of India's noble class,…
Puducherry (Pondicherry)
One of Pondy's favourite culinary teams heads up this fashionable continental-Indian eatery, launched in 2016 in a dreamy, lantern-lit patio engulfed by…
Aurangabad
Rightly famous for its delicious, unlimited Rajasthani and Gujarati thalis, Bhoj is a wonderful place to refuel and relax after a hard day on the road (or…
Konkan Coast
It's not the easiest place to eat (no English sign, nearly no English spoken and no napkins – so bring some baby wipes), but the delicious Maharashtrian…
Maharashtra
The best of Fardapur's streetside dhabas (casual eatery serving basic meals), this excellent spot is fresh, cheap and satisfying. The famous cook, Babu,…
Coonoor
With tables on the veranda of a beautifully revamped 19th-century bungalow, La Belle Vie has guests driving miles for its flavour-popping European-Indian…
Madurai
Though it now has multiple Chennai branches, Murugan is Madurai born and bred. Here you can put the fluffy signature idli and chutneys to the test, and…
Port Blair
Fresh seafood grilled, steamed or barbecued to taste is the speciality at this unadorned favourite, but there's also punchy veg or prawn biryani and an…
Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum)
Trivandrum's best all-you-can-eat South Indian veg thalis mean long-running Ariya Nivaas is always busy (especially at lunchtime), but service is snappy…
Kerala
Spotless, air-conditioned Bharath is widely regarded as the best veg restaurant in town and the place for a lunchtime thali (₹86 to ₹165), a Keralan…
Kodaikanal (Kodai)
This pure-veg restaurant is always packed with locals and tourists, especially at lunchtime when it serves fantastic all-you-can-eat thalis.
Madurai
Decked with old-Madurai photos, Sri Sabareesh is a popular pure-veg cheapie that rustles up good South Indian thalis (₹90), dosa, idli, uttapam and vada,…
Mumbai (Bombay)
The Colaba Cartel, an impressive team of Mumbai foodies with a proven culinary track record including Pantry, Woodside Inn and Table, is the mind and…
Mumbai (Bombay)
The first restaurant that makes it worth venturing into the Bandra Kurla Complex just to eat. The elevated Goan dishes are fantastic: spicy chorizo bhakri…
Mumbai (Bombay)
The market-fresh, globally inspired fusion menu, most of which was designed by former San Francisco chef Alex Sanchez, changes daily and does everything…
Dakshin Culture Curry/Goa Portuguesa/Diva Maharashtracha
Mumbai (Bombay)
This media-savvy, three restaurants-in-one dining destination is the domain of celebrity chef Deepa Awchat. Dakshin Culture Curry features exquisite…
Mumbai (Bombay)
Located just outside CSMT, this budget eatery is a heritage icon, serving puri bhaji (puffed-up bread with a potato-and-pea curry) for over a century. The…
Mumbai (Bombay)
This haven of pastel shades, scatter cushions and greenery in the bungalow of Yoga House is the perfect little retreat from Mumbai’s mean streets. The…
Mumbai (Bombay)
Chocoholics and cake fetishists look no further – this minuscule Kala Ghoda place will seduce and hook you. Owner Sanjana Patel spent seven years in…
Mumbai (Bombay)
Mumbai's best new budget eats are served up in this tiny – four tables and a counter – hipsterised Sri Lankan joint. It does absolutely delicious prawn…
Hyderabad
Paradise is synonymous with biryani in these parts. The main Secunderabad location has five different dining areas: head to the attractive 'roof garden',…
Mumbai (Bombay)
Moodily lit, art deco–era Beirut-inspired interiors complement the hyperauthentic dishes of the Levant in this sexy Kala Ghoda newcomer. The hummus?…
Mumbai (Bombay)
A wait-list madhouse on weekends, this seafooder is close to the airport's Terminal 1. Start with a sol kadhi, a refreshing, savoury drink made with…
Mumbai (Bombay)
These side-by-side, outrageously popular late-night street stalls (split between veg and nonveg) are in Bademiya's original location, where they remain a…
Maharashtra
This rustic organic cafe, behind the Sevagram Ashram museum, serves organic thalis made with produce from 2500 farmers in nearby Samudrapur, all of whom…
Mumbai (Bombay)
One of South Mumbai's most-storied thali restaurants, all veg Chetana serves several top-end varieties of India's ubiquitous platter lunch, including…
Mumbai (Bombay)
Daring and imaginative Masala Library dangles the contemporary Indian carrot to foodies and gastronauts, challenging them to rethink their notions of…
Mumbai (Bombay)
Creative cocktails at this hot Asian gastrobar include the Tom Yum Cup (basically a tom yam soup laced with vodka), mixed by genuinely talented and…
Bengaluru (Bangalore)
For a quick bite that's easy on the pocket, join the throngs at this pure-veg eatery; it's very busy indeed at lunchtimes, when there's usually standing…
Mumbai (Bombay)
Don't miss this takeaway/delivery-only gourmet stand dedicated to celebrity-chef Saransh Goila's take on one of India's most iconic dishes: butter chicken…
Mumbai (Bombay)
A sleek, stylish restaurant that marries contemporary design with a few traditional artefacts (prayer wheels line one wall), providing a beautiful setting…
Mumbai (Bombay)
An inexpensive Keralan eatery with lots of coconut and southern goodness on the menu. Try one of the epic thalis, served on a banana leaf and priced…
Mumbai (Bombay)
Euro-style Basilico does decadent sweets and especially creative fare when it comes to vegans and vegetarians. There are exquisite salads (from ₹330) like…
Bengaluru (Bangalore)
SlimSins lives up to its name, with an interesting menu of sinful-looking food actually made with wholesome ingredients. The open kitchen offers a peek…
