Must-see restaurants in Chennai (Madras)

Set in an exquisitely converted warehouse with a wraparound veranda from which tables spill out into lush gardens, Amethyst is a nostalgically posh haven…

Perfect for a five-star splash-out, the ITC's signature Northwest Frontier restaurant serves inventive, flavour-popping creations at intimate booths…

Meat-eaters will drool over the yummy North Indian tandoori dishes served in well-lit, stylishly minimalist surroundings, but the veg food here is…

Very fine South and North Indian vegetarian fare, plus glorious fresh juices, in a beautiful dining room decorated with carvings and paintings, inside a…

'Double roti' refers to burger buns – the semi-open kitchen at this always-packed, super-casual, industrial-chic cafe plates them up with fun, flair and…

A calm ambience seeps through the four orange-toned, three- to four-table rooms of this elegant Keralan restaurant. Lightly spiced pachakkari vegetable…

From an impeccably clean kitchen (which you're welcome to tour) come limitless, flavour-packed lunchtime thalis, dished up traditional-style on banana…

Silver palm-shaped plates, wood-carved pillars, candlelit tables and flower bowls recreate a swish South Indian palace setting for some of Chennai's…

Zingy Thai curries, delicately flavoured dim sum and outstanding, unlimited build-your-own stir-fries set the scene at this classy (but pricey) pan-Asian…

Half Higginbotham's bookshop, half casual cafe/restaurant, this is one of the best spots in Chennai for inexpensively priced, finely prepared,…

Settle in for the ultimate all-veg South Indian thali at this uberpopular Chennai chain, which is also excellent for South Indian breakfasts (idlis, vadas…

This bubbly 1st-floor cafe feels a continent away from Chennai, except that Chennaiites love it too. Flowery wallpaper, printed cushions, wicker chairs,…

This refined, wood-ceilinged restaurant is arguably Chennai's best place to savour the flavours of Tamil Nadu's Chettinadu region. Chettinadu cuisine is…

The Thousand Lights branch of this prominent Chennai vegetarian chain is more upscale than most and does a 30-odd-item, ₹320 lunch and dinner buffet (11…

This famed vegetarian chain is brilliant for excellent-value South Indian thalis (lunchtime only here) and simple, authentic South Indian breakfasts of…

Dependably delish, Chennai's famous vegetarian chain doles out epically good South Indian thalis and breakfasts (idli and vada ₹45 to ₹70, dosa ₹70 to…

An immensely popular Asian and Southeast-Asian street-food-style spot that's usually packed with fashionable foodies and waiters in cheeky-sloganed T…

Cycle-mad decor includes wheels on lamps, chandeliers made from chains and bikes dangling in the window. But this place is more than just a gimmick: there…

Upscale Dakshin specialises in the cuisines of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka. Traditional sculptures, mirrored pillars and…

Down a dusty narrow alley off Arundale St, shoebox-sized Rayars has been pulling in ravenous crowds for over 70 years with its crispy evening bonda …