Tamil Cuisine Trail In Mylapore, Chennai
By Ujjainee Roy
Mylapore has a mix of many different restaurants; you can find almost every cuisine in the centrally located neighbourhood. However, some of the most noteworthy eateries in the area are the ones which serve authentic Tamil food. The neighbourhood has some great options for good, Tamil delicacies and that too at modest prices. Let's have a look at some of them.
*Some restaurants listed in this trail serve non-vegetarian food, but have been added because they have good vegetarian options on their menu as well.
Nithya Amirtham
If you’re going to Nithya Amirtham, opt for the South Indian meals which are available at really modest prices. A standard meal has kuttu, poriyal, rice, sambhar, kulambu, buttermilk, appalam and pickles and you can choose add-ons like curd rice or seeraga sambha brinji. Though it’s not shareabl, you won’t mind having the plater to yourself! Also try their vast category of dosas which has a number of options, like ghee dosa, butter dosa, ghee podi dosa and more. You can also explore their more elaborate Nithyam special meals, which have kuruma, poriyal, rice of the day, keeral, special kulambu and moreHotel Sravana Bhavan
If you want a taste of an authentic Tamil experience, Sravana Bhavan is the one place that should be on your radar. The restaurant has many outlets and the one near the Kabaleeswarar Temple is one of the most popular. It has plenty of seating and a diverse menu that has something for everyone. Their filter coffee and mini idlis (that come doused in sambhar) pairing is the go-to option for many; the hot idli, ghee roast masala dosa, rava kesari and tamarind rice are the most popular options. You can also go for the Tamil Nadu meal during lunch which lines up several options like vadai, ponni rice, rasama etc.Rayar’s Mess
A great spot for home-style Tamil food, Rayar’s Mess offers all the classics and more. It’s best known for its sambhar which is savoury with a hint of tart flavours. The mess is around eight decades old and hasn’t really changed its menu a lot over the years. It’s the most crowded during the breakfast and lunch rush as people flock to the venue for their economically priced foods. It offers a nice break from the fine-dining and fast casual places that have cropped up over the years and most local fodies crave its signature flavours.Ratna Cafe
Local foodies swear that tourists can simply locate their nearest Ratna Cafe if they’re ever hungry in Chennai and want pocket-friendly Tamil food. The joint was established in 1948 and its idli and sambhar have a cult following in the city; try their idli vada dip sambhar, which is delicious and can also be topped with extra sambhar when you run low. If you want a low-key snack, their ghee paper roast, Appam and Kuzhi paniyaram go really well with their filter coffee.Bharathi Mess
If you want a quick, quality Tamil lunch around Mylapore, head to Bharathi Mess! You’ll be better off if you can beat the lunch rush as the place gets quite crowded during peak lunch hours. One of the best things you can order at Bharathi is their Thattai Idli, which is bigger than your average idli and softer and fluffier. Pair it with some podi and ghee. Their medu vada is crispy, savoury and soft to the touch and quite repeatable. Also sample some Poondu garlic dosa, which is much spicier than a regular dosa and has a delicious garlicky kickNamma Veedu Vasanta Bhavan
Namma Veedu Vasanta Bhavan has a good number of South Indian classics and some interesting pairings. Their special menu keeps changing, so keep an eye out for that. The joint offers decent portions at reasonable rates. Their rava dosa is one of their bestsellers and so is the mini ghee idli. The eatery sees the most footfall during breakfast and tiffin hours as it offers a number of smaller, shareable options. If you’re in the mood for something light, go for their mini dosa and vadai which are delicious and repeatable. Pair it with their delicious and slightly sweet coconut chutney!
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