In search of the most productive puts for dosa and South Indian thalis in Chennai? Listed here are 8 iconic eateries in Chennai maximum advisable by means of dosa connoisseurs.
The street map of decadent fine-dining eating places on Chennai’s bustling streets is interspersed with conventional hole-in-the-wall eateries. Those typically cater to 2 palates — one who delights in South Indian breakfasts and the opposite that takes excitement in meaty primary lessons.
The colourful town takes nice delight in its gastronomy and has loved breathless protection of its military-era motels. And historical past we could us in on their inception.
The tale is going that it used to be all over Global Warfare II that those navy retailers mushroomed in a bid to fulfill the troops’ starvation. Now, neither the emergence of the more moderen Chettinad eating places nor the glam of the fine-dining spots can dim the attract that navy motels proceed to retain within the town. From politicians to the who’s who of Southern cinema, everybody has stopped right here for a chunk and has a tale to inform.
Right here we chronicle town’s easiest dosa and thali joints the place you’ll be able to be expecting a delectable fiesta.
1. Ravi Anna Kadai

The eatery hasn’t ever had a proper title. Actually, it used to be inconspicuous for probably the most phase. But if locals seen crowds — comprising the elite trade elegance and labourers alike — thronging to the world in the back of Pondy Bazaar, it had to be christened. The ‘nei podi dosai’ at this way-side eatery is the primary number of kids who flock to it past due at evening when all different dosa retailers are close.
In an interview with Conde Nast, Mathangi Kumar, chef and culinary advisor recalled how he reveals it difficult to prevent himself at only one dosa. “As a circle of relatives, we have now been going right here for years now. Their dosas are all the time tremendous crisp with a beneficiant quantity of ghee, chutney and sambar. Their podi is somewhat other from the way it’s typically made at house.”
2. Tanjavur Army Resort
Claiming to be “the primary inheritance lodge in Chettinad, constructed on a assets that has been with the circle of relatives for nearly 105 years”, Tanjavur Army Resort is positioned in Parktown middle of Chennai town. The boundary-pushing cooks merge conventional cooking kinds with fashionable palates to serve an array of mouth-watering South Indian meals comparable to pepper hen and varuval (dry dish fried with spices and onions). Some other must-have is any in their succulent mutton dishes with the mutton biryani taking the prize.
3. Anjappar
The eating place says it serves the “international’s favorite Chettinad delicacies” and nobody is arguing that! Thru its franchise type, Anjappar has expanded to over 25 international locations thus turning into “the arena’s greatest Chettinad chain of eating places”. Whilst those accolades upload their feathers to its cap, the circle of relatives’s humble beginnings proceed to be their delight.
Anjappan, the founder, used to be somewhat boy rising up in Tamil Nadu and spent a lot of his time within the messes round his village. He’d watch fascinatedly as masalas added magic to any dish they have been included into. In 1964, he set the root of his dream by means of beginning his first eating place positioned in Royapettah, Chennai, with the blessings of the loved, M G Ramachandran. An editorial in The New Indian Categorical mentions that Mollywood stars, together with Aju Varghese, Mamta Mohandas, Asif Ali, Vineeth Sreenivasan, and previous cricketer, S Sreesanth, are regulars right here.
4. Ponnusamy

What’s the greatest meal you’ve ever had? No matter it’s, the 32-inch Baahubali thali is certain to overcome it. That includes 50 dishes (each meat and vegetarian), the thali shouldn’t be in your record should you’re doing a meals path within the town. It merits an afternoon to itself.
Right here’s what you’ll be able to be expecting to peer in your plate: ura puttu, vanjaram meen varuval, mutton nalli, mutton sukka, prawn masala, mutton biryani, daal fry, sambhar, rasam, naan, white rice and muffins (plural, in fact). When you get pleased with your thali, you’ll be handled to the legacy of the lodge. Began in 1952 by means of two youngsters A R Velu Pillai and his more youthful brother, Ponnusamy, the lodge grew in scope and is an empire nowadays.
5. Nair’s Mess
Situated on Mohammed Abdullah Side road, Nair’s mess serves an exceptional seafood platter entire with prawn masala and fish cuisine. However the vanjaram barbeque is alleged to be probably the most impressively ready seafood fares one can come throughout. Whilst there isn’t some way of confirming this, it’s rumour that where used to be frequented by means of former Leader Minister of Tamil Nadu, MG Ramachandran.
6. Paati Veedu

Bringing a component of good eating to the normal thali idea in Chennai, Paati Veedu is making an attempt to recreate the nostalgia that incorporates rising up on one’s grandmother’s meals. There are 3 ideas of meals right here. The primary, Poorna Bhakshana, features a seven-course limitless meal this is similar to a grand ceremonial dinner. The second one, Bhakshanam, caters to pleasant goodies and savouries with a mixture of conventional and recent components. The 3rd, Decoction, is a standard tackle speedy meals.
7. Ratna Cafe
Steeped in nostalgia, Ratna Cafe, established in 1948 by means of Jaggilal Gupta, a Mathura resident, is identified for its sambar this is under the influence of alcohol by means of the litre. In case you occur to prevent by means of this eatery in Triplicane, you’ll be amused to peer team of workers sporting round mini-buckets with them. Glance within and also you’ll spot the scrumptious sizzling sambar. Lokesh Gupta (30), the fourth-generation scion lately on the helm of affairs on the cafe, says there are with reference to 1,500 litres of sambar which can be made at this iconic eatery, and a few days, that quantity reaches 2,000 litres.
Edited by means of Padmashree Pande