Your Trip to Kolkata: The Complete Guide SEE FULL GUIDE prev next 10 Foods to Try Nightlife in Kolkata Best Time to Visit Weather & Climate Getting Around Kolkata Kolkata International Airport Guide Best Hotels 48 Hours in Kolkata Best Day Trips Top Destinations Top Things to Do Best Museums Where to Go Shopping Complete Guide to the Durga Puja Festival Best Restaurants Your Trip to Kolkata: The Complete Guide close Overview India West Bengal The 11 Best Restaurants in Kolkata By Sharell Cook Sharell Cook Facebook Instagram Twitter Sharell Cook lives in Mumbai full-time and has been writing about India travel for TripSavvy since 2008. TripSavvy's editorial guidelines Published on 07/19/21 Courtesy of Bombay Brasserie The evolution of Kolkata's dining scene is seeing the exciting addition of many contemporary eateries to the staple of nostalgic favorites that have been in business since the turn of the century. The Park Street area remains the epicenter of food and entertainment, while south Kolkata is earning a place for itself on the map especially around Ballygunge, Gol Park and Hindustan Park. If you love seafood, you won't have to look far! It's a staple in local diets and dominates the menus of the city's Bengali cuisine restaurants. There are plenty of other cuisines to explore as well, including modern Indian, tribal, and even Chinese (thanks to the Chinese migrants who began settling in the city in the late 18th century). Read on to discover our diverse pick of restaurants in Kolkata. 01 of 11 Best for Fine Dining Bengali Cuisine: Aaheli Courtes of Peerless Inn View Map Address 15, Jawaharlal Nehru Rd, New Market Area, Dharmatala, Taltala, Kolkata, West Bengal 700013, India Get directions Phone +91 33 2249 2323 Web Visit website Aaheli is Kolkata's first Bengali cuisine fine-dine restaurant, opened at the Peerless Inn in 1993. The restaurant is renowned for its authentic dishes that originated in the homes of Bengal's aristocracy. The restaurant's slow-cooked fiery kosha mangsho (mutton curry) is regarded as the best in the city. Or, choose from the comprehensive thali (platter) menu with five options, four non-vegetarian and one vegetarian, for a complete multi-course meal. 02 of 11 Best for Casual Bengali Cuisine: 6 Ballygunge Place Courtesy of 6 Ballygunge Place View Map Address 6, Dr Amiya Bose Sarani Rd, near Patha Bhavan School, Ballygunge Place, Ballygunge, Kolkata, West Bengal 700019, India Get directions Phone +91 33 2460 3922 Web Visit website Spread over three floors in a revamped aristocrat's bungalow, 6 Ballygunge Place serves up a sumptuous spread of traditional Bengali food that includes both classic and lesser-known delicacies from regional kitchens. Daab chingri (large prawns cooked with mustard inside a tender green coconut) is the restaurant's specialty. The lunch buffet offers excellent value and covers the top dishes for a useful introduction to Bengali cuisine. Plus, there's an extensive a la carte menu for those who want to delve deeper. 03 of 11 Best for Kebabs, Curries, and Biryani: Kareem's Courtesy of Kareem's Kolkata View Map Address Pataka House, 55B, Mirza Ghalib St, near Westside, Esplanade, Taltala, Kolkata, West Bengal 700016, India Get directions Phone +91 98301 23323 Mumbai-based Kareems brought its North Indian Mughlai cuisine to Kolkata in 2019 and delights diners with an open kitchen. The menu fuses traditional tastes with current trends, including meat dishes marinaded with in-house spice blends and grilled in the tandoor (clay oven). The minced mutton galouti kebab, perfected according to the restaurant's secret recipe, is an absolute must-try. For something different order the naan stuffed with butter chicken. The restaurant's branch on Mirza Ghalib Street in the Park Street area is most conveniently located for tourists. 04 of 11 Best for Modern Indian: Bombay Brasserie Courtesy of Bombay Brasserie View Map Address Quest Mall, 33, Syed Amir Ali Ave, Park Circus, Ballygunge, Kolkata, West Bengal 700017, India Get directions Phone +91 90733 07723 Web Visit website This hip new bar and eatery offers up a fresh, experimental take on Indian cuisine. The small and large plates feature eclectic ingredients sourced from across India, presented in thought-provoking ways that will enthrall gastronomes. Highlights include Bombay lunch home vegetarian curry and banana leaf rice, and Mario's Goan-style mango prawn curry. On the drinks menu, there are popular western cocktails (think cosmopolitans and piña coladas) plus an array of inventive Indian-inspired mocktails. The restaurant's location in Quest Mall makes it ideal for a bite while shopping in Kolkata Continue to 5 of 11 below. 05 of 11 Best for Heritage: Mocambo View Map Address Ground Floor, 25B, Mirza Ghalib St, Taltala, Kolkata, West Bengal 700016, India Get directions Phone +91 33 2229 0095 Mocambo will transport you back to the glory days of the 1950s and 1960s in Kolkata, when the restaurant was one of the city's top nightspots with a six-piece band playing. Although the live music stopped in the 1970s, the memory lives on through the vintage decor and hearty old-fashioned continental fare. Famous dishes include deviled crab, prawn cocktail, lobster thermidor, chicken Kiev, chicken stroganoff, and the Chef's special chicken Orientale a la Mocambo (a chicken fillet cooked in wine and cream sauce, served with buttered rice, mushroom, and tomato, and topped with asparagus and boiled egg). 06 of 11 Best for Breakfast: Flurys Courtesy of Flurys View Map Address 18A, Park St, Park Street area, Kolkata, West Bengal 700071, India Get directions Phone +91 33 4000 7452 Web Visit website A much-loved Kolkata icon and landmark on Park Street, Flurys dates back to 1927 when a Swiss couple opened it as a fashionable tearoom serving fine European cakes and confectionery. Now owned by The Park Hotels chain, the cafe was given a dramatic makeover in 2004 but certainly hasn't lost its sentimental charm. In addition to the original "heritage" items, the expanded menu offers sandwiches, pasta, and all-day English breakfasts (bacon, ham, sausages, and fried eggs) with vegan options. 07 of 11 Best for Street Food: Mitra Cafe Courtesy of Mitra Cafe View Map Address 47, Jatindra Mohan Ave, Raja Nabakrishna Street, Sovabazar, Shobhabazar, Kolkata, West Bengal 700005, India Get directions Phone +91 84201 61111 Web Visit website Mitra Cafe also has a long history in Kolkata, dating all the way back to 1920 when it opened in north Kolkata's old Bengali neighborhood of Sovabazar. It has since expanded to other locations such as nearby Shayambazar, and Gol Park in south Kolkata. There's not a lot of space in this cafe, so be prepared to jostle with other customers during busy times. Demand is high for its street food such as prawn cutlets, fish cutlets, fish diamond kobiraji (fish encased in a mesh layer of crispy egg and spices), and even brain chop (deep-fried, spiced goat brain) for intrepid foodies. 08 of 11 Best Healthy and Farm-to-Table: Fab Cafe Courtesy of Fab Cafe View Map Address 7, Loudon St, Mullick Bazar, Park Street area, Kolkata, West Bengal 700017, India Get directions Phone +91 33 4007 5415 Web Visit website Fabindia, a popular brand of products made by craftspeople across India, added a nutritious organic cafe at its expansive new Fabindia Experience Center on Loudon Street in 2019. The smoothies, shakes, cold-pressed juices, salads, soups, and light Indian meals are all made from super fresh and nourishing ingredients. Most dishes are gluten-free, and there are also vegan and keto versions. The yummy Shakarkandi tarabooj salad is a mixture of roast seasoned sweet potato, watermelon, mixed greens, roasted pumpkin seeds tossed together with a zesty citrus dressing. Finish with a Himalayan organic honey and walnut tart for dessert, and turmeric tonic for a therapeutic boost. Continue to 9 of 11 below. 09 of 11 Best for Indian Tribal Cuisine and Seafood: Santa’s Fantasea View Map Address 9, Ballygunge Terrace, Dhakuria, Kankulia, Kolkata, West Bengal 700031, India Get directions Phone +91 98313 87882 Santa’s Fantasea may have a slightly odd name and unassuming location but the variety of seafood is unmatched. What's more, it's one of the few restaurants showcasing tribal food from all over India. Seafood bestsellers include the chili mustard squid, butter garlic octopus, and Shanghai crab. However, the menu really shines with bansa pora (mutton or chicken stuffed in bamboo) from Odisha, and jadoh (red rice with mutton) from Meghalaya. 10 of 11 Best for Families: Peter Cat Souvik Das Gupta/Flickr/CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 View Map Address Stephen Court Building, 18 A, Park St, opposite KFC Restaurant, Park Street area, Kolkata, West Bengal 700016, India Get directions Phone +91 33 2229 8841 Peter Cat's signature item is the chelo kebab, a kebab served with buttered rice and a fried egg). The owner discovered the dish in Iran and brought back to Kolkata in the 1970s, pulling in such a crowd that there's often people lined up on the sidewalk waiting for a table. However, the restaurant also does great sizzlers and tandoori grills. There are reasonably priced cocktails, wines, and beers for the adults while kids will love the menu shaped like a cat's head and sundae desserts. 11 of 11 Best for Chinese Cuisine: Eau Chew Eau Chew View Map Address 12, Ganesh Chandra Ave, Esplanade, Chowringhee North, Bowbazar, Kolkata, West Bengal 700013, India Get directions Phone +91 33 2237 8260 Kolkata's Chinese community has contributed much to the food scene in the city and fuss-free Eau Chew is said to be the longest-running, family-operated Chinese restaurant in the city. It has been in business since the 1920s and is renowned for the delicious dishes the mother and son chef duo prepare according to their closely-guarded personal recipes. Menu standouts include Josephine's noodles (a hearty combination of noodles with vegetables, meat, and prawns in a light sauce), chimney soup, black bean chili fish, and dry roast chili pork. Finding the restaurant is an adventure in itself. It's tucked away in an old car lot, atop a dilapidated building in central Kolkata. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Share Pin Email Tell us why! Submit Share Pin Email