If you think Delhi is India’s best food destination, you should reconsider as the most delicious food is hands-down served here in the ‘City of Joy — Kolkata’! Even the ordinary bistros in this city offer the most delightful experience to the tastebuds. If you happen to visit any of the best restaurants in Kolkata, the experience shall surely blow your mind!
For the unversed, the West Bengal capital was honored by being granted the tag of one of the ‘Top 11 Culinary Destinations in the World’ by the popular food website ‘Eater’.
Kolkata’s strong geo-politico-cultural assimilation over centuries asserts the region’s rich yet diverse food scene. What makes the city’s food culture so unique is the ‘mass affordability’ of delicious dishes even in the best of restaurants. The average cost for 2 in restaurants like Mocambo, or O Calcutta! is between Rs. 1000 to 1800.
Apart from serving Bengali food, this city’s famous food culture includes snacks and street food items like phuchka (water balls), kathi roll, momo, soup, street-styled kebabs, and more. Kolkata’s restaurants can effectively satisfy your hunger pangs (including the vegetarians). The famous Punjabi dhabas and tandoor stalls are known for serving the best tandoori chicken and butter chicken in town.
Lovers of global cuisines like Chinese, Pan-Asian, European, American, Brazilian, Lebanese, etc, can find ample restaurant options in Kolkata.
If you are planning a trip to the city or joy or are simply searching for the best restaurants the city has to offer, here are our picks.
Top 10 Best Restaurants in Kolkata Serving the Most Delicious Food
Identifying the top restaurants in this city from the available lot turns out as challenging as finding a needle in the haystack!
For the curious gastronomes out there touring the city, we’ve got you covered. We have come up with our preferred top 10 popular restaurants in Kolkata, known for serving the most scrumptious traditional, contemporary, and fusion dishes.
1. Trincas
Are you up for a jamming cum merry-making dining vibe, then Trincas is the place to be. This restaurant is reputed as the first-ever food joint in India to popularize the concept of LIVE music dining as a part of a luxury dining experience. One can hop in here with friends/ family to experience this unique ‘old-world charm’ vibe.
Since its pre-independence foundation (1939), Trincas’ diverse menu quality (primarily a host of continental food) remains undisputed. Surprisingly, its Italian and North Indian counter menus too dish out tough competition and uphold a high demand. Check out their traditional bar counter to relive Park Street’s jovial pub-life vibe of the 1940s-50s.
Trincas is one of the perfect classic restaurants where you can relive a slice of prime British Calcutta with buzzing jazz streets. Experiencing Usha Uthup’s legendary LIVE gigs while digging into their continental specialties imparts jovial vibes. Their service waiters still wear vintage colonial-era service robes and complimentary service hats while courteously attending to customers’ needs. Once you enter here, no one can save you from voluntary time-traveling, which is indeed a magical experience!
Must Try: Chilli Basil Pork, Crispy Crab Rangoon Wantons, Lamb In Devil’s Sauce
Additional Details:
Location: 17, Mother Teresa Sarani, behind Trincas Restaurant, near The Park Hotel, out gate, Taltala, Kolkata, West Bengal 700016
Trincas Restaurant and Bar, situated on Park Street, stands as a sophisticated culinary establishment offering a captivating and enchanting dining experience…..
4.4⭐⭐⭐⭐
Aishik Sharma
- Contact Number: 8240259201
- Opening hours: 11:00 AM – 11:45 PM
- Average Cost: ₹850 for two people (approx.)
- Menu: https://www.trincas.in/menu
2. Yauatcha
Yauatcha’s overall ambiance exuberates a premium posh ambiance with glass wall decors and luxurious seating arrangements. The venue’s ambient fragrance (to control food odor) justifies its fine dining appeal. It is perfect for going on dates, hosting birthday parties, (un)official corporate brunches, and other family events.
This is one of the best restaurants in Kolkata with a diverse menu that includes Pan-Asian, Chinese and Continental dishes (including lip-smacking black bean sauce dishes and vegetarian options) have exemplary high taste quotients. It makes the dining experience at Yauatcha feel like an unforgettable fairytale. Each dish’s distinguished presentation makes it look like a delicately detailed painting. Customers must consider trying out their classified fancy cocktail and mocktail menu. Good luck choosing ‘just one’ from the wholesome lot!
Availing Yauatcha’s premium culinary services doesn’t come across as affordable. However, their high-end clients return home with satisfied souls and tummies post-dining here. Both qualitative and quantitative service aspects of their ambiance and food combined live up to its premium customer base’s high-end expectations. It feels exactly how one would expect their ‘lovely evening’ to go.
Must Try: Golden Ging Cocktail, Wrapped Chicken in Pak Choi with Szechuan Sauce (dim sum), Crispy Peking Duck with Pancake, Signature Petit Gateaux Selection
Additional Details:
Location: 5th Floor, Quest Mall Park Circus, 33, Syed Amir Ali Ave, Beck Bagan, Near to Bata Store, Ballygunge, Kolkata, West Bengal 700017, India
It is fine dining Chinese restaurant. All the food was delicious. Their service was excellent. Nice ambience. Overall a very…….
5.0⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Poulami Ghosh
- Contact Number: 9222222800
- Opening hours: 12 PM – 11:45 PM
- Average Cost: ₹3000 for two people (approx)
- Menu: https://www.zomato.com/kolkata/yauatcha-ballygunge/menu
3. Aaheli by The Peerless Inn
Aaheli by Peerless Inn is one of the best restaurants in Kolkata that encapsulates the essence of ‘’Bangaliana’’ and serves it to you on a platter!
The interiors are lavish and swanky with traditional seating and decor arrangements. The tablecloths and dish mats used also reflect the region’s traditional weave patterns to reflect the Bengal culture.
The restaurant specializes in serving diverse authentic Bengali cuisine (ranging from starters to main courses). The spread is limited when it comes to relishing fusion dishes. When visiting Aaheli, one must not skip its authentic Bengali dessert menu especially when Nolen Gur (New Date palm Jaggery) infused sweets.
The overall staff hospitality is as warm as experiencing traditional ‘aapayan’ (hospitality) in a wealthy Bengali household. The good food is served hot in a traditional copper utensil covered with a neat banana leaf, which keeps the authentic Bengali flavors intact in the food. Guests are provided with finger bowls to clean their fingers and hands after enjoying a hearty meal.
Must Try: Radhaballabi (Stuffed Lentil Fluff Bread), Echorer Kofta (Raw Jackfruit Kebab Gravy), Chingri Maach’er Malai Curry (Jumbo Prawns stew in Coconut milk), Rosonagre Rabdi (traditional Bengali condensed milk)
Additional Details:
Location: 12, Jawaharlal Nehru Rd, Near New Market Area, Dharmatala, Kolkata, West Bengal 700013, India
This branch of Aajeli is hidden inside the Peerless hotel, so the google maps might misroute one. Albeit expensive, the quality of the…..
4.1⭐⭐⭐⭐
Arnab Pal
- Contact Number: 7066643322
- Opening hours: 12:30 PM – 3:00 PM; 7:30 PM – 11:00 PM
- Average Cost: ₹1600 for two people (approx)
- Menu: https://www.zomato.com/kolkata/aaheli-a-unit-of-peerless-hotel-limited-southern-avenue/menu
4. Bombastic Supper Club
Also located in the prime Park Street area, Bombastic Supper Club promises to impart the blast of all dining experiences this city can offer. Again set up at a prime Park Street junction (Sixth floor, Celica Park), this restaurant emanates sheer opulence with trendy interiors. It’s an absolute party hub where youngsters can hop in to vent out their weekday frustrations. The party ambiance with the perfect bar-counter style seating and party light setup sets the participation vibe that’s beyond regular dining experiences. Customers can also avail of outdoor seating along with a 360° surreal cityscape view from its terrace.
Bombastic Supper Club is the first-of-a-kind food hub to introduce ‘Yoshoku cuisine’ in this city. This special cuisine spin-off is a mix of the classic Euro-Asian cuisines. One must check out their grilled meat varieties. This venture also crafts its tipsy cocktails that you should look out for.
Aiming to amp up the city’s party cum dining service, Bombastic Supper Club records steady growth so far with youngsters, friends groups, bachelors and couples being their main guests. The contemporary style of food is quite lauded by customers who are willing to brave new styles of fusion cuisine. Those looking for diverse palatability can drop by here.
Must Try: Crumbled Singapore Chili Crab Ravioli, Spiced Hoisin Lamb, Spicy Gochujang Udon, Honey Glazed Grilled Chicken
Additional Details:
Location: 6th Floor, 24, Mother Teresa Sarani, Mullick Bazar, Near Park Street Cemetery, Park Street area, Kolkata – 700016, West Bengal
This spot in Park Street is a must visit if you love both European & Asian delicacies. All things classy, starting from their super classy decor, colossal bar…….
5.0⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Umme Sardar
- Opening hours: Tue – Thu and Sun: 12 PM – 12 AM; Fri: 12 PM – 1 AM; Sat: 12 PM – 2 AM
- Average Cost: ₹1800 for two people (approx)
- Menu: https://www.zomato.com/kolkata/bombastic-supper-club-park-street-area/menu
5. Peter Cat
Located in Park Street, opposite to KFC, Peter Cat has a massive posh city hype. It is another of the oldest restaurants in Kolkata. Established in 1975, Peter Cat proudly claimed the 17th position as the world’s most legendary restaurant on the 2023 edition of the popular Croatian travel and food guide named ‘Taste Atlas‘. The warm umbrella lamps on each table, the wooden furniture oozing off colonial dining/ pub vibes, and the sultry interior vibes impart indulgent comfort across seasons. Its ambiance manages to embellish an aura of balancing warmth with swank.
Many of the native folk would refer to this one as Kolkata’s best restaurant. Peter Cat’s menu is legit in terms of variety and surprisingly at reasonable rates. Its meat dishes (especially Chello Kebabs of both chicken and mutton types) are the venue’s signature show stoppers. This signature dish consists of buttered rice, grilled tomatoes, kebabs, and a fried egg. Apart from that, Peter Cat also serves a variety of continental, Indo-fusion, Iranian, and other dishes. A variety of vegetarian kebabs and related options are also served here.
As the reputation goes, Peter Cat’s world-class service is the combination of its warm and classy ambiance with mouth-watering culinary service offering delicious food across cuisines. This virtue makes it stand out as a legendary dining experience that’s even surprisingly relevant today!
Must Try: Chelo Kebab with Buttered Rice, Chicken Ala-Kiev, Chicken Marakesh, Kebab Sizzlers
Additional Details:
Location: Stephen Court Building, 18 A, Mother Teresa Sarani, opposite KFC Restaurant, Park Street area, Kolkata, West Bengal 700016, India
Nice ambience, good service, heard that it’s really packed on weekends and waiting lines are expected.
Chelo Kebab and Chicken Steak are the recommended……
4.5⭐⭐⭐⭐
Abhijith Pradeep
- Contact Number: 22298841
- Opening hours: 11:00 AM – 11:15 PM
- Average Cost: ₹1000 for two people (approx)
- Menu: https://www.zomato.com/kolkata/peter-cat-park-street-area/menu
6. Arsalan, Park Circus Area
Arsalan would perhaps be the top pick for us in terms of best restaurant in Kolkata for Biryani lovers. Located at one of the city’s busiest crossings, Park Circus, Arsalan is Mughal dining outlet serving top-notch rich and diverse Kolkata-style Mughlai spread. Their seating space is quite simplistic and accommodative. The locality’s cacophony cannot be escaped from while dining at the outlet, especially during the daily rush hours. The constant clatter of the restaurant’s staff packing takeaways amps up the restaurant’s overall ambiance. One can also not skip the royal food aroma while being seated therein.
Arsalan is popular for serving authentic Kolkata-style biryani that is packed with slow pressure-cooked aromatic rice, a piece of meat of choice (chicken or mutton), and the classic mandate – a soft-boiled potato to melt your heart. One can also opt for only meat biryani or even egg biryani. Vegetarians can select the Vegetable Biryani option as well. This rice dish is traditionally paired with either of the various meat Kebabs, Rezalas, Chanp, Gosht Handi, Pasinda, Raan Mussallam, and available others. Their Saffron Phirni and Shahi Tukda are simply unskippable. One can also try out their sumptuous Kathi Rolls.
Honestly, there’s nothing exquisite or too humble to mention about Arsalan’s service quality. One must hail their chefs for putting their hearts and energies into their culinary art. From weddings to birthday parties, people love to sign up for Arsalan’s menu while considering serving Mughlai food to their guests.
Must Try: Double Mutton Biryani, Chicken Reshmi Kebab, Chicken Chaap/ Rezala, Phirni
Additional Details:
- Location: 191, 7 Point, Marina Garden Court, Mother Teresa Sarani, Near Park Circus 7 Point, Ballygunge, Kolkata – 700017, West Bengal
This is a true haven for food enthusiasts. The local setting, coupled with prompt and friendly service, sets the stage for an exceptional dining experience……
5.0⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Victor Lobo
- Contact Number: 90070 07942
- Opening hours: 10:30 AM – 11:30 PM
- Average Cost: ₹1400 for two people (approx)
- Menu: https://www.zomato.com/kolkata/arsalan-1-park-circus-area/menu
7. Ah Leung
At 83 years old, Ah Leung is hailed as a popular Chinese family-run restaurant in Kolkata, that has aged like fine wine. If you are scouring through the best restaurants in Kolkata that serve chinese, Ah Leung should be your go-to option. Run by a humble family of Chinese descent, Ah Leung’s has a basic seating setup with genuinely minimal interior works. The ambiance is set through its social vibrance, customer cacophony, and strong food aroma.
As the singular outlet in the entire nation, this Chinese restaurant has been renowned for serving authentic (Indo) Chinese cuisine in the City of Joy’s humble locality of ‘Chinatown’ (Tangra) for ages. Once you savor their food, you’re bound to laud their 美味 (Měiwèi) taste. It’s also fascinating to note how they have gracefully upheld their delicacies’ succulent consistency after all these years. No matter how much you bloat up after finishing your favorite pair of noodles/ rice with your preferred (poultry or seafood-based) side dishes, you can never get enough of their undisputed classic Cantonese-style food.
Honestly, the service status herein is decent with old-school seating arrangements and punctual food service. Despite its lack of sophistication, the entire team’s personal service dedication and that typical addictive aroma of Cantonese food effortlessly attract huge masses from across the city. You can even find yourself in a long waiting queue during the daily rush hours. This restaurant also uses traditional Chinese cutleries (like ceramic bowls and chopsticks) while serving food. Despite the top-notch food quality, physically encountering this wholesome experience is pretty affordable.
Must Try: Pork Wonton (Singara) Noodles, Mein Foon Noodles, Minced meat and Veggies Kaptai (Organ Soup), Golden Fried Prawns
Additional Details:
Location: 119, Tangra, Kolkata, West Bengal 700046, India
Ah Leung (The L in Leung is silent) is a hidden gem at Tangra, the birth place to Indo-Cantonese food. Located a few minutes from the Chinese Kali Temple the ambiance of this family run……
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Nilanjan Lahiri
- Contact Number: 9831138272
- Opening hours: 8 AM – 12.30 PM; 6 PM – 8.30 PM
- Average Cost: ₹800 for two people (approx)
- Menu: https://www.zomato.com/kolkata/ah-leung-tangra/menu
8. Jaisalmer Bar & Restaurant
Kolkata never backs out from serving a slice of other Indian cuisine from across the country. One such testimony to this can be encountered through their dining experience at Jaisalmer Bar & Restaurant. To your surprise, its interiors are contemporarily elegant in white with sleek seats and tables, and vibrantly elaborate mosaic flooring. The ambiance promotes sophisticated public engagement through light-hearted conversations.
However, get ready to be instantly teleported to Rajasthan without boarding any flight once you see their menu card. You’re up for a delish treat through their authentic yet diversified Marwari, Rajputana, Mughlai, and Continental serviceables (including both veg and non-veg varieties) that’ll make this culinary journey one grand lip-smacking one. This is a vegetarian and vegan-friendly zone. Additionally, one can also order some foreign dishes from their International Menu panel.
Jaisalmer Bar & Restaurant’s overall service quality exuberates dignified elegance, amiability, and courteousness. The pocket pinch herein is quite reasonable despite offering a quality luxury dining experience of North-Indian standards. One can also avail fruitful discounts at selective hours/ events/ festivals. Tasting a slice of Rajasthan while seated in a contemporary setup feels like a surprise trip. Customers can avail of their buffet, a la carte, table order, and delivery service formats following their respective preferences.
Must Try: Butter Naan, Chicken Cheese Kebab, Mutton Reshmi Butter Masala
Additional Details:
Location: Globsyn Crystal Building, Block EP & GP Electronics Complex, Sector 5, Near College More, Salt Lake, Kolkata – 700091
The food is sumptuous 😋😋 here worth the cost absolutely soothing to the taste buds. We visited on our anniversary with family and the experience was really great 👍……
3.9⭐⭐⭐⭐
saumya agarwal
- Contact Number: 70443 63636
- Opening hours: 12:00 AM – 11:59 PM
- Average Cost: ₹2,000 for two people (approx.)
- Menu: https://www.zomato.com/kolkata/jaisalmer-sonar-kella-sector-5-salt-lake/menu
9. Bhojohori Manna
Bhojohori Manna is not just any Bengali restaurant, but a sentiment for traditional Bengali cuisine lovers! It is the first South Kolkata restaurant to popularize the concept of serving ‘’Bengali thali (platter)’’ in the City of Joy by traditionally following age-old recipes. Visiting this restaurant feels like entering into the pleasant ambiance of a traditional Bengali home serving the most authentic ‘Slice of Bengal’. The ambiance is reputably warm and humble.
Bhojohori Manna follows authentic Bengali recipes to restore their dishes’ pure indigenous taste and presentation. A diverse authentic Bengali platter involving both sweet and spicy dishes (including non-veg, seafood, and dessert varieties) can be savored herein. Furthermore, this restaurant effortlessly dismisses anti-veg food rants by serving various delicious vegetarian dishes, surprisingly of Bengali origin!
The venue’s homely ambiance and food doubles up its service’s appeal quotient and demands re-visiting. You won’t miss home once you step into the venue.
Must Try: Bhaat (Steamed rice),Mutton Curry, Shaada Luchi (white fluff bread), Shorshe Ilish (Hilsa marinated in mustard gravy)
Additional Details:
Location: Shop No.9, 18, Ekdalia Rd, Ekdalia, Gariahat, Near South Point School, Kolkata, West Bengal 700019, India
A small branch of the famous restaurant chain.
Loved that plates are topped with real banana leaf to give the proper Bengali feel. We…..
4.0⭐⭐⭐⭐
P G
- Contact Number: (033) 24401933
- Opening hours: 11 AM – 10 PM
- Average Cost: ₹850 for two people (approx.)
- Menu: https://www.zomato.com/kolkata/bhojohori-manna-gariahat/menu
10. Saffron (Sector V)
The ambiance of this Indian restaurant chain is posh, family-friendly, and welcoming through the placement of wooden furniture and mosaic floors. However, the restaurant’s biggest USP is hosting singer Kabir and his band every evening, whose melodious engagement boosts the ambiance’s pleasant hospitality appeal.
If you are looking for one of the best restaurants in Kolkata that is purely vegetarian, Saffron is perhaps the best pick. Saffron is renowned as a popular Jain, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free culinary junction amongst the limited vegan communities of this city. It also serves Veg thali (platter), various Indo-fusion dishes, and desserts.
From the comfortable seating arrangements to presenting on-site warm and amicable personnel hospitality, Saffron’s customer service quality is impeccable. Wifi facilities are also available herein.
Must Try: Baked Macaroni, Hara Bhara Kebab, Saffron Special Vegetable, Veg Diwani Handi
Additional Details:
Location: Shop R 4B, Plot, Podium Level, Godrej Waterside, 5, DP Block, Sector V, Near College More, Bidhannagar, Kolkata, West Bengal 700091, India
I had one of the most delicious buffet at the least cost possible. It was Rs 2000 (for 4 people) with unlimited lip smacking food. If you are looking forward to…….
4.2⭐⭐⭐⭐
Yogesh Agarwal
- Opening hours: 12 PM – 10:30 PM
- Average Cost: ₹1,000 for two people (approx.)
- Menu: https://www.zomato.com/kolkata/saffron-sector-5-salt-lake/menu
Conclusion
To summarize, the following list is the specific synopsis of the available yet offbeat dining best restaurants in Kolkata. It has been diversified (in terms of ambiance, location, cuisines served, and service range) to assert how Kolkata’s gastronomic pattern is tastefully dynamic yet socially immersive, all at once. Here’s hoping this blog serves as a fruitful culinary guide for you to navigate through the innumerable available restaurant options in the City of Joy.
