The Best Kolkata Food Off the Beaten Path

While the city has numerous restaurants serving traditional Bengali food for all budgets, most tourists tend to stick to the very popular Oh! Calcutta or 6 Ballygunge Place. Instead, head to this modest, no-frills canteen in Taltala for an excellent, comforting Bengali lunch at incredibly cheap prices. Founded in 1969, the canteen is run by the All Bengal Women’s Union, a body set up by a group of women in 1932 to help rehabilitate women who had been exploited and victimized by the region’s human trafficking trade, among other things. Open only for lunch, and still run entirely by women, this Kolkata institution will be a rewarding visit for anyone seeking a bite of the city off the beaten path.

Serving some of the most delicious local Chinese food in Kolkata, this family-run eatery also happens to be the oldest Chinese restaurant of its kind in the city. Set up in the early 1920s by an immigrant couple from China’s Moi Yen village, the restaurant is now run by the fourth generation of the same family. Serving delicacies and their own innovations like the chimney soup and Josephine noodles—which now have cult-like followings among the country’s foodie community—this heritage restaurant in Kolkata is an important stop for any history, culture, or culinary enthusiast.

Kolkata’s cuisine is about as diverse and multicultural as the city itself, which is why you should be heading to this Malayali restaurant, even though you are well outside the state of Kerala. Located deep within a residential part of South Kolkata, this modest and cozy restaurant serves authentic Kerala delicacies from appam and kozhi (chicken) curry to South Indian staples like idli and dosa. Served on a traditional banana leaf and paired with South Indian-style filter coffee, Ammini’s meals are among Kolkata’s best-kept secrets.

This excellent restaurant aims to curate and serve a unique cuisine that reflects Kolkata’s rich multicultural past. From Thai, Armenian, Chinese, and Parsi to Goan and North Indian cuisines, the menu is reminiscent of the melting pot that Kolkata—formally known as Calcutta—was during the 20th century. You can’t go wrong with any dish at this fantastic restaurant, but give one of the assorted platters a try if you have trouble choosing.

This iconic restaurant in Shyambaazar has been around for decades, was shut down, then reopened and switched management a few times, yet it continues to serve some of the best kosha mangsho (traditional mutton curry) in Kolkata. Though small with simple décor and seating, Golbari is extremely affordable—one more reason you should hit up this culinary legend on your next trip.

Housed at the Sikkim House in Kolkata, this modest restaurant serves a range of delicacies from the state of West Bengal’s northern neighbors. From delicious Tibetan pork shapta to Bhutanese ema datshi and Nepali thali meals, there’s a variety of fantastic food for you to indulge in at very affordable prices.