Go Where (Sector 5 Salt Lake)

Chicken Drumstick

Located just opposite to RDB Big Cinemas main entrance of Sector V, this multi-cuisine food joint, Go Where has become one of the most favourite hangout destinations for Office, IT crowd and nearby college folks. Due to its cheap alcohol and average food price, this restaurant cum bar is crowded on most weekends and weekday evenings. Dimly lit with couches this joint has 2 sections. The inner section is well decorated and cozy compared to outer section. The music they play in the background is popular Bollywood movie tracks and it’s too loud to hear even your own voice. They allow smoking inside the restaurant, which I feel can be disturbing to some visitors. This lounge is surely not a place for family visits. The seating arrangement is better in the inner segment of the restaurant, whereas the front section is overcrowded due to small place and poor seating arrangement.

Chowman (Tollygunge)

Chowman Interiors

This Chinese & Thai restaurant, Chowman, located in Tollygunge area (walking distance from both South City Mall & Golf Club), at Prince Golam Mohammad Shah Road to be exact is quite outstanding and overtly popular in South Kolkata. Most people avail the Home Delivery & Take Away facility though because of its small space consisting of only 4 tables and one could just eavesdrop into the conversation of the nearby table very easily. In spite of the tininess of the place, they have made it quite cozy. The wall décor has abstract Chinese paintings & wall hangings. They play soft, delightful Chinese instrumentals in the background which makes anyone feel that they have been virtually transferred to a small town in China. The Red & Black cushioned chairs have an uncanny resemblance to Haka restaurant outlets. The tables are all laid out well always with proper matching red hand napkins, Chinese style bamboo table mats, chopsticks, Chinese tea pots (Aladdin Genie Lamp) containing sauces apart from the regular Salt and pepper shakers.

Bawarchi (Kudghat)

Dry Chilli Chicken

Bawarchi is one of the famous Chinese restaurants located near the Jadavpur 8B bus stand. It’s a very popular restaurant which serves good Chinese and North Indian cuisine. There are many take away shops of Bawarchi across the city which offers exactly the same menu (provided below) which is available in the family restaurant. Similarly one joint is located near the Kudghat area. This joint is basically famous for rolls and Chinese items but north Indian dishes are also quite good.

Mango People (Golpark)

Mango People Interiors

Finally an economical restaurant located in the prime area of Golpark (Gariahat Road), Mango People, which serve decent food to “Aam Aadmi” [Mango People] of South Kolkata. It offers Chinese, Fast Food, Continental dishes and mouth watering delights. However the place is very small (4 tables for 15 persons in total) and you will be quite fortunate to get a table in busy hours. The table cloth, divan, cushioned chairs all are red in color with matching red cotton napkins as well. There is live cooking within an open kitchen separated from the dining area by transparent glass walls. Mostly college students and youngsters turn up in large numbers at this place. The waiters are courteous to make suggestions while taking orders from customers and also serve a complimentary bowl of chips when the food is being prepared.

Hatari (Golf Green)

Mixed Fried Rice

Hatari is a multi cuisine restaurant located at Triangular Park. The name Hatari was taken from the 1962 American film “HATARI” directed by Howard Hawks. It has opened many small takeaway branches like the one located at Golf Green. It offers Chinese and North Indian dishes and other mouth watering delights. Their menu is exactly the same like the one they have it in the main restaurant. Everything is available in this joint be it a pork or lamb. Wondering where to order food for guests who have come unannounced? Don’t worry, because if you are living near Tollygunge, Jadavpur or Garia, you can order to this branch of Hatari.

Harvey’s World Cuisine (Kasba)

Harvey's Interiors

Though it is located at a very unusual place of Kasba at Nabapally bus stop just a km away from Ruby, Harvey’s has the right World Cuisine that Kolkata needs with a blend of North Indian dishes and an array of Continental fare. An extensive glass showcase displays a vast collection of imported wines just at the entrance to the restaurant on second floor. The interiors have venetian blinds, wooden finished floors, ceiling air conditioning systems, faux flowers, wide cozy white sofas and marble-top tables. Through the transparent glass façade one can view the Rashbehari – EM Bypass connector. A lavish buffet spread was neatly placed at the centre of the restaurant with each dish on top of induction heaters set at the correct temperature.

Pantaloons Food Court (Kankurgachi)

Mango Smoothie and Cold Coffee

Another self service food court in North Kolkata; Pantaloons Food Court is situated on the uppermost floor of the Pantaloons Shopping Centre of Kankurgachi area. After spending a lump some time on a shopping spree at one of Kolkata’s most popular brands, Pantaloons, and you are starving, you can get yourself some fast food, snacks, desserts or coffee here. This smallish food outlet is right beside the Food Bazaar (grocery store of Pantaloons) and has a few tables and even fewer food counters as compared to other shopping mall food courts.

Hangout Food Court City Centre (Salt Lake)

Hangout Food Court Interior section

Nicely sited on the rooftop, Hangout is the Food Court at City Centre Salt Lake, one of the oldest and most popular malls in Kolkata. Dishing out Italian pastas, Continental sizzlers, Chinese momos, North Indian Kebabs, South Indian dosas to Bombay Pav Bhaji, it is a multi cuisine self-service restaurant. It is split in two sections; the outside section is open air where plastic tables are laid under massive umbrellas and from where you get a good view of the Salt Lake locality. The other section is air-conditioned having all the food counters surrounding a central region with chessboard tiled floors, steel tables and green & black plastic chairs. Complete in bright colors, there is certain warmth in this place which builds up a sparkling tone.

Silver Grill (Park Street)

Silver grill (Park Street Kolkata) Interiors

Like Mags & Olypub, this bar cum Chinese restaurant, Silver Grill has been an old hangout zone for college students and after office crowd for well over three decades. The cheap prices of alcoholic drinks & classic cocktails are the major thing that attracts its regular customers of Park Street. It has two levels, the ground floor having the bar counter and the first floor restaurant invites only family. The interiors feature dim lighting, red colored leather sofas, tall wooden tables, and ragged interiors with hardly any wall decoration.

Ta'aam (Rashbehari Avenue)

Ta'aam at Priya Cinema Hall, South Kolkata

Ta'aam (meaning ‘food’ in Arabic) is the city's newest addition to the Mughal-Frontier cuisine (North Indian Cuisine) segment. This restaurant, situated within the same building of Priya Cinema Hall beside the ticket counter, has the impressive ambience of the Mughal era. Its brightly lit, very nicely and neatly decorated with Jhoomars and tall mirrors. One of the walls is fully decked with Persian clay plates. This restaurant has the welcoming feel to it with the perfect blend of music. The restaurant has classy interiors with a huge space which can accommodate 75 persons at a time. As we were seated at a sofa the server moved away after filling up our water glasses and giving us the menu cards. A small bar counter at the far end, now serves only a variety of mocktails on the cards, till they get a bar license.

Haldiram's (Chowringhee)

Haldiram's Ground Floor Interiors

This Haldiram's outlet at the Exide and Rabindra Sadan crossing has become a landmark over the years. Ever since it has opened its door, people of all age group have been coming to this place in numbers. Spread out, fully air-conditioned and spacious, it has got ample sitting space, allowing a huge number of people to be present at a time. Well maintained decor and counters allow smooth cruising even in rush hours. There's a balcony and a lower sitting area.

Hong Kong (Prince Anwar Shah Road)

Hong Kong Interiors

Located just near to South City Mall, on the opposite side of Prince Anwar Shah Road, this small air-conditioned Chinese Restaurant has been there for a long time. It has four-seater tables with both way sitting sofas. On a hot day, you might like to sit inside their cool chamber, and enjoy a meal, however the decor is below average and the ambiance is dull & shabby.

For appetizers you may try Prawn Wafers, Fried momo, Gold Coin Chicken, Fried Dry Chilli Chicken, Drums of Heaven along with soups like Lung Fung or Chicken Sweet Corn.

Krystal Chopstick (Hindustan Park & Gariahat)

Krystal Chopstick Interiors

Krystal Chopstick, located in Hindustan Park (just off the bustling Gariahat Market) is extremely popular in South Kolkata for its Chinese and Thai food. Its interiors are pretty much interesting with red and white being the wall color. It’s decorated with different kind of Buddha’s masks and paintings. It has cushioned iron chairs and glass tables laid inside. The place is dimly lit to give cozy kind of ambience. It’s one of the oldest Chinese restaurants in South Kolkata which is visited by some of the most famous names in city.

Garam Tawa (Shyambajar 5 point crossing)

Garam Tawa at Shyambazar

Garam Tawa is quite popular in the Shyambazar region for Take Away Food. Situated close to Golbari, it serves both North Indian and Chinese cuisines. The interior of this multi-cuisine restaurant is very small with a handful of 3 or 4 tables without any air-conditioning system. There is a take away Roll counter too which serves Kati Kebab Rolls. Popular orders are Fried rice, hot steamed momos with clear soups, chicken bharta, mutton rogan juice, Chicken Shahi Butter Masala, Chicken Reshmi Butter Masala, Tikka Butter Masala, Kebabs, Tandoori Chicken.

AB's Dilli Durbar (Ultadanga)

Tandoori Chicken

AB'S Dilli Durbar is an air-conditioned multi-cuisine restaurant situated in the Uttarapan shopping complex in Ultadanga. The décor is very simple with couches & cushioned wooden chairs. The tables are covered with ordinary plastic table covers. The only thing worth mentioning is the glass façade on two sides of the hall that gives a glimpse of the teeming streets of CIT Road and buses & trams hustling through it. And since the noises do not enter the eatery, it’s quite a spectacular view.

Jimmy's Kitchen (AJC Bose Road)

Jimmy's kitchen interior

Well there are very few in Kolkata who haven't heard about Jimmy's Kitchen. Serving one of the best Chinese food for more than a decade, it is a favorite haunt for young and aged both. Situated near Kala Mandir on AJC Bose Road, it remains filled up in weekends and in most weekday evenings too. The Decor is simple and easy on the eyes. Sitting arrangement is pretty good with comfortable sofas and chairs. They also serve alcoholic beverages and the collection is quite varied.

Golden Empire Bar and Restaurant - Chinatown (Tangra)

Golden Empire Dining area

Situated just beside China Garden & opposite to Beijing, this Bar cum Chinese Restaurant is yet another eatery in Chinatown (Tangra) that offers authentic Chinese cuisine & drinks at very reasonable and inexpensive prices. Golden Empire has 2 doors at the main entrance from the road, one leading to the ground floor bar area frequented mostly by office workers or a friends group and the other leading to the above 2 floors each having air-conditioned dining spaces designed for family grouping. The decor is pretty interesting with Chinese artwork on the walls and some Oriental showpieces.

Mehak-e-Punjab (Axis Mall - Rajarhat)

Mehak-e-Punjab entrance

After a long spell of shopping at the Axis Mall of Rajarhat, when your feet are tired and you are hungry, go to Mehak-e-Punjab beside the food court. This multi-cuisine restaurant is very spacious and has two separate siting areas. One for the non alcohol consuming crowd and another for those who wants to have alcoholic beverages along with the food.

The bar cum restaurant section has much more comfortable sitting arrangement compared to the normal restaurant section. The decor is soothing with couches and chairs to sit upon.

The Blue Poppy (Salt Lake)

Pepper Chicken

Located just opposite to the Inox side entrance of the boisterous City Centre, you just need to walk through the gigantic hallway of Gorkha Bhawan to reach Blue Poppy. This is the second outlet of this Tibetan momo joint turned Chinese Restaurant after its immense popularity of Maidan outlet (Middleton Row – Sikkim House). Not to mention it’s pocket friendly prices in both the outlets. One could get fried or steamed momos (8 pcs served with homemade red chilli sauce & Soup) at Rs. 80 inc. taxes which I doubt any other AC restaurants would offer. The menu offers Original Nepali Thali & Thukpa and also Bhutanese dishes apart from the regular Chinese section which is available in every Chinese joint that crops up at every crossroad of Kolkata.

The Basement, Hotel Samilton (Sarat Bose Road)

Chicken Reshmi Kebab

The Basement, Hotel Samilton

This 2 star boutique hotel maintains a furnished air-conditioned restaurant called Pepper Chino, and a tea bar called Camillia Tea Bar. It also has a pub / discotheque named The Basement, which is one of the most popular ones in South Kolkata. It possibly derives it’s name from its site, it is actually located at the underground basement of the hotel. This 60-seater has a glass-door entrance from the