In Kolkata, good food is always unassuming. Some of the best spots to grab a tasty meal are small, local joints that are usually come upon by accident. These joints serve the most scrumptious fare across cuisines — from Italian and Chinese to Bengali and south Indian — and undoubtedly merit exploration.
My Kolkata adds to the list of local spots that make the heartiest snacks in the city:
Fish Kabiraji at Mitra Cafe
There’s no doubt that Kolkatans love a deep-fried snack. And Mitra Cafe’s Fish Kabiraji is the city’s show-stopper when it comes to fried delicacies. The iconic dish is based on an authentic Bengali fish fry, but with a snazzy twist — an airy egg batter is spun on hot oil, making for a crackling coating. The bhekti is marinated with a mix of spices, crumb-coated and fried, giving the concoction a crunchy exterior and a succulent centre. Pair it with fresh onions and some kasundi for the best evening snack!
Pocket-pinch: Rs 207 per plate
Location: All six locations of Mitra Cafe in the city
Malai toast from Arun Tea Stall
Arun Tea Stall, or ATS as it’s popularly called, at the corner of Shakespeare Sarani and Hungerford Street, is famous in Kolkata for its chai and snacks. You will find groups of office and college-goers hanging around the joint, gorging on their delectable khasta kachoris, samosas and jalebis, along with the essential bharer cha. Arun Tea Stall also offers a range of toasts. One that stands out is their malai toast — rectangular milk bread with a dome-shaped head, toasted ever-so-slightly and then topped with a generous dollop of malai, and sugar. The medley of sugar and cream on crunchy toast makes each bite taste like heaven!
Pocket-pinch: Rs 40 per piece
Location: 25/1, Shakespeare Sarani Road
Schezwan masala dosa from Aadira South Indian Fast Food
Bang opposite Arun Tea Stall is another unassuming joint — Aadira South Indian Fast Food — which sells the tastiest dosas in town (ask any Xaverian). Its menu sports a number of unique dosas and you have to fight a crowd before getting your hands on their best-selling item — the Szechuan masala dosa. The magic of this dosa lies in its filling — a delicate mix of south Indian-style masala potatoes laid on a bed of their in-house Szechuan sauce and grated cheese. An cheap and easy-to-eat option for office and college goers, the dosas are shaped like half-moons and served with the two mandatory flavour-packed bowls of sambar and chutney.
Pocket-pinch: Rs 40 per plate
Location: Opposite 25/1, Shakespeare Sarani Road
Pizzas from Raj’s Spanish Cafe
Raj’s Spanish Cafe, hidden away on Sudder Street, makes authentic Italian food. The joint is famed for its delectable thin-crust pizzas — served piping hot with a sprinkling of fresh herbs. The cafe also allows customers to make their own pizza or calzone. You can choose between a number of offbeat toppings — from pineapples, tuna, and french fries to baby potatoes, eggs, and even eggplant! The base for the pizza or calzone is a classic margherita.
Pocket-pinch: Pizzas start at Rs 220
Location: 7, Ground Floor, Sudder Street
Wonton soup from Tung Nam
Tung Nam is an old-school eatery near Poddar Court serving delicious Chinese fare. While they’re famous for their chilli pork and kaptai, another item worthy of praise is their wonton soup — a beautiful broth punctuated by the flavour of onion, leeks and steamed chicken/pork wontons. The wontons are wrapped delicately and cooked to perfection. Add a dash of red chilli sauce, a dash of soy, and this soup will warm the cockles of your heart!
Pocket-pinch: Rs 180
Location: 24, Poddar Court
Sev puri from Umesh’s on Park Street
Umesh Kumar Singh’s stall beside the Park Street Post Office has been serving Kolkatans a slice of Mumbai street food for the last 70-odd years. Singh makes Mumbai’s famous sev puri — a preparation that is similar to Kolkata’s batata puri. One plate comes with eight papris, each topped with a medley of mashed potatoes, onions and coriander. What makes Kolkatans go crazy are the swirls of the sweet-and-spicy date chutney and the dollops of green chilli paste infused with fresh limes. Finishing off the preparation is a generous garnish of sev and coriander — making for the best on-to-go grub.
Pocket-pinch: Rs 60 per plate
Location: Beside the Park Street Post Office
