BENGALURU: In the dynamic landscape of Bengaluru’s thriving food scene, a notable upsurge in the celebration of regional South Indian cuisine has taken centre stage. The emergence of new restaurants and the infusion of inventive menus in existing ones have made dining a nostalgic trip through the region’s rich and varied culinary history. From traditional Karnataka thalis to creative menus, showcasing South Indian flavours, the city is experiencing a culinary resurgence that is both a nostalgic tribute to the region’s rich culinary heritage and a pleasurable dining experience.
A flagship store and Old Bangalore Café, in Jayanagar, was recently unveiled by Adukale, a brand that is synonymous with Karnataka’s culinary tradition. Old Bangalore Café is a tribute to maintaining Bengaluru’s bygone age while providing a combination of flavours from South India based in Karnataka’s diversified culinary scene. Adukale offers a variety of chutney powders, savoury appetizers, including ready-to-eat uppittu and gojjavalakki. Old Bangalore Cafe, on the other hand, focuses on serving a variety of tasty all-day tiffin, such as menthya masale dosae, akki tari uppittu, avalakki chitranna, bun nippattu, and others, that perfectly capture the essence of Karnataka’s culinary traditions.
South Indian regional foods are given a distinctive spin by Daysie all-day casual bar. The menu features both inventive and classic reinterpretations, creating a delicious blend of old and new tastes. From the oil fry kebab in Bangalore to the Anjal tawa fry in Mangaluru and the lobster moilee in Malabar, Daysie offers customers a wide variety of South Indian cuisine.
In Cambridge Layout, the popular neighbourhood bar, 1522 Adda, pays homage to regional culinary traditions with a dedicated menu showcasing old-time favourites like kothmiri chicken, karibevu chicken, mutton nalli, koli saaru, and donne mutton palav. The restaurant’s authentic coastal spices transport patrons to the sun-kissed shores of Mangaluru with dishes like ghee roast, bolenjir rava fry, squid masala fry, and koli gassi chicken curry.
Beyond the traditional dosae and ghee podi idlis, Oota in Whitefield has developed into a sanctuary for people looking for a genuine way to begin their weekend mornings. Oota offers a varied menu with state-wide breakfast traditions packed in it, such as the legendary ragi roti-uchellu chutney, thatte idli, Davangere benne dosae, Mangalore buns, and more. Oota’s chefs have carefully chosen the greatest breakfast fare from across Karnataka, offering a diverse and delicious gastronomic experience.
Monkey Bar, Bengaluru’s beloved gastropub, welcomes diners with a delightful breakfast spread that is served until noon on weekends. The breakfast menu, a favourite among locals, returns with an array of regional classics, such as the fire pork, nati-style mutton kheema ball, deep fried anchovy, pandi curry, coconut mutton curry, and paddus with an onion, coriander and chilli twist.
A 50-year old icon, RR Biryani has returned as a cloud kitchen that sticks to authentic Andhra-style food and spice levels. The flavourful mutton biryani, chicken sholay kebab, and Andhra chili chicken, showcasing a generous use of green chili and Guntur chili, are among the standout dishes that evoke nostalgia. The rarely-served Turai ki chutney gives soul-satisfying dishes a special touch.
Adding to the cloud kitchen trend is idli macha, focusing on elevating the humble idli with airy and spongy textures paired with hearty curries. Idli macha is a refreshing take on traditional South Indian comfort food, especially with Mangalore-style chicken curry, Military canteen style green mutton curry, prawn curry, and the vegetable stew with curry leaves and fried garlic.
The writer is a Bengaluru based hospitality professional, food lover and travel enthusiast