Beyond the beach, the fort and the quaint heritage that frame Fort Kochi and Mattancherry, the magnetic posts on social media might have you mistaking the twin towns for being all about chic coffee shops and vogue eateries.
Peel away that glossy layer and you’ll find a food culture as luminous as the waterfront here on a Sunday evening. One that’s basking in the warmth of having appeased thousands and piqued the curiosity of those who only meant to stop for chai.
Here, TNIE maps out a food trail to help you discover this scrumptious side of these two heritage towns while you visit to experience the Biennale or Cochin Carnival.
Savaala vada, mutton chops & more
As with most port towns, the day starts early in Fort Kochi, and Achukka’s tea shop, perched overlooking the Fort Kochi Water Metro Terminal, is no exception. It greets you at 6am with special savaala vada and mutton chops. Alongside this popular combo, there’s also a range of other snacks, each equally delicious. No food trail in Fort Kochi is complete without a stop by this little cart, which has been operational for over five decades. It is open until 4pm.
Another must-try pitstop is Shell Bridge Kitchen or Josa’s shop on Church Road, Fort Kochi. Though it may look like a simple tea stall, it runs like a full-fledged restaurant, serving ‘naadan’ breakfast, lunch and evening bites in that tiny two-table space. Open since 1968 and now run by three brothers, the shop derives its name from the literal translation of Chirattapaalam, where it stands. It is open from 6.30am to 7pm.
Lassi & custard ice cream
By midday, when the humidity rises, make your way to Rawal Lassi Joint on Palace Road, Mattancherry. It serves lassi — including strawberry, mango and gulkand mawa (based on season) — from 8am to 9pm. Started by Ramesh D Rawal in 1981, the shop originally sold many drinks, with lassi being the least popular. By 1989, it became a lassi-only shop. For the past 13 years, his children Nirmal and Chirag Rawal have carried the legacy forward.
BDF
Hotel Arafa, on Palace Road, is another long-running favourite. Their porotta and BDF (beef dry fry) combo is rich and well loved. Customers also appreciate the generous portions. Arafa has been serving scrumptious meals, including biriyani, for the past three decades and is open daily from 9am to 11pm.
If not lassi, there’s always ice cream — and what better place than Shenoy’s Ice Cream Corner, the first shop in Kochi to sell lassi. Founded in 1970 on Mattancherry’s Palace Road, it still stays true to its original recipe and is now popular for its custard ice cream with fruit salad. It is open from 11am to 11pm.
Spiced kaava
In the evenings, from 3pm to 10pm, there’s a ‘kaava kada’ on Puthiya Road, Mattancherry, located by Mahalara Masjid. The shop, with a history of around 75 years, serves kaava, a traditional ‘Arab’ tea with special spices. Here, it’s the Mattancherry special kaava, still made using founder Kochmuhamad’s original
recipe. His grandson, Riyas, runs the stall now, and his additions include payasam and a few snacks.
Biriyani
Mattancherry biriyani is synonymous with lunch, and you’ve got plenty of options. Kayikkante biriyani is old and legendary, with seats filling up throughout its hours (11am to 4pm). Their mutton biriyani is a must-try and worth the wait. Kayees Rahmathulla Cafe, located on Puthiya Road, also boasts a rich legacy. What began as a small tea shop in 1948 and became a restaurant in 1951 is today a mini mecca for biriyani lovers.
The three-decade-old Nooriya Hotel on Puthiya Road is also renowned for its erachi choru and biriyani. Getting a seat here is a bit of a hunt; you need to be early to try owner-chef Haneeff Ikka’s specials. They are open only from 11.30am to 2.30pm.
Square porotta & mutton chops
If you can’t do without non-veg for breakfast, head to Hotel City Star, fondly known as Balan Chettante kada. Their square porotta, mani puttu, mutton chops and beef roast have a dedicated fan-following. Instagram culture has turned this three-decade-old shop on Puthiya Road into a must-visit on any Kochi food trail. It is open from 5am to 11pm.
Veg delight
If you prefer vegetarian, there are two excellent Konkan breakfast options on Palace Road, Mattancherry: Sreekrishna Cafe and Vijayalakshmi Bhavan. The former, which began operations in 1946, is the oldest and serves authentic Udupi-style dosa and thalis. It comes highly recommended by locals and is easy on the pocket too.
Just 50m away, is Vijayalakshmi Bhavan, open since 1977. While Sreekrishna Cafe is open from 8am to 9.30pm, Vijayalakshmi Bhavan stretches its hours from 7am to 10.30pm.
For the sweet tooth
Mattancherry is known for its ethnic diversity, with Gujarati settlements adding their flavour for generations. On Gujarati Road, you’ll find the legendary Shantilal S Mithaiwala, dating back to 1953. They offer an extensive list of sweets and snacks and are open from 8.30am to 9.30pm.
If you visit in the evening, you might even get a special masala tea. Their specialities include mysore pak, litchi katli, kala jamun, dhokla and khatiya. Pick up a box or mix your own selection to take home.