Restaurants in Chennai

Even in the age of food delivery apps, the best restaurants in Chennai have plenty to offer. Because life is not all just about coupon codes and late night discounts. Though life is definitely about walking through the East Coast Road and knocking on the first pretty restaurant front. Or climbing the old buildings in George Town and stumbling across a place serving a delish murukku sandwich. So exploring the restaurants in Chennai will make you write a whole new bucket list for the foodie in you.

And then there’s another important consideration. Your life is probably filled with a pile of to-do lists and pending assignments (or work targets). We get that. And if you’re new to the city, you probably have a ton of daily chores too. So rewarding yourself with an evening out in a restaurant in Chennai is required from time to time. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Cuz all we do is free up your time at our Stanza Living residences. We cook homely meals, clean your rooms and take care of your laundry. Plus, we have a chill entertainment zone with comfy bean bags, unlimited wifi and plenty of board games. So you don’t have to play on chess.com without the thrill of facing your opponent sitting right in front. And on top of that, we even encourage you to go out and explore the city. Like we’ve already compiled a list of the 15 best restaurants in Chennai for a one-of-a-kind fine-dining experience. Now, all you’ve gotta do is bookmark this button, put on your touristy pants and grab a pen. To scratch off those names on your foodie bucket list.

Best Restaurants in Chennai

The top 15 restaurants in Chennai for you:

• The Crown, T Nagar
• Bay View, Kovalam
• Flying Elephant, Guindy
• Surf Turf, Pearl Beach
• Peshawri, Guindy
• Eden, Besant Nagar
• Kaidi Kitchen, Mylapore
• Annalakshmi, Egmore
• Madras Pavilion, Guindy
• Junior Kapanna, Velachary
• Writer’s Cafe, Peter’s Road
• Mamagoto, Nungambakkam
• Robot Restaurant, Chennai
• Raintree, Anna Salai
• Pan Asian, Guindy

Looking for a place with board games and pool tables? Check out our residences in Chennai.

The Crown, T Nagar

Not to be confused with the popular Netflix series, but The Crown in T Nagar is equally thrilling. Located on the rooftop of the Residency Towers, the seating area is set beside an infinity pool. Also, their decor is pretty chic and elegant. Basically, spending an evening here will feel like you’re breaking bread with Oprah Winfrey, but without the earth-shattering reveals making their way to every freakin’ tabloid.

Must Try: Awadhi Lamb Shorba, Ranch Chicken Salad Address:The Residency Towers, 115, Pondy Bazaar, Sir Thyagaraya Road, T. Nagar, Chennai Timings: Mon-Wed, Fri-Sun:6pm – 11:30 pm Thu: Closed Cost for Two (INR): ₹2,500/-

Bay View, Kovalam

The Bay View is one of the top restaurants in Chennai, Covelong Beach. The menu is a pure gourmet collection of seafood dishes. Also, they offer private patios right beside the beach front.

That too with customised decorations as per your request. So yes, this is a perfect place to go out for a date with a view of the bay and, well, bae.

Must Try: Lobster, Fish Curry Address:Vivanta by Taj Fisherman’s Cove, Covelong Beach, Off East Coast Road, Kovalam, Chennai Timings: 10AM-12AM Cost for Two (INR): ₹3,500/-

Flying Elephant, Guindy

Located in the luxurious Park Hyatt Hotel, the Flying Elephant is known for serving fine international cuisines. Like Continental, Turkish, and Asian. Our personal favourites are the baked Alaska, tiramisu and the strawberry Romanov. Now, we don’t know much about Romanovs, but what we know is that Russians really do like their desserts. Almost as much as coming to Goa to party. So imagine.

Must Try: Salmon, Tiramisu Address:39, Raj Bhavan, Little Mount, Velachery Main Road, Guindy, Chennai Timings: 6 AM – 10 PM Cost for Two (INR): ₹2,000/-

Surf Turf, Pearl Beach

Surf Turf is a haven for professionals working from home. Especially as it’s located beside a surfing academy. So don’t worry if you can’t seem to get motivated by your reporting manager’s weak pep talk. Because the splendid view of the Indian Ocean will make you wanna finish work faster than the speed of light and go off to enjoy that beautiful beach.

Must Try: Chocolate Salami, Egg Sandwich Address:10, Pearl Beach, Ansari Nagar, Kovalam, Chennai Timings:7:30am – 11:30am, 12noon – 4:30pm, 5pm – 8pm Cost for Two (INR): ₹600/-

Peshawri, Guindy

Peshawari is part of the 5-star hotel, ITC Northwest Frontier. The interiors are posh, the chefs are pros and the menu is inventive and delicious. And that includes their famous Dal Bukhara too. The only risk of heading to this place is if your mum finds out about how much you spent on just dal.

Must Try: Sikandari Raan, Paneer Tikka Address:63, ITC Grand Chola, Mount Road, Guindy, Chennai Timings: Mon-Wed, Fri-Sun:12:30pm – 2:30pm, 7pm – 11pm Thu:12:30pm – 2:30 pm, 6 pm – 11 pm Cost for Two (INR):₹4,500/-

Eden, Besant Nagar

Eden has almost become a landmark in Besant Nagar. And why wouldn’t it? Being around for 25 years, a lot of Chennai’s old-school foodies flock to this place on weekends. Also, it happens to be one of the best veg restaurants in Chennai. If anything, Eden deserves a reunion show of its own. Like Harry Potter’s Return to Hogwarts.

Must Try: Corn Florentine, Lasagne Address:315, Harrisons Hotel, Valluvar Kottam High Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai Timings:Mon-Sun:12:30 pm – 3 pm, 7 pm – 11 pm Cost for Two (INR): ₹800/-

Kaidi Kitchen, Mylapore

A popular theme restaurant in Chennai, the Kaidi Kitchen offers the experience of eating food in a jail-like space. The waitstaff are dressed as inmates and the managers wear police uniforms. But unlike prison food, their menu is just fire and lip-smacking. If they make a season of Prison Break set in Kaidi Kitchen, absolutely nobody would try escaping.

Must Try: Paneer Rogan Josh Address:20/3, Bishop Wallers Avenue, Mylapore, Chennai Timings:12 noon – 9 pm Cost for Two (INR): ₹1,000/-

Annalakshmi, Egmore

Annalakshmi is known for two things. First, the delish South Indian and North Indian fare. Second, their unique humanitarian efforts. For every item that you order in this place, a section of the proceeds goes to its NGO-wing. The efforts of the volunteers and devotees of Swami Shantanand Saraswathi who run the Annalakshmi make you feel good after every meal. In more ways than one.

Must Try: Vegetable Au Gratin, Khoa Phat Address:6, Mayor Ramanathan Salai, Spur Tank Road, Chetpet, Chennai Timings: Mon: Closed Tue – Sun:12 noon – 2:30 pm, 7 pm – 9 pm Cost for Two (INR): ₹2,000/-

Madras Pavilion, Guindy

The Madras Pavilion is an upscale restaurant in ITC Grand Chola that is a must visit for North Indian food lovers. The decor is luxurious with the interior elements tracing their roots to the awe-inspiring temples of Tamil Nadu. Basically, this is one instance where you wouldn’t mind going ‘back to pavilion’ every now and again.

Must Try: Jumbo Prawns, Waffles Address:ITC Grand Chola, 63, Mount Road, Guindy, Chennai Timings: 12.30 PM – 9 PM Cost for Two (INR): ₹4,000/-

Junior Kapanna, Velachary

Established in 1960, the Junior Kapanna is a legendary eatery. They’re known for specialising in Kongu Nadu cuisine. One of the lesser known rice-based cuisines of South India. You should order mutton pallipalayam, nalli gravy and chicken biryani. They’re perfectly cooked. As you’d expect from a restaurant that’s been honing their craft for over 60 years. Trust us, they might have ‘Junior’ in their name, but they’re the senior experts of the Chennai restaurant scene.

Must Try: Mutton Biryani, Chicken Biryani Address:Old 253, New 316, TTK Road, Alwarpet, Chennai Timings:11 am – 12 midnight Cost for Two (INR): ₹650/-

Writer’s Cafe, Peter’s Road

The Writer’s cafe is perhaps one of the few places where you can try international grub at low prices. Like pastas, thai curries and chicken with gravy and mashed potatoes. Plus, the decor is such that it can inspire any writer to start working right there and then. And given the first few pages of Harry Potter were written on restaurant napkins, who knows what’ll come out of your pen when you visit the Writer’s cafe?

Must Try: Frozen Hot Chocolate, Zucchini Fritters Address:98, Peter’s Road, Near Philip’s Service Centre, Gopalapuram, Chennai Timings:10 am – 9 pm Cost for Two (INR): ₹500/-

Mamagoto, Nungambakkam

Visiting a Mamagoto is always a fun thing to do, no matter what. If anything, the one in Nungambakkam, Chennai is even quirkier. The staff wears eye-catching sloganed t-shirts and the decor is manga-styled with a rainbow striped ceiling. Basically, a decor straight outta every internet teen’s bedroom right now. Except with random stuff said by long dead philosophers written on the walls.

Must Try: Watermelon Spritzer, Prawns Dumplings Address:Shop 9, Oyster Building, Khader Nawaz Khan Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai Timings:12noon – 11:30pm Cost for Two (INR):₹1,800/-

Robot Restaurant, Chennai

Don’t be confused if you do not find any servers when you enter the Robot Restaurant. Cuz what you’ll find is a group of robots. They’ll take your orders and serve delicious food right on your table. Solid proof of how much Rajnikanth influences the city’s culture. But don’t worry, unlike Rajnikanth’s Robot, you’ll not find the ones here going rogue. Just them greeting you with their cute electronic voice.

Must Try: Tangy Chicken, Chicken Thai Curry Address:173, Mount Poonamallee High Road, Porur, Chennai Timings: 10 AM – 9 PM Cost for Two (INR): ₹1,300/-

Raintree, Anna Salai

Tamil Nadu’s Chettinad cuisine is incredibly meat-heavy and super spicy. And the Raintree restaurant serves the best of these dishes. Also, the place is designed like a rainforest with wood ceilings, dense greenery and a leafy garden with water lilies. Perfect for people who love watching Studio Ghibli’s movies. Cuz the Raintree, for sure, looks like it came out of Miyazaki’s drawing book. No kidding!

Must Try: Chocolate Mousse Cake, Thali Address:Taj Connemara, 2, Binny Road, Anna Salai, Chennai Timings: 11 AM – 1 PM Cost for Two (INR): ₹2,800/-

Pan Asian, Guindy

The Pan Asian is housed inside the ITC Grand Chola as well. The posh restaurant is famous for serving – well no points for guessing – Pan Asian food. You should try ordering their heavenly wasabi prawns, dim sums, sushi, sashimi and ramen. Sure, they might not have put any 5-star creativity into their name, but when it comes to their kitchen skills, they’ve sort of done a Michelin Star level job.

Must Try: Sushi, Pork Address:63, ITC Grand Chola, Mount Road, Guindy, Chennai Timings: Mon-Sat:7pm – 10pm Sun:12:30pm – 3:30pm, 7pm – 10pm Cost for Two (INR): ₹4,200/-

FAQs on Restaurants in Chennai

Which are the Best Restaurants near me in Chennai?

Surely, these are the best restaurants in Chennai:

• Surf Turf
• Madras Pavilion
• Amethyst

Are there any Good Cafes in Chennai?

If we had to pick our top 3 cafes in Chennai, we’d definitely go for these:

• The Brew Room
• Tryst Cafe
• Wild Garden Cafe

Which are the Veg Restaurants in Chennai?

The 3 best veg restaurants in Chennai:

• Murugan Idli Shop
• Anna Lakshmi
• Eden