For Bengalureans, biryani is bae! The city is a melting pot of different flavours of this aromatic rice dish - from the hyperlocal donne biryani to the spicy and tangy Andhra-style biryani, along with a host of authentic Muslim-style biryanis. Of course, biryani is an all-time favourite dish for most Indians, but its love affair with the people of Bengaluru is worth celebrating. Be it for lunch, dinner or even breakfast, they never shy away from digging into a huge portion of biryani.
Bengaluru’s legendary biryani places have a big role to play in nurturing this love for the dish. Whether you are a permanent resident of this ‘garden city’ or just visiting for a few days, your stay is boring without hopping on a biryani trail across town.
We have drawn up a list of Bengaluru’s 10 popular biryani spots where you will be spoilt for choice. Take a tour!
1. Nagarjuna Restaurant, Residency Road
Your trip to Bengaluru is considered incomplete if you haven’t paid a visit to Nagarjuna for a hearty lunch, even better for a full plate of biryani. Nestled at a central location, the restaurant was established by Krishna Reddy way back in 1984, with the aim to acquaint Bengalureans with Andhra cuisine. Cooked in a special Andhra style, their chicken, mutton and vegetarian biryanis come with a distinct taste and aroma.
They serve food in eco-friendly banana leaves. While enjoying your meal at the restaurant, don't miss the Kandi Podi, which is popularly known as ‘gunpowder’. This spicy Andhra-style chutney powder is prepared using powdered garlic and roasted lentils. Besides Residency Road, you’ll find their branches in Koramangala, Indiranagar, Bannerghatta and Marathahalli.
Other popular dishes: Andhra Bhojanam, Chicken/Mushroom Pepper, Chicken/Gobi/Baby Corn/Paneer/Mushroom Sholay Kebab, Guntur Chicken and Nattu Kodi Curry/Fry.
Google rating: 4.2 stars
Price for two: ₹800 (approx)
2. Meghana Foods, Indiranagar
Famous for its huge selection of biryanis - chicken, mutton, mutton keema, prawn, fish, egg, lollipop and Meghana Special Biryani under the non-vegetarian category and dum aloo, mushroom, paneer and Meghana Special Veg Biryani in the vegetarian section - Meghana is effortlessly your go-to destination when it comes to eating biryani in Bengaluru.
Their Andhra-style cuisine is quite a hit among the local people as well as those visiting the city. Apart from Indiranagar, you can trace their outlets at Koramangala, Resident Road, Jayanagar and Marathahalli.
Other popular dishes: Lemon Chicken, Chicken Maharaja, Chicken 65, Nati Chicken Fry, Mutton Pepper Fry and Paneer Tikka.
Google rating: 4.2 stars
Price for two: ₹700 (approx)
3. Sharief Bhai, Koramangala
Who wouldn’t slurp when someone mentions names like Har-Dil-Azeez Mutton Biryani, Murg Alfaham Biryani, Ande Ki Biryani, Paneer Dum Biryani and Subz Dum Aloo Biryani! With outlets in Indiranagar and Frazer Town apart from Koramangala, Sharief Bhai is one of the most popular authentic Muslim cuisine restaurant chains in Bengaluru.
They use the traditional short-grain Zeerak Samba rice for all their biryanis to retain the genuine taste. Known to use their own spice mixes in recipes that have been passed on through the generations, the food hub specialises in Mughlai, Arabian and Afghan cuisines.
Other popular dishes: Paya Soup, Kebabs, Sukhi Phaal, Patthar Gosht, Murg Shorba, Mutton Nalli, Gurda Fry, Halwa Puri and Phirni.
Google rating: 4.4 stars
Price for two: ₹600 (approx)
4. Gundappa Donne Biryani, St Marks Road
Donne biryani is Bengaluru’s very own, trademark recipe and one of the best places to savour it is Gundappa. This biryani also has a signature style of being served in dried palm leaf cups, along with pudina and dhania raita, and a piece of lemon. The recipe has a unique style of marinating the meat and the dish is cooked with a generous dose of fresh coriander and mint leaves. Donne biryani is made with the South Indian special Seeraga Samba or Jeeraga Samba rice.
Among the restaurant’s special biryanis are Chilli Chicken Biryani, Pepper Chicken Biryani, Guntur Chicken Biryani, Chicken Kebab Biryani, Chicken Lollipop Biryani and Mutton Biryani. It has its branches in Seshadripuram, Indiranagar, Chamrajpet, Koramangala, Electronic City, Nagawara and Rajajinagar, apart from the one on St Marks Road.
Other popular dishes: Gundappa Special Chicken Fry, Guntur Chicken Fry, Pepper Chicken Fry, Mutton Chop and Mutton Keema Vada.
Google rating: 3.4 stars
Price for two: ₹400 (approx)
5. Shivaji Military Hotel, Jayanagar
Effortlessly one of the best and always-bustling biryani outlets in Bengaluru, Shivaji Military Hotel specialises in Donne, Mandya and Ambur biryani, as well as Maratha-style biryani and Nati Chicken Biryani. One of the city’s most legendary food places, this restaurant is among the very few military hotels that are still so popular. A true symbol of Bengaluru’s culinary diversity, this outlet was set up by S Mannaji Rao in 1924. You’ll be surprised to know that such is the love for biryani that Mutton Biryani is served here for breakfast as well.
Other popular dishes: Mutton Liver, Mutton Pepper Fry, Mutton Sukka, Mutton Keema, Kaima Curry, Lemon Chicken and Mutton/Chicken Chops.
Google rating: 4 stars
Price for two: ₹450 (approx)
6. Rahhams, Frazer Town
This restaurant has a reputation of serving authentic Muslim-style delicacies and a host of signature dishes, with mutton and chicken biryani being a high point. Rahhams was set up in 1998 by Abdul Rasheed, who had converted his home kitchen into a counter in Frazer Town.
Today, the restaurant has its branches in Kammanahalli, Old Airport Road, Shanti Nagar, Whitefield, Cunningham Road, RT Nagar and HSR Layout in Bengaluru, as well as one outlet in Annanagar, Chennai. This is also a popular pick for catering services and party orders.
Other popular dishes: Pahadi Chicken, Mutton Chop, Mutton Shaami, Mutton Keema, Butter Chicken, Chicken 65, Kebabs, Dal Fry and Kheer.
Google rating: 3.7 stars
Price for two: ₹700 (approx)
7. Lazeez, Koramangala
Lazeez biryanis are famous for their strong fragrance of saffron and chunks of potato. They serve delicious mutton and chicken biryanis, alongside their Mughlai variants, while they also offer veg and egg biryanis.
They specialise in Mughlai, Indian and tandoori delicacies. Officially called ‘Lazeez Xpress - The Grand Cuisine of Kolkata’, this restaurant has its branches in BTM Layout, Commercial Street and Bellandur, besides Koramangala.
Other popular dishes: Kolkata-Style Rolls, Lazeez Special Cheese Kebab, Mutton Kathi/Shami Kebab, Murg Mosallam and Mutton Raan-E-Kebab.
Google rating: 3.7 stars
Price for two: ₹600 (approx)
8. Empire Restaurant, Indiranagar
Another popular choice for biryani, Empire Restaurant has its branches located in Koramangala, Kammanahalli, HSR Layout, Frazer Town, Brigade Road, Church Street and Brookefield, apart from Indiranagar. Their Mutton Raan Biryani and Shaadi Ki Biryani are famous, and so are their chicken, fish and egg biryani.
And that’s not all, the restaurant also offers a variety of options to go with their bucket biryanis including grilled chicken, chicken kebab, peri peri chicken, fiery wings and kalmi kebab. They also serve flavoursome biryani rice.
Other popular dishes: Chicken Dosa, Mutton Keema Dosa, Mutton Pepper Dry, Lemon Coriander Chicken Soup, Mutton Yakhni Soup, Grilled Smoked Chicken, Paneer Tikka and Chicken Varuval.
Google rating: 3.9 stars
Price for two: ₹700 (approx)
9. Mani’s Dum Biryani, Koramangala
They say, ‘biryani is the only thing we do’. This biryani-focussed restaurant is known to serve the dish in large proportions. Chicken Biryani, Chicken Kebab Biryani, Mutton Biryani, Fish Biryani and Egg Biryani are their specialities, while for vegetarians, they serve Veg Biryani and Paneer Biryani.
Their outlets are located in Koramangala, Jeevan Bima Nagar, Bellandur, Whitefield, HSR Layout, KR Puram, JP Nagar and Kalyan Nagar. They mostly cook Ambur-style biryani. Mani’s Dum Biryani is a favourite destination for many of Bengaluru’s biryani lovers.
Other popular dishes: Thees Thukda Machhi Fry, Paneer Thukda Fry, Achari Chicken Kebab and Fish Kebab.
Google rating: 4 stars
Price for two: ₹800 (approx)
10. Al-Bek, Malleswaram
With its outlets spread across Bengaluru - Malleswaram, Rajajinagar, RT Nagar, Banashankari, HSR Layout, Jayanagar, JP Nagar, Whitefield - Al-bek is one of the most popular casual dining restaurants in the city. They specialise in Mughlai, Arabian and seafood delicacies among others, with biryani being a popular pick.
Their special chicken and mutton biryanis are served in large portions and they come with an aroma and a taste very different from the others in town.
Other popular dishes: Shawarma Rolls, Jumbo Roll, Chicken Pepper Fry, Chicken Tandoori, Fish Hyderabadi, Fish Anarkali and Golden Prawns.
Google rating: 4.1 stars
Price for two: ₹750 (approx)