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Ambur-style biryani – a flavoursome South Indian rice delicacy variant originates from Ambur, a town in the Vellore district of Tamil Nadu. Known for its unique taste and preparation method, the biryani uses seeraga samba – a short-grain variety known for its aroma and ability to absorb flavours well. Besides its unique texture and fragrance contribute significantly to the taste of the biryani, what sets it apart is its cooking technique – where the meat is marinated separately and semi-cooked before being layered with parboiled rice and slow-cooked together. Chicken or mutton is cooked along with spices like cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves and cardamom before being tossed in an aromatic masala made with onions, herbs and plenty of ginger-garlic paste.
The unique technique of cooking this biryani allows the flavours of the marinated meat to infuse into the rice as they cook together with a specific blend of ground spices that use cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves and cardamom, among others. This blend varies slightly from region to region and from one kitchen to another, while the essence of it largely remains the same. Traditionally, Ambur biryani is served with accompaniments like raita, chicken 65, boiled eggs and a brinjal curry, to complement the flavours of the biryani.
We’ve rounded up a list of places, with a little help from foodies who grew up in the city, to have you find yourself the best Ambur biryani experience; and for a quick bite, of course!
Ambur Star Biryani – Recommended by @psycho_foodieee
The iconic biryani establishment franchise in Chennai comes highly recommended as the go-to spot for the most authentic Ambur biryani experience. He recommends getting a portion of the mutton biryani that has the most melt-in-your-mouth delicious meat, the chicken biryani for those who prefer a mildly spicy option and the crispy crab lollipops as an accompaniment to the meal.
Phone Number: 044-2628 7373
USP Dishes: Biryani, seafood
Available Cuisines: Chinese, North Indian, Seafood
Type: Veg and Non-veg
Meals Served: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Location: T79, T Block, 5th Main Road, Near Tower Park, Anna Nagar East
Timings: Daily, 11am-10.30pm.
Cost for two: Rs 550 (Budget)
Akbar Mess – Recommended by @the_hungri_plate
This Chennai food blogger collective swear by the delicious plates of the Ambur chicken biryani which is also topped off with a few pieces of chicken 65 for an extra-delicious meal. Unlike most biryani places that use short grain variety of rice, Akbar Mess uses a longer grain for their biryani, enhancing the heady aroma and flavour even more.
Phone Number: 044-26287373
USP Dishes: Liver Fry, Brain Fry, Brinjal Curry, Mutton Biriyani, Rice
Available Cuisines: Fast Food
Type: Veg and non-veg
Meals Served: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Location: 2/17, Samy Mudali Street, Vepery
Timings: Daily, 9 am - 10.30 pm
Cost for two: Rs 200 (Budget)
Master Biryani – Recommended by @belly_eatz
What he considers to be among one of the top three places around Chennai to enjoy the best biryani, the 25-year old biryani establishment also serves biryani by the bucketful for large groups of people. The Ambur-style chicken biryani that also comes with a hard boiled egg, is best enjoyed hot off of the banana leaf and also offers a flavoursome mutton option for those who prefer red meat.
Phone Number: 9176660200
USP Dishes: Chicken biryani
Available Cuisines: South Indian, North Indian
Type: Veg and Non-veg
Meals Served: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Location: 241, Perumbakkam Main Road, Medavakkam, Medavakkam
Timings: 12 pm - 10 pm
Cost for two: Rs 300 (Budget)
Image Credits: Spice Container
Arcot Biryani – Recommended by Anand (@bsbs_anand)
High on flavour and spice, the chicken biryani at Arcot comes with an assortment of sides – sliced onions coated in yoghurt, a spicy, pepper-loaded gravy on the side and the signature hard boiled egg that is a regular feature in most biryani plates across Chennai. For the faint-hearted, Arcot also serves up a mild yet aromatic kushka – which is a plain biryani devoid of vegetables or meat.
Phone Number: 9380002170
USP Dishes: Chicken biryani, mutton biryani
Available Cuisines: South Indian, Chinese
Type: Veg and Non-veg
Meals Served: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Location: 28, Kundrathur Main Road, Porur
Timings: 11am - 9pm.
Cost for two: Rs 300 (Budget)
555 Biryani – Recommended by Amu (@amuma_amuma)
What makes 555’s Ambur biryani special is the flexibility and affordability of its portions – craving biryani but don’t have much of an appetite? Buy a quarter portion that serves one. Sharing a meal with a friend? Get a half portion, along with their juicy liver fry or liver 65 for the complete and authentic Chennai-style biryani experience.
Phone Number: 9789750764
USP Dishes: Biryanis
Available Cuisines: South Indian
Type: Veg and Non-veg
Meals Served: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Location: 535, NSK Nagar, Main Road, Anna Nagar East
Timings: 10pm - 10pm.
Cost for two: Rs 500 (Budget)
Thanjai Veeraswamy – Recommended by @belly_eatz
For an authentic seeraga samba biryani meal, make your way to Thanjai Veeraswamy in the bustling T Nagar locality of Chennai. Served with an onion raita and a flavourful brinjal thokku, this biryani portion is ideal for one and loaded with chunks of mutton marinated in a fiery blend of spices, giving the biryani a deep red tone.
Phone Number: 044 4512 0493
USP Dishes: Mushroom Pepper Fry, Mutton Chukka, Chicken Lollypop, Chicken Biryani, Chicken 65
Available Cuisines: South Indian, Mughlai
Type: Veg and Non-veg
Meals Served: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Location: Plot 15/16, Dr Nair Road, T. Nagar
Timings: Daily, 7 am - 10.30 am, 11.30 am - 10.30 pm
Cost for two: Rs 950 (Budget)
Image Credits: Piyas Kitchen/YouTube
Royal Biryani – Recommended by Anbu Anandan (@anbuanandan)
A non-descript biryani shop located in a breezy part of the city, Royal Biryani serves up the rice delicacy from large aluminium handis or pots, until stocks last. Giving the classic seeraga samba the ditch and opting to use high quality basmati rice for their recipe, the biryani shop is also known for their mutton pepper masala and fish 65.
Phone Number: 044 4291 8542
USP Dishes: Chicken biryani
Available Cuisines: Chinese, North Indian
Type: Veg and Non-veg
Meals Served: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Location: 129, 5 Star Classic Super Market Complex, P R S Nagar, East Coast Road
Timings: 11 am - 11 pm
Cost for two: Rs 600 (Budget)
Subham Biryani – Recommended by Danie (@exploring_by_dani)
For a biryani meal where tender meat just falls off the bone, head to Subham Biryani – a restaurant that is slowly rising to fame for its delicious chicken and mutton biryanis. With a unique way of piling on the biryani similar to a wall formation on serving plates, the fragrant and robustly flavoured biryani can be enjoyed with a side of coal-smoked tandoori chicken or boneless chicken kebabs – all washed down with a goli soda.
Location: 12/3, Udhayam Apartments, Station View Road, Kodambakkam
Cost for two: Rs 350 (Budget)
Phone Number: 9500515951
Timings: 11 am – 10:30 pm
USP Dishes: Biryanis, shawarma
Available Cuisines: North Indian, Biryani
Type: Veg and Non-veg
Meals Served: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Image Credits: nams corner
Ambur Canteen – Recommended by Sushmita (@blinks.of.us)
As is evident from the name, the restaurant is famous for their Ambur mutton biryani that comes with a hard-boiled egg. Along with this, Sushmita also insists that visiting customers must order their ‘Guest House Prawns’, chicken cutlet and mutton shammi. Time to loosen up the strings in your pants and feast like no other! End the meal with a glass of cold rose milk.
Phone Number: 8925142541
USP Dishes: Biryanis
Available Cuisines: North Indian, South indian
Type: Veg and Non-veg
Meals Served: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Location: 2, Habibullah Rd, Satyamurthy Nagar, T. Nagar
Timings: 12.30 pm - 10.30 pm
Cost for two: Rs 900 (Budget)
Special Mention
Rahamaniya Biryani Hotel – Recommended by Aksshay (@eatwithaksshay)
Nothing quite beats an authentic meal experience than tracing back to the place where it all began – Ambur. The 100-year old Rahamaniya hotel has been serving heapfuls of the true-blue short grain mutton biryani to patrons who drive from various parts of the state just to get a taste of the ‘legendary recipe’ that defines the iconic tourist attraction. The predecessor to Star Biryani, Rahamaniya also serves an addictive nattu kozhi biryani for non-red meat eaters.
Phone Number: 8686667373
USP Dishes: Mutton biryani
Available Cuisines: Biryani, Fast Food
Type: Veg and Non-veg
Meals Served: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Location: No 67, State Highway 1, opp. to Mazhar Uloom Hr Sec School, Ambur
Timings: 11 am - 11 pm
Cost for two: Rs 450 (Budget)
