Breakfast in the city of Chennai is a serious affair – from steaming idlis in the morning to eating ‘tiffin’ meals as a way of enjoying a light supper, pretty much anything that once considers to be comforting becomes the cornerstone of vegetarian meals. Exploring the vast variety of foods that also include festive dishes like what’s prepared for the harvest festival of Pongal, also draws many paralells with what people usually enjoy eating as staple breakfasts.
Interestingly enough, like the sweet pongal laden with jaggery and ghee, the savoury counterpart is a versatile breakfast that is commonly enjoyed with condiments like sambar and chutney. The mildly toasty flavours of lentils in the pongal offset the robust tanginess of the sambar, making it a timeless combination that can be enjoyed for breakfast or dinner. From podi, sambar, thogayal, chutney and a tumbler of piping hot filter coffee, here’s the foolproof formula for your new favourite comfort meal.
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 pongal-samabr experience; and for a quick bite, of course!
Adyar Ananda Bhavan (A2B) – Recommended by Thinusha K (@craving_destination)
Image Credits: Awesome Cuisine
The endless menu of this restaurant has evolved through the years to accomodate the changing tastes of people. However, stick to the old favourites like malli sevai, masala dosas, parotta-kurma, idiyappam and of course, the pongal-sambar. If you're in the mood for a cold coffee, try out their spin on the classic beverage using filter coffee decoction!
Phone Number: +914442137188
Timings: Daily, 7am – 11pm
USP Dishes: Parotta-Kurma, Idiyappam, Lemon Sevai
Cost for two: ₹550
Available Cuisines: South Indian, North Indian
Type: Vegetarian
Meals Served: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Sangeetha Veg Restaurant – Recommended by @foodofchennai
This 1950’s establishment is an icon in the culinary fabric of the city, serving up some of the most delicious breakfasts like rava masala dosai and of course, a freshly made plate of venn pongal and sambar. Pair with tomato or coconut chutney and a generous sprinkling of podi for extra flavour. Don’t forget to drizzle some ghee on top before digging in!
Sangeetha Veg Restaurant: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Ahg7XMortd6k8MEK6
Phone Number: 04424426792
USP Dishes: Lemon sevai, Rava masala dosa, filter coffee
Location: 7, Gandhi Nagar, 1st Main Road, Adyar
Timings: Daily, 7am-10.30pm.
Cost for two: ₹850
Available Cuisines: Chettinad, South Indian
Type: Vegetarian
Meals Served: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ratna Café – Recommended by @thoonganagaram_vlogs
A breakfast of pongal-vadai-sambar-chutney is a classic South Indian combination that is sure to leave one feeling warm and fuzzy. Pay a visit to this local-favourite eatery to eat your way through their fluffy idlis, podi dosas, buttery pongal, crisp medu vadas and wash it all down with a piping hot cup of filter coffee.
Ratna Cafe: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ypkRyCTJqbzBmn1i7
Phone number: 04428487181
USP Dishes: Idli sambar, dosa, chappati kurma
Location: 255, High Road, Triplicane
Timings: Daily, 7am-10.00pm.
Cost for two: ₹350
Available Cuisines: South Indian
Type: Vegetarian
Meals Served: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Mami’s Tiffin Stall – Recommended by Sukanya Kaur (@girlwithataste)
For authentic Tam-Brahm comfort food, head to this non-descript eatery that is known to showcase lesser-known or forgotten recipes of traditional cooking. From their iconic thavala vadais to pongal that is liberally drenched in ghee, the restaurant also dishes out adai – a type of lentil pancake, bajjis and strong, steaming cups of filter coffee. Ask for an extra portion of sambar on the side to blanket your pongal in, before indulging in a breakfast that you’re sure to remember.
Mami's Tiffin Stall: https://maps.app.goo.gl/hGq4wUAHGPguVzjE7
Phone number: 04424643525
USP Dishes: Kozhukattao, Thavala Vadai, Idiyappams
Location: 7, Pitchupillai Street, Near Kapaleeshwarar Temple, Mylapore
Timings: Daily, 7am-10.30pm.
Cost for two: ₹300
Available Cuisines: South Indian
Type: Vegetarian
Meals Served: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Maylai Karpagambal Mess – Recommended by @foodieefrommadras
The 1500-square foot ‘mess’ concept which is relative to the canteens one can visit for a quick meal, whether you want to kickstart your day with a delicious breakfast of pongal-sambar, idli-sambar or idiyappams; or lunch – which is an extravagant spread of avial, poriyal, appalam and more. Be sure to eat to your heart’s content and contrast the soft texture of your pongal with a crisp vada or two on the side.
Mylai Karpagambal Mess: https://maps.app.goo.gl/2nAUTSvjKX9MRLCX9
Phone Number: 04442112377
USP Dishes: Sambar Vadai, Idiyappams, Badam Halwa
Location: 20, East Mada Street, Mylapore
Timings: Daily, 7am-10.30pm.
Cost for two: ₹200
Available Cuisines: South Indian
Type: Vegetarian
Meals Served: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Murugan Idli Shop – Recommended by Shabnam Banu (@mytrystwithfood)
Not only does Murugan serve up some of the most legendary South Indian breakfasts in the city, but Shabnam also vouches that the sweet pongal is ‘hands down some of the best in town.’ Start off your breakfast with some hot venn pongal and sambar, and polish off the sakkarai pongal for dessert. Be sure to know that your meal would be incomplete without a cup of their filter coffee.
Murugan Idli Shop: https://maps.app.goo.gl/J3QMCa24W2Bd2Bap8
Phone Number: +919597086505
Timings: Daily, 7am-9.00pm.
USP Dishes: Podi Idli, Onion Uttapam
Location: 31& 2/3A, Ormes Road, Kilpauk, Chennai
Cost for two: ₹100
Available Cuisines: South Indian
Type: Vegetarian
Meals Served: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Mathsya – Recommended by @howasthefood
From crisp masala dosas, medu vadais and pongal, to a refined version of some authentic South Indian fare, Mathsya is also known for their delicious thali meals. With an assortment of vegetable kurma, parotta, coconut milk curries and kootu, the fine dining restaurant also does a lip-smacking Udupi thali during the course of the week. Enjoy a portion of pongal-sambar, followed up with a nutty and buttery rava kesari for your sweet tooth.
Phone Number: +919841810497
Timings: Daily, 12midnight – 2am, 7am – 11:45pm
USP Dishes: Masala Dosa, Rasam Vadai
Location: 1, Halls Road, Egmore, Chennai
Cost for two: ₹950
Available Cuisines: South Indian, North Indian, Chinese
Type: Vegetarian
Meals Served: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Sri Venkateshwara Hotel – Recommended by @foodofchennai
Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons
A humble eatery offering a limited number of freshly made breakfast options all day long, this hole-in-the-wall restaurant is famous for a handful of dishes. From coconut and jaggery stuffed bolis, the softest idlis dunked in sambar and the nursery comfort of venn pongal and sambar and crispy vadai, make a headway to enjoy the most delicious breakfast for dinner.
Phone Number: +914426259755
Timings: Daily, 7am – 10:30pm
USP Dishes: Boli, Idli Sambar
Location: 3/PC-6, Kambar Salai, Mogappair West, Mogappair, Chennai
Cost for two: ₹200
Available Cuisines: South Indian
Type: Vegetarian
Meals Served: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
