One of the oldest and renowned south Indian restaurants in Kolkata, Anand is a vegetarians’ paradise. A busy street in the heart of the city leads you to Anand. The interiors of the restaurant are not really appealing. The high seating chairs and the overall upholstery could have been a little more comfortable and the lighting could have been brighter. While the waiters are friendly, they may not be well versed in English (it is better that you stick to Hindi or the regional language). The quick service on the other hand is worth mentioning. Do not be surprised if you have to wait in a queue on weekends and holidays.

Now, the main part—food—is par excellence. For your full course meal, start with vadas and chutneys followed by idlis with chutney and sambar. Idlis are so soft that they almost melt in your mouth and the authentic taste of the coconut chutney definitely makes you appreciate it more. While the paper dosa and rava masala dosa do not cast a spell, the ghee butter wafer masala dosa accompanied by the special chutney is a big time hit. You can either end your meal with lip-smacking badam halwa or choose from shakes, desserts and ice creams on the menu. Do not forget to take a sip of the original filter coffee. In case you wish to try something besides south Indian delicacies, then you can order pizzas and snacks like pav bhaji and chaats. The best part is that even after having so much you do not have to worry about the bill as it won’t burn a hole in your pocket.