From Instagrammable cafes to family restaurants — Behala’s James Long Sarani has been evolving into a food hub over the past five years. The route from Manton till Janakalyan is dotted with cafes, restaurants and lounges, where you can spend your time feasting from breakfast to dinner. My Kolkata went on a food walk to check out the latest foodway in town.
Beans and Cream Cafe, opposite MP Birla Foundation School, is a good spot for brunch. The cosy cafe with outdoor seating offers a range of breakfast options, and a selection of hot and cold coffees and teas.
Pop picks: Grilled Chicken Sandwich, Chicken Cheese Omelette, Cold Coffee, Iced Lemon Tea
Craving a sumptuous Bengali lunch? There are many choices, but Koshe Kosha stands out for its Mahabhoj Thali and Whole Ilish Bhapa. It is a small restaurant, but has plenty of options when it comes to Bengali food.
Pop picks: Mahabhoj Thali with Mutton Kosha, Chitol Peti, Whole Bhapa Ilish
For steaks, sizzlers and Mexican food, there’s Burnfield Cafe. While the 16-seater space is small, they have been winning hearts with their delicious food
Pop picks: Fish Grilled Sizzler, Prawn Sizzler, Chicken Roulade, Chicken Roasted Quesadilla
With multiple cafes, choices for quick evening bites are plenty on this food street. We picked Celestial Cafe opposite Samar Roy Choudhury Shisu Udyan. It offers outdoor seating and a variety of options in Continental, Indo-Chinese and more.
Pop picks: Fish and Chips, Chicken a la Kiev, Chicken Mixed Sauce Pasta, Dumplings
Looking for a place for a coffee date? TRIBE Cafe is the answer. The cafe chain with outlets in Golpark and Salt Lake, has a Behala location too. The Instagrammable setting and delicious menu make it a great spot to go to with a date, or by yourself to with a book and a cuppa.
Pop picks: Dimer Devil Minced Chicken, Chilli Cheese Toast, Smoky Chicken Wrap, Affogato, Caramel Sea Salt Latte
Tea Junction can be your pick for some ‘chai pe charcha’. Need a quick catch up, or take a break on a busy day? You can order a hot beverage and grab a snack and take it with you or grab a seat in the outdoor setting with snacks
Pop picks: Tea, coffee, sandwiches, wraps and rolls
Pizza on your mind? Domino’s has been around for a couple of years on James Long Sarani and the two-storey outlet is a hotspot for youngsters
Pop picks: Pepperoni Pizza, Cheese Volcano Blazing Chicken Pizza, Stuffed Garlic Bread
If Domino’s isn’t your choice for a pie, check out Extra Cheese Bistro. The quaint cafe serves more than 20 varieties of veg and non-veg pizzas
Pop picks: Italian Chicken Gala Pizza, Flavoured Chicken Meatball Pizza, Veg Extra Cheese Bistro Special Pizza
Moving on to dinner, the options for Chinese cuisine are aplenty, including popular Hatari, which is near Manton, James Long Sarani. There’s plenty of seating and is a top choice for family dining for their generous portion sizes
Pop picks: Mixed Gravy Noodles, Chilli Pork, American Chopsuey
For Oriental vuisine, Chowman is the pick for Behala-bashis. The highlight of this restaurant are the special menus and festivals like seafood festival, duck festival and lamb festival, which have some amazing and unusual options
Pop picks: Lemongrass Fried Rice, Chicken Manchurian, Rice Noodles, Dim sum, Baos
For kebabs and biryani, Tandoor Park is a good option. If dinner plans involve Indian and Mughlai food, you can opt for this restaurant, which also has a branch in Dhakuria
Pop picks: Chicken Tandoori Kebab, Chicken Pahari Kebab, Mutton Rara Masala, Patiala Chicken, Mutton Biryani
For a lavish dinner with Mughlai options, head to Sartaj. The newest eatery on the block, it has a nice ambience and has opened to good reviews from diners
Pop picks: Nawabi Chicken Sizzler, Mutton Taar Nihari and Khameri Roti, Bun Patty, Aflatoon
No meal is complete without something sweet to end it, and there are a bunch of ice-cream shops and confectioneries to choose from. For ice cream, our first choice is Baskin and Robbins. If you have cheesecake on your mind, head to the very ’grammable Cafe Lavassa. The good news is that both are side-by-side, so if you are in the mood for both ice cream and cheesecake, you don’t have to walk far!
Pop picks: Basque Cheesecake and New York Cheesecake at Cafe Lavassa
