Park Street is not just a road in Kolkata. It is an emotion that refuses to fade, no matter how many new cafe hubs crop up across the city. For Kolkata celebrities who have grown up here, Park Street remains the default answer to a simple question: Where do you enjoy dining out?
An emotion that refuses to age
“Park Street is Park Street. Irreplaceable and a very strong emotion,” said actor-dancer Devlina Kumar. For her, the old restaurants still define the charm. “Trincas, Mocambo, Oly gives you an old Kolkata charm, and of course, there are some lovely new, fancy additions on the street, giving out a very western-influenced vibe.”
That blend of nostalgia and reinvention is perhaps what keeps the street alive. The music bars, Chinese kitchens and continental dining rooms continue to share space with trendier restaurants without erasing the past.
Sunday rituals and family memories
For actor Gourab Chatterjee, Park Street is tied closely to childhood and family. “There were always two places that, since I was a child, I would go with my family. One was Bar-B-Q in Park Street and one was Lalit, now Great Eastern,” he recalled. Chinese dinners, sweet corn soup, golden fried prawns and chilli chicken were Sunday staples.
The habit never quite went away. “Even now, on Sundays, my wife and I go for dinners and 90 per cent of the time, it’s always Park Street,” he said, adding that even when they try newer restaurants, the drive inevitably leads back to the same stretch. “There’s something about it that we like to do and we like to go.”
Timeless favourites that define the street
Actor Riya Sen echoes the sentiment with a simpler declaration. “Park Street is Kolkata’s most iconic and charming spot. I’ll never stop visiting it and no other place will ever come close.” Trincas, Bar-B-Q and The Park Hotel remain her family favourites, names that still anchor the street’s culinary identity.
Character, culture and conversation
Actor and director Parambrata Chattopadhyay looks at Park Street as a cultural marker. He speaks of its jazz-era memories, hippie influences and its role as the city’s original entertainment district. “It reminds one of the golden days of Calcutta,” he said, while also acknowledging that newer neighbourhoods now offer world-class bar experiences.
Yet, he keeps returning. “We go back there even today because we want to remind ourselves where we are from.”
His personal picks remain rooted in comfort and familiarity. “I’ve always liked the Bar-B-Q Chinese, along with newer oriental options like Peter Hu.”
Heritage that draws the young
Actor Riddhi Sen believes Park Street’s appeal lies in memory and continuity. “It is a part of our heritage,” he said, recalling childhood Durga Puja visits and the loss of landmarks like Music World. Today, Oxford Bookstore, Ping’s Orient Cafe and Kusum Rolls keep him coming back.
“Park Street as a whole has a lot of heritage and history apart from the eateries,” he said. “That is why people go back there.”
