Kolkata has made it to Eater’s 2023 list of top ten food destinations in the world.  Kolkata is indeed a great place for affordable sumptuous food. But what is even more interesting is the background.

Kolkata was the capital of British India till the year 1911. Hence, it was of enormous commercial significance till that point. Not only the British but a host of people from various corners of India came and settled here for work and business. This made Kolkata a melting pot of cultures that spilled over into the cooking pots as well. Thus the sheer variety of cuisines one can taste, at very affordable prices, is what we look out for when we visit this city.

We love a good breakfast wherever we go and during our recent Kolkata trip, we decided to explore the morning grub in Kolkata. Here is a list of breakfast places in Kolkata that you must not miss. The list caters to a variety of cuisine and budgets.

Bon Appetit!

Flury’s

Flury’s was established in the year 1927, 20 years before India’s independence. It was a place meant to uphold all things British. While the British have left, thankfully, the iconic Flury’s is still around to serve English breakfast. The oldest Flury’s is at Park Street. Reach a bit early if you wish to avoid waiting.

They have bacon, sausages, eggs, bakery, tea, and coffee. We loved the original open sandwich that had ham, chicken slices, fried egg, grilled vegetables like bell pepper, tomato, and perhaps mozzarella from their all-day breakfast menu. It was decadent, filling, and sheer richness on taste buds. We keep coming back to Flurys for breakfast when in Kolkata and order this dish. Also, Flurys rum balls are to die for, absolutely unparalleled in the country.

They have opened many new branches now and we tried Fish and Chips, pastries and coffee at the outlet on Lake View Road. Although an indulgence monetarily, it is still so good.

Chinese breakfast Teritti Bazar

Kolkata has the only China Town in India. In or about 1820, Chinese workers came to Kolkata as labourers at a sugar mill. Their skill in shoe-making also led to the establishment of a proper China Town in Central Calcutta. While the Chinese population has since dwindled, you can still find a few handmade shoe shops in this area.

A legendary Chinese breakfast market still assembles very early morning here at Teritti Bazar. There are more vendors with more food options during weekends. We love chicken dumplings, stuffed buns, meatball soup, fried bread, sticky rice pudding, and almond pies. A meal for three, with things packed for home, cost us about Rs. 500 and we were full to the brim when done. There is no sitting arrangement here, only some moveable tables where we could rest the soupy dishes.

The market starts winding up by 8 am and is cleared by 8.30. So one needs to reach here early. But every item tastes simple yet different and divine so it is totally worth sacrificing the early morning sleep. We recently paid another visit to this market and was saddened to see that the Chinese sellers had dwindled further. The Bihari dessert, Anaras (our favourite) was being sold in the name of sesame cake! Probably the days of this iconic food zone is counted. So do it as soon as you can!

South Indian breakfast at Udupi’s

This one goes out to all our vegetarian friends. The Deshapriya Park area of South Kolkata has been home to many South Indian communities who have moved to Kolkata. You can still see Tamil, Malayali or Kannadiga ladies, wearing jasmine garlands in their hair, potter out every evening with their grocery bags. A vintage gem from breakfast places in Kolkata is Rao’s Udipi Home which is located in this area.

Udupi Home has been around since 1969 and operates from the portico of a grand Kolkata mansion. They open in the morning for breakfast and you can grab a bite as early as 7.30 in the morning. Udipi’s menu has a wide variety of dosas, including rawa and Mysore dosa varieties, uttapams, idlis, sambar vadas, and so on and so forth. Pongal and Upma are their breakfast specials. Along with a tumbler of fragrant filter coffee, this is fuel for the day. They also serve South Indian thalis or platters later in the day. Udupi Cafe can easily be listed among the best South Indian restaurants in Kolkata.

Also Read: Vegetarian Dishes in Bengali Cuisine

Maharani for Kachoris

This is another one vegetarian place that we like. Maharani again near Deshapriya Park, and not very far from Udupi Home, is known for its kachoris with potato curry, jalebis, malpua, and thick milky chai. These are not Bengali kachoris or for that matter jalebis or malpuas and distinctly have a Hindustani flavour. Yet, harmony among various communities has been a benchmark of Kolkata. No wonder, irrespective of the language they speak, patrons swarm this place every morning.

Maharani has no seating arrangement. You can have your selection packed or stand around the shop and keep having freshly fried kachoris straight from the boiling kadhai. Every item, especially the kachori–aloo subzee combination is delectable. Finishing off with a crispy fragrant jalebi is how we like it. And it makes good sense to have these items in the morning when you have the whole day to burn the food. Nothing here is healthy, but hell yes! It is worth every bit of calorie.

Shiraz

The last King of Awadh Wajid Ali Shah was exiled in Calcutta. He introduced the city to Awadhi style of cuisine. The version of biryani available in Kolkata is a legend. Shiraz is our favourite spot for this variety of food. Biryani is however served lunch onwards. Shiraz Golden restaurant at Mullick Bazar Crossing serves a mean breakfast as well.

Paya (mutton soup), magaz (brain), mutton tomato stew, and dal gosht (mutton cooked in lentils) are the must-haves here. Although the main ingredient is heavy protein, the dishes are low on spices yet aromatic. This lets you have your fill without feeling bloated. We would recommend tandoori roti on the side. They also serve milky tea in the morning.

Breakfast at Shiraz reminds us of the breakfast food walk we enjoyed with Rocky and Mayur in Old Delhi. But the morning meal at Shiraz is a busy affair and it gets over by 7 am. So if you want to enjoy this fare and have a glimpse of Kolkata-style Mughlai breakfast, it would be worth reaching here early.

Local sweet shops for chholar daal – Radhaballavi

One spot you hardly need to hunt out in Kolkata is a sweet shop. They are there in every nook and corner. Most sweet shops make Radhaballavi, a Bengali kachori with a dal filling. This is commonly served with chholar daal or chickpeas cooked in Bengali style. It is a combination in Kolkata and is fully vegetarian, devoid of onion and garlic.

You can try this at any random sweet shop and finish off with roshogolla, Mishti doi (Bengali yogurt), or any dessert of your liking. There is little chance that you would be disappointed.

Luchi aloor tarkari at a local’s place – Luchi is the Bengali take on North Indian poori. Aloor tarakari is a rather bland white-colored runny dish made with potatoes and tempered with mustard seeds, mustard oil, and green chillis. This is the traditional breakfast every Sunday in a Bengali household. The crisp upper layer of luchi with the mildly spiced potato curry is sheer heaven.

While this combination is available in some eateries, truth be told, very few commercial establishments can do justice to the simplicity of this fare. So get invited for breakfast by a Bengali friend and enjoy this meal the way it should be had. You would probably be served the sweet Bonde (North India bundia) at the end and tea of course.

Your early morning food journey in Kolkata is sorted!