12 Best Restaurants In Mangalore To Try

A major port city, Mangalore has retained its old-world charm and is a favourite among tourists for its pristine beaches, temples and authentic seafood. The restaurants in Mangalore offer a brilliant opportunity to try out local cuisine.

Thanks to the variety of cultures, Mangalorean cuisine is as diverse as its demographic which is made up of settlers from Udupi, Kerala, Goa, and north India. This medley of cultures is very much reflected in the city’s dining culture, which offers a wide range of both non-vegetarian and vegetarian dishes, adding innumerable flavours to your platter. Being a coastal city, Mangalore is famous for its seafood which is commonly prepared using fresh local ingredients. Coconut, jaggery, and curry leaves are some common ingredients used in most Mangalorean cuisines.

As a commonality in South Indian cities, the staple food in Mangalore is rice and is, therefore, used in all forms to make flavoursome Mangalorean specialities such as kori rottis (dry wafers made from boiled rice), sannas (spongy steamed savoury rice cakes), rice rottis, pancakes, and pundis (a round shaped soft rice dumpling).

Largely influenced by South Indian cuisine, Mangalorean food also consists of delicately spiced sauces in accordance with local tradition and diverse communities within the region. If you’re planning a visit here, you’ll want to make sure that you don’t miss out on tasting some of the best local Mangalorean cuisines at the restaurants in Mangalore. 

Also read: Top 12 Mangalorean Food Items You Must Try

Here Is A List Of The 12 Top Local Restaurants In Mangalore

1. Taste The Delectable Seafood Of Karnataka: Machali

Run by a Konkani family, Machali is one of the popular restaurants in Mangalore where you can taste the delectable seafood of Karnataka. You may have to wait in line to get a table but it’s worth the wait as the food is mouth-watering and the ambience is good. It is one of the restaurants which is small and the staff is limited, but you know what they say about good things coming in small packages. 

Must-try items: Once you get here, do not forget to try the fish thali, a must-try dish comprising a portion of red rice, a curry made largely from fish bones and spares, a vegetable dish, and a thick Konkani-style yellow dal. Some other recommendations include the Anjal tawa fry, squid ghee roast, crab ghee roast, and prawn biryani. 

Address: Behind Ocean Pearl, Sharada Vidyalaya Rd, Kodailbail, Mangalore

Timings: 11.30 AM to 3.30 PM; 7 PM to 10 PM 

Average Cost: INR 800 for two people (approx.)

2. An Award-Winning Restaurant By NDTV: Pallkhi Restaurant

Another among the top restaurants in Mangalore, Pallkhi has been accoladed as one of the ‘Best Restaurants of India’ by NDTV. The restaurant is 20 years old and attracts big groups looking to have a fun meal as well as couples looking for an intimate dinner. With its soothing ambiance and courteous staff, you can judge its popularity from its long-running success in Mangalore. It offers various amenities like a rooftop for candlelight dinners with magnificent views of downtown Mangalore, a bar stocked with spirits, wine, and beer, and a party hall for big groups. The menu comprises traditional Mangalorean cuisine with Indo-Chinese, south Indian, and north Indian influences. 

Must-try items: The top dishes on the menu that people order here are chicken biryani, tangdi kabab, mutton banarasi, kadai prawns, and chicken kurkure.

Address: Tej Towers Balmatta Road, Opp. Jyothi Cinema, Next to KMC, Mangalore 

Timings: 11.30 AM to 3.30 PM; 7 PM to 11 PM

Average Cost: INR 1,200 for two people (approx.)

Also read: 11 of the best places to visit in Mangalore

3. A Taste Of America: Sizzler Ranch

You may think that the Mangalore food scene is all about traditional food, but this place will prove you wrong. Opened in 2008, Sizzler Ranch, as the name suggests, is one of the most popular restaurants in Mangalore known for its hot sizzling western cuisine. Although this restaurant in Mangalore is a haven for meat lovers, there is a variety of vegetarian sizzlers to choose from. It has both indoor and outdoor seating.

Must-try items: Despite the enormous main meal portions, you shouldn’t leave this place without trying their sizzling brownie. The top dishes on the menu that people order here are the barbecue chicken sizzler, chicken shashlik, jalapeno balls, and sizzler ranch. 

Address: Beatle Apartment, Nehru Ave Rd, Lalbagh, Mangalore 

Timings: 12 PM to 3.30 PM; 6.30 PM to 10.30 PM

Average Cost: INR 700 for two people (approx.)

4. A Minimalist-Designed Place: Thyme Family Restaurant

Thyme Family Restaurant is one of the highly acclaimed restaurants in Mangalore where you can look forward to having a great time with your family and friends. Located inside Bharath Mall, it is a multi-cuisine restaurant with a lot of variety to choose from including Indian, Chinese, Continental, and fusion. With minimalistic decor and a few artsy paintings dotting the walls, the food served here is delicious. 

Must-try items: The top dishes that people order here are cheesecake, pasta, manchow soup, dal makhani, and basil rice.

Address: Bharath Mall, Bejai Road, Opp KSRTC Bus Stand, Mangalore 

Timings: 11.30 AM to 3.15 PM, 7.30 PM to 11 PM

Average Cost: INR 700 for two people (approx.)

5. Home Away From Home: Giri Manja’s

There are numerous restaurants in Mangalore that serve an impressive variety of seafood. One such restaurant is Giri Manja’s, one of the top-visited and famous restaurants in Mangalore. It is an old house converted into a restaurant. However, there is a bit of waiting involved but the delicious servings and average pricing make up for it. The servers recite the menu and specials of the day which mainly comprises seafood as there is no printed menu here. This place does not have separate tables and chairs but instead has two long tables, which gives a communal vibe. 

Must-try items: Their tawa fry is considered their iconic dish, and they serve many varieties of the same like nang tawa fry, bangude tawa fry, and white pomfret tawa fry. Other recommendations here are the bondas ghee roast and prawns phanna upkari.

Address: Bhavathi, Bunder, Mangalore

Timings: 11.30 AM to 3.30 PM

Average Cost: INR 500 for two people (approx.)

6. Serving Some Incredibly Mouth-Watering Food: Maharaja Restaurant

Preferred by families looking for a place to have an affordable lunch or dinner, Maharaja is one of the crowd-favourite restaurants in Mangalore. It also has a spacious air-conditioned section and an outdoor seating arrangement. Admired for its hospitable staff and quick service, you’ll get mouth-watering options of north Indian cuisine, along with vegetarian and non-vegetarian ghee roasts.

Must-try items: The top dishes that people order here are ghee roast, neer dosa, caramel custard, thali, kori roti and malai kofta.

Address: Bunts Hostel Road, Hampankatta, Mangalore

Timings: 11.30 AM to 3 PM; 6.30 PM to 11 PM

Average Cost: INR 700 for two people (approx.) 

7. Experience An Extensive Seafood Platter: Gajalee Sea Food

Located atop a hill, not only is this one of the must-visit restaurants in Mangalore, but it also holds a prominent position in the entire country. Previously a circuit house in the colonial era, Gajalee Sea Food wholly lives up to its reputation in Mangalore by serving some of the best seafood in the city. The ambience is quite endearing with French-style windows and white walls. This restaurant is good for business meetings and is also child-friendly.

Must-try items: They have a huge menu of cuisines including a variety of seafood, chicken and mutton dishes, squid and clam, rice preparations, etc. Although you can’t really go wrong with the menu, make sure to try the tandoori lobsters, schezwan lobsters, bombil fry and butter pepper pomfret to pamper your palate with fresh flavours.

Address: Circuit House Compound Kadri Hills Vasanth Vihar, Kadri, Mangalore

Timings: 10.30 AM to 3 PM; 6.30 PM to 11 PM

Average Cost: INR 750 for two people (approx.)

8. Famous For Its Fish Fry: Hotel Narayana

Serving the best fish fry in the city, Hotel Narayana is a charming restaurant located close to the old port. This little restaurant was initially opened to serve the people working in the port but the word soon spread about its delicious dishes and today it is one of the top restaurants in Mangalore. A testament to how great service and a love for cooking can turn a tiny restaurant into a huge success, its menu comprises fish and vegetarian meals, the former being the star attraction. Hotel Narayana is a simple restaurant with no fancy interiors, but if you want to taste the best fish masala of your life, this is the place. 

Must-try items: The top dishes that people order at Hotel Narayana are fish fry, seafood, buttermilk, anjal fry, and pomfret fry.

Address: Mukhyaprana Temple Road, Bunder, Mangalore

Timings: 12 PM to 3.30 PM; 7 PM to 9.30 PM

Average Cost: INR 300 for two people (approx.)

9. A Sense Of Rural Life: Madhuvan’s Village

Located somewhat outside the city, Madhuvan’s Village is a popular family restaurant in Mangalore known for its seafood including local and continental fare which is evident as soon as you enter and see the live crab counter. The restaurant serves north Indian, Chinese, Continental and Mughlai food. The decor with its mud pots, wooden items and thatched roof gives a sense of being in a village. Surrounded by a green garden, the ‘village’ is divided into five different cottages, each with a unique theme and a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere to make the customers feel comfortable. The restaurant also has a valet parking facility. 

Must-try items: The top dishes that people order here are the peri peri chicken skewers, Taiwan chicken, chicken junglee kabab, murgh ghee roast, butter naan, and chicken sizzler.

Address: Airport Rd, Yeyyadi, Mangalore

Timings: 11.30 AM – 11.30 PM

Average Cost: INR 1000 for two people (approx.)

10. A Go-To Breakfast Place: Janatha Deluxe

Janatha Deluxe is over 20 years old and is a favourite among Mangaloreans. One of the oldest vegetarian restaurants in Mangalore, it is usually preferred by the majority for a quick and wholesome breakfast before they head to work; it also offers a variety of options for lunch and dinner at affordable prices.

Must-try items: From traditional South Indian cuisine to North Indian favourites, Janatha Deluxe has managed to keep its customers happy with great quality and service. The top dishes that people order here are thali, masala dosa, and vada.

Address: Shaan Plaza Building, Opposite Prabhath Theatre, KS Rao Road, Mangalore

Timings: 7 AM –3.30 PM; 4.30 PM –10.30 PM

Average Cost: INR 500 for two people (approx.)

11. One Of The Oldest Restaurants In Mangalore: New Taj Mahal Café

One of the oldest restaurants in Mangalore, the New Taj Mahal Cafe offers lip-smacking vegetarian options of Mangalorean food. You can start your day with an early breakfast here. In addition to soft idlis and crispy vadas and dosas, you will find Mangalore’s favourite breakfast food, Mangalore buns made from maida and banana flour, at this cafe.

Must-try items: Make sure to place an order of their ghee-fried tuppa dosa, phanas molik (jackfruit fritters), biscuit roti, goli bhajji, and gobi pakoras, and their filter coffee to go with it.  

Address: Near Navabharath Circle, Kodailbail, Mangalore

Timings: 6 AM -9.30 PM

Average Cost: Rs. 300 for two people (approx.)

12. A Gourmet’s Paradise: Shetty Lunch Home

A great place to sample Mangalore’s most popular culinary export, the Chicken Ghee Roast, is at one of the top restaurants in Mangalore, Shetty Lunch Home. Established in 1960, Shetty Lunch Home is originally from Kundapura, Udupi. The legendary and most worshipped chicken ghee roast of Mangalore traces its roots back to this place. Over the course of its journey, a new branch was also opened in Mangalore to expand its business. Non-vegetarian foodies cannot leave Mangalore without tasting the range of seafood options provided at this cosy place. 

Established in 2014, it serves a host of traditional coastal cuisine with authentic flavours intact, while also innovating with a whole lot of seafood specialities. While many seafood restaurants offer the same coastal delicacies, what sets Shetty Lunch Home-Adyar apart is that it keeps not just your taste buds but also your tummy happy, as it serves food the way one would expect a coastal home to—with rice and fish curry along with a vegetarian dish and also a sweet dish to conclude the spicy meal.

Must-try items: The top dishes that people order here are the seafood, murgh ghee roast, fish curry, neer dosa, beer, kori roti, and biryani.

Address: Opposite Don Bosco Building, Balmatta, Mangalore

Timings: 11.30 AM -3.30 PM; 6.30 PM- 10.30 PM

Average Cost: INR 500 for two people (approx.)

Why Should You Try Mangalorean Cuisine?

Nestled on the Konkan coast, Mangalore has an inexplicable supply of coastal ingredients like coconut oil, seafood, and rice, and most of the local food in the city comprises these basic ingredients. Mangalore is also home to the river Netravati-Gurpur which offers a variety of freshwater fish like payye (silver biddy), thede (catfish), kane (lady fish), denji (crab), and more; hence you can find both freshwater and saltwater fish dishes here.

Seafood may dominate most conversations about Mangalorean cuisine, but this beach town has a rich menu of options from across cultures. Whether it’s the vegetarian fare of the Konkani Mangaloreans, the chicken ghee roast from the Tulu community, or the sorpotel that the Christians cook to perfection, you will be spoilt for choice.

When choosing restaurants in Mangalore, try and dine in locally run restaurants and cafes like the ones listed here. This also has the bonus of being more authentic and you may get to try new dishes, ingredients and have amazing experiences closer to the local way of life. Therefore, visit these restaurants in Mangalore to witness its diversity and explore its palatable cuisine yourself.

Also read: 8 Most Beautiful Beaches In Mangalore