A Vegetarian's Guide to Thiruvananthapuram

Kerala is God's Own Country, all right! But if you are a vegetarian travelling in this state, you may find the going tough to find a proper eating joint. In the neighbouring states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra, finding vegetarian fare is no problem at all. It is almost the default genre in most restaurants. Not so in Kerala, where non-vegetarian fare is the norm.

So some tips from a new resident may help the other travellers.

Let me start with the capital, Thiruvananthpuram where now I reside.

Arul Jyoti. :(Bakery Junction) By far the best place I found and I have been a regular there. It is a two storey affair. Car parking approach is very narrow through a ramp. If you have a big car, better park on the road between the pillars of the unfinished flyover, which has become a landmark in this city. ( Graffiti on one of the pillars reads " Oh, Chief Minister! When will I get redemption from my curse?").

The ground floor restaurant is open right from breakfast time. Try the aappam with kadalai, besides the regular fare like idli, dosa, vada, adai etc. The chutneys add real taste. The quality is as good as any decent Chennai or Bangalore restaurant - at much lower price.

The upper floor houses the air-conditioned section. The tandoori (a la carte) items are good.(Indian) Chinese items are also on the menu The thali meals are available only during lunch time. The thali is good, but next time I would stick to the a la carte menu. Be prepared for a long wait for a table during weekends.

Arya Jyoti (Pattom) : Gone there only once. The dosa items tasted good, may be because I was hungry. May not match the ones in Chennai or Bangalore.

Woodlands (Pattom) Not tried it yet. But was also recommended but only for its dosas.


Kalavara ( Press road, near Secretariat) parking can be nightmare on this narrow road. Perhaps at night you may be lucky. Also has a branch in Jawahar Nagar, near Kowdiar, where parking may not be an issue.
A longtime favourite with the locals, probably for it non-veg fare. Serves decent vegetarian food too. Soups, tandoori items and pulao passed the muster. As in all Kerala restaurants, please emphasise the 'vegetarian' word with every order.
Be prepared for the stuffy odour in the AC room.

Aruna. On MG road (near VJT hall) Serves a decent thali for lunch. Claims to have the same roots as Arul Jyoti.

Ambrosia : On Bakery Junction (Probably the raison d'etre for the name of the junction) : The upmarket bakery on the mezzanine floor. The place for Wheat bread, variety of cakes,pastries, chocolates etc. Also serves snacks like puff, rolls etc. Be sure to ask for 'vegetarian'.
Ambrosia also has counters in the Spencer's supermarkets where many of their products are available.

Mani's Mess: Third Puthen Street, Mancaud. If you like the 'mess' of food and 'service' this is the place for you. The dosa items were really good, though the chutneys were not up to the mark. I am told you get sumptuous lunch for Rs 20. Be prepared to wait for sometime and share the table with some strangers. Driving and parking in the narrow Puthen (New??) streets need special skills or thick skin!

Sweetland in the adjacent street is the place everyone recommends for authentic snacks and sweets, like murukku, thattai, poli, laddu etc.
Sweet Land's Sree Vigneswara Family Restaurant- Anavaal Puthen Street. Another mess serving dosa, idli , vada, sevai etc. The ghee roast and sambar vadai were winners, but the sevai disappointed.

Arya Nivas - Thampanoor. A popular place, not only due to its convenient location near the Railway station and bus stand, but also for it food and service. Ground floor serves quick snacks like idli, dosa etc. The thali lunch is also good . For thali remember to buy a token at the counter near the entrance.
Upper floor is air-conditioned and serves decent snacks and meals including tandoori, (Indian ) Chinese, South Indian etc. Normally crowded during mealtime with the locals and the floating population.
There is also an Arya Bhavan near by facing the railway station.

Jai Seetha Snacks. Valiya Chalai , single street. The other 'best' place for snacks and sweets. Poli, maalaadu, thattai, murukku, pakodas are all time favourites. Non-South Indian sweets like badusha may not get the nod from the connoisseurs. Branded pickles are also in stock.Polis are fast moving and you may not get if you go late. The owner is so confident of his fare that he does not give a telephone number as he is afraid he will have no time to attend the calls!

Sastha Sweets on West Fort is another 'highly recommended' place for sweets like polis and snacks like mixture.

Vinayaka at the entrance of Vinayaka Nagar on the main Kanyakumari road just after the Karmana Bridge. It is run by a well known caterer. OK for a quick snack. Have to try once again.

Trivandrum Club (Members only) One of the oldest and venerated clubs. I was fortunate to have membership of an affiliated club (Gandhinagar Club, Chennai ) by virtue of which I can use this club 5 times a calendar month - "no guests, please". The Sunday lunch is quite sumptuous.

Sindhoor :Opp. Cotton Hill School, Vazhuthacaud. recommended.

Bimbi's : East fort, near Pazhavangadi Temple and at Pattom . If you are craving for chaats and sweets, Bimbis may be the right place for you. (I am told the one in Pazhavangadi is closed.)

Saurashtra Hotel: Recently I was introduced by my good friends, Venkatachalam  and L alitha to a delightful but cramped hotel called Sauraashtra hotel, located in busy Pazhavangadi area, next to Partha's . This was started by a Saurashtrian but now run by his one time employee. The dinner menu is restricted to just Poori with curry, dal and onion and tea, all for less than Rs. 20. Be prepared to get your clothes dirty in the cramped area, say 'bye'  to your sense of hygiene and also wait during peak hours.

Aishwarya: A recent addition (2009) to the vegetarian restaurants is Aishwarya, near Vazhuthacad junction near the School of Geetha. parking is very limited. Depend on your luck or your risk taking ability. The coffee and dosa are real good.Friends recommend the thali too.

Angeeras: I had almost forgotten Angeeras,  a favourite with my friend Ramki. He always orders the Ghee Roast here. Another colleague of mine doesn't think much of this 'Pothi' hotel, which is on the Vazhuthacad junction towards the Hindi Prachar Sabha.

Vegetarian Fare in Angamali : (Funny Signs and menu) Looking for vegetarian fare on highway 47 between Alwaye and Trichur ? Hotel Saravana Bhavan at Angamally (അന്ങമാലി) is the place for you. I do not think it is the 'original' Hotel Saravana Bhavan (சரவணாஸ்) of Madras, but the Ghee roast is a life-line for any hungry vegetarian traveller. More interesting is the signage in the restaurant! (see pics)