Top 5 Restaurants in Kodai

Kodaikanal is a bustling hill station on the Western Ghats, often called the “Princess of Hills.” A popular holiday destination, visitors come year-round to admire its scenic beauty — the dense jungles, cascading waterfalls and undulating hill slopes.

If you’re planning a trip to Kodai, here are some of our favourite restaurants to visit.

1. Altaf’s Cafe

After exploring some of Kodaikanal’s most popular sites, like Bryant Park, Coaker’s Walk and Pillar Rocks Viewpoint, enjoy some simple Middle-Eastern food above the clouds at Altaf’s Cafe.

The restaurant is built into the hillside, down some roughly carved stone steps. There are only a few tables, so try to visit at off-peak hours to guarantee a spot, so you can try their crispy, delectable falafels or other food from its menu.

The view from this restaurant is its main charm, so make sure to bring your camera — you’ll want to take a lot of photos! If you can, try to go on a clear day, so you can take in the full expanse of lush green hills below you.

Location: Dolphin Nose Road, Vattakanal

Timings: 9:30 AM - 9 PM, closed on Tuesdays

2. Bistro 1845

Inside the Tamara Hotel, this French-style à la carte bistro and bar is pricy but offers some of the tastiest food in the city. Come to Bistro 1845 for delicious European, Asian and Indian cuisine. You can see the menu here.

The vintage ambience indoors will take you back in time, with oversized pop art bottle caps positioned around the walls. Or, if you’d like to sit outdoors, the fireplace will keep you warm even on the chilliest days.

If you enjoy the food and want to try some more of Tamara’s delights, make a booking for its buffet-style restaurant La Providence next door. It features a live kitchen counter, so you can enjoy piping hot food straight off the stove.

Location: Tamara, St Mary’s Road, Kodaikanal

Timings: 1 PM - 3:30 PM & 7:30 PM - 10:30 PM

3. George’s Gourmet Kitchen

Downstairs from the Food Park restaurant on Golf Course Road, Pambarpurum, you’ll find this warehouse-style restaurant with an open kitchen, so you can watch the staff make your pizza live. If you ask nicely, you could even try your hand at making your pizza yourself!

Run by an India-born Russian, George Penner, and his wife Vera De Jong, an artist, George’s didn’t start as a restaurant. The brand first offered exotic sauces and spreads, made from locally sourced ingredients.

As it expanded, the couple started offering bitter orange marmalade and seasonal jams and jellies, such as their ever-so-sweet, tart plum jams made from local homegrown Kodai plums and flavoured with anise and ginger. The couple aims to make all their products organic, or using natural ingredients they source from farmers directly.

The idea for the restaurant came about once George bought a wood-fired oven and started making pizzas for school kids. Eventually, he expanded to bagels, baguettes and sourdough bread, and their momentum hasn’t stopped from there. What was once the production centre for George’s Gourmet Kitchen is now an informal cafe that serves artisanal pizzas, excellent coffee and assorted desserts.

While you’re there, you can also buy their Italian and international products. They regularly add new items to the list. If you like them, you can also pick up their products through their partner outlets across India. Check their website to find out if  they are available near you.

Timings: 11 AM - 4 PM (on Saturdays, 11:30 AM - 3:30 PM), closed on Sundays

Location: Food Park Building, Golf Course Road, Pambarpurum

4. Daily Bread Pastry Corner

Daily Bread is Kodaikanal’s must-visit bakery, boasting a 30-year legacy. Set up by stalwarts of Kodaikanal, the Ghosh family, Daily Bread started when Prasanna Ghosh decided to bake a few loaves of bread in their family home’s wood-fired oven. Keeping with his father’s ideals, Prasanna’s always had a focus on keeping prices reasonable without compromising quality.

Stock runs out fast, so reach early to make sure your favourite food is still available. Join the waiting crowd at 10:30 on Bazaar Road, just off Seven-Roads Junction, and watch the delivery van pull up, full of freshly made treats. These include:

• Sponge cakes
• Plum cakes
• Flavoured buns 
• Loaves right out of the oven 
• A wide range of pastries like chocolate, pineapple and fruit
• Homemade soft, creamy ice cream flavours (definitely try these!)
• Pizza toasts
• Chutney/cheese sandwiches

Be aware that there may be no seating space available. There are two long benches outside, but they can quickly get occupied.

Location: Bazaar Road, Kodaikanal

Timings: 10:30 AM to 2:00 PM & 3:00 PM to 05:30 PM

5. The Pulney Hills Cafe

Kodaikanal is famous for the rolling green coffee plantations that stretch over its hillsides.  Many small coffee shops use indigenous coffee, the best of which is Pulney Hills Cafe, which sources its beans from Kodaikanal’s Palani Hills.

Once called Cafe Cariapa, this cosy upstairs coffee shop is run by two very knowledgeable baristas, who will prepare your drink to your liking. Every day, they bring in two soft, delicious homemade cakes to go with your coffee. If you’re lucky enough to arrive when they have a Tosca or carrot cake, you should definitely pack a few slices to eat later. Hot chocolate is available for the non-coffee drinkers.

Pulney Hills Coffee also sells wholesale and retail organic coffee, and you can ask the staff to grind the beans on-site if you’d like. You can also pick up Kodai cheeses, jams, pickles or honey while you’re here.

Location: JS Heritage Complex, PT Road, Kodaikanal

Timings: 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Visit Kodaikanal

Kodaikanal is a wonderful location to visit for any kind of hillside holiday — whether your interest lies in hiking, taking in nature or just staying at a home away from home. If you’re planning a visit, come stay with LuxUnlock at one of our luxury Kodaikanal villas. Our staff are eager to enrich your trip.