Best Biryani Places in Bengaluru For Must-Not-Miss Meals

With hints of saffron, tints of yellow, and a flavour that pleases the palates of royals and city folk alike, the biryani is no stranger to fame. If it could chronicle its adventures through time, it would have a telling narrative of all the places it’s been — from the empires of West Asia and the royal kitchens of the Moghuls to the military hotels that mushroomed across the country. Today, numerous roadside inns put their spin on the dish.

Once a dish for kings, the biryani’s stance has evolved and now reflects local sensibilities in every version. And speaking of versions, Bengaluru seems to have plenty of its own. Here, we explore them.

1. Shivaji Military Hotel

When in Bengaluru, your trip is incomplete without a visit to one of the city’s iconic military hotels. The story of their advent traces back to the 17th century following the Maratha’s conquest of the city. As the Maratha communities settled and expanded across Bengaluru, they introduced protein-rich dishes to satisfy the hunger of their soldiers.

To date, these military hotels — run by the Kannadigas of Maratha origin — continue this tradition with their meaty affairs. One of the oldest military hotels, ‘Shivaji Military Hotel’ in Jayanagar was started in 1924 by a Maratha named S Mannaji Rao. It serves “spectacular” donne biryani, according to food journalist and author Kunal Vijayakar.

As he notes, “Spicy, tangy, filled with masalas…but you’ll have to taste it to believe it!”

2. Nagarjuna

Over three decades ago in 1984, an agriculturist from Andhra Pradesh, N Krishna Reddy came to the shores of Bengaluru with a dream and a love for cooking. People flocked to his eatery on Residency Road to sample food that combined their favourite meats with the earthy flavours from the coastal town of Andhra.

The biryanis here are claimed to be ‘robust’ because of the powerful spices that make their way into each dish. Today, these hit flavours can be tasted across the many outlets of Nagarjuna at Koramangala, Bannerghatta and Indiranagar. While the original recipe is a closely guarded secret, customers are urged to try the chicken biryani, the mutton meatballs, and the Chick 65 fry.

3. Ranganna Military Hotel

A household name, among the city’s foodies, whose story of inception is as fascinating as the biryani served here. The story goes that the owner R Munirangappa was a famous wrestler in the 70s. In an interview with The Times of India, he recalled, “My grandmother Thayaramma who was a specialist in Kannada cuisine, started the eatery using her savings. It became a gradual success, and my father shifted the business to Yediyur in 1967 after she retired due to old age.”

The mutton and chicken biryanis attract great fanfare with their seductive aromas and masalas that Munirangappa says are ground using traditional stone grinders.

4. SG Rao Military Hotel

An aromatic symphony is brewed at this legendary hotel in the Cottonpet area of Bengaluru. The Sri Govinda Rao Military Hotel has managed to amass quite a loyal set of patrons over the last century that it has been around. And the astounding feat has been managed with zero publicity.

This particular military hotel was born when Govinda Rao from Ramanagara came to the Petta area of Old Bengaluru in the early 1900s looking for jobs in eateries. His love for cooking soon led him to start one of his own in 1908 in a thatched room where the aromas of donne biryani lured the public. You’ll be surprised to know that the eatery opens at 4 am to serve piping hot paya soup to all.

5. Ambur Star Biryani

One of Deepika Padukone’s favourites, as she mentioned in an interview with Curly Tales, the ambur biryani is steeped in history and is a one-pot meal where succulent pieces of meat are cooked in jeera samba rice.

As the venture’s website notes, it was the legendary Hussian Baig, a cook in the Moghul kitchen, who came up with the original recipe in 1890 and began selling biryani from his home. To carry this legacy ahead, his son and their children opened multiple outlets in the city all serving the famed ambur biryani.

6. Dum Durust

In contrast to the traditional eateries with varied histories, the ‘biryani in a box’ concept by Dum Durust is a modern take. Whether it is contemporary biryanis you are craving — Classic Hyderabadi biryani, Nellore biryani, Awadhi biryani, or even newer recipes and flavours, Dum Durust has your back.

Chef Manu Chandra recalled in an interview with Condé Nast how he is a fan of the Awadhi biryani. “The rice-to-meat proportion is great, and they don’t scrimp on quality and quantity either. Plus, Bengalis in Bangalore swear that the Calcutta biryani there is the closest you’ll get to anything like it in the city.”

7. Meghana’s

Similar to Dum Durust, Meghana’s caters to an audience that is looking for biryanis on the go in contrast to those who would like to experience a sit-down lunch. With outlets all across the city, Meghana’s prides itself on the Andhra-style food they serve and encourages their customers to choose among 100 varieties. The must-haves, according to customers are the prawns ghee roast and the nati chicken biryani.

8. Koshy’s

A timeless landmark in Bengaluru, Koshy’s is not just a restaurant, it is nostalgia preserved amidst the once-colonial ambience. Koshy’s was the brainchild of a bank executive P Oommen Koshy. He lost his job during World War II and opened a bakery in the Cantonment area of Bengaluru where he baked bread for the garrisons. In 1952 he leased a plot behind the cathedral at St Marks Road corner, moved his bakery, and opened ‘Parade Café’ adjacent to it, which would one day be known as Koshy’s.

A Condé Nast article claims that the late Gundu Rao, erstwhile chief minister of Karnataka, once told owner Prem Koshy, “I have met your father and grandfather and seen you as a kid. I have travelled across the globe looking for peace and quiet, and this is the only place I find it.” A classic here is the fish biryani.

Edited by Pranita Bhat

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