8 Places Where You Can Enjoy Delicious Street Food In Chennai, And That Too Under A Small Budget

The street food of Chennai is something you should try atleast once in your lifetime. Chennai’s food is much more than Idli and Dosa.

In a country like India, one can never complain about the lack of diversity and tradition. The same is with the numerous kinds of food served in different states. In this fast-growing nation of diverse cultures, apart from the Internet, street food too has developed in its variety and tastes. It is often assumed that Chennai is a city that is highly inclined towards its traditional food and practices. But once you visit the streets of Chennai, you will be surprised to see a lot of variety in food; definitely beyond just idly and Dosa. From hot coffee to chat and more, here is a list highlighting some of the most popular street foods in Chennai.

Royal Sandwich

Sandwich

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Feed yourself with some yummy sandwiches at really cheap rates at the Royal Sandwich Shop. They have a huge variety in both- vegetarian and non-vegetarian items. Out of their 113 items, you must try their ‘Tandoori Chicken and Mayo Sandwich’.

Address and number: Shop no.159/160, TT Krishnamachari Road, Alwarpet. Call- 098418 91268
Open from 10 am to 10 pm.

Atho Man

noodles

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Atho is a dish that has a mixture of noodles, shredded cabbage and onions garnished with tamarind, salt, fried onions, chili flakes, garlic and Ajinomoto. It is of Burmese origin and is served popularly in Chennai by food stall vendors.

Address and number: Shop no.149, Opposite Nagamani Hospital, Old Washermanpet. Call- 098408 78957. Open from 8 am to 10 pm.

O.S.B Hot Chat

Chaat

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Heavy rush in most evenings and on weekends, it is unbelievable to see the shop filled with youngsters waiting for their turn to bite into some yummy chat items. If you can manage to tolerate the massive crowd, rush to this hotspot in Chennai. In case you can’t, learn to do it bro! After all, you’re going to enjoy some good food.

Address and number: 82, Lake View Road, West Mambalam. Call- 9940486611. Open from 11 am to 10 pm.

Podi Dosa in Pondy Bazar

Dosa

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Pondy Bazaar is a market in T. Nagar. It is a place where you would find everything from pin to plane at reasonable rates. There is a famous food cart that serves one of the tastiest Podi Dosa (meaning dosa with a powder made from different Indian spices). If you already know the mouth-watering taste of a Podi Dosa, this is a must-visit place to enjoy this dish with a pinch of authenticity and traditional tastes.

Address and number: Pondy Bazaar, T. Nagar. No phone available.

Madras Coffee House

Coffee

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Chennai is a city known for its amazing filter coffee. Even if you are a coffee lover, you should let your tongue burn to some hot coffee in this coffee shop. It is known for its salt and sweet biscuits that will accompany your cup of coffee.
Address and number: Arcot Road, 93, Director’s Colony, Kodambakkam. Call- 096421 81567.
Open from 5:30 am to 10 pm.

The Kalaan Shop

Mushroom

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Kaalan is a road side snack made from mushrooms. They have their stalls across the city, the most famous one being the one on Arcot Road. These shops generally serve kalaan, masala poori, pani poori (different style from the traditional pani poori) and bhel poori.

Address and number:  Rayar’s Mess

Rayar’s Mess

Idli

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This is the most popular traditional mess in the city that serves you typical South Indian food that you are sure to love. Rayar’s Mess is easy to miss but practically everyone in the area gives you accurate directions to the narrow street where a lone board hangs from an aged house.

Address and number: 31, Arundel St, Madhavaperumalpuram, Mylapore. Call- 044 24670519.
Open from 7:30 am to 10:30 am & 3 pm to 6:30 pm.

Karishma Pani Puri

Pani Puri

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The items served are pani puri, bhel puri, jhaal muri, churmur chaat, bread channa, dahi papdi chaat and masala puri. You will be taken aback to taste some authentic dishes that seems like they have been parceled from Kolkata. But, Phoolsingh and Ramesh will clear your doubts by simply cooking your dish in front of you.

Address and number: 58, Nungambakkam High Road. No phone available. Open from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

Cover image via Shuterstock

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Harini Prasad

19 // Mass Communications from Hyderabad // Aspiring journalist // Food and fashion lover read more...

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