The short answer
Try a sadya on a banana leaf, appam with stew for breakfast, karimeen pollichathu on the backwaters, Malabar biryani in the north and a simple toddy shop lunch. Kerala food is based on coconut, rice, spices and fresh fish.
Where to start
Start with a sadya, the vegetarian feast served on a banana leaf, and eat it with your right hand as everyone around you will.
On the coast, ask for karimeen pollichathu, pearlspot wrapped in banana leaf. Buy a fish at the Fort Kochi quay and have it grilled in front of you.
Inland, the toddy shops do the heavy lifting: fiery beef fry, thick red rice, appam. Ask your driver where he eats.
Dishes worth looking for
Sadya
A vegetarian feast of rice and many small dishes on a banana leaf, eaten at festivals such as Onam and at weddings. Some restaurants serve it at lunchtime.
Appam and stew
Soft rice pancakes with lacy edges, served with a mild coconut stew. A classic breakfast.
Puttu and kadala
Steamed rice and coconut cylinders with black chickpea curry. Another breakfast favourite.
Karimeen pollichathu
Pearlspot fish from the backwaters, marinated, wrapped in banana leaf and cooked. Ask for it on houseboats and in Kumarakom.
Malabar biryani
A fragrant rice dish from the north, around Kozhikode and Thalassery, made with short grain rice.
Fish curry and moilee
Tangy red fish curry with kudampuli, a sour fruit, or a mild yellow coconut moilee.
Where to eat
Fort Kochi has cafes and seafood places near the harbour. Houseboat cooks make some of the best home style food you will eat. Toddy shops serve spicy local dishes with rice, though they are basic. In the north, Kozhikode is known for its biryani and sweets.
From our Cochin officeThe best meals are often in homes. We can arrange a cooking class or lunch with a local family, which many of our travellers say is the highlight of their trip.
Vegetarian and mild food
Kerala is easy for vegetarians, with dosa, thoran, avial, sambar and sadya. If you prefer mild food, say so. Most kitchens are happy to cook with less chilli. Ask about coconut if you have an allergy, because it is in almost everything.
Eating well with local help
Our Kerala office in Cochin has been planning trips for 20 years, and Globe Travel Centre has been trading since 2006. Our team eats in these places every week. We can suggest restaurants, arrange cooking classes and spice garden visits, and tell your driver what you want to try.
Frequently asked questions
It can be, but most dishes can be made milder if you ask.
Busy places with food cooked fresh in front of you are usually fine. Drink bottled or filtered water.
Appam and stew for breakfast and a sadya for lunch are a good start.
