Following my previous posts The Ultimate Guide to Eating Out in Gokulam and I Get the Sweetest Feeling in Mysore, I’ve also had the pleasure to sample some great places to eat further afield, in the city of Mysore itself. It would be impossible to try every eaterie out there (without putting on a ton of weight), so these are simply my favourite restaurants and home-cooks outside of the Gokulam area.
Key:
- $
- = cheap as chips
- $$
- = mid-range
- $$$
- = expect to pay a bit more
- LHS
- = left hand side
- RHS
- = right hand side
Hotel Dasaprakash
Hotel Dasaprakash North Indian thali
Gandhi Square, Mysore 570001 $
This is a great traditional lunchtime experience where you’re likely to be the only Westerners on site. It’s a canteen-style restaurant where you order your plate meal at the counter and it gets delivered to your table. The food is excellent and you can choose between the South Indian, North Indian or North Indian Special thali, all of which have full descriptions of what’s included. Personally I prefer the North Indian special, as it contains a decent variety of vegetable dishes, as well as rice, breads, curd and even a dessert too – all for only Rs90! Open around 1pm for lunch. http://www.mysoredasaprakashgroup.com/demo/dasaprakash/
Triple R Hotel
Exterior of Triple R Hotel
Susan enjoying a thali at Triple R
Gandhi Square Circle, Mysore 570001 $
This gets confusing as there are 2 “Triple R” restaurants in Mysore, but I’ve only been to one of them – as per the photo. I think this was the one on Gandhi Square Circle near the palace, but there’s also a second branch on Sri Harsha Road. Lunchtime thalis are served on plantain leaves and the waiters will keep bringing more food until you tell them to stop. Good variety and good quality too.
Three Sisters
Lunch at Three Sisters
Enjoying lunch at Three Sisters
364 Cheluvamba, Agrahara, Mysore 570024 – a few houses to the right of the Kaveri Hotel $$
The three sisters offer lunch as well as massage. You call ahead to book and they’ll make enough food to feed your whole group and then some. When I went there were about 10 of us and we sat on the floor in rows in what felt like an entrance hall to a very small house. The cook would come out, deliver food to our plates, then disappear back into the kitchen, bolting the door behind her each time. An odd experience but very good food! Around Rs220 for lunch. Call +91-08212-522788 to book.
Nagaratna’s
Nagaratna’s breakfast
884 Chamundeshwari Road (near Siddappa Square), Lakshmipuram $$
Nagaratna offers home-cooked breakfast and lunch in her home in Lakshmipuram. She and her husband are very friendly and cook delicious food. They also have a yogic supplies shop selling mats, bags, clothing, books, etc. Call +91-9845-302932 or +91-8212-333876 to book. info@yogicsupplies.com; http://www.yogicsupplies.com
Sandhya’s
Part of Sandhya’s delicious lunch
1472 1st Main Road, 7th Cross, Krishnamurthypuram, Mysore 570004 $$
Sandhya has been cooking lunches for yoga students for many years and apparently even used to cook for Guruji. You need to call ahead to book but it seems she can cater for up to about 15 people at a time. She’s a lovely lady and her food is delicious. She also offers cooking lessons and has published a cookbook, which you can only buy online. Rs200 for lunch. Call +91-9901-267189 to book.
Hotel Mylari
Hotel Mylari’s butter dosa
79 Nazarbad, Mysore 570010 – near Nazarbad Police Station $
This place also causes some confusion, as there are 2 Hotel Mylaris in the same street! I heard they’re run by 2 brothers, but I also heard one is the original place and the other just an inferior copy. Well, I’ve no idea which one I ended up in (the other was closed when I went anyway), but it certainly didn’t disappoint. Some say Mylari is the birthplace of the Mysore dosa, and I certainly can’t argue that they serve damn fine dosas, especially if you like butter! The dosas are crispy on the outside but literally melt in your mouth, and are served with a fresh non-spicy coconut chutney. You get served very quickly and at under Rs20 per dosa, the only trouble is knowing when to stop! A great place for an Indian breakfast treat.
Cafe Mandira (Old Mandala School)
Cafe Mandira fusion thali
581 Diwan’s Road, Lakshmipuram, Double Tank, Chamaraj Mohalla, Mysore 5700021 $$
Cafe Mandira has a wide selection of teas, coffees, juices, smoothies, cereals and omelettes for breakfast. For lunch and dinner they offer soups, pasta and noodles as well as their unique fusion thali, mixing traditional Indian spices with more westernised dishes and flavours. For the thali you need to order at least 4 hours in advance. They offer vegan food at all times and also offer a catering and party service as well as cooking classes. Open every day 8.30am-8pm. Call Prashanth on +91-9886-327655 or Harish on +91-8904-805722. Facebook: mysoreyogamandira.
Maya/Janaki Cafe
Maya salad and juice
Maya’s fabulous pizza
451 Jhansi Rani Lakshmi Bai Road, Chamrajpuram (near Lakshmipuram) $$
Janaki House of Conscious Living and Maya Boutique & Cafe are one and the same – a shop selling beautiful clothes and gifts made at Auroville, and a lovely cafe serving a selection of Indian dishes, sandwiches, salads, soups, cakes, hot and cold drinks. There’s a pretty garden area in the front and free wifi, and it makes for a great post-shopping lunch or coffee spot, as Fab India is just a short walk away. But the best thing about Maya is the brand new brick pizza oven they just installed in November 2014. I recently had the pleasure of sampling their freshly cooked thin-crust pizzas and, with toppings such as basil, rosemary, feta, spinach and pesto, I can categorically confirm that this is far and away the best pizza in Mysore! An absolute must for all pizza lovers. Open every day 9am-9pm.
Hotel Regaalis
13-14 Vinobha Road, Mysore 570005 $$$
This hotel is one of the most popular places for “pool days” amongst the local yoga community, as it’s just a short drive out of Gokulam and you can lounge by their pool for Rs340 per day. They also have a restaurant in the hotel and I’m told the buffet lunch is very good, but very expensive (by Indian standards) at around Rs700 I believe. http://www.ushalexushotels.com/mysore/
Royal Orchid Metropole Hotel
Metropole’s paneer tikka
Metropole’s biryani
5 JLB Road, CFTRI Campus, Mysore 570005 $$$
Right next door to Regaalis sits the Metropole, a beautiful hotel full of colonial charm. The open-air restaurant, with its natural foliage and stylishly decorated tables, makes for a peaceful and romantic setting, especially in the candlelit evenings. They offer an Indian buffet lunch at a similar price to the Regaalis, and have a full à la carte menu in the evenings. With Indian, oriental and continental dishes, veg and non-veg options, appetisers, soups and desserts, the menu really does cater for all. They also have a fully stocked bar – unusual for Mysore – with everything from beer and wine to spirits and cocktails. Just watch out for the Moscow Mule – it should be a long drink made from vodka, ginger beer and lime but what a friend actually received was a shot of vodka, a bottle of beer and a piece of raw ginger! I think something got a little lost in translation there… http://www.royalorchidhotels.com/royal-orchid-metropole-mysore/overview.asp
Namaste!
– Hannah Moss (Ashtanga & Angels)
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