Guidebook for Madurai
Popular Restaurants serving native food
I have compiled a list of so native and authentic restaurants that serve unique veg & Non-veg dishes.
Madurai is also known as the food capital of Tamilnadu due to its diverse food culture.
Ask me and I will tell you what dishes are not to be missed at these restaurants.
An authentic south Indian restaurant for spicy non veg food. Very popular for their sea food menu options. The crab omelette, mutton bone marrow omelette are delicacies here. They serve amazing fish and crabs.
Biryani is not their strength. Choose meals and go for side dishes. Do not miss their fish gravy. one of the best.
Within walking distance from my home.
Amma Mess
136 Alagar Kovil Main RdAn authentic south Indian restaurant for spicy non veg food. Very popular for their sea food menu options. The crab omelette, mutton bone marrow omelette are delicacies here. They serve amazing fish and crabs.
Biryani is not their strength. Choose meals and go for side dishes. Do not miss their fish gravy. one of the best.
Within walking distance from my home.
A popular restaurant for lunch & dinner.
They serve great mutton Kari dosa, mutton kola and fish fry varieties. If you love parotta, just try it here. They make the finest of parottas.
Their prawn masala is yummy.
Mutton chukka and crab omelette are amazing. They serve great gravies for their Non-veg lunch.
And it's close to my place. Just a 10 min walk. They have three branches in Madurai.
Kumar Mess
57 Alagar Kovil Main RoadA popular restaurant for lunch & dinner.
They serve great mutton Kari dosa, mutton kola and fish fry varieties. If you love parotta, just try it here. They make the finest of parottas.
Their prawn masala is yummy.
Mutton chukka and crab omelette are amazing. They serve great gravies for their Non-veg lunch.
And it's close to my place. Just a 10 min walk. They have three branches in Madurai.
Murugan Idli is a veg restaurant serving the best Idlis you can have. They started from this location and have branched out to many locations in other cities too.
They first served 5 types of chutneys for idli. Their ghee podi idli is addictive. Don't miss the sweet Pongal and small onion oothappam. Their dosa varieties are too good.
They also serve Jigarthanda here. The desert that has become too popular for travellers to not miss.
Murugan Idli Shop
196 W Masi StMurugan Idli is a veg restaurant serving the best Idlis you can have. They started from this location and have branched out to many locations in other cities too.
They first served 5 types of chutneys for idli. Their ghee podi idli is addictive. Don't miss the sweet Pongal and small onion oothappam. Their dosa varieties are too good.
They also serve Jigarthanda here. The desert that has become too popular for travellers to not miss.
An exclusive restaurant that serves only dosas and in 100 varieties. Mostly crowded and very popular with the locals.
Try Channa dosa, garlic dosa, curry podi dosa, kova dosa(sweet), Paneer cheese dosa and Manchurian dosa.
They have a lot of other varieties, but the above mentioned dosas are unique and must try. The dosa size is small and you can have 4-5 dosas.
Ayyappan Dosai Kadai
Pandiya Velalar StreetAn exclusive restaurant that serves only dosas and in 100 varieties. Mostly crowded and very popular with the locals.
Try Channa dosa, garlic dosa, curry podi dosa, kova dosa(sweet), Paneer cheese dosa and Manchurian dosa.
They have a lot of other varieties, but the above mentioned dosas are unique and must try. The dosa size is small and you can have 4-5 dosas.
Extremely popular for their mutton and chicken biryanis in Madurai for more than 50 years. The place looks old and service may not be their strength but the taste of their biryanis are heavenly.
Always crowded and have to wait to get a seat. They also serve nonveg breakfast in the morning which is so rare in Madurai.
Normally PPL don't have nonveg food for breakfast here, but in Amsavalli bhavan check their karivada and paaya.
Amsavalli Bhavan Hotel
42 E Veli StExtremely popular for their mutton and chicken biryanis in Madurai for more than 50 years. The place looks old and service may not be their strength but the taste of their biryanis are heavenly.
Always crowded and have to wait to get a seat. They also serve nonveg breakfast in the morning which is so rare in Madurai.
Normally PPL don't have nonveg food for breakfast here, but in Amsavalli bhavan check their karivada and paaya.
A very native nonveg restaurant popular among the locals. Located in the busiest commercial shopping area of Madurai, they serve authentic chicken chukka, mutton chukka, amazing gravies and fish varieties.
A very local favourite.
Arulanandam Meals Hotel
13 Kamarajar SalaiA very native nonveg restaurant popular among the locals. Located in the busiest commercial shopping area of Madurai, they serve authentic chicken chukka, mutton chukka, amazing gravies and fish varieties.
A very local favourite.
A nonveg restaurant popular for their Kari dosai and mutton delicacies. They were the ones to popularise mutton Kari dosa.
Try their Vengaya Kari, suvarotti, elumbu roast and kudal kulambu. The chicken and mutton chukkas are too good.
There are two branches. This one at North veli St and the other one in Anna bus stand area(near collector office)
Though both belong to different management's, both the places serve great food. But the dishes are spicy and beware of it.
KONAR MESS
North Veli StreetA nonveg restaurant popular for their Kari dosai and mutton delicacies. They were the ones to popularise mutton Kari dosa.
Try their Vengaya Kari, suvarotti, elumbu roast and kudal kulambu. The chicken and mutton chukkas are too good.
There are two branches. This one at North veli St and the other one in Anna bus stand area(near collector office)
Though both belong to different management's, both the places serve great food. But the dishes are spicy and beware of it.
Jigarthanda is a very popular desert in Madurai. And this shop called FAMOUS JIGARTHANDA is tasty and popular for Jigarthanda than other shops. They have 30 plus shops in Madurai but their first one at Vilakkuthoon area is the most popular destination.
It's a cold milk shake kind of drink that's thick with a mix of agar agar, sarbath and home made ice-cream.
Famous Jigarthanda
94 Kamarajar SalaiJigarthanda is a very popular desert in Madurai. And this shop called FAMOUS JIGARTHANDA is tasty and popular for Jigarthanda than other shops. They have 30 plus shops in Madurai but their first one at Vilakkuthoon area is the most popular destination.
It's a cold milk shake kind of drink that's thick with a mix of agar agar, sarbath and home made ice-cream.
Sightseeing
The most popular destination in Madurai and the reason so many tourists and travellers come to Madurai. The beauty of the stone carvings and statues are beyond words. Built by the Pandya kings and completed by the Naicker kings, it was built by many kings and hundreds of years old.
Best time is to visit early morning as it's not hot and less tourist crowd. Foreigners and PPL coming for the first time can engage a guide who can speak your language as the history and data of this temple is so vast and many events have happened here. You may need an hour and a half to see the entire temple complex. There are special tickets to get closer to God and avoid the huge queue.
Cameras, mobile phones and bags are not allowed inside the temple. You have to deposit in a locker facility run by the temple at the east entrance.
DRESS CODE- Shorts and short skirts are not allowed. knee should be covered and shoulders should be covered.
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The most popular destination in Madurai and the reason so many tourists and travellers come to Madurai. The beauty of the stone carvings and statues are beyond words. Built by the Pandya kings and completed by the Naicker kings, it was built by many kings and hundreds of years old.
Best time is to visit early morning as it's not hot and less tourist crowd. Foreigners and PPL coming for the first time can engage a guide who can speak your language as the history and data of this temple is so vast and many events have happened here. You may need an hour and a half to see the entire temple complex. There are special tickets to get closer to God and avoid the huge queue.
Cameras, mobile phones and bags are not allowed inside the temple. You have to deposit in a locker facility run by the temple at the east entrance.
DRESS CODE- Shorts and short skirts are not allowed. knee should be covered and shoulders should be covered.
Remains of a very beautiful palace built by King Thirumalai Naicker from Hampi who ruled Madurai in the early 17th century.
What's special about this palace is, this is the only structure in the world that's a fusion of the Mogul & Roman Architecture.
The palace was designed by an Italian lady architect who came to Kerala to build churches for the Christian missionaries.
King Thirumalai Naicker engaged her to design this palace for him and as she was inspired by Tajmahal, she designed this.palace as a fusion of both the Architecture styles.
Evening they have a light and sound show both in English and Tamil. There is an entry ticket for visitors and a ticket to take your camera inside.
Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal
Palace RoadRemains of a very beautiful palace built by King Thirumalai Naicker from Hampi who ruled Madurai in the early 17th century.
What's special about this palace is, this is the only structure in the world that's a fusion of the Mogul & Roman Architecture.
The palace was designed by an Italian lady architect who came to Kerala to build churches for the Christian missionaries.
King Thirumalai Naicker engaged her to design this palace for him and as she was inspired by Tajmahal, she designed this.palace as a fusion of both the Architecture styles.
Evening they have a light and sound show both in English and Tamil. There is an entry ticket for visitors and a ticket to take your camera inside.
The Gandhi Museum is one of the four museums in India for Mahatma Gandhi that has his personal articles. The blood stained Dhoti that Gandhi was wearing when he was shot is preserved here in a.glass encasing along with his spinwheel, footwear, books and glasses among other personal.effects.
The museum also elaborates on the freedom movement by photo displays and there is a book shop that sells books by Gandhi and books on him.
Madurai was chosen to have Gandhi's museum as Mahatma Gandhi gaveup his full suit style of dressing and adorned the Dhoti at Madurai railway junction when he visited madurai.
Gandhi museum
Collector Office RoadThe Gandhi Museum is one of the four museums in India for Mahatma Gandhi that has his personal articles. The blood stained Dhoti that Gandhi was wearing when he was shot is preserved here in a.glass encasing along with his spinwheel, footwear, books and glasses among other personal.effects.
The museum also elaborates on the freedom movement by photo displays and there is a book shop that sells books by Gandhi and books on him.
Madurai was chosen to have Gandhi's museum as Mahatma Gandhi gaveup his full suit style of dressing and adorned the Dhoti at Madurai railway junction when he visited madurai.
A huge water tank with an island in the middle that has boat service to go there. This tank belongs to the Mariamman temple close to it. A tank float festival happens once a year in November that attracts a huge number of devotees.
In the evenings, it's like a beach with many street vendors and cart eateries on one side of the temple and families bring their kids for time pass.
Vandiyur Mariamman Teppakulam
A huge water tank with an island in the middle that has boat service to go there. This tank belongs to the Mariamman temple close to it. A tank float festival happens once a year in November that attracts a huge number of devotees.
In the evenings, it's like a beach with many street vendors and cart eateries on one side of the temple and families bring their kids for time pass.
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Buses
Madurai is well connected by the government buses and they are the cheapest way to travel around.
In Tamilnadu bus travel is free for women. But not on all buses. Only on specific buses that are painted in pink at the front.
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OLA taxis and Autorickshaws
Download OLA and use it to book your ride. It's cheaper than engaging an autorickshaw or taxi directly.
After you make a booking the drivers expect you to call them and confirm. So don't think they will come to pick you seeing the map. That doesn't happen here.
Also many of the OLA autorickshaws ask for rs 20 or 30 more than what's shown on the app and it's still cheaper than engaging an non OLA taxi or autorickshaw.
OLA also has bike rides that are just a little more than the bus ticket cost. If you are a lone traveller it may be useful taking the bike taxis from OLA or RAPIDO.