Taste global cuisine at Chennai’s food streets

In the last few decades, Seoul, Hanoi, Bangkok, Mumbai and Kuala Lumpur are some of the Asian countries that immediately come to mind when one thinks of low-budget, delicious and diverse eating options. Chennai has made its way to the list, thanks to a number of food streets that have sprung up across the city. Starting from Arabian kebabs to American Burgers you can find neat little alleys on arterial roads of Chennai with huge neon sign boards that say ‘Food Streets’.

Shyam, the owner of Ammu’s Kitchen at ECR Food Street says, “Food is the only business that has been thriving in the last couple of years-- especially food streets. It is because they have car-parks, people do not have to follow restricted seating rules like they do in a closed restaurant. There are several menu options from 10 to 12 restaurants on an average in a food street and they can sit as long as they want to and not have to vacate the table when someone else walks in.” A typical food street has food options starting from Rs 8 and goes on till Rs 800 or more. “There is tea for Rs 8 and a bucket biriyani in the same place for Rs 800. We come here with my group of friends every weekend and spend several hours there. We try almost every food stall here and it is an affordable Rs 250 to 300 per person. The one on ECR is nearest to the beach. So beach, followed by dinner makes for a perfect evening,” says Thilak Raj, a student.

Apart from ECR, OMR Food Street in Navalur, Velachery Food Street on 100 Feet By-Pass Road, M’s Food Street in Medavakkam, KC Food Square in Kandanchavadi, and Koraa Food Street in Anna Nagar are some of the prominent ones in Chennai.

“Food streets are a preferred destination for families as they have everything in one place. Friday to Sunday evenings are tightly packed. People who visit Phoenix Market City come here to eat dinner. Be it Turkish food or Kerala cuisine, it’s all here,” says Ebin, the proprietor of Ammachi Veedu in Velachery Food Street. “We caught up with a show of Valimai in the nearby mall and came to food street. There are seven of us in our family and we managed to get food of our choice without burning a hole in the monthly budget. Here my dad could order dosa and I chose to have Chinese food while my kids went for waffles. Everything put together cost us Rs 1,000,” says Ashok Kumar, a resident of Pallavaram, who was at the OMR Food Street in Navalur with his family.