Reminiscent of a flat disc or plate, Karnataka’s thatte idli (a steamed rice and lentil cake) is larger than the usual variants of this cult favourite
dish. The ‘cloud-like’ texture of these idlis is lent by the ground tapioca pearls that go into the batter. With a side of hand-churned butter and spicy coconut chutney, the thatte idli is the ultimate crowd-puller.
In this article, we explore heritage restaurants and local spots that dish up this popular snack as well as famous idli joints in Bengaluru.
In a video put out by food and travel platform Curly Tales, Bollywood icon Deepika Padukone declared her love for the idlis served at Veena Stores in Malleshwaram. Started in 1977, the eatery has been thrilling its customers and the who’s who of the country with its South Indian fare.
It was once completely normal to see serpentine queues line up outside the 150 sq ft space, with eager customers waiting to get a taste of owner Suryanarayana’s specialities. Along with the idlis, another popular item on the menu is the shavige bath (a dish made with rice noodles) and puliogare (tamarind rice). Office-goers often load their tiffins with generous helpings before they dash off to work.
The thatte idlis at Umesh Dosa Point are fluffy, spongy and delectable, Picture source: Instagram:
No one who visits this iconic eatery in the city’s Seshadripuram locality leaves without sampling their thatte idlis, vadas (a fried savoury snack made with lentils), Mangalore bajji (a fried snack prepared with gram flour, curd, spices and vegetables), Mulbagal masala dosa (a unique type of dosa that is prepared with flattened rice also known as poha), and ghee podi idlis.
While this might sound like a , it is completely worth it, say loyal customers who have frequented the place for years.
As food researcher and writer Shivani Unakar shared in an interview with Conde Nast, “They [Umesh Dosa Point] are good for when you want something indulgent. They make the idlis, then pour a lot of ghee on them and sprinkle chutney podi (a flavourful condiment made with lentils and spices) on top. They’re so well known for the seasoning that they even sell packets of their chutney podi.”
Mavalli Tiffin Rooms has been serving South Indian fare since 1924, Picture source: Representational image
The pre-Independence marvel established in 1924 continues to have its hold on the people of the city and their palates. Aside from serving the perfect dosas, the .
An interesting story prequels the rava idlis — It is said that during World War II, the supply of rice was stemmed. In an effort to keep the restaurant running, founder Parampalli Yagnanaryana Maiya and his brothers decided to experiment with semolina as a substitute. And voila! The was born.
Soon this innovation garnered so much love from the people of Bengaluru that the eatery continued to prepare the rava idlis even once circumstances eased.
A passion for South Indian cuisine runs deep at Bengaluru’s IDC Kitchen and as their website reads, the “holy trinity of idli, dosa and coffee” is a celebration of the culture of the land.
As Joshua Muyiwa, a Bengaluru-based poet and arts and culture writer, shared in an interview with Conde Nast, “The ghee thatte idli at IDC Kitchen (multiple outposts) is superb. The spongy idli acts as the perfect base for the goodness of ghee, and when dunked into their , it becomes divine. And if you’re feeling experimental, go for the podi version — a crunchy spicy peanut powder topped over — for that play of texture and taste.”
On 26 November, 2023, the chefs at Bengaluru’s Rameshwaram Cafe were scrambling to bring a customer his order of ragi dosa, ghee roast dosa, medu vada (a doughnut-shaped fried snack made with lentils), ghee idli podi, kesari bath (a sweet prepared with semolina, sugar, ghee and milk), and filter coffee.
The customer was none other than Gary Mehigan, a chef of MasterChef Australia fame. The culinary legend took to Instagram to proclaim his love for the spread he was served adding that he would be back soon.
Having once sold idlis on a street cart by himself, Akash Kunigal now has two shops of his own in the city. As he shares with YouTube food channel ‘Food Lovers TV’, “I used to be a farmer in my village and came to the city a few years ago. Since then I have been preparing thatte idlis and these are always on the menu.”
Backed by a philosophy to serve few items but ensure they are delicious, Akash Kunigal’s food outlet serves around 2,000 idlis every evening. As he narrates his journey from a small cart initiative to now at the helm of the popular joint, Kunigal swells with pride.
The thatte idlis at Bidadi are very popular since the town is considered the birthplace of this dish, Picture source: Instagram:
“As light as air” is how many describe the thatte idlis at this joint that is located along the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway. The Bidadi area in the Ramanagara district that falls on this stretch of road is hailed as the birthplace of the thatte idlis, which is why the snack sometimes goes by the name Bidadi thatte idli.
The Sri Shiva Darshana Shashi Hotel in Bidadi town is a respite for travellers who stop by for a hearty breakfast or lunch, while traversing along the highway.
The story goes that the food joint came into existence in the 1950s. At the time, its acrey idli (soft triangular idlis that were precursors to the thatte idlis) was a crowd puller. Eventually, its fame grew, and today, the outlet sees travellers who are making their way to either of the two cities as well as people who come all the way just to have .
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The menu at Brahmin’s Coffee Bar has remained constant through the years and the original recipes are still followed, Picture source: Instagram:
Idli, vada, upitu (a South Indian breakfast dish made with roasted semolina and spices), and kesari bath — this is the menu at Brahmin’s Coffee Bar in Bengaluru. Having started with these four dishes in 1965, the place continues to serve them. The recipes are a constant here.
When Narasimha Rao started the eatery, it was the coffee that was the main draw. At the time, snacks were sourced from the local bakeries. Eventually, the family began preparing South Indian items and customers swear by the chutney that is said to be the glue that holds the menu together.
Edited by Pranita Bhat
In this article, we explore heritage restaurants and local spots that dish up this popular snack as well as famous idli joints in Bengaluru.
1. Veena Stores
In a video put out by food and travel platform Curly Tales, Bollywood icon Deepika Padukone declared her love for the idlis served at Veena Stores in Malleshwaram. Started in 1977, the eatery has been thrilling its customers and the who’s who of the country with its South Indian fare.
It was once completely normal to see serpentine queues line up outside the 150 sq ft space, with eager customers waiting to get a taste of owner Suryanarayana’s specialities. Along with the idlis, another popular item on the menu is the shavige bath (a dish made with rice noodles) and puliogare (tamarind rice). Office-goers often load their tiffins with generous helpings before they dash off to work.
2. Umesh Dosa Point
The thatte idlis at Umesh Dosa Point are fluffy, spongy and delectable, Picture source: Instagram:
No one who visits this iconic eatery in the city’s Seshadripuram locality leaves without sampling their thatte idlis, vadas (a fried savoury snack made with lentils), Mangalore bajji (a fried snack prepared with gram flour, curd, spices and vegetables), Mulbagal masala dosa (a unique type of dosa that is prepared with flattened rice also known as poha), and ghee podi idlis.
While this might sound like a , it is completely worth it, say loyal customers who have frequented the place for years.
As food researcher and writer Shivani Unakar shared in an interview with Conde Nast, “They [Umesh Dosa Point] are good for when you want something indulgent. They make the idlis, then pour a lot of ghee on them and sprinkle chutney podi (a flavourful condiment made with lentils and spices) on top. They’re so well known for the seasoning that they even sell packets of their chutney podi.”
3. Mavalli Tiffin Room
Mavalli Tiffin Rooms has been serving South Indian fare since 1924, Picture source: Representational image
The pre-Independence marvel established in 1924 continues to have its hold on the people of the city and their palates. Aside from serving the perfect dosas, the .
An interesting story prequels the rava idlis — It is said that during World War II, the supply of rice was stemmed. In an effort to keep the restaurant running, founder Parampalli Yagnanaryana Maiya and his brothers decided to experiment with semolina as a substitute. And voila! The was born.
Soon this innovation garnered so much love from the people of Bengaluru that the eatery continued to prepare the rava idlis even once circumstances eased.
4. IDC Kitchen
A passion for South Indian cuisine runs deep at Bengaluru’s IDC Kitchen and as their website reads, the “holy trinity of idli, dosa and coffee” is a celebration of the culture of the land.
As Joshua Muyiwa, a Bengaluru-based poet and arts and culture writer, shared in an interview with Conde Nast, “The ghee thatte idli at IDC Kitchen (multiple outposts) is superb. The spongy idli acts as the perfect base for the goodness of ghee, and when dunked into their , it becomes divine. And if you’re feeling experimental, go for the podi version — a crunchy spicy peanut powder topped over — for that play of texture and taste.”
5. Rameshwaram Cafe
On 26 November, 2023, the chefs at Bengaluru’s Rameshwaram Cafe were scrambling to bring a customer his order of ragi dosa, ghee roast dosa, medu vada (a doughnut-shaped fried snack made with lentils), ghee idli podi, kesari bath (a sweet prepared with semolina, sugar, ghee and milk), and filter coffee.
The customer was none other than Gary Mehigan, a chef of MasterChef Australia fame. The culinary legend took to Instagram to proclaim his love for the spread he was served adding that he would be back soon.
6. Akash Kunigal Thatte Idli
Having once sold idlis on a street cart by himself, Akash Kunigal now has two shops of his own in the city. As he shares with YouTube food channel ‘Food Lovers TV’, “I used to be a farmer in my village and came to the city a few years ago. Since then I have been preparing thatte idlis and these are always on the menu.”
Backed by a philosophy to serve few items but ensure they are delicious, Akash Kunigal’s food outlet serves around 2,000 idlis every evening. As he narrates his journey from a small cart initiative to now at the helm of the popular joint, Kunigal swells with pride.
7. Sri Shiva Darshana Shashi Hotel
The thatte idlis at Bidadi are very popular since the town is considered the birthplace of this dish, Picture source: Instagram:
“As light as air” is how many describe the thatte idlis at this joint that is located along the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway. The Bidadi area in the Ramanagara district that falls on this stretch of road is hailed as the birthplace of the thatte idlis, which is why the snack sometimes goes by the name Bidadi thatte idli.
The Sri Shiva Darshana Shashi Hotel in Bidadi town is a respite for travellers who stop by for a hearty breakfast or lunch, while traversing along the highway.
The story goes that the food joint came into existence in the 1950s. At the time, its acrey idli (soft triangular idlis that were precursors to the thatte idlis) was a crowd puller. Eventually, its fame grew, and today, the outlet sees travellers who are making their way to either of the two cities as well as people who come all the way just to have .
8. Brahmin’s Coffee Bar
[IMG alt="The menu at Brahmin's Coffee Bar has remained constant through the years and the original recipes are still followed"]
The menu at Brahmin’s Coffee Bar has remained constant through the years and the original recipes are still followed, Picture source: Instagram:
Idli, vada, upitu (a South Indian breakfast dish made with roasted semolina and spices), and kesari bath — this is the menu at Brahmin’s Coffee Bar in Bengaluru. Having started with these four dishes in 1965, the place continues to serve them. The recipes are a constant here.
When Narasimha Rao started the eatery, it was the coffee that was the main draw. At the time, snacks were sourced from the local bakeries. Eventually, the family began preparing South Indian items and customers swear by the chutney that is said to be the glue that holds the menu together.
Edited by Pranita Bhat