Chennai’s street food scene hasn’t just been shaped by short-lived Instagram trends but by waves of migration to a city that became one of India’s most vibrant commercial centres and port cities. From the frenetic streets of Triplicane and Mylapore to the beaches at Besant Nagar and the iconic Marina, each street food hub has its own story to tell. The lanes that run parallel to the Chennai Port offers Burmese influenced street food that reflect the wave of Tamils who moved to the city from Burma in the 1960s while the flavours of Rajasthan in the back alleys of Sowcarpet reflect the large presence of the Marwari community over a century in the area. There are few cities in India that offer the myriad street food flavours of Chennai.
Also Read: Dining Out In Chennai? Here Are 10 Restaurants Perfect For Family Bonding
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Here Are 15 Must-Try Street Foods In Chennai:
1. Beach Treats at the Marina Beach
Chennai’s iconic Marina Beach is famous for its Chilli Bajji and Thenga Maanga Patani Sundal, a dish of chickpeas tempered with coconut and raw mango. The beach is also home to some of the best seafood stalls, like Sundari Akka Kadai, which serves the fresh catch of the day. Their fish curry rice and squid fry are both crowd favourites.
2. Tiffin and Filter Coffee at Mami Tiffin Stall
Tucked away in one of Mylapore’s alleys near the iconic Kapaleeshwarar temple, this popular local establishment is open throughout the day. It truly comes alive during tiffin time, offering popular snacks such as adai avial and Mysore Bonda served with invigorating filter coffee.
- Where: Pitchu Street, Mylapore
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3. Shawarmas at Firdaus Cafe
One of the most popular establishments in the Triplicane area, near the Chepauk cricket stadium and the famous 18th-century Big Mosque, is Firdaus Cafe. Known for its excellent shawarmas, both the chicken shawarma and grilled chicken are highly recommended. Locals mention that they prepare 50 whole chickens daily on their rotisserie.
- Where: Triplicane High Road
4. Maya Chats
The team at Maya Chats takes pride in their Jodhpur connection. This spot offers the closest experience to the Jodhpur version in Chennai. Street food enthusiasts line up not only for their signature onion kachori but also for their decadent sweet kachori, which has been featured in numerous slow-motion videos on social media feeds.
- Where: Audiappa Naicken Street
Photo Credit: Ashwin Rajagopalan
5. Murukku Sandwich at S Chinnappa Sandwich Centre
One of the hubs for one of North Chennai’s most unique street food innovations is the murukku sandwich. “Murukku” (in Tamil) literally translates to twisted. This dish transforms the classic Mumbai sandwich into a bite-sized crunchy treat, where traditional Mumbai ingredients such as mint chutney and vegetable cuts are packed into crispy murukkus (or chaklis).
6. Bun Butter Jam at Gopaul Diary
Located close to the Madras High Court, this local legend dates back to the 1950s. Their fluffy buns feature generous quantities of jam and butter sourced from the famous butter-producing town of Uthukuli and are always served warm.
- Where: Philips Street, George Town
7. Atho at Athoman
Atho is probably the dish that defines Chennai’s version of Burmese food. It’s actually a variation of a Burmese salad known as Khauk swe thoke. This wheat noodle salad is made with dried shrimp, cabbage, carrots, fish sauce, and finished with lime and fried peanut oil. The Chennai version omits the fish sauce and typically includes grated carrots, cabbage, fried onions combined with garlic oil, chili powder, and lime juice. Try it at popular establishments like Burma Food Atho Shop in Mannady or Athoman in Royapuram.
- Where: MS Koil Street, Royapuram
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8. Mint Pakoda at Sri Karpagambal Sweets
This is one of the most popular food stops in the historic Mylapore area. Sri Karapagambal Sweets is best known for its mint pakoda and extra-large onion samosa.
- Where: Sri Vinayaka Nagar Colony, Mylapore
9. The Legendary Egmore Sandwich
Originally called the Alsa Mall sandwich, this street food trend took off in the 1990s, coinciding with the rise of mobile sales and marketing executives needing quick, anytime food stops. Many of these stalls appeared around Montieth Road, near Alsa Mall, and this sandwich has been immortalized in popular Tamil blockbusters like Vikram. The best spot for these sandwiches now is probably Balaji Sandwich Stall, known for their chicken cheese and chili cheese toast.
10. Anmol Lassiwala
This camera-friendly ‘lassiwala’ is located close to Kakada Ramprasad, a popular spot known for their chaats and delicious badam milk. Anmol’s trademark creamy lassi with a hint of saffron is the perfect antidote after you’ve feasted on all the spicy chaats in the area.
Photo Credit: iStock
11. Kolkata Style Kathi Roll at Bayleaf OTG
Bayleaf has long been one of Chennai’s most popular restaurants for Kolkata cuisine. The restaurant’s grab-and-go offshoot (OTG stands for on the go) is probably the best spot in Chennai for a flaky Kolkata-style Kathi roll, which comes with an assortment of fillings including their popular chicken egg Kathi roll.
- Where: Harrington Road, Chetpet
12. Rose Milk at Kalathi Newspaper Mart
It could be sheer nostalgia or Instagram-driven FOMO, but this decades-old newspaper mart is one of the city’s most visited food spots for its legendary, preservative-free rose milk, served in spill-proof plastic bottles. It’s not easy to locate, and parking is almost non-existent, yet it’s a popular stop on most food and culture walks in the Mylapore area.
- Where: Sri Vinayaka Nagar Colony, Mylapore
13. Podi Dosa in T Nagar
The crispy ghee podi dosai, slathered with ghee and dusted with milaga podi or gunpowder, is one of Chennai’s street food champions. The T Nagar area hosts multiple establishments that serve this crispy dosa, such as Ravi Anna’s Kadai and Sapthagiri Tiffin Centre, located near the bustling Pondy Bazaar shopping district.
14. Sweet Poli at Venkteshwara Boli Stall West Mambalam
Poli, the Chennai version of Puran Poli, is sometimes spelled as Boli. Venkteshwara Boli Stall in the West Mambalam area is one of the best-known boli stalls in the city. Their piping hot polis run out quickly.
- Where: Aryagowda Road, Mylapore
15. Popsicles at Nakku Popsicles
The Anna Nagar residential neighborhood has emerged as a bustling food and retail hub. This innovatively named ice cream cart (Nakku is the Tamil word for lick) in Anna Nagar has quickly become popular in the evenings for their signature popsicles, such as the Belgian chocolate popsicle.
- Where: 10th Main Road, Anna Nagar
