Me and Namitha are as much in love with life as we are with each other. And the number one passion for both of us is travel and food. We look for authenticity in everything we do and for that reason, whenever we travel, we look to indulge in the local flavour. It is no surprise then, that our favourite restaurants in Bangalore are some of the city’s oldest.

Lunch at MTR

MTR or Mavalli Tiffin Rooms was established in 1924 and continues to serve fantastic South Indian food from its original restaurant out of Lal Bagh Road. While the brand has evolved beyond just this eatery to becoming a food conglomerate, this joint has managed to retain the old world charm and traditions of old Bangalore. Set in a grand old building, this place still has the ambience of what could have been the norm 50 years ago. My favourite meal here is the South Indian Full meal that they serve. If you plan to go here on a working day, it is best that you plan to take the second half of the day off, as you are not going to be in a mood to work after such an elaborate meal. They serve the meal in batches and the dishes start coming in, one after the other. And every item that comes on the platter is delightful.

Sunday brunch at Koshy’s

Koshy’s on St. Marks Road is another landmark in Bangalore. While the entire landscape around this building has continuously been transforming, this particular building has seen hardly any change at all. If you want to imagine what Bangalore would have been like 20 years ago, wake up late on a Sunday morning, gang up with some Bangalore old-timers and get to Koshy’s. You will be amazed at what antique conversations you will have!

This place has staff who’ve been around for decades. The tables, chairs, fans, lamps, linen, cutlery and everything about this place will remind you about a different era. Order a beer, Fish and Chips, Omelets, Bacon, Appam Stew and chill out.

Breakfast at Maiya’s

If you like a morning jog, there’s no place better than Lal Bagh. And after the jog, if you like to make good for the calories you’ve burnt, there’s no better place than Maiya’s in Jayanagar. Although Maiya’s is not a very old restaurant, it makes to this list because of the lineage it draws from its predecessor, MTR. Maiya’s in Jayanagar serves fantastic South Indian breakfast. Yummy Masala Dosas are served with befitting Sambar and Chutney and a small bowl of ghee. Vadas are perfectly crispy and the Idlies are designed to melt in the mouth. But the star is the Pongal, which is served with raitha and tamarind Chutney. This chutney and pongal duo is the number one reason, Maiya’s is on our list of top 3 restaurants.

Namitha and Srikanth Acharya are ardent travellers and passionate foodies. They video blog about their travel, food and fun experiences on www.namandsri.in.