The Bengali fondness for good food is legendary. Exotic Bengali cuisine is available at
selected restaurants like Suruchi and Aheli (Peerless Inn). To experience the true taste
of traditional cooking, it is best to befriend a Bengali. His hospitality will definitely
include a meal!
Sweets hold a position of pride for the Bengali. Cottage cheese based
sweets like sandesh, rosogolla and chanar payesh are very popular all over
India. Misti doi (sweetened curd) and Patali gur confectionery (date palm
jaggery) are must-try delicacies.
Every district in Bengal has a special sweet of its own. Langcha
and mihidana-sitabhog of Bardhaman, sharbhaja of Krishnanagar, chanabora
of Murshidabad and so on.
Luchi, cholaar dal, kochuri and alurdom to chop-cutlet
and telebhaja, Kolkata will delight the food lover.
Chinese cuisine is next on the popularity chart available in the Old
China Town, the walled city at Tangra and restaurants on Park Street. Restaurants
specializing in Mughal cuisine (tandoori, kebabs, biriyani etc.) are located in the
backstreets of New Market and Park Circus. North Indian and the more sedate South Indian
cuisine are available in restaurants all over the city.
Continental, Thai, Tibetian and Anglo-Indian cuisine are available in
eating houses in and around Chowringhee and Park Street.
Special mention must be made about kathi-rolls (kebabs wrapped
in dough), a culinary delight of Kolkata.
The confectionery of Kolkata are well known all over India.
Flurys (formerly Swiss owned) on Park Street, Nahoums (oldest Jewish bakery)
in New Market are famous. Others are Uppu, Crust, Kathleen, Monginis, Jalajoga