This 80-year-old restaurant is located in the narrow lanes off Arundale Street. Established as Rayar’s Café by Srinivasa Rao they are known for making delicious home-style South Indian food. They open from 7 to 10 in the morning and again at 3 to 6 in the afternoon. For breakfast, the mess offers idli, adai, pongal and vadai, while a round of rava dosas, bondas and sweet dishes are available in the evenings. Very few places in Chennai serves adai for morning breakfast and the adai served here is fresh and crisp, and is always best with sugar and ghee. They serve 10 people at a single sitting and food is always served on the traditional banana leaf. Don't forget to try everyone's favourite Ghetti chutney.

Sharad Sundar

Contributor