Top Chennai Food & Drink

Chennai’s tourist menus won’t give you a true perspective on the everyday foods enjoyed by locals. Step forward on this small-group walking tour of the Sowcarpet Market: where a multitude of stalls serve the staples that keep Chennaites sustained. Let a guide navigate the market so you don’t get lost, taste popular foods at tried-and-trusted stands, and get the full lowdown on local delicacies that you wouldn’t hear on your own.

Immerse yourself in Indian life and culture on this culinary tour in a local home in Chennai. Learn to prepare several South Indian vegetarian dishes, then sit down with your group and enjoy in the traditional way: on banana leaves. Dishes may include vegetable curry, sambar, rasam, or dosas. You'll learn much more about Indian cooking and culinary culture during this experience than you would by eating in local restaurants.

See the eclectic marketplaces and colorful bazaars on this memorable walking tour of Chennai. Explore George Town and uncover the stories of daily life and local people as you listen to your friendly local guide share historical legends and old folklore. You'll navigate the crowded markets and narrow lanes as you experience the life of a local on this interactive and engaging tour that's not to be missed.

Mahabalipuram is an ancient port town known for its 6th-century rock-cut temples, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Explore exquisite stone statues on this exclusive city tour, which gives an in-depth overview of sites like the famous Five Rathas, a set of Dravidian rock temples, and the Sea Shore Temple, an 8th-century granite shrine facing the Bay of Bengal. Round out the day with visits to DakshinaChitra, a “living museum” dedicated to showcasing South Indian culture, and the Madras Crocodile Bank.

Explore Chennai's Mylapore neighborhood with a local guide and learn about the rituals of daily life, hear stories of gods and demons, and gain a deeper understanding of local customs and traditions. This popular walking tour showcases the highlights and the history of this incredible city and is not to be missed.

Experience authentic Chennai on this amazing walking tour of the old town with our fun and entertaining storytellers. This walking tour will give you a great induction of the city, its history, its vibrant culture, and its people with lots of wonderful stories about the city, fun facts and must do things in the city. Our walks are blend of historical elucidation and curious anecdote laced with mildly scurrilous talk about past and present celebrities and defunct royals. We will cover some of the city highlights along with hidden places and forgotten nooks of the old city during the walk.

Get a primer on Pallava-style architecture on this full-day private tour to Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram. Benefit from personal attention and the ability to travel at your own pace while visiting the Ekambareswar and Kailasanathar temples, then a local saree weaver. Moving on to the port of Mahabalipuram, see the Five Rathas, the shore temple, and Arjuna's Penance, learning about them through guided commentary.

Visit Mahabalipuram’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites on a private tour from Chennai that includes door-to-door transport, lunch, and all entrance fees. Travel by private car and spend the day exploring temples and a seashell museum in a scenic town, with a personal guide who will tailor the day to your interests.

Chennai is full of old heritage buildings, from ancient Pallava-era temples to colonial-era churches and public buildings constructed under British rule. This tour takes you to some of the most interesting structures, from the 7th-century Kapaleeswarar Temple to the 20th-century Ripon Building, all in the comfort of an air-conditioned vehicle.

The coastal town of Mahabalipuram makes an ideal day trip from bustling Chennai, but organizing admission fees and transportation to explore independently takes up valuable sightseeing time. On this tour, reach Mahabalipuram in comfort by private vehicle—with entry fees and round-trip transportation from your Chennai hotel included. Explore the Cave temples and rock sculptures with your guide to lead the way, and gain insight into Mahabalipuram’s fascinating 7th-century history.

Travel by private, climate-controlled vehicle to Mahabalipuram, the seaside Tamil Nadu city famous for its UNESCO-listed rock-cut caves and monuments. See impressive, three-dimensional illustrations of the Mahabharata—India’s national epic—cut from colossal stones, and marvel at the ancient coastal Shore Temple. Tours include complimentary hotel pickup and drop-off in Chennai.

Discover the secrets of South Indian cuisine during a 5-hour culinary experience at a private home in Chennai. Begin by visiting the local market with your chef-instructor to select ingredients and see typical foods. Then dive into your cooking lesson and learn to prepare several rice and vegetable dishes. When the food is ready, enjoy your feast in the company of your host for the perfect introduction to South Indian culinary traditions and family life. Includes vegetarian lunch, non-alcoholic beverages, and tips from your local host.

Punjabi cuisine is enjoyed across India for its delicate flavors and spice balances, but getting the recipes right every time isn’t easy. On this cookery experience in Chennai, visit the home of a local chef and prepare a delicious 4-course meal of delicacies such as Tikka Masala or Tandoori Paneer. Under the watchful eye of your host, explore Punjab’s diverse flavors and find out what makes this regional cuisine special.

Plenty of visitors get to enjoy South Indian cooking, but few travelers learn how to master local delicacies. Get insider access to South India’s celebrated culinary culture, with recipes passed down over generations. Learn to cook traditional Tamil dishes with a local host, from paper-thin dosas to homemade mango pickles. You’ll also get to munch on the savory meal that you helped prepare, served on a banana leaf.

Learn to make several South Indian dishes during a 3-hour private cooking lesson in a family home in Chennai. Prepare two to three vegetarian dishes—such as curry, dosas, or idli—and learn about the culinary traditions of South India as you cook and eat your lunch or dinner with your host and her family. Includes cooking lesson and meal with local chef.

Chennai is a royal destination and for centuries it is known for its rich and yummy food culture, we are fortunate today that this rich food culture is preserved in the form of small food joints by some thoughtful people for generations. We have designed this amazing experience for you with an intention to take you to these places for food tasting, so that you can also cherish this food, feast your taste buds and have a fabulous and lasting impression.

On this tour, we explore the busy neighbourhood of Georgetown. This area consists of well-established specialised bazaars, with small winding streets, warehouses, covered wholesale markets, street stalls and retail shops. Originally called ‘Black Town’, the area came up in the late 1600s after the founding of Fort St. George. Local people settled here to trade and do business with the fort. A portion of Black Town was flattened in the 1700’s, to provide an open area outside Fort St George. The residents of Blacktown re-settled just beyond the open area, in what was called New Black Town. In the mid 1800’s, the open area (old Black Town) was used to construct the grand building of Madras High Court. In 1910, when King George visited India, Blacktown was renamed Georgetown. Today Georgetown continues to be a busy market area, selling everything under the sun: bangles, fabrics, fruits, vegetables, spices, stationery, jewellery, etc.

While visiting Chennai, get an authentic experience of local life during a private 3-hour cooking lesson, market visit, and meal with your chef-host in her family home. Start by selecting ingredients at the neighborhood market, then return to your host's kitchen for a cooking lesson that covers up to five South Indian recipes. The meal might consist of dishes like rasam (spiced lentil soup), vegetable stew or curry, dosas, and other savory treats. Then sit down with your host to feast on the meal that you helped to make.

This is a food walk in the Sowcarpet, to introduce you to the traditional cuisine of south India.Chennai’s tourist menus won’t give you a true perspective on the everyday foods enjoyed by locals. Step forward this small-group walking tour of the Sowcarpet Market: where a multitude of stalls serve the staples that keep Chennaites sustained. Let a guide navigate the market so you don’t get lost, taste popular foods at tried-and-trusted stands, and get the full lowdown on local delicacies that you wouldn’t hear on your own. Discover Chennai’s street foods on a Sowcarpet Market food walking tour Find and hear about dishes with a guide for insight, tips, and navigation Taste snacks such as savory chaats, and hear food trivia you’d miss alone All-you-can-eat street food tour, limited to 10 for personalized feel

Learn how to cook two or three popular South Indian dishes and sit down to try even more with this cooking class. Your host, Srividya, will show you how to prepare a few dishes before sitting down with you to dine on a variety of dishes. Depending on availability, you may even get to have your meal in the traditional way: served on a banana leaf.

Enjoy a private and authentic home cooked meal with your host Uma. This is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy traditional South Indian cuisine with a creative twist made by a local who lives close to the airport. Uma is a South Indian vegetarian who has honed her culinary skills cooking for her extended Indian family for nearly three decades. An expert cook, she says she can convert any diehard non-vegetarian into a vegetable lover. ​Uma lives in the Guindy neighborhood of Chennai, about a 15-min drive from the Chennai airport as you head into the city. Her home is also close to the ITC Grand Chola, Ramada Plaza and Park Hyatt hotels. This is a unique opportunity to visit the home of a local and explore traditional culture and cuisine either when you arrive into Chennai or on your way out!

Indian cuisine contains a lot of regional variety, and travelers to Chennai can learn all about the food of Bengal during this home-based cooking class. Your instructor is an experienced home cook rather than a professional chef, so you’ll be introduced to dishes that you can recreate simply at home. Enjoy eating your creations together afterwards, and learn about ordinary life in India through your hostess.

Explore the streets of Sowcarpet, one of the oldest markets in Chennai Sample the best local street food from some of the oldest names in this business Listen to stories of local life and customs

Shopping in Chennai is a great way to imbibe the rich culture of this ancient city. On this Shopping in Chennai Tour you will get to visit a wholesale market for fruits, flowers and vegetables, a market dedicated to leather, antique and junk bazaar, Burma bazaar flea market, a fish market and an art and crafts shop. This is an all-inclusive trip where we take care of transport, lunch and the services of a full-time tour guide