The Best Restaurant Biryanis in India

If somebody were to compile a list of the best biryanis in the country based on public opinion and hand it over to you along with their location, what would you say? Thank you, perhaps?

Well, you're welcome.

A few months ago, I conducted a poll on Twitter asking people to tell me about the best biryani they have ever had from a restaurant in their lives. Replies poured in from all across the country and sure enough, patterns began to develop based on certain cities and styles of biryani.

I finally compiled it into a list of 50 restaurants across 19 cities and 8 states which I am presenting here.

I am taking ambience out of the equation since some of the small non-ac community style food outlets would lose out to swanky five star restaurant ambience and not make the cut here. In my book, that would be unfair since the people seeking out good biryanis and reading this would not necessarily be looking for the latter only.

I would like to thank everyone who participated in this poll as well as a certain celebrity who a) knows more about Indian restaurants than 99.9 % of the population and b) was gracious enough to offer his personal choices to this list as well.

Without further ado, I present to you the 50 Best Restaurant Biryanis you will get in India.

Please note: You can click on the names of the restaurants in this list to go to their locations on Google map. (Again, you're welcome.)

Telangana

Image Source: here

One of the most famous biryanis in the world really, the Hyderabadi biryani is one of the more spicier variations you will come across with a rich blend of spices, chillies and well cooked meat.

Cafe Bahar
Hyderabad
Tidbit: Considered one of the best biryanis in a city famous for some of the best biryanis in the country.

Hotel Shadab
Hyderabad
Many say it is the best mutton biryani in town which is quite impressive.

Shah Ghouse
Hyderabad
Tidbit: Jam packed place. Highly rated mutton biryani.

Bawarchi
Hyderabad

Paradise Hotel
Hyderabad
Tidbit: Once the gold standard in Hyderabad but has plenty of competition today. The board outside the hotel actually sports the tag "World's Favourite Biryani"

Chicha's
Hyderabad

Zaika - E - Hyderabad
Hyderabad

4 Seasons
Hyderabad
Tidbit: Also serves good Lebanese food.

Tamil Nadu

Image Source: here

The Dindigul biryani comes from the Dindigul Thalappakatti region in Tamil Nadu and is unique for its distinctive tangy flavour and its unique rice that absorbs the flavours of the spices. Ambur biryani, on the other hand, is made with dried chilli paste and a variety of spices for a wonderful explosion of flavours in the mouth.  

Dindigul Thalappakatti Restaurant
Chennai
Tidbit: Multiple outlets across Chennai, Bangalore and Coimbatore serving the same amazing standard of food. Personally, their Dindigul biryani is one of the flavourful I've ever had.

Yaa Mohideen Biryani
Chennai

Buhari Hotel
Chennai
Tidbit: Considered the birth place of the iconic dish Chicken 65.

Charminar Biryani Centre
Chennai
Tidbit: Recommended to take parcels since this has a tall table system for those who wish to dine in (you stand and eat)

The Original Ghumaghumalu Andhra Restaurant
Chennai
Spicy Andhra style, prawns come highly recommended too.

Dindigul Venu Biriyani Hotel
Dindigul
Tidbit: Their mutton and chicken side dishes come highly recommended.

Ambur Star Biryani
Ambur
Tidbit: I may be wrong here but I read these guys have been serving dishes since the 1800s!!

Ponram Biryani Restaurant
Dindigul

West Bengal

Image Source: Zomato

Kolkata biryani is one of the most popular varieties in India, distinctive for its slightly sweet taste, lesser use of spices and oh yes, those yummy potatoes and an egg that are so integral to the dish.


Arsalan Restaurant
Kolkata
Tidbits: Multiple outlets, a little expensive, famous for biryanis and kebabs

Dada Boudi
Kolkata

Kwality
Kolkata
Tidbit: From cutlets to steaks, they have a wide range of dishes.

Aminia
Kolkata
Tidbit: Along with Arsalan, this was a name that popped up repeatedly.

Zeeshan
Kolkata
Tidbit: Supposed to have pretty good rolls too.

India Restaurant
Kolkata
Tidbit: Go for the kebabs and biryanis.

Royal Indian Hotel
Kolkata

Shiraz Golden Restaurant
Kolkata
Tidbit: Some of the most highly rated Mughlai biryanis in the state.

Karnataka

Nagarjuna Hotel, Bangalore
Image Source: Zomato

Jayanagara Donne Biryani
Bangalore
Tidbit: Affordable, tasty, served in leaf plates and having multiple outlets. Praised for its unique flavour.

Shivaji Military Hotel
Bengaluru
Served in palm leaves. Spicy. Huge crowds during lunch time.

Nagarjuna Andhra style
Bangalore
Tidbit: Excellent mutton biryani, great Andhra cuisine including thalis.

Royal Darbar
Mangaluru
Tidbit: Recommended for Mughlai dishes.

Aman Biryani Spot
Mangaluru
Tidbit: Takeaway.

Uttar Pradesh

Mild spices and a rich fragrance greet you with the famed Lucknowi biryani with the rice and meat cooked separately first before being layered together in a pot over a low flame. A dish served to royalty in the past, the ingredients would include cashew nut paste, saffron, curd and star anise.


Wahid Biryani
Lucknow

Idrees Biryani
Lucknow
Tidbit: Better as a take away option. Limited seating.

Lalla Biryani
Lucknow
Authentic Lucknowi biryani.

Hotel Ramada
Varanasi
Tidbit: Upscale fine dining.

Kerala

Unlike most biryanis, the classic Thalassery biryani does not use basmati rice, opting for a distinctive short grain rice called Khyma which is layered with well seasoned chicken masala (with spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and nutmeg), onions, nuts, dried fruits and then sealed and slow cooked to perfection.

Paragon Restaurant
Kozhikode
Tidbit: Considered the gold standard of Malabar biryani today. Also try their fried fish, pandan chicken & mango fish curry. Also has outlets across Kozhikode (and even the Kozhikode railway station) under the name of Salkara if you can't get a seat here.

Hotel Rehmath
Kozhikode
Tidbit: The public is divided between Paragon and Rehmath when it comes to the best biryani in Kozhikode and rightly so but perhaps Rehmath edges past when it comes to beef biryani.

Paris Restaurant (old)
Thalassery
Tidbit: This used to be considered the best biryani in North Kerala for decades when I was growing up.

Kayees Rahmathulla Cafe
Kochi

Jeff Biryani and Catering
Kochi
Tidbit: Minimal seating, predominantly take-away. Top dishes include apricot mutton biryani, chicken biryani and a green afghani biryani. The politeness and humility of the owners has been spoken of by dozens of reviewers. Open only from 12 pm - 3 pm.

Rara Avis
Thalaserry
Tidbit: Famous for North Malabar cuisine

Ajwa Biryani
Thiruvananthapuram

Ramees Restaurant
Kollam

Halais Restaurant
Alapuzha
Tidbit: Their chicken kuzhi mandhi comes highly recommended too. Extra points for polite service.

Kochi Airport restaurant (opposite T3 arrival)
Kochi
Tidbit: I am as surprised as you are but someone did choose this out of all the biryanis he had so this has my interest piqued now.

Maharashtra

The Irani style of Bombay Biryani is sweeter than most other varieties, a tad oilier and is usually accompanied by a delightful meat gravy.

Dum Pakht
Mumbai
Tidbit: Fine dining spot. Highly rated lamb biryani.

Lucky Biryani
Mumbai

SP's Biryani House
Pune

Persian Darbar
Mumbai
Their Kabsa biryani has got a lot of thumbs up.

New Delhi

Image Source: here

The famed Mughlai biryani which was served to the Nawabs of yesteryear is rich in flavour with curd, almond paste, tender chicken and dry fruits.

Karim's Hotel
New Delhi
Tidbit: Iconic restaurant that has been serving food for over a century now

New Angaar Hyderabadi Multi cuisine
New Delhi
Limited seating.

Dilpasand Biryani Taufiq Biryani Wala
New Delhi
Limited seating space.

Al Jawahar Restaurant
New Delhi

Deez Biryani
New Delhi
Try the Handi biryani

Kolkata Biryani House
Gurgaon, Haryana
Tidbit: Outlets in New Delhi too.

What about the iconic "We're back! We're hungry!" duo? 

For years, I've grown up watching and loving the awesome show 'Highway on My Plate' so when the thought of compiling this list arose, I got around to asking them for their recommendations too because frankly no one would have wined and dined in as diverse a list of food outlets in India as these two have.

Here are the ones they recommend:

P.S. Rocky and Mayur are on their own quest incidentally, seeking out India's Best Restaurants. You can watch their new videos here.

That is it. This is my extensive compilation of over 50 restaurants across the country that you felt served the tastiest biryanis you have ever had in your life.

Is there one you would like to recommend be added to the list? One that did not make this list but deserved to?

Share your opinion in the comments below and I'll add it to the list.

Of course, don't forget to pin/ save this page too so that you can seek out the best biryanis of the country at ease while traveling.