Chennai’s street food scene has been shaped not just by short-lived Instagram trends, but also by waves of migration to this city, which has become one of India’s most vibrant commercial hubs and port cities. From the busy streets of Triplicane and Mylapore to the beaches of Besant Nagar and the iconic Marina, each street food hub has its own story. The lanes running parallel to Chennai Port offer street food with Burmese influences, reflecting the wave of Tamils who migrated to the city from Burma in the 1960s, while the Rajasthani flavours in the back alleys of Sowcarpet reflect the large presence of the Marwari community in the region for over a century. There are few cities in India that offer the myriad street food flavours of Chennai.
Also read: Feel like eating out in Chennai? Here are 10 restaurants that are perfect for spending time with family
Photo Credit: iStock
15 street foods you must try in Chennai:
1. Enjoy the beach at Marina Beach
Chennai’s iconic Marina Beach is famous for its Mirchi Bajji and Thenga Maanga Pattani Sundal, a chickpea dish seasoned with coconut and raw mango. The beach also has some great seafood stalls, like Sundari Akka Kadai, which serves freshly caught fish of the day. Their fish curry rice and squid fry are both crowd favourites.
- Where: Marina Beach
2. Tiffin and Filter Coffee at Mami Tiffin Stall
Located near the iconic Kapaleeswarar Temple in one of the lanes of Mylapore, this popular local establishment is open all day. It really comes alive at tiffin time, serving popular snacks like Adai Aviyal and Mysore Bonda, served with refreshing filter coffee.
- Location: Pichu Street, Mylapore
Photo Credit: iStock
3. Shawarma at Firdaus Cafe
One of the most popular establishments in the Triplicane area, near the Chepauk Cricket Stadium and the famous 18th-century Big Mosque, is Firdaus Cafe. Famous for their excellent shawarma, both the chicken shawarma and grilled chicken are a hit. Locals say they prepare 50 whole chickens daily on their rotisserie.
- Location: Triplicane High Road
4. Maya Chats
The team at Maya Chats is proud of its Jodhpur connection. The place offers an experience closest to Chennai’s Jodhpur version. Street food enthusiasts line up not just for their special pyaaz ki kachori but also for their delicious meetha kachori, which has been showcased in several slow-motion videos on social media feeds.
- Location: Oudippa Naicken Street
Photo courtesy: Ashwin Rajagopalan
5. Murukku Sandwich at S Chinnappa Sandwich Centre
One of the most unique street food innovations from North Chennai is the murukku sandwich. “Murukku” (in Tamil) literally means folded. This dish transforms the classic Mumbai sandwich into a bite-sized crunchy delicacy, with traditional Mumbai ingredients like mint chutney and vegetable pieces packed into a crunchy murukku (or chakli).
- Location: NSC Bose Road
6. Bun Butter Jam at Gopal Diary
Located close to the Madras High Court, this local legend dates back to the 1950s. Their soft buns are laden with jam and butter, which is sourced from the famous butter-making town of Uthukuli and is always served hot.
- Location: Phillips Street, George Town
7. Etho in Ethoman
Etho is perhaps the dish that defines Chennai’s version of Burmese food. It is actually a variation of the Burmese salad known as khauk sw thoke. This wheat noodle salad is made with dried shrimp, cabbage, carrots, fish sauce, and served with lemon and fried peanut oil. The Chennai version does not contain fish sauce and usually includes grated carrots, cabbage, fried onions with garlic oil, chili powder, and lemon juice. Try it at popular establishments like Burma Food Etho Shop in Mannady or Ethoman in Royapuram.
- Location: MS Koil Street, Royapuram
Photo Credit: iStock
8. Mint Pakora at Sri Karpagambal Sweets
It is one of the most popular food joints in the historic Mylapore area. Sri Karpagambal Sweets is best known for its mint pakodas and large onion samosas.
- Location: Sri Vinayaka Nagar Colony, Mylapore
9. The Legendary Egmore Sandwich
Originally known as the Alsa Mall Sandwich, this street food trend started in the 1990s when mobile sales and marketing executives needed a quick stop for food at any time. Many of these stalls appeared around Monteith Road near Alsa Mall and the sandwich was immortalised in popular Tamil blockbusters like Vikram. The best place for these sandwiches now is probably the Balaji Sandwich stall, famous for its Chicken Cheese and Chilli Cheese Toast.
- Where: Greams Road
10. Anmol Lassiwala
This camera-friendly ‘lassiwala’ is located near Kakra Ramprasad, a place famous for its chaat and delicious badam milk. Anmol’s trademark creamy lassi with saffron is the perfect treat after eating all the spicy chaats in the area.
- Where: Mint Street
Photo Credit: iStock
11. Kolkata Style Kathi Roll at Belif OTG
Belef has long been one of Chennai’s most popular restaurants for Kolkata cuisine. The restaurant’s grab-and-go offshoot (OTG stands for On The Go) is perhaps the best place in Chennai for Kolkata-style kathi rolls, with a variety of fillings including their popular chicken egg kathi roll.
- Location: Harrington Road, Chetpet
12. Rose Milk at Kalathi Newspaper Mart
It might be sheer nostalgia or Instagram-induced FOMO, but this decades-old newspaper mart is one of the most visited food spots in the city, as it serves preservative-free rose milk, served in spill-proof plastic bottles. It’s not easy to find, and parking is next to nonexistent, yet it’s a popular stop on most food and culture walks in the Mylapore area.
- Location: Sri Vinayaka Nagar Colony, Mylapore
13. Podi Dosa in T Nagar
The crispy ghee podi dosa, drenched in ghee and garnished with milaga podi or gunpowder, is one of Chennai’s street food champions. There are several establishments in the T Nagar area that serve this crispy dosa, such as Ravi Anna’s Kadai and Sapthagiri Tiffin Centre, located near the bustling Pondy Bazaar shopping district.
- Where: T Nagar
14. Sweet Poli at Venkateswara Boli Stall West Mambalam
Poli is the Chennai version of puran poli, sometimes spelled boli. Venkateswara Boli Stall in West Mambalam area is one of the most famous boli stalls in the city. Their hot poli sells out quickly.
- Location: Aryagouda Road, Mylapore
15. Popsicles at Nakku Popsicles
The Anna Nagar residential neighborhood has become a bustling food and retail hub. This innovatively named ice cream cart (nakku is the Tamil word for licking) in Anna Nagar has quickly become popular for its specialty popsicles in the evenings, such as the Belgian chocolate popsicle.
- Location: 10th Main Road, Anna Nagar
