This nadan Kerala 'chayakkada' feels like a step back in time

From porotta and beef curry to old wooden interiors, Hotel Brothers in Bharananganam is a reminder of the Kerala tea shops many grew up with.

Miss the charm of Kerala's old nadan chayakkadas? The kind with wooden benches, weathered walls, hot tea served in glass tumblers and conversations that stretch long after the meal is over?

You'll find one near Bharananganam in Kottayam district.

Hotel Brothers is the latest stop in Served Since, Onmanorama Food & Travel's series on Kerala's oldest eateries and the families and traditions that have kept them going for generations.

Nearly 140 years of history
This food spot traces its origins back nearly 140 years, making it one of Kerala's oldest surviving nadan chayakkadas. While the ownership has changed over the years, the hotel, in its current version, has been run by the current owner and his family for more than three decades.

The building has retained much of its old character. Wooden benches, ageing walls and simple interiors give the place an atmosphere that is becoming increasingly rare in Kerala.

The crowd is just as varied. Daily wage workers stop by for breakfast before work, college students gather over tea, families arrive for lunch and travellers make a detour after hearing about the food.

Start with breakfast
Breakfast is served from the early hours, with dosa, appam and porotta among the favourites.

Ask anyone who eats here regularly and they'll tell you not to miss the spicy chilli chutney. It pairs well with almost everything on the breakfast menu and has a loyal following of its own.

The porotta and beef curry everyone talks about
If Hotel Brothers is known for one dish, it's the porotta and beef curry.

The beef is cooked until tender, soaking up a thick, spice-rich gravy. Scoop it up with a flaky porotta and it's easy to understand why people drive from neighbouring towns just for this combination.

It's filling, flavourful and easily the restaurant's biggest crowd-puller.

Lunch, tea and everything in between
Lunch features Kerala meals, fish curry, fish fry and beef fry.

By evening, the tea shop is busy again, serving uzhunnu vada, ulli vada and ethakka roast alongside hot tea.

The hotel remains open until 7 pm.

A favourite among filmmakers too

The old-world setting has also attracted filmmakers. Hotel Brothers has appeared in films such as Malayan Kunju and Paavada. The owners still receive requests for film shoots, but most have to be turned down because the restaurant remains busy with customers.

How to get there
If you're travelling from Pala towards Erattupetta, pass Bharananganam Church and the St Alphosa Pilgrim Centre. At Bharananganam Junction, take the right turn and continue for about a kilometre to Vilangupara Junction. Hotel Brothers is located there.