75 years of puttu and mutton: The Kannur hotel that never needed a signboard

It was around five in the morning and Kannur market was already crowded. While the market was still waking up, vintage songs from Akashavani drifted through the market, leading early-morning customers to 75-year-old Onakkan Bharathi.

Known today as one of the most iconic eateries in Kannur, Onakkan Bharathi has been around for three-quarters of a century. Today, it is run by Sumesh, its third-generation owner.

This is the latest stop in Served Since, Onmanorama Food & Travel’s series exploring Kerala’s oldest eateries and the stories, people and dishes that have kept them going across generations. This time, we head to Kannur to find out how Onakkan Bharathi became a morning ritual for generations of customers.

Why the name ‘Onakkan Bharathi’?
The eatery was originally named Bharathi Vilasam. But 75 years ago, its story changed with a man named Onakkan.

Onakkan, who was Sumesh’s grandfather’s brother, had set up the hotel overnight at this spot after a court issued an eviction order at its previous location. The name stuck, and it has been known as Onakkan Bharathi ever since.

The breakfast that made it famous
While the dish that has defined the eatery for decades is its puttu and mutton, Onakkan Bharathi’s menu also includes idli with mutton curry, puttu with payar, and kappa with fish curry. These are the simple, filling combinations that have long been part of Kannur’s food culture.

Making puttu at Onakkan Bharathi is something that hasn't changed in decades. The puttu is made by packing rice flour into bamboo tubes before steaming it. The bamboo gives the puttu a subtle aroma that has become part of its character.

It is served alongside spicy, slow-cooked mutton curry, usually followed by a glass of hot tea. For market workers, shopkeepers and other regulars, this has been a familiar breakfast for generations.

Where to find Onakkan Bharathi
Located inside Kannur Market, just a few minutes away from Kannur Railway Station, the eatery opens around 5 am and runs till 8 pm. Its daily customers include market workers, railway passengers, shopkeepers and office workers.

Despite its long history, Onakkan Bharathi has never put up a signboard. It never really needed one.

Instead, its name has travelled through the people of Kannur, passed from one generation to the next through customers who have been coming here for decades.

After 75 years, Onakkan Bharathi remains what it has always been: a place where Kannur comes for a hot breakfast, a cup of tea and a familiar taste of home.