THE WEEK correspondents held panel discussions with food experts to rate the best restaurants in seven cities—Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai and Kochi.
The best restaurants for several categories, such as fine dining, north Indian, south Indian, global and regional food, were selected and ranked by the experts comprising chefs, restaurateurs, food critics, food entrepreneurs, food writers and bloggers, and food enthusiasts.
Back to the land
Street food is not ranked because the cuisine is vastly different, even within a city. THE WEEK's Culine Scale was applied to all other categories—five stars for the top 30 per cent, four stars for the next 30 per cent and three stars for the last 40 per cent.
For Kochi, the panel comprised Karthik Murali, Salman Faris, Rahul N Kutty, Oneal Sabu, Jay Menon, and Justin Pappalil.
Best Cafes in Kochi
French Toast, Panampilly Nagar – 5 stars
Qissa Cafe, Fort Kochi – 5 stars
Cafe 17, Kaloor – 4 stars
Cocoa Tree, MG Road – 4 stars
The Grill Lab, Palarivattom – 3 stars
The Burger Junction, Panampilly Nagar – 3 stars
District 7 Restro Cafe, Vytilla – 3 stars
Best fine dining restaurants in Kochi
Colony Club House & Grill, Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty – 5 stars
The Rice Boat, Taj Malabar – 4 stars
Trilogy, Crowne Plaza – 4 stars
Brunton Boatyard, Fort Kochi – 3 stars
Old Harbour, Fort Kochi – 3 stars
Best North Indian restaurants in Kochi
Punjab House, Broadway – 5 stars
Sethi Da Dhaba, Kadavanthara – 5 stars
Ember, Le Meridien – 4 stars
Punjab Grill, Lulu Mall, Edappally - 4 stars
Maharaja Bhog, Lulu Mall, Edappally – 3 stars
Rasoi, Fort Kochi – 3 stars
Best South Indian restaurants in Kochi
Paragon, Lulu Mall, Edappally – 5 stars
Palaaram, Kakkanad – 5 stars
Dhe Puttu, Edappally – 4 stars
Coffee Beanz Traditionz, MG Road – 4 stars
Arippa, MG Road – 3 stars
Brindavan, Palarivattom – 3 stars
Tellicherry Kitchen, Kathrikadavu – 3 stars
Best global restaurants in Kochi
Thai Soul, Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty – 5 stars
Blue Elephant, Kadavanthra – 4 stars
Zaatar, Palarivattom – 4 stars
Nasi and Mee, Asian Canteen, MG Road – 3 stars
Chopstix, Kakkanad – 3 stars
Best multi-cuisine restaurants in Kochi
Grand Hotel, MG Road – 5 stars
Tharavadu, Casino Hotel – 4 stars
Mustake, Kakkanad – 4 stars
Springs, The Avenue Regent – 3 stars
The Pavillion, Renai Cochin – 3 stars
Best seafood restaurants in Kochi
Fort Cochin Restaurant, Casino Hotel – 5 stars
Cheenavala, Edappally – 5 stars
Oceanos Restaurant, Fort Kochi – 4 stars
Nawras Seafood Restaurant – 4 stars
Periyar Restauarant, Varapuzha – 3 stars
Star Restaurant, Edakochi – 3 stars
Best street food
Uppum Mulakum Thattukada, Panampilly Nagar
Fathimas Fast Foods, Chullikkal
Bikash Babu Sweets
Chennai Thattu Dosa Kadavanthra
MS Bakery, Edappally
Hotel California, Kalamassery
Yuva Fast Foods, Thammanam
Malabar Canteen, Kaloor
Haji Ebrahim, Edappally