Kolkata City Guide: What to do and where to eat, drink and stay in the City of Joy

There are many ways to describe Kolkata. A director’s dream, a foodie’s paradise, a history-lesson for culture enthusiasts. Some call it a city rooted in nostalgia, but it’s more a case of it remaining unapologetically unhurried; an oddball among a host of metros flexing over their urban awakenings.

That’s not to say that Kolkata doesn’t have its swanky restaurants, luxe resto-bars and a spattering of quaint cafes lining its neighbourhoods. But if you’re visiting the city for the first time, you’d want to know it as locals do — in celebration of its rustic charm.

No one’s a guest for too long in Kolkata. Ask anyone for ways to discover the city, and they’ll change the course of their day to chalk you out an itinerary, recommend the unmissable food stops (don’t forget to try the puchkas at VP!) and almost turn into a Google Map themselves to guide you to where you’re headed. You can land in the city without a “pla” (thank you Phoebe Buffay!), but even then you’ll find your way around, courtesy the overenthusiastic city folk.

But if you have only a few days to hit (almost all) the city’s bustling spots — both old and new — you need a good head start. We’re here to give you just that.

Kolkata City Guide: What to do and where to eat, drink and stay in the City of Joy

If you want to stay within the lap of luxury, check yourself into the Oberoi Grand, situated in Esplanade, in central Kolkata — an elegant colonial hotel in close proximity to the iconic Eden Gardens Stadium and the one-stop for everything New Market; or you can opt for a room in ITC Sonar or the newer ITC Royal Bengal (both in Tangra) and JW Marriott. There’s also the gorgeous suites (and restaurants) in Taj Bengal to consider.

However, if it’s the Kolkata experience you’re looking for, you should opt to stay at Calcutta Bungalow, a 1920s townhouse in North Kolkata that’s been refurbished to suit modern sensibilities, while staying true to the heritage architecture. Those looking to stay near Salt Lake can choose to room in Raajkutir, Swabhumi, a charming boutique hotel that captures the spirit of the Bengal renaissance. The Elgin Fairlawn Hotel, another British-time bungalow on Sudder Street is an affordable option for solo travellers and backpackers especially.

Contrary to popular belief, Kolkata is not a gastronomical delight for non-vegetarians alone. If anything, Bengali cuisine hosts a wide and eclectic range of lip-smacking vegetarian dishes. What’s more, Bengali cuisine isn’t the only delicacy to be enjoyed in the City of Joy. Continental spreads that rival England’s bed-and-breakfasts, biryani joints that will lure you into food comas and (arguably) the best Indian Chinese in the country give it its culinary edge.

Start with ordering the Chelo Kebab and Sizzlers in Peter Cat on Park Street, or a seafood special (with a quirky cocktail) at Mocambo that’s right opposite. If it’s Indian Chinese you’re craving, then be sure to book a table at Bae-B-Q (also on Park Street) or go more authentic in Golden Joy, located in Tangra — the city’s famed Chinatown.

For authentic Bengali food, a vegetarian or non-vegetarian thaali in 6 Ballygunge Place and Bhojohori Manna is highly recommended, as is the mouthwatering mutton in Shyambazar’s Golbari. Biryani lovers are urged to make their way to Arsalan, Royal Indian Restaurant or Zam Zam and opt for the Mutton Biryani (with extra aloo and egg) and chicken or mutton chaap, followed by a generous serving of firni.

For a tea-time snack, a tradition that’s highly revered among Kolkata households, the newly opened The Bhawanipur House, a 150-year-old heritage bungalow refurbished into an Instagrammable cafe, has a great menu that can be enjoyed on its stories terraces. Or you can make your way to Roastery — yet another gorgeous cafe in South Kolkata — a favourite among coffee lovers.

But come evening, it’s time to kick back with some cold ones. For lovers of vintage dive bars with the best chakna in town, Oly Pub and Silver Grill on Park Street offer a peek into a pre-urbanised Kolkata, while Broadway in Bowbazar offers Jazz Sundays, where some of the city’s best musicians perform the classics. Other kinds of boozy and musical experiences call at Someplace Else, a must-visit for rock lovers and Trincas, which hosts live performances by bands singing anything from The Beatles to Arijit Singh. Fun fact: Usha Uthup made her debut on that same stage! 

If you have clubbing on your mind, Raasta, LMNOQ and Miss Ginko are always buzzing with great crowds and DJ sets.

Let’s keep this simple. A Chinese breakfast at Tiretta Bazaar, where a series of makeshift stalls serve steaming dumplings, breaded pork chops, fish sui mais, fritters, meat pies — among other things — from 5 to 9 am every morning. A visit to the Bazaar, which shuts shop as the rest of the city wakes, is as enriching an experience as the food you get to wolf down. For a simpler, but equally delicious fare, the kachori and aloo dum (a staple Bengali breakfast) at Southern Avenue’s Maharani or Sharma Sweets is the way to go.

Recommended post-meal snacks include Darjeeling-style steamed and pan-fried momos and Shyaptas from Denzong; the iconic veg, egg, chicken and mutton rolls at the historic Nizam’s (near Oberoi Grand and New Market) or Park Circus’ Zeeshan; the mouth-watering puchkas (the Kolkata rendition of paani-puri) at Lake Kali Bari or Vivekananda Park and the perfectly breaded Fish Fry with kasundi at Mitra Cafe.

Bengalis are notorious for having a sweet tooth, and we can blame it all on the city’s celebrated sweet shops and bakeries. The pastries at Flurys — also a must-visit for fans of the quintessential English breakfast — will have you reaching for one too many, while the handmade fudge, rum balls and brownies in Nahoums, one of the oldest operating Jewish bakeries in the country, in New Market functions as its own world of temptation. The chocolate boats, pyramids and lemon tarts at any of the Kookie Jar shops are a staple, while the baked roshogollas, kheer-kadams and sandesh boxes from Balaram Mullick & Radharaman Mullick Sweets, Putiram and Nobin Chandra Das & Sons make for perfect gifts for your friends back home.

A lap around and within the Victoria Memorial, the city’s veritable icon with a chequered past and one of the most stunning monuments in India, is an experience to be had. Weather permitting, follow this with a quick cart ride around the expansive green of Maidan, which will take you all across the Tram line and the historic Fort William.

A series of vendors selling jhaal muri and other trademark snacks set up shop in that area; make sure to have your fill in a newspaper shaped like a funnel. In the evening, watch the sun’s rays glinting off the Vidya Sagar Setu as you circle beneath it on an hour-long boat ride across the Ganges. A boat ride at Princep Ghat should be done at sunset to make the most of the surreal experience.

Bengal has an illustrious maritime history, and as a tribute to the same, The Bengal Paddle, a newly restored, 77-year-old paddle steamer ferries passengers across the Hooghly, on heritage tours to say Chandannagore and Serampore. The lavish interiors also host a one-of-a-kind Riverine Museum which is worth checking out.

The Kolkata Boat Museum in Kankurgachi, which also happens to be India’s only boat museum, is another.

Another iconic piece of Kolkata’s rich history is rooted in its Tram System. The oldest operating tramway in Asia, a tram ride along any of the city’s quarters should be on your list. We recommend you get on from College Street, after browsing through its hundred second-hand bookshops (which house many signed first editions!), having a cold coffee (with ice-cream) and sandwiches at subliminal rates at the Indian Coffee House, a key centre for Freedom Fighters and throwing back some gobsmacking juices in Paramount, which was created as a front to protect the latter from British officials. Meandering through the city in a tram is arguably the best way to really take in its exteriors, but don’t get too lost in whimsy and remember to get off near Shyambazar. From there, walk towards the Shovabazar Raj Bari (the palace of the Shobhabazar royal family), the Jorasanko Thakur Bari (birthplace of Rabindranath Tagore and ancestral home of the Tagore family) and Baghbazar’s Basu Bati, where the Swadeshi Movement was first declared.

Another day should be dedicated to visiting Kumartuli, a traditional potters' quarter where some of the state’s most skilled artisans have been sculpting phenomenal clay idols of deities for the many religious festivals that take place throughout the year. Photographers, especially, will marvel at this tucked-away quarter housing a powerhouse of artistry.

To catch a rhapsody of colours along the banks of the river, make your way to the Malik Ghat Flower Market as early as 7 am, so you can catch its frenzy at its peak. After the flower market, you can book a car to take you to Dakshineswar Temple, known for its unique navaratna style of Bengali architecture, interactive ceremonies and stunning, 360 degree views of the Hooghly River.

Despite Kolkata’s many marvels, the summer months, which witness a significant upsurge of mercury levels, aren’t an ideal time to visit. The best time to visit Kolkata is during Durga Puja, to capture the city during the five-day-long revelry or between the winter months (from November to February), when the air is crisp and chilly and the great outdoors beckon.