Karnataka is a large state in southwest India, stretching from the Arabian Sea coast across the forested Western Ghats to the Deccan plateau. It combines the UNESCO-listed ruins of Hampi, the Hoysala temples of Belur and Halebidu, the royal city of Mysuru, coffee-covered Coorg hills, and the beaches of Gokarna and Udupi, with Bengaluru as India's technology capital.
Karnataka's cuisine has four distinct kitchens. Bengaluru and the south serve Brahmin vegetarian tiffins such as idli, dosa, bisi bele bath and filter coffee. Udupi and Mangaluru cook coastal vegetarian food and seafood built on coconut, kokum and neer dosa, plus Mangalorean chicken ghee roast. Kodagu (Coorg) is known for pandi (pork) curry, kadambuttu and noolputtu. North Karnataka eats jolada rotti (jowar flatbread) with ennegai (stuffed brinjal) and shenga chutney. Mysuru contributes Mysore pak and the Mysuru masala dosa.
Must-try dishes
Iconic dishes that define Karnataka.
Masala Dosa
Crisp rice-and-lentil crepe with spiced potato; Bengaluru's Vidyarthi Bhavan and CTR are benchmark versions
Where to try: Vidyarthi Bhavan and CTR, Bengaluru; Mylari, Mysuru
Price: INR 90-150 (~$1-2)
Bisi Bele Bath
Spicy rice, lentil and vegetable dish finished with ghee
Where to try: MTR and most Bengaluru tiffin rooms
Price: INR 100-180 (~$1-2)
Neer Dosa with Chicken Ghee Roast
Lacy rice crepe served with red-chilli-ghee chicken from Mangaluru
Where to try: Mangaluru restaurants; Karavalli, Bengaluru
Price: INR 250-450 (~$3-5)
Pandi Curry with Kadambuttu
Kodava dark pork curry with kachampuli vinegar, eaten with steamed rice balls
Where to try: Coorg Cuisine, Madikeri and Kodagu homestays
Price: INR 300-500 (~$3-5)
Jolada Rotti Oota
North Karnataka jowar flatbread meal with ennegai, pallya and chutneys
Where to try: Khanavali eateries in Hubballi, Dharwad and Bijapur
Price: INR 120-250 (~$1-3)
Mysore Pak
Ghee, sugar and gram-flour sweet from Mysuru
Where to try: Guru Sweet Mart, Mysuru
Price: INR 150-250 per 250 g (~$2-3)
Gadbad
Mangaluru layered ice cream, jelly, fruit and nut sundae
Where to try: Ideal and Pabbas, Mangaluru
Price: INR 120-250 (~$1-3)
Top restaurants
Handpicked picks for the best dining experiences.
Restaurants by cuisine
Browse picks grouped by cuisine type.
Vegetarian
Mangalorean Ice Cream And Desserts
Food tours & tastings in Karnataka
Eat your way through Karnataka with a guide.
Browse food experiences in KarnatakaWe may earn a commission from bookings made through these links.
Street food
Local flavours at affordable prices.
Goli Baje (Mangalore Bajji)
Fried maida-and-yoghurt fritters with coconut chutney
Find it at: Udupi and Mangaluru tea stalls
Masala Puri and Churmuri
Puffed rice or crushed puri with onion, chutney and spice
Find it at: VV Puram Food Street and Bengaluru parks
Set Dosa and Idli-Vada
Soft dosas and steamed idli served at Bengaluru darshinis and tiffin counters
Find it at: Bengaluru standing-counter tiffin rooms
Girmit and Mirchi Bajji
North Karnataka puffed-rice snack and stuffed green chilli fritter
Find it at: Hubballi, Dharwad and Bijapur
Food markets
Where locals shop and graze.
VV Puram Food Street (Thindi Beedi)
Bengaluru's best-known vegetarian street-food lane, with dosas, holige and bajjis
Hours: Approx. 5PM-11PM; closed on some days
Devaraja Market, Mysuru
Century-old market for fruit, flowers, spices and sweets
Hours: Approx. daily 7AM-8PM
Russell Market, Shivajinagar
Bengaluru market for meat, fish, fruit and spices
Hours: Approx. daily 7AM-8PM
KR Market (City Market), Bengaluru
Bengaluru's largest wholesale flower and vegetable market
Hours: Approx. daily 5AM-9PM
Dining etiquette & tips
Navigate the local food scene confidently.
Udupi restaurants are mostly vegetarian; coastal fish houses serve non-veg.
Most tiffin rooms close between 11AM-12:30PM and 3PM-4:30PM; meals are served at lunchtime and dinner only.
Hampi and Gokarna: the monsoon (June to September) closes many beach shacks.
Use UPI apps (Google Pay, PhonePe) for small bills; carry INR 500 in cash for markets and temples.
Kodava food centres on pork; ask staff for vegetarian alternatives.
Swiggy and Zomato apps show current hours and reviews for most Bengaluru eateries.
- Vegetarian
- Excellent. Udupi, Bengaluru tiffin rooms and Jain-style thalis serve pure vegetarian food widely.
- Halal
- Widespread in Bengaluru (Shivajinagar, Frazer Town), Mysuru, Bijapur and Mangaluru; look for the halal sign.
- Gluten free
- Rice and lentil-based dosa and idli are naturally gluten free; avoid wheat rotis, puris and pooris, and check the sambar and chutney base.
Food budget guide
What to expect at different price points.
| Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | INR 100-250 per meal (~$1-3) | Tiffin rooms, darshinis and standing counters serving dosa, idli and meals |
| Mid-range | INR 400-900 per meal (~$4-9) | Sit-down restaurants such as Koshy's, Meghana Foods and Coorg Cuisine |
| Upscale | INR 2,500+ per meal (~$26+) | Fine-dining such as Karavalli, Bengaluru, and hotel restaurants |