A visit to the City of Joy is incomplete without a meal at one of its iconic restaurants. The city is truly a foodie paradise and it has been heartbreaking to see shuttered restaurant fronts for the last two-and-a-half months. However, with the lockdown now easing things, few Kolkata institutions and Kolkata eateries have reopened doors, with safety measures in place.


Kolkata eateries have reopened

This beloved tea room and confectioners has been around since 1927. A landmark on Park Street, its Rum Balls and Chicken Patties are favourites of tourists and residents alike. Now that they have reopened for socially-distanced dining and takeaway, we can finally address our withdrawal symptoms. If you’re opting to stay home, you can find them on the delivery platforms Swiggy and Zomato for contactless doorstep delivery.

Contact: +91 33400 07452 / +91 33400 07453 / +91 33400 07450

8’th Day Café and Bakery

Kolkata eateries have reopened

This American Café and Bakery is the go-to spot for bagels and granola bowls. With its walls lined with books and board games, it used to be a great place to spend many unhurried hours catching up with friends. Both their locations are now open, but we recommend the Hindustan Park outlet as they have the option of outdoor seating as well. The café will be following government health advisories such as hourly sanitation and thermal temperature checks. The servers will be masked and gloved, and masks are mandatory for customers as well. Their menu is also available on Swiggy and Zomato.

Contact: +91 84209 99544

Artsy Coffee and Culture

Kolkata eateries have reopened

This charming art-lined café has always naturally had socially distanced seating because it is spacious, and now they are going above and beyond to ensure a safe and contactless dining experience. There is a hand sanitation station and temperature check when you enter, and a QR code menu to order from. They run a hygienic kitchen where the staff is in PPE as they prepare your order, and are face-shielded and gloved to serve. They are also constantly sanitising doorknobs, the door, and your table. In case you wish to order in, they are available on Swiggy and Zomato.

Contact: 033 4008 2427

The Salt House

Kolkata eateries have reopened

 This popular fine dining restaurant is always innovating their menu to provide interesting fusion takes on their modern European cuisine. Through the lockdown they got creative, sharing DIY kits and recipes so that you never had to miss out on your favourite flavours. They recently had to extend their innovation to reconfigure their entire seating arrangement to ensure social distancing. Armed with sanitisers, masks and gloves, they are committed to following the WHO guidelines while opening doors to welcome customers once again. If you want to savour their dishes at home, order through Swiggy or Zomato.

Contact: +91 86976 34551


Kolkata eateries have reopened

This quaint café tucked away on a quiet street in Hindustan Park is a relatively new entrant on the café scene. With its tiled patio, casually chic ambience, and yummy shakes, it has quickly become popular. They have reopened and are taking the necessary safety precautions, including masks and gloves for servers, touchpoint sanitisation, regular temperature checks etc. The good thing about this joint is that they have a large patio space, and though covered, there is enough space to have socially distant seating. Their menu is available on Zomato for home delivery.

Contact: +91 98748 00945


This iconic restaurant in Park Street that serves a strong side of nostalgia with its famous Chicken A La Kiev and Prawn Cocktail is known to be impossibly hard to find a seat at. They will now be using around 40 per cent less of their seating to ensure social distancing, and have all the other safety precautions in place as well. In some areas, they have constructed see-through partitions between the tables to ensure customers feel comfortable, and are cutting down serving time so that guests do not have to linger. You can order their top dishes through Swiggy and Zomato for a contactless delivery experience.         

 Contact: 033 2229 0095

All images: Courtesy restaurants

Diya Katyal

Diya Katyal is a full time procrastinator and part time writer from Kolkata.