Recently, when a fellow food writer visiting from Mumbai asked me for a hotel suggestion, I started pondering about the best hotels in the city that offer great dining options. As much as you love food, sometimes you simply cannot step out of your hotel for a meal. Well, with the hotels below, you will not want to. These are the hotels where the rest of the city comes to dine! Here are my top three hotels for foodies in Chennai, in that order:
Taj Coromandel, Nungambakkam
Chennai’s first luxury hotel houses the three crown jewels of the city’s fine-dining scene – Prego, Golden Dragon and Southern Spice. Helmed by star Chef Luca D’Amora, Prego offers edgy Italian cuisine in a luxurious setting, while Golden Dragon is arguably the first choice for anyone seeking authentic Chinese food in Chennai. There is not much to say about Southern Spice that has not already been said – it is, perhaps, the finest South Indian restaurant in the world.
ITC Grand Chola, Guindy
This behemoth is already regarded as one of the grandest hotels in the country. ITC brings its signature brands in full glory for the Chola – ultimate Northwest Frontier cuisine at Peshawri and cutting-edge Asian fare at Pan Asian. The 24x7 coffee shop, Cafe Mercara Express, is also regarded as one of the best in its category in Chennai. Vegetarians can feast like a king at the Royal Vega, while Ottimo Cucina offers authentic Italian food.
The Raintree Hotel, St Mary’s Road
The Raintree Hotel lives up to its soothing leisure theme with solid dining offerings. Chap Chay’s DIY noodle stations are an evergreen Chennai favorite, and I like their dim sums as well. Colony offers sumptuous meals with a twist while consistently maintaining great quality in an airy, relaxed setting. Do hop into the lift for Above Sea Level – a gorgeous rooftop restobar that is a perfect date spot.
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Written By
A self proclaimed food geek and coffee nerd, Amit Patnaik enjoys his time in the kitchen as much as he loves dining out. He runs the food blog Pursuit of Yummyness and contributes to The Hindu in Chennai.
