MildAppam & Stew
VegLacy, soft-centred rice-and-coconut appams with a lightly spiced vegetable (or chicken) coconut stew — a beloved Kerala breakfast.
₹60–180
Eat in Kovalam
What to Eat in Kovalam Today?
Search Kovalam dishes by craving — appam & stew, grilled seafood, karimeen pollichathu and more.
Food in Kovalam is Kerala coastal cooking: fresh fish, coconut, curry leaves, rice and plenty of spice. The beachfront is lined with restaurants that display the day's catch on ice, and you pick what you want grilled or cooked in a Kerala masala.
Beyond seafood, try a proper Kerala breakfast of appam and stew, a vegetarian sadya served on a banana leaf and a hot pazham pori with your afternoon tea.
Popular cravings
Diet
Best for
5 Kovalam dishes found
Mild
Medium spiceGrilled Seafood
Non-vegFresh prawns, fish and calamari grilled to order at the beach shacks with Kerala spice rubs — pick your catch from the ice display.
₹300–800
Best around: Lighthouse Beach
Medium spiceKarimeen Pollichathu
Non-vegPearl-spot fish (karimeen) marinated in Kerala spices, wrapped in banana leaf and pan-roasted — a fragrant, moist coastal delicacy.
₹250–500
Best around: Lighthouse Beach and Samudra Beach
MildKerala Sadya
VegThe grand vegetarian banana-leaf feast of rice with sambar, avial, thoran, olan, pickles and payasam — Kerala's festive meal.
₹150–400
Pazham Pori
VegRipe plantain slices dipped in batter and fried golden — Kerala's favourite teatime snack, crisp outside and soft within.
₹20–80
Best around: Samudra Beach
Famous Food to Eat in Kovalam
These are the dishes to look for during your visit.
Grilled Seafood
Prawns, fish, squid and sometimes lobster are laid out on ice at the beach restaurants. You choose your catch, and it is grilled or fried with a Kerala spice rub. Ask for the weight and the price before it goes on the grill.
Karimeen Pollichathu
Pearl-spot fish, known locally as karimeen, marinated in spices, wrapped in a banana leaf and pan-roasted. The leaf keeps the fish moist and fragrant. It is one of Kerala's best-loved fish dishes.
Appam and Stew
Soft, lacy rice pancakes with a mild coconut milk stew of vegetables or chicken. It is a classic Kerala breakfast, and many places sell out by mid-morning.
Kerala Sadya
A vegetarian feast of rice served on a banana leaf with sambar, avial, thoran, olan, pickles, papadam and payasam for dessert. It is the traditional meal of Onam and festivals, and some restaurants serve a version at lunchtime.
Pazham Pori
Ripe plantain slices dipped in batter and fried until golden. It is Kerala's favourite teatime snack, crisp on the outside and soft inside.
Snacks and Cafés in Kovalam
The promenade along Lighthouse Beach and Hawah Beach is full of cafés serving fresh juice, coffee, pancakes and cakes, and it is a relaxed place to sit with a view of the sea. For a local snack, look for tea stalls selling pazham pori and fresh tender coconut water.
Food Tips for Travellers in Kovalam
- Seafood is sold by weight, so agree on the price before it is cooked.
- Choose a busy restaurant where the fish is kept on plenty of ice.
- Try a Kerala breakfast of appam and stew at least once.
- Order a sadya at lunchtime, when it is usually served.
- Kerala food can be spicy, so ask for less chilli if you prefer milder food.
- Drink bottled or filtered water, and enjoy tender coconut water in the heat.
Questions
Kovalam — FAQ
What food is Kovalam famous for?
Kovalam is famous for fresh seafood, especially grilled fish and prawns and karimeen pollichathu. Kerala dishes like appam and stew, sadya and pazham pori are also easy to find.
Is seafood in Kovalam fresh?
Most beach restaurants display the day's catch on ice, and much of it is landed nearby at Vizhinjam. Look at the fish before you order: clear eyes and firm flesh are good signs.
Is vegetarian food easy to find in Kovalam?
Yes. Kerala has many vegetarian dishes, including sadya, appam with vegetable stew, dosa and pazham pori. Hotel Swagath is a pure vegetarian option in Kovalam.
What is a Kerala sadya?
A sadya is a vegetarian feast served on a banana leaf, with rice and many small dishes such as sambar, avial, thoran, olan, pickles and payasam. It is the traditional meal for Onam and weddings.