What to Eat in Thrissur Today?

Famous Food to Eat in Thrissur

These are the dishes most worth trying while you are in Thrissur.

Kerala Sadya

The vegetarian feast of Kerala, served on a banana leaf: rice with sambar, avial, thoran, olan, pickles, pappadam and a sweet payasam to finish. It is eaten with your right hand, and it is the meal every family cooks for Onam.

Appam and Stew

Soft, lacy rice appams with crisp edges, served with a mild coconut-milk stew of vegetables or egg. It is a breakfast dish, and popular places often run out by mid-morning.

Kerala Fish Curry

Fish cooked in a tangy, coconut-based gravy, usually eaten with rice or with kappa (boiled tapioca). It is everyday home food across Kerala and one of the spicier dishes on this list.

Pathiri and Curry

Thin, soft flatbreads made from rice flour, served with a rich chicken curry. Pathiri comes from the Malabar kitchen of northern Kerala, but you will find it in Thrissur too.

Kerala Banana Chips

Thin slices of raw banana fried in coconut oil and salted, plus the sweet version, sharkara varatti, coated in jaggery. Shops often fry them fresh in big pans at the front of the shop.

Snacks and Tea in Thrissur

The lanes around Swaraj Round are full of small bakeries and tea shops. A glass of hot tea with a fried snack is the usual afternoon break, and bakeries sell banana chips, sharkara varatti and sweets to take home. Chips bought fresh from the fryer taste much better than packed ones.

Food Tips for Travellers in Thrissur

• Try a sadya for lunch at least once; many places serve it only at lunchtime.
• Go early for appam and stew, as it is a breakfast dish.
• Vegetarians will find it easy to eat well, especially around the temples.
• Ask for less spice with fish curry if you are not used to Kerala chilli.
• Drink bottled or boiled water, and carry some with you in the heat.
• During Onam and Pooram, restaurants are busy and some close for the holiday, so plan meals ahead.