From crispy benne masala dosa to hearty set dosa, Bengaluru’s breakfast platter features South India’s most humble staple dish. We round up a list of the best, local-favourite spots in the city for dosa. By Eshita Srinivas
You haven’t truly experienced Bengaluru until you’ve rolled out of bed at 7:00 am on the weekend to line up outside a hole-in-the-wall for a bite of dosa. Made with fermented lentils and rice, this popular South Indian breakfast food is a staple for most locals. And while dosa spots across the city are a dime a dozen, a few iconic restaurants have mastered the art of producing the perfect golden dosas that are crispy around the edges and fluffy in the middle.
Each of these spots has its unique spin on the dish. While some have cropped up in the recent past, others have been serving up dosas for over 90 years! For the classic breakfast experience, wash several plates of dosas down with a cup of filter kaapi. If you’re in the city, here’s a list of spots to add to your dosa trail.
The 10 best spots for delicious dosas in Bengaluru
Central Tiffin Room
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Perhaps the most recommended spot for dosa in the city, this iconic restaurant has been around since the 1920s. Their signature benne dosas are buttery and crispy on the outside, with a deep golden hue. The butter masala dosa is a popular choice but if you’d like something a bit more hearty, go for the benne masala dosa, which has the right potato filling to dosa ratio. The bajji and filter coffee are popular as well. If you’re headed here over the weekend, gear up to witness a throng of people queuing up as early as 8:00 am.
Address: 7th Cross, Margosa Road, Malleshwaram, Bangalore
Contact: +91 80233 17531
Vidyarthi Bhavan
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Another iconic spot with 75 years of supremacy in dosas, Vidyarthi Bhavan has a cult following in Bengaluru. And for a good reason. Their signature dosas are thick, fluffy and golden, served with chutney. The masala dosas come with either potato or sagu filling, and the aroma of ghee is unmissable right as you step into the establishment. Watching the servers navigate the room with a tower of dosa plates is a delightful part of the experience of dining here. This place serves, undoubtedly, one of the best dosas in Bengaluru. Other popular options off the menu include the kesari bath, filter coffee, and medu vada. The place gets quite crowded, especially over the weekends, so be sure to head there early.
Address: 32, Near Gandhi Bazaar Circle, Basavanagudi, Bangalore
Contact: +91 80266 77588
Hotel Janardhan
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This humble spot in the heart of the city is frequented by locals for breakfast. Their masala dosa, filled with either potato or sagu is a must-have. Served with a classic sambar and chutney, these are crispy, must-have delicacies. Also popular here are the upma, kesari bath, vada, and Mysore Pak. Although not as crowded as CTR and Vidyarthi Bhavan, the restaurant can get chaotic once service starts. Many locals choose to eat in their car, and the restaurant staff often obliges. Be sure to wash a meal down with filter coffee for the quintessential experience.
Address: 6-1, Highgrounds, Kumara Krupa Road, Madhava Nagar, Race Course Road, Bangalore
Contact: +91 80222 54444
Chikkanna Tiffin Room
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This establishment has reportedly been around since 1965 and features on the top of most lists of recommended dosa spots in the city. On the menu are several different options of the staple. The first and the most popular is a ghee roast crispy dosa served with gunpowder (podi). There’s also set dosas (sponge dosas) that come with delicious chutney and open dosa with saagu and chutney. The mini masala dosa, podi idli, and rice bath are also popular. As always, don’t forget the filter coffee.
Address: 4th Main Road, Subramanyaswamy Temple Street, Kumar Park West, Seshadripuram, Bangalore
Contact: +91 98863 64466
Mahalakshmi Tiffin Room
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Reportedly serving dosas for over 96 years, this restaurant has some of the most delicious benne dosa, both masala and plain. Unlike most places around the city that serve dosa with red chutney, this place has its own iconic green chutney. Crispy, golden, and perfectly portioned, these dosas have tradition written all over them. Also popular here are the set dosas, vadas, rava idlis, and sagu puri. End your meal on a sweet note with some carrot halwa and filter coffee.
Address: 85/1, DVG Road, Near National College, Basavanagudi, Bangalore
Contact: +91 80229 06305
Mavalli Tiffin Room
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With several outlets peppered across the city, this one’s a quick spot to pop by when you’d like a taste of authentic dosa but don’t have the time to head to some of the other, more popular destinations. That said, the signature masala dosa at MTR, served with a bowl of melted ghee, is crispy and golden and is worth the hype it gets. Also believed to be the birthplace of rava idli, this is the spot to indulge in a large feast with dosas, idlis, kesari bath, and filter coffee. You could also mix it up with set dosas or paper dosa.
Address: 29, Ground Floor, White House, St. Marks Road, Bangalore
Contact: +91 80221 18083
Samrat, Hotel Chalukya
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This understated establishment has a signature thick and crispy masala dosa that’s a crowd-puller. Best distinguished by its signature red tinge, the dosa is loaded with ghee and served with potato filling, red chilli paste, and chutney. Also popular here are the puri sagu, filter coffee, rava idli, and sambar. Most locals pick up a meal from here or decide to indulge in the dosa from the comfort of their cars.
Address: 44, Race Course Road, Bangalore
Contact: +91 80222 61446
Om Sai Skanda Dosa Camp
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Dosa camps are at every corner of the city, but this particular, old-school establishment has held its own through the years. Believed to be the best spot for ghee benne dosa and fully idlis, there’s a range of breakfast options to add to your meal here. This includes the popular thatte idli, vada, and kesari bath. Locals also rave about the sambar and chutney here. There’s no seating available, so head there in your car or dig in a while standing right outside, just as everyone else does.
Address: 114, Cambridge Layout, Near Sai Baba Temple, Ulsoor, Bangalore
Contact: +91 98455 78328
Bengaluru Cafe
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A hole-in-the-wall with a wildly large following, Bengaluru cafe offers the most crispy, fluffy masala dosa topped with ghee. Your meal will arrive with a spicy, tart, and delicious coconut chutney sans sambar. There’s no seating here but you can join a bunch of other locals as they dig into their breakfast on long tables. Besides the plain and masala benne dosa, their popular dishes include idli vada, Mangalore bajji, bondas, and khara bath.
Address: 6, 9th Cross, 9th Main Road, 2nd Block, Jayanagar, Bangalore
Contact: +91 81972 97938
Siddappa Hotel
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Often referred to as Bengaluru’s hidden gem or best-kept secret, this spot is known for its half masala dosa and is a hole-in-the-wall that’s a must-visit. On the menu are ghee-laden delicacies. We’re talking ghee masala dosa, ghee set dosa, rice bath with ghee and more. Also popular are the idlis and tomato rice. Gear up to wait in line when heading here, even if you do manage to make it there by 7:00 am.
Address: Ashwath Nagar, 7th Block, Sampangi Rama Nagara, Bengaluru
Contact: +91 98447 94431
Feature and hero image: Saveurs Secretes/Pexels
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