Coimbatore welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, from businessmen to students to tourists. The city has plenty of attractions and is a great place to shop, but the underrated aspect of the trip is the Food. The city offers a plethora of options.

You’ll find local favourites, popular Indian snacks, as well as famous international cuisines. Every day, during the lunch hours or at tea breaks, you’ll find street vendors packed to capacity with office-goers gorging on yummy foods. We’re listing some of the best street food items in Coimbatore.

Breakfast Items You Shouldn’t Miss in Coimbatore

1. Dosa

Doses are a fan favourite of the locals in South India. In Coimbatore, you will find this popular food item served at almost every restaurant. Served with coconut chutney, dosas are made with a variety of fillings. Restaurants in Coimbatore are getting innovative and introducing new varieties of dosas.

• Best Eaten with: Sambhar and coconut chutney
• Where to Get It: Sree Anandhaas, Coonoor Ramachandra, and Sree Annapoorna are some popular places to eat dosas in Coimbatore.

2. Idli

Another popular street food dish in Coimbatore is Idli. Generally Eaten as a breakfast item, idlis are served at most food stalls and restaurants. In the mornings, many local vendors cycle around the town selling hot and fresh idlis. Idli vendors can be found in and around commercial areas and at marketplaces.

If you are the adventurous type, try the variety of idli preparations served here, from pepper idlis to even jackfruit idlis.

• Best Eaten with: Coconut chutney
• Where to Get It: Ammayi Veedu Pot Cook or Hotel Junior Kuppanna are perhaps most famous for this dish.

3. Rasam

Something of a soup or curry, Rasam is famous in Tamil Nadu. Local South Indian restaurants in Coimbatore serve this crowd favourite. Rasam is cooked using a tamarind base and pepper. It may look bland, but Rasam packs a punch with its spicy-peppery taste.

Locals have a bowl of Rasam before their meals or eat it with rise or dosa and idli. If you love spicy or peppery food, you have to try out Rasam here. Guaranteed to leave you asking for more.

• Best Eaten with: Steamed rice or idli and dosa.
• Where to Get It: Coonoor Ramachandra

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4. Puttu

Owing to its popularity, tourists can find puttu served at many eateries, and local street carts in Coimbatore.

The dish is made from fermented rice and is eaten as a breakfast item or as a snack. Some even have puttu with curry or sambhar. Some restaurants serve puttu made from wheat flour or corn flour.

• Best Eaten with: Coconut chutney or fish curry
• Where to Get It: Ente Keralam, Race Course

5. Murukku

Traditionally made using rice flour, Murukku is a famous savoury snack served in Coimbatore. During festivals like Pongal and Diwali, Murukku is prepared in different varieties such as Godhumai murukku and Vennai murukku.

• Best Eaten with: On its own
• Where to Get It: The best places to get murukku are in sweet marts and snack shops. A popular variant of murukku is the murruku sandwich. It has a filling of mint chutney and is slowly becoming the new favourite of locals in Coimbatore.

Best Evening Snacks & Dinner Items in Coimbatore

6. Lemon Rice

Lemon Rice is a famous Tamilian rice preparation. The authentic taste of Lemon Rice is mildly spicy and tangy. One can enjoy Lemon Rice at any of the local South Indian restaurants in and around Coimbatore.

This dish is prepared using lemon juice, onions, and a few local spices. The blend of tang and spice makes the dish a must try food item if you are in Coimbatore.

• Best Eaten with: On its own
• Where to Get It: Sree Annapoorna in RS Puram

Also Read : The top 10 Places to Shop in Coimbatore

7. Kozhi Urundai

A local term used for chicken meatballs, Kozhi Urundai is a much-loved non-vegetarian dish in Coimbatore. Not found commonly on the street, you are more likely to find these in local restaurants.

In terms of taste, Kozhi Urundai can be described as hot and spicy. The dish is perfect for the colder season (November to January). Kozhi Urundai is best eaten for lunch or dinner.

• Best Eaten with: Rice
• Where to Get It: Hotel Junior Kuppanna, Peelamedu

8. Jigarthanda

Jigarthanda is a famous drink that originated in Madurai. However, the people of Coimbatore love the drink as well. Made using milk, the drink is served traditionally served in steel drinking glasses at many restaurants. But, Jigarthanda is best had at the food and drink stalls in market areas.

• Best Eaten with: After a spicy meal
• Where to Get It: Local food stalls in marketplaces

9. Kalan Varuval

If there is one dish that the people of Coimbatore are crazy about it’s Kalan Varuval. The dish is made from mushrooms and is spicy. Generally served as a snack or a starter, you’ll find plenty of street side food stalls serving this dish.

During the evenings, locals love head to street food stalls and restaurants to get their daily fix of Kalan Varuval.

• Best Eaten with: Flaky parottas
• Where to Get It: Roadside stalls and Chinese restaurants

10. Chaats

No matter which city or state you visit in India, almost all of them will list chaat as a popular street food item. Understandably, Coimbatore is no different. The city is filled with many food stalls serving a variety of chaats.

From paani puri to sev puri, samosas, and more, chaats in Coimbatore are a popular evening snack, and some do interesting local chaat twists. The perfect accompaniment to chaat is a cup of cutting chai or some filter coffee.

• Where to Get It: Popular chaat places in Coimbatore are KSL Agra Chaat, Shankar Chaat House and Bombay Chaat & Tandoor Corner.

Although Coimbatore is a great place for all types of food, it is local delicacies like kalan varuval and murukku that the locals love the most. With many out-of-towners working in Coimbatore, popular Indian street food items like chaats have become popular, too.

Have you been to Coimbatore? What is your favourite street food item? We would love to hear your opinion and thoughts on the Coimbatore street food scene.