North Meets South in Chennai with the Best 5 Punjabi Dhabas

Food is everyone’s desire and love and be it South India or North India, Punjabi food is raved about everywhere. Especially, when it comes to Punjabi dhabas, every foodie would drool over the cuisine. We have consolidated our list of best Punjabi dhabas in Chennai. All you need to do is visit them, try the food and let us know.

Dhaba Express
Address: 9, Cenotaph Road, Teynampet, Chennai
Contact No.: 044 2432 8211  044 6400 0000
Timings: 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM, 6:30 PM – 11 PM
Cuisines: North Indian, Chinese

Cost For Two: Rs. 700 approx
Dhaba Express, specialised in North Indian cuisine in Chennai offers a variety of delicious dishes at Anna Nagar. Some of the favourite options amongst customers here are Butter Chicken Masala and Lucknow Biryani. The gravies are rich and flavourful. Breads are crafted to perfection. The best starters to taste are Dragon Chicken, Finger Fish and Mango Lassi. The pickles are different from other restaurants and immersed in a mixture of tastes. The restaurant is suitable for a family dinners due to its calm and quiet atmosphere. The staff is patient and perfect in their job. It is reasonably priced, however, the cost of starters and curries is slightly high as compared to other restaurants.

Sachin Ka Dhaba
Address: 5/336, Rajiv Gandhi Salai, Thuraipakkam, Chennai
Contact No.: 044 6461 9709  +91 92821 99918
Timings: 12:00 – 3:00 PM, 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Cuisines: North Indian, Chinese

Cost For Two: Rs. 700 approx
Sachin Ka Dhabba is one of the small Dhabas in Chennai that serves good food with a touch of mom’s kitchen. The service is slow, but it feels good to eat here due to the cosy ambience and lighting. One thing to be noted is that it serves the best Dal Tadka in the city and equally good Dal Makhani. Sachina Ka Dhabba is also a decently priced destination that does not hurt the pocket much.

Lucky Da Punjabi Dhaba
Address: 4/718, Ground Floor, MGR Salai, Kandanchavadi, Perungudi, Chennai
Contact No.: 044 3085 3774
Timings: 12:00 – 3:00 PM, 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Cuisines: North Indian

Cost For Two: Rs. 550 approx.
As the name sounds, it is a small restaurant that is set up in a typical dhaba style with low benches. The ambience and the decor are impressive with few antique articles like the old age telephone, a charpai on one of the walls and some big cycle wheels adorning the other wall. The loud Punjabi music played here also adds to the ambience of the place. It is a small place, but well maintained and can accommodate up to 20-25 people. The service is fast with orders being served within less time. Overall, it is definitely value-for-money, with no extra taxes and serves delicious food.

Icarus Punjabi Dhaba
Address: 60, 2nd Floor, Pantheon Road, Opposite Museum, Egmore, Chennai
Contact No.: 044 2841 8104
Timings: 12:00 – 3:00 PM, 7:00 PM – 10:30 PM
Cuisines: North Indian

Cost For Two: Rs. 650 approx.
If you don’t mind parking your vehicle some yards away and walking to the destination, climbing two floors, and don’t care about fancy interiors but enjoy True Blue Punjabi Food in Chennai – Icarus is the place to be. Ranging from masala peanuts which have a hint of lemon in them, smoked to perfection to the delicious Sarso Da Saag, Icarus Punjabi Dhabba offers one of the best Punjabi dining experiences in the city.

Desi Rasoi
Address: 30/48, Venkatnarayana Road, Near Balaji Temple, T. Nagar, Chennai
Contact No.: 044 4212 7939  044 2435 3423
Timings: 12:00 – 3:30 PM, 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Cuisines: North Indian

Cost For Two: Rs. 600 approx.
This Punjabi dhaba in Chennai has recently got a face-lift. The metal chairs with thin seat cushions were getting a tad annoying to sit on, and it was only the food that kept one’s mind off things. But this time, they’ve got sofas, which are more comfortable and welcoming. The place has also has also been painted fresh, with the old dirty blue colour replaced by a nice bright yellow. Gone are the photographs of the proprietor with the celebrities though. There was one with him and Shahrukh Khan! They serve delicious Indian curries to go with the breads. Some of the notable options to try here are Kadhai Paneer, the Paneer Butter Masala, Kaju Curry, Kaju Paneer, and the Matar Paneer. All their gravies are excellent, in decent quantities. Without being unnecessarily decadent, eight chapatis are enough to wipe clean, one bowl of gravy. The breads are exceptional. Their stuffed naans, particularly the aloo and paneer stuffed naans have been a perennial. The chefs here are consistent. Even if the prices aren’t for everyone, the food is one thing a true foodie will not want to miss.