Lunch @New Govinda Rao Military Hotel

There is new restaurant mushrooming everyday in Bangalore, but the classics are still worth visiting. More than a century old, New Govinda Rao Military Hotel located on cottonpet is an institution. It can get crowded on weekends, but a group of three or four should have no trouble securing a table. People throng here for their famous mutton biryani, mutton meat balls, piping hot trotters soup and offals prepared form family recipes that dates back to 1908.

Few institutions such as Govinda rao's  have maintained their family business and are serving quality food to customers. It's considered sin to sell food as per tradition but we were only people serving food to freedom fighters, soldiers and hungry people during quit india movement says the fourth generation grandson who is currently handling operations at the restaurant. 

Our great grandfather never had intention to sell food but our home style food gained popularity and we started this business, by 1940's even His Highness Mysore Maharaja Jayachamarajaendra Wadiyar also heard of us from the locals and came to our adobe to taste the local cuisine that people were raving about. 

I discovered many untold stories on this trip, on a personal level I felt very proud for the younger generation who are spontaneously supporting our culture and cuisine. The menu is simple with 10 items listed, but still the younger crowd throng here.

From 6am to 4pm there is a constant supply of  trotters soup, idlis, chicken curries, stir fried chicken dishes, rice and biryani. From 6pm to 10pm the menu slightly changes to chapati and parotas other than idli all the dishes repeat. 

His Highness Mysore Maharaja Jayachamarajaendra wadiyar photo at the entrance.

Please do not expect ambience in traditional military hotels it will be crowded and congested. A click of 32 seater at the first level.

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Our Order

Chilly Chicken 100/-
Just the perfect side dish for biryani.

Mutton Biryani 180/-

Here the mutton biryani has a moist texture and its loaded with spices. Its not chilly hot but the spices warms up the body. They also serve a chilly hot gravy which is mixed with the rice and meat to enhance the flavors and taste...

Over all thoughts...the limited menu option which is not confusing and pricing for the amount of food is truly a service that govinda roa's are providing to the community. They are also a very inspiring family to younger generation. A visit to Govinda rao's is a must, taste a slice of Bengaluru's own cuisine at its best.