I still remember my first trip to Coimbatore in high school, a 24-hour trip where I ate the city’s best-known ghee roast dosa for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Almost ever since, I always stop at the city’s iconic Annapoorna and relive that memory each time I’m back in the city. That’s not the only reason that brings me back to Tamil Nadu’s second city, which the British dubbed ‘The Manchester of South India’ for its rich textile traditions. The city’s newest hotel, O by Tamara, was the launchpad for my latest Coimbatore adventure. This hotel offers some of the largest rooms in the city and a chic design aesthetic. The hotel has numerous wall panels that pay tribute to Coimbatore’s textile heritage.
At Coimbatore’s iconic Annapoorna restaurant Annapoorna
Like most hotels in the city, the O by Tamara is driven by business travellers. Coimbatore is one of the engines of Tamil Nadu, the country’s second-largest state economy (by GDP) with IT services, textiles and a large ecosystem of small and medium industries in the mix. Leisure travellers often use Coimbatore as a transit point to Ooty, or come here for spiritual solace at Isha Yoga Centre and the towering Adiyogi statue that has acquired national visibility. It is Coimbatore’s burgeoning food scene and trails around the city that bring me back to the city. It’s a comfort zone and yet every trip almost always throws up a new discovery.
Like most hotels in the city, the O by Tamara is driven by business travellers O by Tamara
The Kongunadu trail
The pandemic was one of the best things that happened for India’s countless micro cuisines that have traditionally been overshadowed by restaurant staples like Chicken Tikka Masala. The erstwhile Kongunadu region in Tamil Nadu’s south-western belt, which includes cities like Coimbatore, Salem and Erode has a distinct cuisine. The cuisine’s unique flavours – from the use freshly grated turmeric to the use of coconut slivers and free-range chicken, set it apart in a state that boasts of a rich culinary heritage.
The Kongunadu platter at O Café Ashwin Rajagopalan
The culinary team at O Café, the all-day diner at the O by Tamara, staged a platter that included some of the regions emblematic dishes like the Pallipalayam chicken. The hotel’s executive chef, Baranidharan M, tells me that this unique cuisine was mostly the preserve of home cooks or traditional family-run restaurants. It has started playing out in some of the city’s finer restaurants. O Café offers this experience on request and their daily buffets for lunch and dinner often include dishes like the Kongu 'Nattu Kozhi’ varuval (tender chicken with freshly ground spices).
Under-rated culinary destination
Coimbatore-style mushrooms being prepared Ashwin Rajagopalan
Ask any culinary enthusiast in Tamil Nadu to name their favourite food cities in the state and you’re likely to hear Chennai or Madurai. Coimbatore is gradually making its way up that list and it’s more than just Kongunadu cuisine on offer. The city’s love for mushroom is unconditional. Popular outlets like Lovely Mushroom Stall in Saibaba Colony serve the city’s version of mushroom (or kaalan in Tamil) that strikes an emotional chord with Coimbatoreans. It’s a fail proof recipe – batter fried mushroom slathered with a zesty masala, that is the local comfort food fix.
A butter appam at Tiffin House in RS Puram Ashwin Rajagopalan
My second stop during my evening food crawl was Tiffin House in RS Puram where you can try Coimbatore’s unique spin on the appam; this one’s a crusty, almost crispy version of the classic appam loaded with butter. After my usual comfort stop at Annapoorna for their crispy rocket roast dosa and invigorating filter coffee, I stopped at an old favourite – Valarmathi Mess, a family-run restaurant where local favourites like the pichu potta kozhi (shredded chicken) come to the fore.
Half-day trails
The 12th-century Maruthamalai temple is one of the most important shrines for Lord Murugan, and is about 45 minutes away from the city. Like most iconic Murugan temples, it’s built on a hill, this serene temple offers sweeping views of the city. I’d suggest planning a visit here just before sunset to capture the views and also spend enough time at the temple.
En route to Coimbatore from Chennai Ashwin Rajagopalan
Aside from driving to Coonoor or Ooty for the weekend, Coimbatore offers easy access to scenic getaways like Top Slip wildlife sanctuary, Valparai and Pollachi. If you’re planning your trip to Coimbatore on a weekday, you can drive to the Bhavanisagar dam (about 90 minutes away from the city) or Lower Bhavani Dam that was the first major irrigation project initiated in Independent India in 1948. The area has scores of fish stalls selling fresh catch of the day and dried fish.
A woman selling dried fish Ashwin Rajagopalan
One of my favourite spots is Loam’s View Point on the way to Valparai from Pollachi. You get panoramic views of the Aliyar reservoir and the Anamalai mountain range. It’s one of the many excuses to extend your stay in Coimbatore. Coimbatore is more than just a transit point or a business travel destination, it’s a spiritual sojourn, a street-food haven with scenic drives in almost every direction.
