Delhi loves its South Indian food—whether it’s the scrumptious masala dosa, rasam rice at your childhood favourite joint, idiyappam served with spicy stew, soft ghee podi idlis or piping hot filter coffee. And Shankar Mahadevan’s newly-opened restaurant in Rajouri Garden, Malgudi, is doing it right and more.
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Malgudi is a modern, pure-vegetarian South Indian all-day resto-cafe co-founded by Grammy-winning singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan alongside his best friend KS Ramakrishnan. After opening four outlets across Mumbai and two in the UAE, with one soon to open in Gurugram, Malgudi arrived in the capital recently, and it did not disappoint.
The interiors
While most restaurants nowadays aim for a moody aesthetic, Shankar Mahadevan’s restaurant feels nostalgic, welcoming you with a warm, inviting moodboard. It reminds you of all the South Indian restaurant runs you made with your family in your childhood. Yet it is modern and vibrant, in its own way.
Terracotta hues, brass lighting, cane-backed chairs, teak tables evoking coastal homes and temple towns, a traditional wood swing, plush sofas for sitting comfortably with your family, hand-painted murals, Chettinad-style tilework, Carnatic motifs woven into contemporary music, greenery adding softness to the space, and an open kitchen lend a dynamic edge to Malgudi.
The dedicated Filter Kaapi Barista counter becomes one of the highlights of the restaurant, where the bartenders make you mean coffee-based drinks that you would trade your classic filter coffee for, though it has its own charm.
What we ate
The menu leans heavily into regional flavours with a contemporary lens. You might find your traditional staples in the menu, but they arrive on the table elevated. It is organically a true-blue South Indian restaurant; however, each dish has its own twist. For dinner, Malgudi offers an extensive menu featuring its most recommended dishes—the Malgudi Superhits.
We started our dinner course with two starters—Ghee Podi Thatte Idli and Podi Cheese Balls served with a tangy tamarind dip. While the cheese balls are a must-try, the idlis—though soft—were not as decadently drizzled with ghee as we would have enjoyed. The podi sprinkled on top was also very underwhelming. Whereas the cheese balls were crunchy, cheesy on the inside, and sprinkled with a healthy dose of podi—a clear winner —the plate cleared up within seconds. We also had the Anna Style Crispy Lotus Root as a side, but it didn’t really impress.
The starters were followed by a delicious main course, and we believe that is where Malgudi’s strong suit lies—apart from their drinks, which we will come back to later. We were served four finger-lickin’ good dishes—Davangere Benne Dosa, Mulbagal Legacy Dosa with masala on the side, The South Khow Suey, and Paneer Chettinad with Malabar Parotta.
And everything was impeccable. The first thing I thought after having the Davangere Benne Dosa was that I would come back for this. The Mulbagal Legacy Dosa was equally delicious, with the masala hitting just the right spots, its subtle flavours, and the chutneys elevating the whole experience. The crispy Malabar parotta with the aromatic and spicy paneer Chettinad was also a show-stealer, and this is coming from a true-blue non-vegetarian.
As for the South Khow Suey—if your first thought after reading the name was, “What is a Thai dish doing in a South Indian restaurant?”—you are not alone, but this dish is where Malgudi proves itself as an experiential restaurant that wants to create a culinary experience. The restaurant takes the concept of Khow Suey and gives it a regional twist. The soup becomes herby, refreshing, and coconut-based, while the toppings add a twist with roasted peanuts, crispy garlic and onions, and chillies. coriander, lemon, sliced green apple, and instead of noodles, you are served noodles, which are basically grated idiyappam, and another bowl of fried noodles, which are the idiyappam noodles fried to be crispy.
The dessert and drinks programme
At Malgudi, the Filter Kaapi Barista features beans from Chikmagalur, brewed both in classic and new formats. Guests can enjoy coffee-based drinks, but there are other options to explore as well. While their classic filter coffee hit the right spots, we also tried their most-recommended signature cocktail, Malgudi Picante, which surprised us with its spicy, sweet notes and is made with guava, pomegranate, Guntur chilli, and charcoal.
The bar manager also made us taste their Iced Kaapi with Jaggery & Ghee—a cold coffee concoction with the sweetness of jaggery, richness of ghee, and ice cream—which is a must-try. Our meal ended with their decadent, rich Filter Kaapi Panna Cotta and Elaneer Payasam.
For Delhi diners who have always loved South Indian flavours, Malgudi offers a balance of creativity and familiarity, and certainly has a lot of appeal.
Location: Malgudi South Indian Resto-Café, Ground Floor, D-4, Ring Rd, opposite Pillar Number 184, Block D, Rajouri Garden, Delhi 110027
What to order: Podi Cheese Balls, Davangere Benne Dosa, South Khow Suey, Malgudi Picante, Iced Kaapi with Jaggery & Ghee, and Filter Kaapi Panna Cotta
The author was hosted by Malgudi upon editorial invitation.
Dining and Cooking