Abu Dhabi carries one of the largest Malayali populations outside Kerala, and that presence shows up most clearly on its food streets. Tucked between grocery stores, tailoring shops and money exchanges in neighbourhoods like Al Khalidiya, Al Markaziya, Al Danah and Mussafah, a string of unassuming restaurants quietly serve some of the most honest Kerala cooking you will find outside the state itself. There is no need to fly to Kochi or Kozhikode for a plate of nadan chicken curry or a banana leaf sadya; the capital’s own food lanes have it covered.
This guide rounds up the Kerala restaurants in Abu Dhabi that locals, taxi drivers, office-goers and homesick students keep returning to. The list mixes street style thattukadas, family run curry houses and a couple of hotel restaurants for anyone who wants the same flavours in a slightly more polished setting. Along with the restaurant details, you will also find a quick comparison table, practical tips on what to order, and answers to the questions people usually ask before heading out for a Kerala meal in the city.
Quick Comparison: Kerala Restaurants In Abu Dhabi
Before the detailed reviews, here is a snapshot of where to go, what each place is known for, and roughly how much a meal for two will set you back.
| Restaurant | Area | Signature Dish | Cost For Two (AED) |
| Thalassery Thattukada | Al Khalidiya | Thalassery Chicken Biryani | 60 |
| Karikku Restaurant | Al Khalidiya | Kizhi Parotta Chicken | 50 |
| Nalla Ruchi Restaurant | Al Markaziya | King Fish Curry | 35 |
| Taste Of Kerala | Al Dhafrah | Meen Mulakittathu | 45 |
| Nalukettu, Al Ain Palace Hotel | Al Markaziya | Chemmeen Mango Curry | 150 |
| Royal Calicut | Al Wahda | Fish Pollichathu | 55 |
| Calicut Paradise | Al Danah | Malabar Biryani | 80 |
| Payyannur Restaurant | Al Danah | Beef Roast With Puttu | 70 |
| Malabar Junction | Mussafah | Live Puttu And Dosa Counter | 45 |
| Idukki Gold | Mussafah Shabiya | Appam With Mango Fish Curry | 80 |
10 Best Kerala Restaurants In Abu Dhabi To Try
1. Thalassery Thattukada, Al Khalidiya
This street food style outlet recreates the Thalassery school of Malabar cooking, best known for biryani made with short grain jeerakasala rice instead of basmati. The rice is layered with fried onions, cashew and a generous hand of ghee, giving the biryani a nutty aroma that sits apart from the Hyderabadi or Lucknowi versions found elsewhere in the city. Beyond the biryani, the kitchen turns out a bone-in beef curry cooked long enough for the marrow to loosen, along with neer dosa served alongside a buffalo meat curry. It functions almost round the clock, making it a reliable stop for a late supper after a night shift.
Location: Opposite Life Pharmacy, near Big Mart Hypermarket, Al Khalidiya
Timing: 6 am to 1 am
Cost for two: Around AED 60
2. Karikku Restaurant, Al Khalidiya
Karikku leans into comfort food rather than fine dining, and its fried chicken paired with flaky parotta has built a loyal weekday crowd. The kizhi parotta chicken, where shredded parotta, egg and a spiced chicken masala are sealed and steamed together in a banana leaf parcel, is the dish most people come back for. On weekends, a simplified sadya spread appears on the menu, giving anyone who missed Onam at home a chance to eat rice, sambar, kaalan and pineapple pachadi off a single plate.
Location: Near Khalidiya Tower, Zayed The First Street, Al Khalidiya
Timing: 6 am to 12 am
Cost for two: Around AED 50
3. Nalla Ruchi Restaurant, Al Markaziya
Nalla Ruchi keeps its menu tight and focused on the classics rather than trying to cover every regional style of Kerala cooking. The king fish curry, cooked in a tangy tamarind and coconut gravy, and a coconut-flecked prawn roast are the two dishes most diners order without needing to check the menu. For those craving something heartier, a slow cooked beef preparation finished with curry leaves and coconut slivers rounds out the more indulgent end of the menu.
Location: Near Russian Embassy, Al Markaziya
Timing: 6 am to 12 midnight
Cost for two: Around AED 35
4. Taste Of Kerala, Al Dhafrah
True to its name, Taste Of Kerala does not dilute its flavours for a wider audience. A peppery mutton soup usually opens the meal, followed by a fiery red fish curry called meen mulakittathu that leans hard on Kashmiri and bird’s eye chilli. The biryanis here are stacked generously, and a coconut based buffalo meat preparation is one of the more distinctive items on the menu for anyone who has already tried the usual chicken and beef options elsewhere.
Location: Near Fresh & More Supermarket, Al Falah Street, Al Dhafrah
Timing: 6 am to 12 am
Cost for two: Around AED 45
5. Nalukettu, Al Ain Palace Hotel, Al Markaziya
For a sit-down meal with a Corniche view, Nalukettu inside Al Ain Palace Hotel is the closest Abu Dhabi gets to a proper Kerala dinner outing. The ghee rice served with a nadan chicken curry is a dependable order, while the sweet-sour chemmeen mango curry, made with raw mango and prawns simmered in coconut milk, stands out from the more everyday curry options nearby. It is priced higher than the street style outlets, but the setting and service justify it for a special evening or when hosting guests unfamiliar with Kerala food.
Location: Al Ain Palace Hotel, Al Markaziya
Timing: 12 noon to 12 midnight
Cost for two: Around AED 150
6. Royal Calicut, Al Wahda
Royal Calicut is built for people with a serious appetite. Portions run large, the spicing is deep rather than surface level, and the fish pollichathu, pan seared and wrapped in banana leaf with a layer of masala, is worth ordering even if you are new to Kerala seafood. A dum parotta loaded with shredded meat is the other big draw, and it is filling enough to share between two people rather than order individually.
Location: Opposite New Kerala Furniture, near Baseem Pharmacy, Al Wahda
Timing: 6 am to 1 am
Cost for two: Around AED 55
7. Calicut Paradise, Al Danah
Calicut Paradise has built its reputation on Malabar style biryani, made with the same short grain rice tradition as Thalassery but with its own house blend of spices. Beyond the biryani, the kitchen turns out a well balanced Malabar chicken curry and a handful of banana leaf wrapped snacks that make for good starters while the main order is being prepared.
Location: 1 Kuwait Street, Al Danah, Zone 1
Timing: Daily, standard restaurant hours
Cost for two: Around AED 80
8. Payyannur Restaurant, Al Danah
Payyannur draws a mixed crowd of Malayalis and other South Indian diners, largely because it does not limit itself to Kerala food alone. Idlis and dosas share menu space with puttu and kadala curry, but the beef roast and fresh fish fry are what most regulars order without fail. Portions are generous relative to the price, making it a popular choice for a quick, filling lunch.
Location: Hamdan Bin Mohammed Street, Al Danah, Zone 1
Timing: Daily, standard restaurant hours
Cost for two: Around AED 70
9. Malabar Junction, Mussafah
Malabar Junction is a Mussafah favourite for families, thanks to its warm, no-rush seating and a live counter where puttu and dosa are prepared fresh through the day rather than kept ready in advance. The seafood and chicken biryani options are both solid, and the restaurant’s welcoming service style makes it an easy recommendation for anyone visiting a Kerala restaurant for the first time.
Location: Mussafah, Abu Dhabi
Timing: Daily, standard restaurant hours
Cost for two: Around AED 45
10. Idukki Gold, Mussafah Shabiya
Idukki Gold trades polish for warmth, and that is exactly its appeal. A coconut based buffalo meat curry and an appam served with mango fish curry are the highlights, and the kitchen sends out a small welcome bite of peanuts, chilli, honey and ginger before the main order even arrives. Nothing about the space is dressed up, which is precisely why regulars treat it like an extension of home rather than a restaurant.
Location: Near Landmark Trading, near Phoenix Hospital, Shabiya ME 10, Mussafah Shabiya
Timing: 7 am to 12 midnight
Cost for two: Around AED 80
Why Kerala Food Has Such A Strong Presence In Abu Dhabi
Kerala’s connection to the UAE goes back decades, with generations of Malayalis working across the emirate in every sector from construction to healthcare to hospitality. Wherever a large Malayali workforce settles, small eateries follow, first to feed the community and later to introduce the wider city to Kerala’s food. That history is why Abu Dhabi’s Kerala restaurants tend to cluster around older, more affordable neighbourhoods rather than the newer waterfront developments, and why the food stays close to home style cooking instead of restaurant-style plating.
Kerala cuisine itself is built around a few core ingredients used in endless combinations: coconut in every form, from grated flesh to thick milk to raw oil, curry leaves and mustard seeds for tempering, and rice as the constant base. Coastal Kerala contributes bold seafood curries, while the inland Malabar belt is known for its biryanis and meat preparations. A single Kerala restaurant in Abu Dhabi will usually carry dishes from both traditions, which is part of why the cuisine rewards repeat visits rather than a single meal.
Tips For Choosing The Right Kerala Restaurant In Abu Dhabi
- Decide between a street style thattukada for a quick, spicy, affordable meal, and a hotel restaurant if you want a calmer setting for a longer dinner.
- Ask how spicy a dish is before ordering, since Kerala curries are seasoned assuming a high spice tolerance by default.
- Visit during Onam or Vishu if you want the full sadya experience, and book a table in advance since demand rises sharply during these weeks.
- Pair a curry with appam or puttu instead of plain rice at least once, since the texture contrast is part of what makes Kerala food distinctive.
- Check whether a restaurant has a live cooking counter, since freshly made puttu, dosa or neer dosa tastes noticeably different from a batch made earlier in the day.
Final Word
Abu Dhabi’s food scene covers nearly every global cuisine, but its Kerala restaurants hold a different kind of value. They are less about spectacle and more about consistency, the kind of place where the fish curry tastes the same on a Tuesday as it does on a Friday, and where the staff will remember how you like your chilli levels after a couple of visits. Whether you grew up on this food or are trying it for the first time, the restaurants on this list are a fair starting point for exploring what Malayali cooking looks like away from Kerala itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which area of Abu Dhabi has the most Kerala restaurants?
Al Khalidiya, Al Markaziya (Old Passport Road and Hamdan Street belt), Al Danah and Mussafah Shabiya carry the largest concentration of Malayali eateries in the capital. These pockets have historically housed a large share of the city’s Kerala community, which is why the food, the language on the menu boards and even the background music lean unmistakably Malayali.
What is the average cost of a Kerala meal for two in Abu Dhabi?
Budget thattukadas and no-frills canteens charge roughly AED 30 to 60 for a filling meal for two, while hotel-style restaurants with wider seafood and biryani menus can range between AED 80 and 150 depending on what you order.
Do Kerala restaurants in Abu Dhabi serve Onam Sadya throughout the year?
A handful of restaurants keep a scaled-down sadya style thali on the everyday menu, but the full 20-plus item banana leaf feast with payasam is usually reserved for the Onam and Vishu seasons, when demand from the community peaks and advance booking is recommended.
Are these Kerala restaurants suitable for non-spicy or mild food eaters?
Most nadan style curries are cooked fiery by design, but nearly every restaurant on this list will happily tone down the chilli on request, and dishes like appam with stew, neychoru with mild chicken curry, or plain puttu with banana are gentler starting points for first timers.
Is home delivery available for Kerala food in Abu Dhabi?
Yes, the majority of restaurants mentioned here are listed on Talabat, Deliveroo, or Noon Food, and some also run their own WhatsApp ordering line for regular customers, which is worth asking for since it often skips platform commission and delivers slightly faster.
What should first time visitors to a Kerala restaurant in Abu Dhabi order?
A safe and satisfying starting combination is a plate of appam or puttu, a coconut based fish or chicken curry, a portion of parotta on the side, and a filter coffee to finish. From there, biryani, sadya and the fried snacks are worth exploring on a second visit.
