Madhushree and I have grown up with this debate as onlooker in our respective homes. When we are now the decision makers, we still debate over this and as some copywriter once said very famously – The argument continues.

The debate is small yet big. Home cooked food or eating outside during Pujo? What are the possible reasons why someone would eat out during DurgaPujo?

1. You are simply bored with the food at home round the year and need some change.
2. Wife/Mom/Granny /Aunt ,refuses to cook or manage kitchen for 1 day in the year and they want to eat out.
3. The cook is also on leave as he/she wants to enjoy the Puja with his/her family.
4. It is the first puja with him/her and why not walk into that posh restaurant where, deep down you always wished to dine.
5. It is a night/ day long pandal hopping and you cannot take a break to come back home to have your lunch/dinner.
6. The safest place to check out your own fashion quotient is waiting in the cue of a restaurant. You will find many like minded people and like dressed people waiting along with you.
7. The place other than pandals where adventurous people flock is the restaurants. If in this Puja, you had promised to get yourself a girlfriend/boyfriend and multiple visits to Maddox Square has been unsuccessful, then who knows, you could be lucky at the restaurant.
8. As a responsible citizen and a self proclaimed foodie from the city, it is your moral responsibility to contribute to the growth and sustenance of the restaurants in the city and the best way to do is to help them meet their Pujo target.
9. The pocket money/ the pujo budget always has that one meal or multiple meals outside. Spending that money on anything else is cardinal sin. After all, you didn’t buy that second pair of jeans just to have 1 meal outside.
10. There is something in the air which instigates you to stay outside. You want to sink in and move along with millions of people on the streets, catch up with old friends, make new relationships, try out a new joint – all happening during Durga Puja. The restaurants have been advertising since long and its time to go for the kill.

The decisions of eating out during Durga Puja is spontaneous and most of the time, unplanned. The result being long cues, no reservation and uncertainty. Why to take a decision of visiting a restaurant being uninformed about the menu, the price range, the timings and all other details?

This is an effort to provide you all the details across a few of the best restaurants across Kolkata for this Pujo. Kindly do let us know where did you try out. Some of the places to eat out in Kolkata during this Durga Puja –

Name	Address	Duration	Food	Cost
6 Ballygunge Place and 6 Ballygunge Place Thali	Variuos outlets across Kasba , Salt Lake and Ballygunge	19 till 22nd October	An array of speciality Bengali dishes which will have items like Fulkopir Roast , palang Chhanar kofta , rajnandini Pulao , morich Mangsho ect	1000 +taxes for 6 Ballygunge place and 650+taxes for Non veg thali and 500+taxes for veg thali
The Stadel	Yuvabharati Krirangan, Salt Lake Stadium, Gate 3, Kolkata 98 Contact 9874426755/66550000	19th till 22 nd October 12 noon till 3 PM and 7 Pm to midnight	A variety of bengali dishes like begun basanti, alu phul kopir dum, pabda tel borir jhal, chitagong masala murgi, malpoa etc	999 inclusive of taxes
Jhal Farezi	42, Circus Avenue, Kolkata – 700017  Contact – 033 6502 0202	12 noon to 3 pm, 7 pm to 10 pm	Special Puja menu of dhonepata kancha lanka bata diye grilled fish, paneer ajwaini, khurchan, lagan ka murg, fish cutlet with aam kasundi bata, basanti pulao, rabdi and mihidana etc	799 plus taxes
Afraa Restaurant and Lounge	Block G, 7th Floor,City centre , Salt Lake Kolkata Contact 033 2358 1111	18th to 25th October , 12.30 pm onwards lunch , 7 Pm onwards dinner	Special world cuisine buffet having dishes like baluchi ghost bhuna, balinese chicken curry, ghosht dakbungalow, Tangra Manchow soup, chhanar payesh, miniature rum balls etc., Mocktails are part of the buffet	999 plus taxes
The Lalit Great Eastern -Alfresco	1, 2, 3, Old Court House Street, Dalhousie Square, Near Raj Bhavan, Kolkata. Contact – 033 4444 7777	19th – 22nd October  12.30 – 4 pm , 7 – 11.30 pm	Festival – Shonar Bangla – Jelar Bangla ofering a meal of Dhoka Bhaja , Shag Begun , Bori Ghonto . Murshidabadi Rui Rezala , Chingri Bilayti beguner jhaal , Pona Machher tak and more	1999 per person
The Lalit Great Eastern – Great Ball room	1, 2, 3, Old Court House Street, Dalhousie Square, Near Raj Bhavan, Kolkata. Contact – 033 4444 7777	12.30 – 4 PM and midnight – 4 am	Entire decor will be of traditional Bengali chandmala, sari, kolabou. All the associates dressed in traditional dhoti Panjabi. The ambience will be jived by Puja Flavour. Here you enjoy ur meal at anytime. Some of the foods will be Dal raibahadur , Dhokar Dalna , Doi fulkopi etc for lunch , for midnight buffet you will have biriyani , noodles and other Kolkata streetfood	1199 per person for lunch and midnight buffet at 899
ITC Sonar – Eden Pavillion	JBS Halden Avenue BS Haldane Avenue, Opp Science City, Kolkata, West Bengal 700046 Contact – 033 2345 4545	19 – 23rd October , 12.30 till 2.45 PM and 7.30 till 11.45 PM	The Kolkata classics of Mughlai Pararthas and Kathi rolls along with the evergreen Anglo Indian dishes like Chicken a la kiev all this and more as a part of Buffet . Includes 2 pints of beer or soft drinks per person	1950 + taxes for lunch , 2150 +taxes for dinner
ITC Sonar – Peshawari	JBS Halden Avenue BS Haldane Avenue, Opp Science City, Kolkata, West Bengal 700046 Contact – 033 2345 4545	19 – 23rd October , 12.30 till 2.45 PM and 7.30 till 11.45 PM	Samundari Khazana special with Tandoori Lobster , Bara Kabab . Samundari Khazana with Fish Tikka , Tamdoori Pomfret and Sabz Khazana – Vegetarian platter with Paneer Tikka and others	4500+taxes for Samundari Khazana Special 3500+taxes for Samundari Khazana and 3200+taxes for Subz Khazana
Taj Bengal Kolkata – Sonar Gaon	34B, Belvedere Road, Alipore, Kolkata, West Bengal 700027 Contact – 033 2223 3939	19 till 22nd October  , 12.30 till 3 PM and 7.30 pm till midnight	A selection of bengali classics presented in 3 different types of Thalis – Amish , Niramish and sea food	2990 +Taxes for sea food , 2700 + taxes for Amish and 2500+taxes for niramish
Hyatt – Waterside cafe	JA-1, Sector III, Salt Lake City, Kolkata, West Bengal 700098 Contact – 033 2335 1234	19 till 22nd October , noon – 3 PM , 7 PM – 11 PM , midnight to 3 AM	Some of the all time fav Bengali dishes like – baati chingri , pabda machher jhal , posti murgi etc	1950 + taxes for regular buffet and 1550 + taxes for midnight buffet
HHI – Kalash	235/1, AJC Bose Rd, Sreepally, Bhowanipore, Kolkata, West Bengal 700020, Contact – 033 2283 0505	17th till 22nd , 11.30 till 3 PM and 7.30 till 11 PM	Kalash Pujo Hessel  – Live counters of various Bengali delicacies and the buffet spread includes – Mochar Paturi, Maccher Matha diye dal , Kakrar Jhal , Patisapta	1445 plus taxes per person
Novotel Kolkata  – The square	CF 11 Action Area 1C, New Town Rajarhat, Kolkata, 700156 Contact – 033 4032 3333	19 till 22nd October , noon – 3 PM , 7 PM – midnight	Prawn Malai curry , Matar Shutir Kachuri and more	1800 + taxes for lunch and 2200 +taxes for dinner