If you are planning a road trip to Mahabalipuram or Puducherry, there are a number of restaurants and shacks enroute to the ECR where you can catch a quick bite. Apart from food, the East Coast Road also has many spots for enjoying a day filled with adventure activities and water sports.
Bay of Life
Watch the mesmerising sunrise, feel the water under the soles of your feet and surf on the playful waves of the Bay of Bengal. That’s how you can, literally, spend your weekend at Bay of Life in Kovalam. Apart from surfing, you can also engage in some fun ocean sports like kayaking and scuba diving and learn how to rescue and manage snakes with Gowri Shankar of NatGeo as part of the Storm Snake Workshop, conducted periodically.
INR 1,500 onwards.
VGP Marine Kingdom
The Kingdom of Atlantis has surfaced on ECR! India’s first and largest walk-through aquarium, the VGP Marine Kingdom, houses some of the rarest and near-extinct aquatic species like the alligator gar and silver shark. You can also have a candlelight dinner and stay the night at the underwater luxury suite looking through the panoramic view of the deep ocean zone!
Entry ticket: INR 595-INR 695.
Flip Flops Beach Shack & Café
What started as a cozy homestay seven years ago is now a popular shack and café in Mahabalipuram. With its impressive 260-degree view of the beach, celebrity visits and music, the place is said to give off ‘total Goa vibes’. While the menu currently focuses on South Indian and fusion food, they are planning to revamp the menu with Continental and French flavours.
Meal for two: INR 1,000-1,200 approx for lunch.
Off Road Sports
Get on your feet and do something daredevil-y this weekend. Off Road Sports, an adventure sports center, provides a range of outdoor sports like driving ATV rides on off-road tracks and the beach, having a paintball fight with your friends and enjoying different water sports like catamaran rides and jet ski. Adventure enthusiasts, you will be able to go for a fun rock climbing session soon!
INR 400 onwards.
Divs Kombucha
Driving up and down the ECR and trying out all our recommended pitstops may have left you tired. So, here’s something refreshing for you. Divs Kombucha offers some of the best natural beverages perfect to wipe the exhaustion off your face (and remedy a hangover too). You can try popular flavours like the Sparkling Elaneer, Ginger Beer and the original Rosapoo Kombucha.
Cost: INR 155 to INR 375 per bottle.
Kai – From the Sea
If you are a fan of seafood, check out the Kai – From the Sea, a quaint restaurant on the ECR known for cooking styles that range from Pan-Asian to European. Along with their seasonal weekend specials, the diner offers 16-18 varieties of seafood dishes on the menu, including Barracuda Tacos and the delicious Ghee Roast Prawns marinated with byadgi chili and spice paste; and homemade ghee. What’s more, is that you can choose and buy the fresh produce yourself from their concept shop.
Meal for two: INR 2,000-2,500 approximately.
Alai Osai
Are you one of those people who like to catch their own fish? Alai Osai The Family Restaurant in Mahabalipuram offers the unique experience of ‘hook and cook’ where customers can go fishing in the
restaurant’s pond and give their fresh catch for a flavourful preparation. Live Crab Masala Fry, Prawn Tawa Fry, and Squid Butter Garlic are some of the signature dishes on the menu.
INR 50 onwards (for omelettes).
Kraft Retail Dining
You can now shop for furniture while you wait for food. Opened by an architectural firm for showcasing their designs, Kraft Retail Dining offers a one-of-a-kind experience where you can choose from a variety of furniture and home décor products, customise them too if you wish, all while relishing their signature Asian dishes.
Meal for two: INR 1,200 approximately.
Home décor and furniture start from INR 1,000 and INR 10,000 respectively.
Kadal Kitchen
If you are craving some good homely fishermen’s food, Kadal Kitchen is the perfect stop. Try out their famous Fish Meal which includes fish curry, boiled egg, vegetables and beetroot halwa. You can pair the meal with other starters and dishes like the Calamari Chukka and Mud Crab soused in Pulicat Crab Masala. Jumbo prawns marinated with special masala and cooked in a tandoori style will also be available on the menu soon.
Cost: INR 150 onwards for the Fish Meal.