By now after reading the previous blog you might have come to a conclusion and convinced the family to go on a short beach vacation to Udupi. But you know that beach and seafood go hand in hand. What if you are one of those very few lesser mortals (like me) who are vegetarians and would prefer to go that extra mile when out traveling so that you get decent veg food than settling to something like a maggie or a ready2eat packets in a hotel room? This blog will come as your life savior, I help you with a list of places to get Vegetarian food in Udupi/Coastal Karnataka.
The list below is in no specific order of merit, but a list of places where you can find some good to decent veg food options in and around Malpe, Udupi.
Sri Krishna Mutt – Temple Meals
This should no doubt be your first and most sought-after option if you are out visiting the temple at noon or night. It is a simple free for all meals which are served on the first floor of the temple premises, which you will pass through once you have finished the darshan of the main deity. The menu comprises rice & sambar(Huli)/Rasam which is served on a plate. Not really sure if it’s something to do with the magic or aura of the place, even if you eat a little you feel satisfied and full. You definitely have an option of a second serving but ALWAYS ensure that you do not waste or throw away food. Feel free to ask them to serve how much you need than what they generally give which is typically very generous.
Hotel MTR – Snacks/Breakfast/Meals
If you are in a situation where you missed the lunch/dinner at the temple or are in a situation where you have not visited the temple at that given time or want something to start your day then MRT hotel is your next best option. It’s the very same MTR that you can find quite often across Karnataka and many countries outside as well. This is one such place which you can’t go wrong with what you order be it a simple Masale Dose or Rave Idly ( apparently MTR folks are the source of the original Rave Idly during World War times) or even full-fledged meals. Having said that never ever miss having a hot and strong filter coffee before you wind up your visit to MTR.
Hotel Diana – Snacks/Breakfast/Meals
If there is one thing you have to try when you are in Costal Karnataka and more so specifically around the Udupi-Mangalore region is to savor the uber-famous GudBud ice cream from Hotel Diana. Legend says that back in the days, the gud-bud ice cream came in as a last-minute invention as you could call when the hotel staff was running short of desert options and in a hurry ( which is kind of relates to the word gud-bud ) they picked 3 flavors of ice cream and topped it up with tutty fruity and some nuts and that’s how GudBud was born. Now, this is one specialty sundae that is available all across the country. But what’s better than having it at the place where it all started or from the people who actually created this desert. And while you are here on an evening don’t forget to try out the freshly prepared veg cutlet, which is also one of their famous or specialty dish.
Paradise Beach Resort ( not a paid promotion! )
Paradise Beach Resort was our default option for stay for the obvious reason that this was one of the only ( quite literally ) hotels which were right next to the beach ( Malpe beach in our case ) which means easy and quick access to the beach without having to take out the vehicle or worry about walking back long-distance after spending some quality time in the waters. And for all good reason, they do have a very good in-house restaurant which serves some decently good veg food options. The breakfast which is included as complimentary in the stay package includes fresh-juice/cut-fruits/idly/vade/dose/upma/kesari bath/corn-flakes/bread/coffee-tea etc by default, which apparently is open for people who do walk into the restaurant also. Even outside of the breakfast scenes, the menu for the lunch/dinner was quite exhaustive with vegetarian options and the taste was pretty decent too. They do have an in-house veg-only restaurant but that was closed during our visit. But while you are here and prefer sitting out in the open with the experience of the breeze from the ocean, then you might be interested to try out Sea Shells Restaurant which is a part of the Resort but is outside of the resort premises and is open to all too.
Beach Side Shacks – Churmuri
If you are just out of the waters after playing for hours on the beach and want to quickly grab something and don’t have time ( or energy ) to go to one of the above-mentoned places and you are worried that you are seeing only sea-food stalls around the beach, then don’t worry, there is a ray of hope and there are quite a handful of small shops which do sell Churmuri and Veg Snacks along with tea/coffee. Though personally, I found the shops which sell Veg snacks to be visually very pleasing or dishes to be appetizing, I can def vouch for the Churmuri which is apparently prepared from a different variety of puffed rice compared to what you generally find in the cities. It’s freshly prepared in front of you and as per your taste ( level of spiciness ) and you will definitely love it. These places do sell cut fruits like watermelon/pineapple or cucumber but are not someone who would recommend opting for this for obvious reasons. Pro Tip: And def don’t try coffee/tea in these small shops as they are definitely not worth the money or time.