Best Buffet Restaurants in Kolkata for Durga Puja 2026: Where to Eat Between Pandals

The six best buffet restaurants in Kolkata to book between pandals this Durga Puja are Bazaar at Zone By The Park, Mythh at The HHI, Kava at Fairfield by Marriott, The Square and M.O.K at Novotel, and YAYAvar at Hyatt Centric Ballygunge. Cost for two runs from ₹1,000 to ₹2,500, and all six are bookable on EazyDiner.

Four of the six sit in New Town, on the same side of the city as Salt Lake's block pujas, and two sit in south Kolkata within reach of the Gariahat and Kalighat pandals. This guide pairs each buffet with its nearest pandal circuit, the Puja dates, the slots worth booking first and the dishes each kitchen is known for.

In This Guide

• When Is Durga Puja 2026 in Kolkata, and When Should You Book Your Buffet?
• Which Are the Best Buffet Restaurants in Kolkata This Durga Puja, by Budget?
• Where Can You Find a Bengali Buffet in Kolkata During Pujo?
• Which Buffets Are Near Kolkata's Most Famous Durga Puja Pandals?
• How Do You Book a Kolkata Buffet Table During Durga Puja?
• What Should You Eat in Kolkata Beyond the Buffet This Puja?
• Which Kolkata Buffet Should You Book This Durga Puja?
• FAQs

When Is Durga Puja 2026 in Kolkata, and When Should You Book Your Buffet?

Durga Puja 2026 in Kolkata runs from Maha Shashthi on Saturday, 17 October to Bijoya Dashami on Wednesday, 21 October, according to Drik Panchang's Durga Puja Kolkata calendar. Pandal crowds peak after dark on Ashtami and Navami, so those are the buffet tables to book first, and a lunch slot keeps you clear of the evening rush.

• Mahalaya, Saturday 10 October: Devi Paksha begins, and the city starts its countdown to Puja.
• Maha Shashthi, Saturday 17 October: Bodhon, the ritual invocation of the goddess, opens the main puja days.
• Maha Saptami, Sunday 18 October: Nabapatrika snan at dawn, then the first full day of worship, with weekend crowds on top.
• Maha Ashtami, Monday 19 October: Pushpanjali in the morning and Sandhi Puja at the junction of Ashtami and Navami. Many Bengali families keep the day vegetarian.
• Maha Navami, Tuesday 20 October: The last big night of pandal hopping before the goodbyes begin.
• Bijoya Dashami, Wednesday 21 October: Sindoor Khela and visarjan close the festival.

Many of the bigger pandals also open to visitors in the days before Shashthi, so the rush on the roads starts earlier than the calendar suggests.

The festival carries global standing too. UNESCO inscribed Durga Puja in Kolkata on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2021.

For a Puja buffet, book Ashtami lunch and Navami dinner first, since those two days draw the heaviest footfall, then Saptami lunch, which falls on a Sunday this year. Booking before Shashthi gives you the widest choice of slots, and a lunch booking lets you eat before the evening traffic settles in around the pandals.

Which Are the Best Buffet Restaurants in Kolkata This Durga Puja, by Budget?

The best buffet restaurants in Kolkata this Durga Puja, by budget, are Bazaar at ₹1,000 for two and Mythh at ₹1,500 for a lighter spend, Kava at ₹2,100 in the middle, and The Square, M.O.K and YAYAvar at ₹2,500 for two at the top end. All six sit inside hotels, and four of them are in New Town.

Ratings and cost for two are taken from each restaurant's EazyDiner listing as of October 2026.

Hotel buffet spreads rotate, and many hotels change their menus for Puja, so read the must-haves in each restaurant's entry as the dishes its kitchen is known for. Check the Buffet menu on each EazyDiner listing for the day's spread and the per-person price before you book.

Bazaar, Zone By The Park, New Town, Kolkata

Bazaar sits inside Zone By The Park in New Town's DG Block, beside Biswa Bangla Convention Centre, with a bar and live sports screenings alongside the dining room. It is the relaxed, budget-friendly stop on this list, welcoming to kids and easy to reach with valet parking, which suits a family meal between New Town pandals. The menu keeps things comforting, from Chicken Curry and Chilly Cheese Toast to a Tutti Frutti Sundae, with a Negroni or The Original Margarita for the grown-ups.

Cuisine: Fast Food, North Indian, Chinese

Must-haves: Chicken Curry, Tutti Frutti Sundae, Chilly Cheese Toast, Negroni, The Original Margarita

Cost for two: ₹1,000

Rating: 4.0★ (Good)

Hours (EazyDiner listing): Lunch 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM, dinner 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM, daily

Bookable on EazyDiner: Yes

Mythh, The HHI (Hotel Hindustan International), Kolkata

Mythh is the fine-dining restaurant inside The HHI on AJC Bose Road in Elgin. It is open 24 hours, which makes it the easiest late stop on this list after a Deshapriya Park or Kalighat pandal run. The menu swings between Kolkata and the West, with a Kolkata Kathi Roll and Aloo Aapki Pasand on one side, Fillet Steak, Asparagus Ravioli and Kentucky Fried Chicken on the other, and a Vanilla Macaroon Filled with Rum Truffle Tart to finish.

Cuisine: Chinese, Desserts, Fast Food, North Indian, Asian, Continental

Must-haves: Kentucky Fried Chicken, Kolkata Kathi Roll, Asparagus Ravioli, Fillet Steak, Aloo Aapki Pasand, Vanilla Macaroon Filled with Rum Truffle Tart

Cost for two: ₹1,500

Rating: 3.6★ (Good)

Hours (EazyDiner listing): Open 24 hours, daily

Bookable on EazyDiner: Yes

Kava, Fairfield by Marriott Kolkata

Kava is Fairfield by Marriott's restaurant in New Town's CB Block, a short drive from Novotel, with lunch from 12:30 PM and dinner from 7 PM every day. It suits a relaxed family lunch before an evening of pandal hopping, with enough range on the menu to keep grandparents and kids equally happy. The menu pairs Local Breakfast and Luchi with Cholar Dal with crowd-pleasers like Dragon Chicken, Kashmiri Chicken Sheikh, Lamb Ravioli and a Chicken Tikka Pizza.

Cuisine: Chinese, Continental, Shakes, North Indian

Must-haves: Local Breakfast, Luchi with Cholar Dal, Dragon Chicken, Kashmiri Chicken Sheikh, Lamb Ravioli, Chicken Tikka Pizza

Cost for two: ₹2,100

Rating: 3.5★ (Good)

Hours (EazyDiner listing): Lunch 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM, dinner 7 PM to 10:30 PM, daily

Bookable on EazyDiner: Yes

The Square, Novotel, Kolkata

The Square is Novotel's all-day dining room in New Town, with outdoor seating, a bar and service that runs from a 6:30 AM breakfast to a dinner sitting that closes at 11:59 PM. It is built for big tables, with kids welcome and wheelchair access listed, so a three-generation Puja lunch here takes very little planning. The menu covers a lot of ground, from French Toast and Thukpa to Bay of Bengal 'Bekti', Kacchi Haldi ki Macchli, Bhindi Amchoori and Tadkewali Dal.

Cuisine: Continental, Chinese, North Indian, Asian

Must-haves: French Toast, Thukpa, Bay of Bengal 'Bekti', Kacchi Haldi ki Macchli, Bhindi Amchoori, Tadkewali Dal

Cost for two: ₹2,500

Rating: 4.2★ (Good)

Hours (EazyDiner listing): Breakfast 6:30 AM to 10:30 AM, lunch 12 PM to 3 PM, dinner 7 PM to 11:59 PM, daily

Bookable on EazyDiner: Yes

M.O.K- Ministry Of Kebabs, Novotel, Kolkata

M.O.K is Novotel's kebab and biryani restaurant, a dinner-first room that opens at 7 PM every evening and adds a Sunday lunch from 12:30 PM to 4 PM. It is ideal for family meals and group outings, and the valet parking makes it an easy finish to a Salt Lake or New Town pandal evening. Tangri Kebab and Gosht Shammi lead the kebabs, while Gongura Paneer Vepadu, Mamsum Pualo and Semaiya Payasam bring South Indian flavours to the table.

Cuisine: Kebabs, Biryani, Desserts, Modern Indian

Must-haves: Gongura Paneer Vepadu, Mamsum Pualo, Semaiya Payasam, Tangri Kebab, Gosht Shammi

Cost for two: ₹2,500

Rating: 4.5★ (Excellent)

Hours (EazyDiner listing): Dinner 7 PM to 11 PM daily, plus Sunday lunch 12:30 PM to 4 PM

Bookable on EazyDiner: Yes

YAYAvar, Hyatt Centric Ballygunge, Kolkata

YAYAvar is the all-day dining restaurant at Hyatt Centric Ballygunge, on Garcha 1st Lane, a few minutes from Gariahat, with outdoor seating and live music among its listed amenities. It is the highest-rated restaurant on this list at 4.7★, and a long lunch here followed by an evening on the Gariahat pandal circuit is about as Kolkata as a Puja Saptami gets. The menu moves from Jalandhar Ki Kadai, Lucknawi Dahi and Lasooni Roti to Spaghetti AOP, Bujurg Sanyasi and Pind, with Mishti Doi to close.

Cuisine: Desserts, European, Modern Indian

Must-haves: Jalandhar Ki Kadai, Lucknawi Dahi, Lasooni Roti, Spaghetti AOP, Bujurg Sanyasi, Pind, Mishti Doi

Cost for two: ₹2,500

Rating: 4.7★ (Excellent)

Hours (EazyDiner listing): Breakfast 7 AM to 10 AM, lunch 12:30 PM to 3 PM, dinner 7 PM to 10:30 PM, daily

Bookable on EazyDiner: Yes

Where Can You Find a Bengali Buffet in Kolkata During Pujo?

For Bengali flavours at a hotel buffet this Pujo, book Kava at Fairfield by Marriott in New Town, whose must-haves include Local Breakfast and Luchi with Cholar Dal, or The Square at Novotel for Bay of Bengal 'Bekti'. None of the six carries a Bengali cuisine tag on EazyDiner, so expect Bengali highlights within a multi-cuisine spread.

Luchi with Cholar Dal is the plate to plan around on Maha Ashtami, Monday 19 October, when many Bengali families keep the day vegetarian after the morning pushpanjali. Puffed, deep-fried luchi with a mildly sweet Bengal gram dal, often cooked with coconut, is the classic Ashtami meal, which makes Kava at Fairfield by Marriott a sensible Ashtami lunch booking.

Bekti, the Asian sea bass Kolkata has long favoured for fish fries and paturi, is the fish to look for at The Square at Novotel, where Bay of Bengal 'Bekti' sits on the must-have list next to Kacchi Haldi ki Macchli, a fish dish built on fresh turmeric.

Bengali and Kolkata touches across the six restaurants:

• Kava, Fairfield by Marriott: Local Breakfast and Luchi with Cholar Dal
• The Square, Novotel: Bay of Bengal 'Bekti'
• YAYAvar, Hyatt Centric Ballygunge: Mishti Doi, the sweet set yoghurt that closes a Bengali meal
• Mythh, The HHI: Kolkata Kathi Roll, the city's paratha-wrapped street classic

Which Buffets Are Near Kolkata's Most Famous Durga Puja Pandals?

YAYAvar at Hyatt Centric Ballygunge is the buffet closest to south Kolkata's headline pandals around Gariahat. Mythh at The HHI suits the Deshapriya Park and Kalighat side, while Kava, The Square, M.O.K and Bazaar in New Town share the eastern side of the city with Salt Lake's block pujas and Sreebhumi Sporting Club in Lake Town.

YAYAvar on Garcha 1st Lane is a few minutes from Gariahat, the centre of south Kolkata's busiest pandal loop. Ekdalia Evergreen has held its puja since 1943, according to The Statesman, and Singhi Park has run its puja since 1941, according to The Telegraph. Ballygunge Cultural sits close to Ekdalia, so all three fit comfortably into one evening.

Mythh at The HHI on AJC Bose Road is the better base for the Kalighat side of south Kolkata. Deshapriya Park, which made headlines for its 88-foot Durga idol in 2015, and Tridhara Sammilani near Manohar Pukur Road in Kalighat are a short drive south, and Mythh's 24-hour listing makes it the one restaurant here you can walk into after midnight.

Kava, The Square, M.O.K and Bazaar all sit in New Town, on the eastern side of the city with Salt Lake and Lake Town. FD Block is the biggest name in Salt Lake, reported by Millennium Post to draw three to four lakh visitors a day, with AK Block and BJ Block close by. Sreebhumi Sporting Club in Lake Town is known for scale, having built a 145-foot Burj Khalifa replica pandal in 2021, according to Deccan Herald.

None of the six restaurants sits in north Kolkata, so treat Kumartuli, Bagbazar and Ahiritola as a separate evening and eat on your way back east or south.

The practical rule during Puja is one pandal circuit per evening, with the buffet booked on that side of the city. Crossing from New Town to Gariahat on Ashtami night means sitting through festival traffic, and that time is better spent in a pandal queue.

How Do You Book a Kolkata Buffet Table During Durga Puja?

Book a Kolkata buffet table for Durga Puja on EazyDiner by searching for the restaurant, choosing your date, slot and party size, and confirming. Booking is free, and you get an SMS confirmation straight away.

1. Open the EazyDiner app or visit EazyDiner's Kolkata restaurants page.
2. Search for the restaurant by name, for example YAYAvar or The Square.
3. Pick your date, time slot and party size, with Ashtami (19 October) and Navami (20 October) first in line.
4. Open the Buffet menu on the restaurant's page to check the day's spread and per-person price before you confirm.
5. Confirm the booking. You'll get an instant SMS confirmation, and booking through EazyDiner is free.

What Should You Eat in Kolkata Beyond the Buffet This Puja?

Beyond the buffet, the dishes worth ordering at these six restaurants are the Kolkata Kathi Roll at Mythh, Dragon Chicken at Kava, Tangri Kebab and Gosht Shammi at M.O.K, Chilly Cheese Toast at Bazaar and Mishti Doi at YAYAvar. They make lighter meals between pandals on the nights a full buffet feels like too much.

• Kolkata street-style plates: Kolkata Kathi Roll at Mythh and Chilly Cheese Toast at Bazaar, both quick enough for a break between pandals.
• Indo-Chinese and Himalayan: Dragon Chicken at Kava, and Thukpa, the Tibetan noodle soup, at The Square.
• Kebabs: Tangri Kebab and Gosht Shammi at M.O.K.
• Something sweet: Mishti Doi at YAYAvar, Semaiya Payasam at M.O.K, Tutti Frutti Sundae at Bazaar and the Vanilla Macaroon Filled with Rum Truffle Tart at Mythh.
• A drink to end the night: a Negroni or The Original Margarita at Bazaar.

Which Kolkata Buffet Should You Book This Durga Puja?

The simplest Pujo plan is one circuit and one booked meal per evening: YAYAvar for the Gariahat pandals, Mythh for Kalighat and late nights, and Kava, The Square, M.O.K or Bazaar for Salt Lake and Lake Town. Book your table through EazyDiner's Kolkata restaurants page before Shashthi, and the pandal evenings are yours.