Bhubaneswar Restaurants: The Complete 2026 Guide to Odia Thalis, Buffets, Rooftops and Budget Meals

The best Bhubaneswar restaurants to book in 2026 are Kanika for Odia food, Food Exchange and AB’s - Absolute Barbecues for buffets, Punjab Grill for North Indian classics, Raasta for rooftop seating and Kesar Veg Restaurant for pure-veg meals. Cost for two runs from ₹1,000 to ₹2,500, and all six take table bookings on EazyDiner.

Bhubaneswar’s dining scene runs from Odia kitchens serving dalma, mustard-based fish and chhenapoda to hotel buffets, North Indian grills and pure-veg family restaurants. This guide compares the six restaurants by cost, rating and area, explains the Odia dishes worth ordering, and picks the right table for budget meals, buffets, biryani, vegetarian dining and dressed-up dinners.

In this guide:

• What Is Bhubaneswar Famous For, and Which Odia Dishes Should You Try?
• Which Are the Best Bhubaneswar Restaurants at a Glance?
• Which Are the Best Vegetarian and Pure-Veg Restaurants in Bhubaneswar?
• Where Can You Find Affordable Restaurants in Bhubaneswar for Great Food on a Budget?
• Which Are the Best Buffet Restaurants in Bhubaneswar?
• Where Can You Find the Best Biryani in Bhubaneswar?
• Which Are the Best Fine Dining Restaurants in Bhubaneswar?
• How Do You Discover and Book Restaurants in Bhubaneswar?
• How Do You Choose the Right Bhubaneswar Restaurant for You?
• Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Bhubaneswar Famous For, and Which Odia Dishes Should You Try?

Bhubaneswar is known as the Temple City, and its food is Odia at heart, built on rice, lentils, vegetables, fish, mustard and chhena, the fresh cottage cheese behind Odisha’s best-known sweets. These are the local dishes worth ordering, most of them available at Kanika in Mayfair Lagoon:

• Dalma: lentils cooked with vegetables, the everyday Odia dal, at Kanika.
• Torani Kanji: a sour, light soup built on torani, the fermented water from soaked rice, at Kanika.
• Besara: the Odia mustard-paste gravy, in Kanika’s Islishi Besar.
• Mati Handi Mangsa: meat cooked in a mati handi, or earthen pot, at Kanika.
• Kukuda Mangsa Palau: an Odia chicken pulao, at Kanika.
• Mutton Kassa: a spicy Odia mutton curry, served as the Odia Mutton Kassa at Food Exchange.
• Chhenapoda: Odisha’s baked chhena dessert, with a caramelised crust, at Kanika.

For a full Odia meal on one plate, order Kanika’s Non-Vegetarian Thali. EazyDiner’s restaurant spotlight on Kanika covers more of its Odia menu.

Which Are the Best Bhubaneswar Restaurants at a Glance?

Food Exchange at Novotel Hotel Bhubaneswar is the highest rated of the six at 5.0★ (Excellent) and priced at ₹2,500 for two. Kesar Veg Restaurant in Old Town is the most affordable at ₹1,000, Kanika is the Odia pick, and AB’s - Absolute Barbecues and Food Exchange are the two buffets.

Bhubaneswar restaurants at a glance: the six picks compared

Costs for two and ratings are taken from each restaurant’s EazyDiner listing as of October 2026.

Food Exchange, Novotel Hotel Bhubaneswar

Food Exchange is the all-day dining restaurant at Novotel Hotel Bhubaneswar in Satya Nagar, with a warm, contemporary room that works as well for breakfast as for a long dinner. It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner every day and has a buffet. This is the pick for a hotel buffet with family or a relaxed business meal. The menu moves between global and Indian plates, so order the French Toast, Khai Badaam Tikki, Odia Mutton Kassa, Spinach & Ricotta Tortelleni and Cajun Chicken Pizza.

Must-haves: French Toast, Khai Badaam Tikki, Odia Mutton Kassa, Spinach & Ricotta Tortelleni, Cajun Chicken Pizza

Cost for two: ₹2,500

Rating: 5.0★ (Excellent)

Kanika, Mayfair Lagoon, Bhubaneswar

Kanika is the Odia restaurant at Mayfair Lagoon in Jayadev Vihar, with Odia woodwork, folklore murals and handicrafts inside and outdoor seating that looks over the resort’s gardens. It suits a family meal or an intimate dinner, and diners on EazyDiner praise its thalis and fish. Start with the Torani Kanji, then order the Non-Vegetarian Thali or share the Dalma, Baleswar Machha Patua, Islishi Besar, Mati Handi Mangsa and Kukuda Mangsa Palau, and finish with Chhenapoda.

Must-haves: Torani Kanji, Baleswar Machha Patua, Dalma, Mati Handi Mangsa, Islishi Besar, Kukuda Mangsa Palau, Non-Vegetarian Thali, Chhenapoda

Cost for two: ₹1,700

Rating: 4.3★ (Good)

Raasta, Laxmisagar, Bhubaneswar

Raasta sits on the fifth floor of a building on the Puri-Cuttack Road in Laxmisagar, with both indoor and rooftop seating. Diners on EazyDiner say the interiors are the main draw, and the rooftop makes it a good choice for an evening out with friends or a group outing. The menu spans North Indian, seafood, Thai and Continental, so share the Stuffed Mushroom, Peri Peri Prawn Popcorn, Mezze Platter, Angry Bird Pizza and Laal Maas, with a Fog Cutter or Purple Gaze from the drinks menu.

Must-haves: Stuffed Mushroom, Peri Peri Prawn Popcorn, Mezze Platter, Angry Bird Pizza, Laal Maas, Fog Cutter, Purple Gaze

Cost for two: ₹1,500

Rating: 4.0★ (Good)

Punjab Grill, Esplanade One Mall, Rasulgarh

Punjab Grill is on the second floor of Esplanade One Mall in Rasulgarh, and diners on EazyDiner describe the room as warm, elegant and inviting. It welcomes kids and stays open from 11 AM to 11 PM every day, which makes it an easy family dinner or a meal around a mall visit. North Indian classics lead the menu: start with the Tokri Chaat and Mutton Galouti, share the Butter Chicken, Bihari Dabba Chicken, Kesar Malai Kofta, Dal Punjab Grill and Mutton Dum Biryani, and finish with Kulfi Falooda.

Must-haves: Tokri Chaat, Bihari Dabba Chicken, Mutton Galouti, Dal Punjab Grill, Kesar Malai Kofta, Butter Chicken, Mutton Dum Biryani, Kulfi Falooda

Cost for two: ₹1,100

Rating: 4.6★ (Excellent)

AB’s - Absolute Barbecues, Infocity Avenue, Bhubaneswar

AB’s - Absolute Barbecues is a barbecue buffet on Infocity Avenue in Patia, where each table has its own live grill. The brand describes its spacious seating as suited to family dinners, birthdays and office lunches. Start with the Achari Wings, Chicken Seekh Kebab and Kasuri Paneer Tikka, move on to the Chicken Biryani, and finish with Chocolate Brownie and Saffron Phirni.

Must-haves: Achari Wings, Chicken Seekh Kebab, Kasuri Paneer Tikka, Chicken Biryani, Chocolate Brownie, Saffron Phirni

Cost for two: ₹1,800

Rating: 4.3★ (Good)

Kesar Veg Restaurant, Old Town, Bhubaneswar

Kesar Veg Restaurant is a pure-veg restaurant on the rooftop level of Hotel Patel Inn on Vivekananda Marg, in Old Town, the part of the city around the Lingaraj Temple. It is air-conditioned, welcomes kids and opens for breakfast, lunch and dinner, so it suits a family meal or a lunch between temple visits. The menu is North Indian and Chinese, so order the Paneer Malai Tikka and Mushroom Salt Pepper, then the Paneer Butter Masala, Dal Makhni and Garlic Naan or the Premium Thali, with Hakka Noodles for the table.

Must-haves: Paneer Malai Tikka, Mushroom Salt Pepper, Paneer Butter Masala, Dal Makhni, Garlic Naan, Premium Thali, Hakka Noodles

Cost for two: ₹1,000

Rating: 4.1★ (Good)

Which Are the Best Vegetarian and Pure-Veg Restaurants in Bhubaneswar?

Kesar Veg Restaurant in Old Town is the only pure-veg restaurant of the six, at ₹1,000 for two, with a Premium Thali, paneer dishes and Dal Makhni on the menu. The other five serve both veg and non-veg food, and each has vegetarian dishes worth ordering:

• Kesar Veg Restaurant, Old Town: Paneer Malai Tikka, Mushroom Salt Pepper, Paneer Butter Masala, Dal Makhni and the Premium Thali.
• Kanika, Mayfair Lagoon: Torani Kanji, Dalma and Chhenapoda, plus a vegetarian thali that diners on EazyDiner call homely.
• Punjab Grill, Rasulgarh: Tokri Chaat, Kesar Malai Kofta and Dal Punjab Grill.
• AB’s - Absolute Barbecues, Infocity Avenue: Kasuri Paneer Tikka and Saffron Phirni.
• Food Exchange, Novotel Hotel Bhubaneswar: Spinach & Ricotta Tortelleni.

Where Can You Find Affordable Restaurants in Bhubaneswar for Great Food on a Budget?

The most affordable restaurants in Bhubaneswar in this guide are Kesar Veg Restaurant at ₹1,000 for two, Punjab Grill at ₹1,100 and Raasta at ₹1,500, all below the ₹1,600 average across the six. These are the dishes to order at each for a budget meal:

• Kesar Veg Restaurant, Old Town (₹1,000 for two): the Premium Thali for a full veg meal, or Paneer Butter Masala with Garlic Naan.
• Punjab Grill, Rasulgarh (₹1,100 for two): Butter Chicken and Dal Punjab Grill, with the Mutton Dum Biryani to share.
• Raasta, Laxmisagar (₹1,500 for two): Laal Maas and Angry Bird Pizza, with rooftop seating.

Which Are the Best Buffet Restaurants in Bhubaneswar?

The two buffet restaurants in this guide are AB’s - Absolute Barbecues on Infocity Avenue, a barbecue buffet with a live grill on every table at ₹1,800 for two, and Food Exchange, the all-day dining room at Novotel Hotel Bhubaneswar at ₹2,500 for two. Both list a buffet menu on their EazyDiner pages:

• AB’s - Absolute Barbecues: lunch from 11:30 AM to 4:30 PM and dinner from 6:30 PM to 11:30 PM daily. The brand lists starters, soups, salads, Indian and international mains, seafood and desserts in its spread.
• Food Exchange: open for breakfast from 6:30 AM to 10:30 AM, lunch from 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM and dinner from 7 PM to 11 PM daily, with a buffet menu alongside its global and Indian à la carte dishes. Ask which meals carry the buffet when you book.

Check the current buffet price on each restaurant’s EazyDiner page before you book.

Where Can You Find the Best Biryani in Bhubaneswar?

For biryani in Bhubaneswar, order the Mutton Dum Biryani at Punjab Grill in Rasulgarh or the Chicken Biryani at AB’s - Absolute Barbecues on Infocity Avenue. For an Odia take on meat and rice, Kanika’s Kukuda Mangsa Palau is a chicken pulao rather than a biryani:

• Punjab Grill, Rasulgarh: Mutton Dum Biryani. Dum means the pot is sealed, so the rice and mutton finish cooking in their own steam.
• AB’s - Absolute Barbecues, Infocity Avenue: Chicken Biryani, to follow the starters.
• Kanika, Mayfair Lagoon: Kukuda Mangsa Palau, where the rice and chicken cook together in one pot instead of being layered as in a biryani.

Which Are the Best Fine Dining Restaurants in Bhubaneswar?

For a dressed-up meal in Bhubaneswar, book Food Exchange, the all-day dining room at Novotel Hotel Bhubaneswar, at ₹2,500 for two, or Kanika, the Odia restaurant at Mayfair Lagoon, at ₹1,700. For a rooftop evening instead, Raasta in Laxmisagar has rooftop seating on its fifth floor:

• Food Exchange, Novotel Hotel Bhubaneswar: a warm, contemporary hotel dining room with attentive service, open for dinner until 11 PM.
• Kanika, Mayfair Lagoon: Odia woodwork and folklore murals, outdoor seating over the resort’s gardens, and alcohol on the menu, with dinner from 7 PM to 10:30 PM.

How Do You Discover and Book Restaurants in Bhubaneswar?

To discover restaurants in Bhubaneswar, start on EazyDiner’s Bhubaneswar restaurants page, which lists bookable restaurants with their cost for two, cuisines and rating, then open a restaurant’s page for its menu, timings and reviews. Booking a table takes three steps:

1. Open the restaurant’s page on EazyDiner, from the links in this guide or by searching its name.
2. Pick a date, a meal time and the number of guests.
3. Confirm the booking.

Find more Bhubaneswar restaurants on EazyDiner, compare the listings and book a table before you head out.

How Do You Choose the Right Bhubaneswar Restaurant for You?

Choose by what you want to eat and who is at the table: Kanika for Odia food, Food Exchange or AB’s - Absolute Barbecues for a buffet, Punjab Grill for a family dinner, Raasta for a rooftop evening and Kesar Veg Restaurant for a pure-veg meal on a budget. Timings differ by restaurant, so check each listing before you go.