CHENNAI: At 4.30 pm on a Saturday, as the evening lamps flickered on along North Mada Street, about 50 food lovers gathered near the Kapaleeswarar Temple with a simple agenda. Eat, walk and listen. What followed was a leisurely food trail through the lanes of Mylapore, curated as part of the 22nd Mylapore Festival.
The group moved at an unhurried pace, drifting from North Mada Street to Kutchery Road, East Mada Road and into smaller bylanes that rarely feature on food apps but remain central to the neighbourhood’s everyday rhythms. Over the course of the two-hour stroll, the foodies covered as many as 10 shops, each offering a distinct flavour of
Mylapore’s culinary landscape. The walk, a fixture of the festival since 2012, was led by Sridhar Venkataraman, who has been introducing residents and visitors alike to Mylapore’s food stories for over a decade.
“The focus is on single-owner shops and lesser-known stalls,” he explained. “Most of them prepare fresh every day and do not carry food over. Today, many people want everything delivered in 10 minutes. These walks slow things down and bring people together.”
Stops along the way reflected that philosophy. There was organic jaggery from Thirumyali Varukadalai Nilayam, chaats from a softy zone tucked into a corner, sandwiches and burgers from a small neighbourhood outlet, and traditional sweets such as Mysore pak and jalebi from *Sri Karpagambal Kapali Sweets. Kalathi, a modest shop that has been selling rose milk for over 90 years drew murmurs of nostalgia, while stalls offering podi idli and the much-loved Jannal Kadai rounded off the tasting trail.
For many participants, the walk was as much about discovery as it was about food. “This is my first time joining, though I have followed the walks for years,” said Lakshminarayan, a West Mambalam resident. “Sridhar knows the history of Mylapore and its shops so well. We have noted down the places so we can return and explore later.”
The experience offered something beyond a meal. “Instead of ordering food from home, these walks help us discover places around us and understand our culture better".
G.S. Nitheesh, student
The 22nd edition of the Sundaram Finance Mylapore Festival will be held from January 8 to 11 across public spaces in Mylapore, featuring classical music and dance performances, heritage walks, kolam and rangoli competitions, street theatre and traditional craft displays. Most events are open to the public, inviting the city to step out, slow down and savour its living traditions.