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This year, the festival is being celebrated from January 14 to 17 and the word “Pongal” translates to “to boil over”, symbolising prosperity as fresh rice boils with milk.
Pongal marks the sun’s northward journey (Uttarayana)
Pongal is a vibrant four-day harvest festival celebrated primarily by Tamils in South India and Sri Lanka. It marks the sun’s northward journey (Uttarayana) and gratitude for abundant crops. This year, it is celebrated from January 14 to 17. “Pongal” translates to “to boil over”, symbolising prosperity as fresh rice boils with milk.
The festivities span Bhogi Pongal (discarding old items via bonfires), Thai Pongal (Sun God worship), Maattu Pongal (honouring cattle with decorations), and Kaanum Pongal (family picnics). Homes glow with kolam (rice flour rangoli), mango leaf torans, and sugarcane.
It has become a culinary celebration that sweeps across the city. From 5-star hotels to fine-dining restaurants and casual eateries, they are embracing the spirit with special Pongal-themed menus featuring traditional dishes and festive thalis.
Here is the list of restaurants across the country that are serving up authentic Tamil food that will satisfy your soul:
The Tanjore Tiffin Room
This Pongal, The Tanjore Tiffin Room is celebrating the harvest festival with a specially curated festive thali that pays homage to the warmth and simplicity of home-style Tamil cooking.
This menu brings together dishes that are traditionally prepared in homes during the festival. At the heart of the menu is Ven Pongal, slow-cooked and generously tempered, served alongside an array of festive accompaniments including mini bondas, kaikari kootu, porial, sambhar, and avial. The meal is rounded off with rasam, buttermilk, crisp papad, and the refreshing sweetness of elaichi banana. For dessert, the classic Chakkara Pongal is paired with the sharp, tangy notes of puli inji.
Dates: January 15 and 16
Price: Rs 1200+ taxes
Available in all The Tanjore Tiffin Room outlets
Kamats Legacy
Experience the warmth, flavours and authenticity of South Indian harvest celebrations with a specially curated Pongal Festive Menu. The festive spread includes traditional Ven Pongal, Sakkarai Pongal, crispy Medu Vada with coconut chutney, homestyle Avial and comforting classics like South Indian Sambar and Rasam, bringing together flavours that define a true Pongal celebration.
Dates: 14th January to 18th January
Price: ₹699 + taxes
Available at all Kamats Legacy outlets
ITC Grand Central
Honouring the spirit of the South Indian harvest festival, ITC Grand Central is serving up an authentic and thoughtfully curated Pongal Special Thali. The specially crafted Pongal Thali showcases a generous spread of festive classics, beginning with traditional accompaniments such as Appalam, chutney, pickle, sugarcane, and a comforting Rasam. Festive starters include Ennippu Paniyaram (jaggery-sweetened rice dumplings) and Makka Cholai Vadai, crisp patties of corn niblets and lentils. The main course features an elaborate selection of regional favourites, including Kadamba Poriyal, Urulai Sothi, Murungai Motchai Kootu Kary, Poondu Kara Kozhambu, Pasalakkeerai Kootu, and Poosinikai Sambar, paired with the comforting Ven Pongal, made with freshly harvested rice, lentils, peppercorn, and cumin. The thali is served with steamed rice, veechu paratha, appam, and curd, offering a complete and satisfying festive meal. The experience concludes on a sweet note with Sarkarai Pongal.
Date: 10th – 18th January
Price: Vegetarian Thali – Rs 3750 + taxes and Non-Vegetarian Thali – Rs 3750+ taxes
Available at Dakshin at ITC Grand Central, Mumbai
The Silver Train
The Silver Train, a restaurant that is an edible archive, is presentin The Royal Harvest Thali. This limited-period ceremonial dining experience is inspired by how India’s royal court kitchens once marked the harvest season. Across regions and dynasties, these royal kitchens followed a shared discipline: grain before indulgence, dairy before excess, pepper before fire, ritual before display. The experience begins with Panakam, a ritual drink made from palm jaggery, dry ginger, and black pepper, traditionally served to mark seasonal transition and renewal. It is followed by Til–Gud Chutney, Bilona White Butter Shalgam–Gajar Khatta, and Gongura Achar. The thali then unfolds into its palace mains, led by Baroda Varan, plain lentils finished with ghee in dignified restraint, alongside Ven Pongal made with new rice and moong dal tempered with black pepper and ghee. Winter greens take centre stage with Sarson ka Saag (Patiala) and Hara Cholai Ras (Gwalior), while Paneer Mirch–Dhaniya Ras (Awagarh, Uttar Pradesh) offers a green chilli and coriander-forward preparation that is measured and courtly. For non-vegetarian diners, Murgh Kali Mirch Kaliya (Dumraon, Bihar) showcases a pepper-led, slow-cooked royal winter recipe. Not a regional spread or a festive indulgence, the Royal Harvest Thali is a royal observance meal. It brings together Maratha, Rajput, Punjabi, Awadhi, Central Indian, and South Indian palace philosophies at one table.
Dates: January 15 and 16
Price: Vegetarian Thali – Rs 1500+ taxes and Non-Vegetarian Thali – Rs 1750+ taxes
Available at The Silver Train, Phoenix Palladium, Lower Parel
January 15, 2026, 12:58 IST