Dubai’s culinary clout deepens each year, with the prestigious Michelin Guide launching a Dubai-specific guide, inclusion as one of the top 10 food capitals and more. Even before the accolades and awards came, international restaurant chains and chefs have always courted Dubai, setting up branches of their well-known eateries here. Including one of the world’s most legendary restaurants.
Taste Atlas, a reputed online guide that highlights culinary hits from around the world recently released a list of the world’s 150 most legendary restaurants. Ranking #11, was India’s Paragon restaurant in Kerala. However, what they missed pointing out is that the 11th most legendary restaurant has an outpost in Dubai – Calicut Paragon.
Specialising in Kerala’s Malabar cuisine, the popular family-run restaurant chain has a devoted following amongst Dubai residents – both Indian and others. It’s included in our best Indian restaurants for good reason. While the restaurant’s OG branch in Kozhikode district of Kerala opened in 1939, the first Dubai offshoot launched in 2005. Yep, one of the world’s most legendary eateries has been feeding Dubai for a full 18 years.
Taste Atlas’ list also details the iconic dish that earns restaurants legendary status. In the case of Calicut Paragon, it’s their biryani. Here’s what Taste Atlas had to say about their signature dish:
“The dish that reigns supreme is the biryani, a blend of rice, meat, and spices, steeped in age-old traditions and prepared with locally sourced ingredients.”
Lucky for us, this classic delicacy is also a part of Calicut Paragon’s menus in Dubai, so you can feast on it without having to travel all the way to Kerala. You can find branches of one of the world’s most legendary restaurants in Karama and Al Nahda.