Kerala’s Food Culture Enters 2026 Hot List: Why It Matters Now
Kerala’s cuisine is in the global spotlight after Lonely Planet listed the state’s food culture as one of its top picks for 2026, in its “25 Best Experiences” list. This is the only mention from India on that list.
The highlight is that the food tells a story through flavour. Trade routes, coastal life, and local farming shaped what reaches the plate today.
Kerala Gets A Global Mention
The recognition points to how food in the state changes from place to place. In the north, you get Mappila cooking with rice, fish, and warm spices. In central regions, you see mild stews paired with soft appam. In the south, you may sit down for a full sadya served on a banana leaf.
This makes Kerala’s culinary identity easy to notice. You see variety but also a common thread.
Flavors That Stand Out
You taste the sea, coconut, and spice in simple plates. Common dishes include:
Malabar biryani
Appam with ishtu
Roast duck from the Kottayam side
Sadya with sambar, avial, thoran, and payasam
Coconut shows up in grated form, as milk, or as oil. It holds the meal together. This is where Kerala’s cuisine sets itself apart from many other regions.
Where To Try It
Kochi is a strong starting point. Mattancherry has narrow lanes that link spice trade history with small food stops. Many visitors join walking tours in the evening. These walks show kitchens influenced by Arab, Jewish, Portuguese, and local sharing over centuries.
Kozhikode is another name you should note. Paragon and other long-standing restaurants there serve biryani and seafood plates that draw steady lines. For backwater days, toddy shops near Kumarakom offer fish, tapioca, and fresh catches cooked in earthen pots.
Eating in these places shows how Kerala’s culinary story stays rooted in real homes and real streets, not just in restaurants.
Planning Your Visit
A good trip to Kerala works best when you plan around meals, not long drives. Keep your days slow. Stop where locals eat. Respect timing. Lunch and evening tea are strong anchors. If you want to avoid crowds, travel just before major festivals. This tip helps during holidays or a short vacation break.
Kerala’s cuisine is gaining attention because it never tries to impress through force. It stayed honest, warm, and grounded. That is what the world is seeing now.
