Kolkata restaurants gain 20% during Durga Puja 2026

Kolkata’s restaurant industry recorded an estimated 20% increase in business during Durga Puja 2026 compared with last year, according to Piyush Kankaria, chapter head of the National Restaurant Association of India’s Kolkata chapter. The gain was uneven: several restaurants, cafes and a shopping mall posted double-digit growth, while others reported similar or slightly lower footfall.

For most businesses interviewed, dine-outs were a bigger draw than online orders. Afternoon and late-night rushes, themed menus and changing customer preferences shaped the season.

Kankaria said: “In Kolkata, Durga Puja is as much about food as it is about the city’s cultural identity. We are also seeing a growing preference for experiential dining, with people looking at eating out as more than just a meal.”

Which venues gained, and why?

South City Mall reported double-digit growth in both footfall and sales over the same Puja period in 2025. Its first-ever Durga Puja pandal created another reason to visit by combining a pandal visit with shopping and dining, said center director Dip Biswas.

Flurys posted strong double-digit business growth, driven by higher footfall across its outlets, according to national head Rajesh Singh. At Prateek Didwania’s four outlets, dine-out activity rose around 30% from last year. “Online sales contributed to less than 10 per cent of total sales,” Didwania said.

Didwania, founder of Snacking and PICO and co-founder of Yours Truly Coffee Roasters, called the result encouraging, particularly at PICO Salt Lake, which celebrated its first Puja. Its total festival-period revenue exceeded Southern Avenue’s, which he described as a milestone.

The weaker results were just as specific. The Daily owner Urvika Kanoi reported footfall broadly similar to last year, with a slight increase and no decline. She also saw more young people and fewer families, and said something essential was missing from the festive atmosphere.

Hanglaatherium co-founder Sunando Banerjee described traffic as roughly usual or slightly lower. Ashtami drew fewer people than expected, which he linked tentatively to the festival calendar having two Saptamis this year.

How the offer shaped demand

Dine-out’s appeal extended beyond food. Kankaria said ambience, distinctive menus and time spent with friends and family increasingly influence where consumers choose to dine. Kanoi observed demand for authenticity and originality, while cafes focused on decor, quick service and consistent food quality.

Five Mad Men extended its “Pujoye Paglami” theme into food and cocktails inspired by Kolkata’s lanes and famous pandals, said co-owner Veronica Saha Roy. Hyatt Centric Ballygunge Kolkata paired its “Shakti Mahabhoj” themed dining offer with a fashion collection launch and a tribute to women achievers.

General manager Manu Nair said guests wanted discoveries alongside familiar festive local favorites, making culinary exploration more visible during the occasion. Scrapyard Brewing Co partner Nilesh Bagree said lunch, evening and late-night service all performed well, aided by Sashti falling on a weekend, an extended festive period and a strong dine-in preference.

Business also varied by location. S. Ramani, founder-director of 6 Ballygunge Place and Ramanee, said newer outlets in Sodepur and Kamalgazi performed exceptionally well, as did the highway outlet near Kolaghat. Visitors from outside Bengal increased, particularly from Gujarat.

Several groups at 6 Ballygunge Place sought authentic Bengali cuisine, while Ramanee drew diners interested in Tanjore cuisine. The out-of-state visitors gave the traditional regional restaurants an added holiday customer base beyond their regular local traffic.

What did diners order?

Chilli chicken remained the enduring favorite, Kankaria said, even as pandals and menus changed. Swiggy’s marketplace data offered a separate view of at-home and takeaway demand, with Sandesh ranking as Kolkata’s most-ordered traditional Bengali sweet during Puja.

Rasgulla followed Sandesh, then Mishti Doi and Kheer Kadam. Compared with the corresponding period in 2025, Mishti Doi orders rose 12.3%, Rasgulla orders increased 11.7%, and Sandesh orders rose 4.6%.

Baked Rasgulla was the most popular Rasgulla variant. Among Sandesh varieties, Gur Bhora Talsash Sandesh, Gulab Patti Sandesh and Gurer Sankha Sandesh led the rankings. Swiggy’s highest-value order came on October 18, when one customer spent ₹21,564 on 45 portions of chicken biryani.

What does this change for operators?

The practical answer is that festival traffic depends on a complete offer, not only a signature dish. Operators must pair food with themed menus, local references, ambience and efficient service, while using daypart and calendar data to manage demand across a variable schedule.

These are top-line and traffic results. No operator or association disclosed check averages, food-cost or labor percentages, so the 20% industry estimate cannot be read as a 20% margin increase.

For the next Puja, operators that pair a distinctive menu with ambience, service and locally resonant programming should have the clearest path to stronger traffic, though the uneven 2026 results show that location and execution still separate gains from flat periods.