Review Swadhin Bharat Hindu Hotel Restaurant - Kolkata (Calcutta)

In my recent trip to Kolkata, I finally got a chance to try my hands on this one of the oldest pice hotels located near College Street, though the location was bit confusing still I was able to locate this place after asking quite many nearby people. With regards to the review of food I tried here, everything I ordered here was above my expectations. Tried their Parshe macher jhaal, mutton kosha with paratha, jhuri alu bhaja, macher dimer bora and topse fry with stream rice. Must recommended place,

Due to Bengali tradition and hearing the name of this place, I wanted to have lunch here for a long time. But finally I understood that "এরা ধারে কাটে না ভারে কাটে". Food quality is nothing special. Clean environment. Banana leaves and water - everything is fine. But after seeing the amount of food and hearing the price I could not believe that such a small amount of fried or curry could cost so much!I reassured my mind that I don't eat every day anymore, I tolerate it for one day. Expected to take Maurla fish scales but the test is very normal. Meaning not as much as its name has been hyped. OK as a normal rice hotel. Only the price is higher. Few days in a year can be spent as an ancient rice hotel in Kolkata

Visited this place today as I wanted to experience the ‘Pice Hotel’ vibe. Food tastes amazing even though it does not look that good in the pictures. Service was quick and pricing is reasonable. Mutton and fish items are a must try including ‘Chitol Macher Muitha’. Cleanliness is maintained and will definitely visit this place again if I visit this area.

Visit for the first time the food tastes way more better than Other famous 5 stars or well known Bengali cuisine serving restaurants. Homely food accompanied with great service. A must visit place.

Good food, traditional food. One should try the traditional Bengali food here..

A legendary pice hotel which noone needs any introduction. Normally the food is not over the top as people expect it to be. But if you spend 400 500 rupees per head in some bling restaurant / cafe , that money will bring better value from here in terms of food. I had: 1. Pui shaak chocchori : ( highly recommended) 2. Mourola mach er jhal : ( Average ) 3. Aam shol : ( highly recommended ) 4. Mutton curry : ( Recommended ) - completely different than others. Very traditional rich in garam masala. May look rich but it's mild and tasty. Overall a superb option in College Street for good bengali food.

family restaurant... too much crowdy place.. I think this place is over hived.... food are as usual normal but neat & clean place...

This is a wonderful Bengali restaurant in college street serving mouth watering food and wide variety of authentic Bengali food dishes to choose from. Love the environment and hygine of the place. Must visit, I must say . The food and sufficient and very tasty . Fish was bliss and mutton was unbeatable. The blend of spices are such that it melts in mouth .

Was a very big line to get in, but once we sat down and ordered the food came very quickly, within 5 minutes. The food was some of the best simple home style Bangla food I've had 🤧.

One of the bestcand cheap place for lunch , enjoy proper bengali food

Okay the ambience is a hit or miss. That places reeks of old Bengal nostalgia. So it's a love or hate issue. I personally loved it , it's like they transport you to old Kolkata of the 1900's. The menu is vast and the fish selection is a delight indeed . It's a must visit for people living in Kolkata. Would love to visit the place again .

One of the oldest bengali pice hotels in College Street area bearing the memories of our revolutionaries. All items of the meals costs separately. Surprisingly, the full thali cost is moderate to high and the place is a bit unhygienic.

Home style Bengali food in a very cheap price? This is the place for that! It is a very old hotel which serves freshly cooked food which is damm cheap and is in authentic Bengali style. Mutton gravy was amazing! Even the mango chutney 😻 the ambiance isn't great for sure but food is worth!

Good Bengali food available here. And several other reasons as stated in other reviews why you should visit. You won't get disappointed. that's for sure.

Swadhin Bharat Hindu hotel is a pice hotel. Its situated beside Presidency College.You have to go through a narrow lane , you will see a guest house,and a shop called Baluchari , between those places Swadhin Bharat Hindu hotel is situated. You can get traditional homely bengali food here.Various types of fishes,vegetable curry,dal,chicken ,mutton are available. Its not well decorated but tastes awesome. Price for full meal for two people rs 500 maximum.

I went here with a female friend at around 9 pm. This restaurant is located inside an alley and wasn't terribly hard to find but I will not speak for the safety of the place at this time of night. My friend had the Parshe Curry while I had the Dal and Rice. For such an affordable place, the taste is amazing and the freshness is undeniable. My friend really liked the fish. It was very well cooked and easy to eat, especially for a someone like her who is new to eating fish. As for the dal rice, it was your traditional food and tasted very well, especially with some nimbu squeezed on top. Highly recommend for some delicious homemade-adjacent food that's light on the pockets and will fill you up.

Visited this place on a Sunday afternoon for lunch. I wanted to have a veg meal though fish dishes here are popular. The waiter suggested taking veg thali which included rice, dal, sukto, potol bhaja and amer chutney. All of them tasted great. Paid 130 for all of them which I think was a bit pricey looking at the quantity served.

Good authentic food but the items available at this point of time is less as the total footfall right now is very low. Tried a couple of fish curries as suggested by them, bhajas and mango chutney.. food was really tastey<br/><br/>

Had the fish meal over here. The quality of daal is superb. The food here has a homely taste. The Pabda Jhal is out of this world. Would love to visit again.<br/><br/>Must try:<br/>Pabda Jhal<br/>Chicken Curry<br/>Rui Machher Jhal<br/>Aam Chutney

After an era...I visited this puce hotel with my father yesterday.I wished to have lunch on Kolapata but alas! There was Shalpata. Well! Life is all about adjustment.<br/>We ordered Rice-Musur dal-Aluvaja-Mangsho(Mutton-Jhatka)-lebu-lonka-piyaj. Musur dal was very average..could be better but all other items were up to the mark... specially the Mangsho...ohhhhh!! ultimate taste.👌 & how can I forget to drink water from matir var !!! Overall experience is good. I will revisit it to have lunch on Kolapata.

You must have hummed your favourite tune but have you ever hummed foods? Well, this is what I did after having a sumptuous lunch at this hotel, established in 1927.<br/>We ordered Bhat, dal, pui shak with chingri mach, badhakopi,chital macher muitha, mutton,pomfret jhal,pabda r kalojire die jhol, chutney. Apart from the mutton curry, everything was ecstatic. <br/>But I must admit that the pocket pinch is on a higher side but that can be ignored as the food is awesome

A completely value for money pice hotel that has been feeding people from quite a long time. This being my first pice hotel experience, I can assuredly say that their food satisfied my hunger. I had rice, musir dal, aloo bhaja, koi macher jhol with kopy, Amer chatni all for 230 INR. Quality and quantity both were excellent. They offer the food in banana leaf and water in earthen cup thereby adding a tinge of Bangaliyana. Comfortable seating and hygienic ambience are added bonus. Do pay a visit if you want to delve in authentic Bengali cuisine devoid of any lavish setting and obviously GST. It will not disappoint, I can vouch for that. Menu is widespread and keeps on changing depending on the season.

Our Vlog on Swadhin Bharat Hindu Hotel is available in our YouTube channel "Kolkata Food Walks." Do check it.<br/><br/>This was the first time we've been in to a Pice hotel and after researching for a day or two, thought about going in here.<br/><br/>We ordered:<br/><br/>Bhat (INR 15)<br/>Alu bhaja (INR 25)<br/>Macher Matha diye Dal (INR 20)<br/>Badhakopir Dalna (INR 30)<br/>Rui macher Jhal (INR 90)<br/>Bhetki Macher Jhal (INR 150)<br/>Chicken Curry (INR 90)<br/>Aamer Chatni (INR 20)<br/><br/>The Dal served tasted wonderful and went really well with the jhurjhure alu bhaja. I personally felt the the quantity of the alu bhaja was a little less comparing to its price. The badhakopi felt sweeter than usual, but tasted decent. The rui fish was really fresh and the plain non spicy gravy tasted very homely. The Vetki tasted heavenly but I felt it was the same gravy as the rui. They probably make the same gravy for all the fishes. The chicken stands out on its own. Well cooked and tthe gravy was quite perfect. The chatni was also very tasty.<br/>.<br/>Overall our experience was quite good and we will definitely come back again to taste their famous mutton curry.<br/>Do visit our YouTube channel and watch our vlog to know more.

Hi

One word to define this place is amazing. Thr food was so homely and tasty. Had dal, rui machher kalia, pabdar jhal, peyaj kolir torkari and mutton kosha. Even though the curries looked rich, it didn't taste that overbearing in spices or oil. Pryajkoli was paired with the fat of the fish which added a delectable taste to it. Jhurjhure aloo bhaja went well with the dal. The fishes unlike other places were not over fried. Would love to back again.

After lot of reading about this place, went their on a weekend and it was packed. The dal was okiesh for me. The aloo bhaja was good and so was the fish curry. The kochi patha was mouth watering.

স্বাধীন ভারত হিন্দু হোটেল. কলেজ স্ট্রিটের বইয়ের ভিড়ে হারিয়ে যাওয়া যায়, তার সাথে কফি হাউজ আছে,কালিকার চপ, ফেভারিট কেবিনে আড্ডাও জমানো যায় জোরদার । তবে দুপুরে বাঙালির ভাত না হলে জমে? প্রেসিডেন্সির ডান পাশের রাস্তা দিয়ে ঢুকে গেলেই স্বাধীন ভারত হিন্দু হোটেল , সেখানে ভাতের সাথে আপনার পছন্দ মত তরকারি, মাছ ,মাংস নিন এবং বসে পড়ুন টেবিলে । কলাপাতায় খাদ্য এবং মাটির ভাঁড়ে জল নিয়ে জমিয়ে হোক মধ্যাহ্নবিলাস ।

The main trait of this pice hotel is simplicity. The way of serving the food will take you back to history. One of the unique things is serving of water in a bhar. Must try items are Rui Korma , Badhakopir torkari, Padba jhal.

Just wow. How extraordinarily simple food can be so tasty, this place is a testament to that. The mutton curry. I had here would hands down give any fancy place a run for its money. It was that good. We also had a whole bhetki which was tasty and fresh. The badhakofi (cabbage) preparation was so good that it still lingers on my tastebud. Wish every place focuses on serving what matters the most - tasty and hygienic food. Its pocket friendly as well.

Swadhin Bharat Hindu Hotel is famous for their home cooked style Bengali food.<br/><br/>One of the oldest restaurants for Bengali cuisine it goes back in time of the British rule.<br/><br/>It serves very good Bengali food cooked by Oriya & Bengali ‘Thakur’s.<br/><br/>Location : 8/2, Bhawani Dutta Lane, Kolkata<br/><br/>#PiceHotel<br/><br/>What I tried out : Prawn Malaicurry, Chicken Curry, Rice, Aloo Bhaja, Chutney & Fish Curry!<br/><br/>Verdict : 4.7/5<br/><br/>They serve water in Bhaar & the food on banana leaf. The place remains crowded during lunch hours making it difficult for one to grab a seat! Also, tastewise, the food is delicious, I must say. Service is quick as well. There's a different charm and vibe that this place has once you enter it! A lot of varieties of curries and items are there on the menu and the menu keeps changing daily! My experience turned out to be a great one, to be honest!<br/><br/>Highly Recommended.

|| Piece Hotel ||<br/><br/>One of the famous piece Hotel is Swadhin Bharat Hindu Hotel. The proper location is Mg road,near the metro station.<br/><br/>If u love the Bengali cuisine,then definitely try this. They have huge items in less price. The food quality & quantity was very good & it's taste same like home.<br/><br/>We ordered :<br/>১. ভাত<br/>২. ডাল<br/>৩. আলু ভাজা<br/>৪. পুঁই চচ্চড়ি<br/>৫. কাতলা কালিয়া<br/>৬. চিকেন কষা<br/>৭. আম চাটনি

৩৫ ভবানী দত্ত লেন, কলেজ স্কোয়ার, কলকাতা ৭৩<br/><br/>সুদৃশ্য মনোরম বিলাসবহুল রেস্তোরাঁ বহু আছে, ভোজনরসিক বাঙালিদের জন্য, কিন্তু সাদামাটা পরিচ্ছন্ন পরিবেশে এবং আর্থিক আয়ত্তের মধ্যে মাছেভাতে বাঙালির রসনাতৃপ্তির এরকম ভালো জায়গা কলকাতায় বোধহয় কমই আছে। জায়গাটা হলো "স্বাধীন ভারত হিন্দু হোটেল"। প্রেসিডেন্সি বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের গা ঘেঁষে পুস্তক বিপণীগুলির চিহ্ন যেখানে শেষ হচ্ছে সেখানেই দেখা মেলে এর। নাম শুনেই বোঝা যাচ্ছে বহুকাল আগে এর গোড়াপত্তন হয়েছিল। আগে হিন্দু হোটেল নাম থাকলেও স্বাধীনতার পর "স্বাধীন ভারত" নামটি যোগ করা হয়। স্বয়ং সুভাষচন্দ্র বোস ও নাকি এখানে এসেছিলেন।<br/>এ তো গেল উৎপত্তির কথা। এবারে খাবারের কথায় আসি। এখানে একটি বৈশিষ্ট্য হলো এখনও পুরোনো বাঙালি রীতি মেনে কলাপাতায় খাবার পরিবেশন করা হয় এবং জল দেওয়া হয় মাটির ভাড়-এ। সাথে পেঁয়াজ,কাঁচালঙ্কা এবং গন্ধরাজ/পাতিলেবু। এগুলির জন্য খুব নূন্যতম দাম ধার্য্য করা হয়। এরপর বাঙালি রান্নার সব পদ মোটামুটি এখানে পাওয়া যায়। ডাল,আলুভাজা থেকে শুরু করে পুঁই শাকের চচ্চড়ি,ফুলকপির পোস্ত, মোচার ঘন্ট এবং মাছ মাংস তো আছেই। এখানে অনেকরকমের মাছের ঝোল পাওয়া যায়। কাতলা, ট্যাংরা,পারশে, পাবদা,চিংড়ি,চিতল ইত্যাদি। এবং শেষ পাতে চাটনি। সকাল ১১টা থেকে বিকেল ৪টে এবং রাত ৮টা থেকে ১০টা অবধি খাবার পাওয়া যায় এখানে। সুস্বাদু আর উপাদেয় রান্নাই এত বছর ধরে এই হোটেলের ঐতিহ্য বজায় রেখে চলেছে। ছুটির অবসরে বা কাজের ফাঁকে ঘরোয়া বাঙালি রান্নার স্বাদ চেখে দেখার জন্য ঘুরে যেতেই পারেন মধ্য কলকাতার এই হিন্দু হোটেলে।

Taste of bengali food.we ordered rice, mug dal , aluvaja, mutton kosha and liver curry.rice is 15 rs dal is 25rs aluvajA is crispy with 25 rs only mutton kosha is 140 rs 5 pieces are there.145 rs for liver or meter torkari..all the items are really good.taste is really authentic.chicken is 90rs fish also 90rs.vetki fish 150rs pabda 140 rs.chatni is also good rs 25only.overall food is really good.hope to visit it again.

Inspired by the Foodka series I decided to start my journey from Swadhin Bharat Hindu Hotel. Being a food critic for almost 5 years I'm ashamed that I didn't knew about such great places in the City of Joy.<br/><br/>Believe me the experience of premium buffet in 5 star hotel like JW Kitchen is good but a meal in Pice Hotel is on another level. There is nothing better than home food, and they serve the food that sits on the edge of that.<br/><br/>13th Oct 2019, Sunday menu was on the board and without any second thought I ordered the dishes recommended by Foodka. Worth mentioning this place looks very clean and hygienic. It's definitely a family friendly hotel.<br/><br/>Aloo Bhaja @ Rs.25 (3.5/5) :<br/>--------------------------------------<br/>Bengali Thali isn't complete without Jhurjhure Aloo Bhaja. They made it in most traditional way, crisp to perfect that went well with Muger Dal. But the quantity felt little less.<br/><br/>Muro Muger Daal @ Rs.20 (4.5/5) :<br/>-----------------------------------------------<br/>I'm habituated with the kind of dal given in hostels. Where dal is only hot turmeric water and pulses are nearly impossible to find. On the other hand the Dal they served felt heaven to me. Pure and denced with fish solids, soul of a Bengali.<br/><br/>Pui Sager Chorchori @ (5/5) :<br/>---------------------------------------<br/>A necessity in every Bengali Thali. I had no idea that Pui Sag can taste this good. Mixed 'Vaja Bori' in it felt incredible. Probably the best I've tried till date.<br/><br/>Rui Korma @ Rs.90 (4/5) :<br/>----------------------------------<br/>Bengali fish curry served with a piece of potato. There was nothing new to this. It tasted the way it should taste. Size of the fish was big.<br/><br/>Pineapple Chutney @ Rs.20 (5/5) :<br/>---------------------------------------------<br/>Quote my words, "This is the best Pineapple Chutney" and I think you'll feel same too. I've no words to explain the sweetness of this traditional Bengali dessert, I only know this is the best I had till date.<br/><br/>Pricing :<br/>--------------<br/>The menu changes everyday so the prices of the dishes. A premium fish costs around Rs.180, Chicken and Mutton cots Rs.90-140. A complete meal here costs around Rs.200-300 per head.<br/><br/>Points to remember, they charge Rs.42 extra just for the plate, banana leaf and the clay pot. This might seem odd to you at first time in Pice Hotel but thats how things work here.<br/><br/>Conclusion :<br/>---------------------<br/>In 2019 where fake and paid reviews are flooded all over the Social Media and Youtube, where every other person with a Smartphone and Camera is becoming professional food blogger, I really need to admit the knowledge and observation of Mr. Indrajit Lahiri. A huge respect to Foodka team for making such a great content.<br/><br/>Coming to the food, if you really want to experience true Bengali cuisine then there is no such place than these Pice Hotels. Just follow the list of Foodka. I'm doing the same and hoping to visit all of the locations in this series.

L,ocated in a bye lane of the famous "Boi para" of Kolkata at College Street, this eatery is said to be over a century old. Reportedly our great freedom fighters and national icons like Netaji Subhas Bose and Chittaranjan Das frequented this jaunt. So I cherished a desire to be there and finally on MahaSaptami day actually made it there, though alone.<br/>This place serves typical Bengali dishes and fresh fish is their forte although meat is also available.<br/>Today was very crowded and there was a long`q` outside. A rectangular table seats four, so seating is rather cramped. Service is real fast and expect your order to be executed in a few minutes only.<br/>I ordered rice, dal, alu bhaja and fish. The fish was nice but the curry was spicy.  It cost me around Rs.200 so the pocket pinch cannot be said to be too heavy.

This is an amazing place ... They are almost or maybe more than 100 years old ... They have two different sitting arrears ... They provide really authentic bengali food ... Much recommended

It's been a pleasure to be in this restaurant<br/>Good food just love it<br/>There are lots of good high end or multicuisine restaurants but eating in this place gave me a warm experience in my heart

Stuck in college Street in rainy weather at afternoon time, tummy demands something Bengali!! One place near the college Street can fulfill that so went there to have some authentic Bengali vat dal torkari and chicken kosha, but I'm not satisfied with the dishes specially non-veg.<br/><br/>✓Plain rice - 20+5(extra)<br/>✓Mugh dal - 25<br/>✓Pui data chorchori with macher matha - 30<br/>✓Oler dalna - 25<br/>✓Chicken kosha - 90(1pc)<br/><br/>Not repeated serving of torkari dal. It was served in a small bowl sufficient for one. Rice was less for one thus had to take extra which can be shared as they gave u as much as u got for rs20 rice.<br/><br/>Casual ordinary ambience like a normal vater hotel. Serving was done in old style. Staffs are good, quick service. 30-35 people can accommodate at once.<br/><br/>Food was not that up to that mark as the hype was created. In Bengali house quality of those food was much higher that this hotel. Veg items are good but the chicken was not cooked well, 1pc for rs.90 but it was too bad one, I think the chicken was suffering from malnutrition.<br/><br/>Not a value for money experience!!!<br/><br/>Fish items are from rs.90 to rs.250 hadn't tried, so can't comment on that.

One of the best Bengali foods ever had. Mutton and Fish was damn delicious. Don’t miss the mango chutney, it was a complete surprise!<br/>Don’t miss out when you visit Kolkata!

Yesterday we went there to have our lunch. This hotel is famous for fresh fish, so we decided to take fish meal. We ordered rice, mach er matha diye dal, chocchori, begun bhaja, Topse fish, Chingri mach er malaikari and finally mango chutney. They served food in kolapata( banana leaves) and water in clay pot. The place was very crowded at that time. Food was good but enough spicy. Fishes were very fresh but costly. Chutney was very delicious. And service was prompt and good.

#BhojAdda<br/>Swadhin Bharat Hindu Hotel<br/>Awesome food can't complain about anything. The best part was the way they present it food in Banana leaf and water in clay pot.. And the waiters are very good and polite.<br/>Quantity of the food is Also good.<br/>In frame<br/>Vaat,daal,jumbo prawn malaykari,mutton kosa,sukto,mixed veg,chatni,papor<br/><br/>Ready to go again soon 😝😝😝😝<br/>located at bhabani dutta lane near presidency university<br/>All total 778

I acknowledge their efforts to keep things traditional - kolapata and ghotir jol and all.<br/><br/>I opted for veg thali. It was rice, dal, jhuri alu bhaja, badhakopir shobji, Aamer chutney. Well, other than chutney, all other items were pretty average.<br/><br/>Plus, that cost 115/-, because it's dinner. In lunch they charge 110/-, because it's 'cholar dal' in dinner and supposedly that's costly.<br/><br/>Not worth the money.

It is located at Bhabani Dutta Lane(near presidency university) A very old bengali resturent with his legendary history about Indian freedom movement,till date i have a very good expectation about this place & its food,but after my fast(probably last also)I think it is over hyped.Food is not up to the mark,most of that are simply tasteless,not fulfill the expectation, heard so much about it,but got nothing special..not recommended at all.

Good food.<br/>Nice ambiance.<br/>Food is served in kolapata. (Maintaining the tradition)<br/>The dal had a bit less salt but everything else was balanced.

On 4th of March 2019, we went to College Street for purchasing books and as usual after all those shopping we observed the clock was showing 1:30pm. Eventually we needed to have lunch. Then the name of the price hotel was struck on my mind. I have read some where that freedom fighters like Netaji, CR Das used to come here for having lunch. So I didn't miss the chance to have lunch in this historic place. The restaurant is within 200 meters toward MG Road metro station from College Street junction. The interior is nice and clean. Staffs are very helpful. They served water in matir bhar. They offer various types of fishes. We ordered white rice, dal, potoler tarkari, begun bhaja, pabda mach, golda chingrir malaikari, tyangra mach, alu vaja and chatni. Prices are reasonable as all these items costed only Rs. 725 and the quality and quantity of the food, especially fishes was very good. The foods were tasty though I didn't like potoler torkari. They are one of the few restaurants in Kolkata that main their tradition of pice hotel. Now if you want to have good bengali food with reasonable price, this place is a must visit.

The food was good but the price was bit high for such place. Pieces of mutton were to small and the dal was too lite. Although they reuse the mud cups but they charge for it as well. Over all the food was good but no over the top.

Awesome food can't complain abt anything... The best part was the way they present it food in banana leaf and water in clay pot.... Just had an amazing experience... Ready to go again soon... Fish lovers should visit.....

This place specially for the family and the friends. And the waiters are very good and very polite. This is very cheap and good. Quantity of the food is very good at the lower price.

***For more food stuff like https://m.facebook.com/nomadfoodie/?ref=bookmarks on facebook***<br/>● Date: 5/12/2018<br/>● Location: College Street<br/>● Description: Went there for lunch<br/>● Order type: Dine in.<br/>● Menu: Bengali<br/>● Item: rice with chicken curry<br/>● Price: ₹110.00/-<br/>● Staff and service: humble staff and quick service.<br/>● Ambience and decor: Simple place with no décor. The only thing they offer is quality food.<br/>● Food description: The food was really tasty. Easy on pocket and definitely delicious. The chicken was very very tender and the curry was spicy and tasty. They also give lime and chillies with that.<br/>● Food recommendation to other foodies: Chicken curry.<br/>___________________________________________________<br/>For more reviews follow me on zomato.

A decades old eatery that serves very good Bengali food cooked by Oriya & Bengali ‘Thakur’s.<br/>Mangovind Ponda from Odisha started this hotel in Kolkata in 1927 in the name of ‘Hindu Hotel’. Being a youth leader, #netajisubhaschandrabose was its regular food-eater. Not only had that, several freedom fighters, including Rishi Aurobindo, lunch and dinner here. Not only did they indulge in its amazing delicacies, but they also hid here during their revolution. Post independence, the name was changed to its present one on January 25. Even today, this hotel teems with Bengali customers, everyday.<br/>"Swadhin Bharat" means #independentindia ... That talks about the time when this restaurant opened.<br/>Water was served in bhar (kulhar / earthen pot).<br/>Food was served on banana leaf atop steel plate.<br/>One of our old tradition remains through such wonderful hotels in the city.

For food, we ordered Rice, Daal, Aluvaja, Muri Ghonto, Murgir Jhol, Rui sorshe, Chutney. The food quality is good. You can try 'topse vaja' too. You should try chutney. It is really good. Typical Bengali items cooked with a homely feel is their USP.Being a pice hotel,none comes here for a dazzling interior design or nobody expects a romantic atmosphere. It is located in Bhavani Dutta lane<br/><br/>The price of foods are pocket friendly....

Once a paise hotel, now a heritage. Engrossed in the old is gold motto, this is where you feel Kolkata like no where else.<br/>An autumn afternoon lead me into the arrangements for neither hygiene was a concern nor quality. The concern, how could someone still serve such healthy food at such a meager price.<br/>Don't go by nosy naysayers, experience is the last to laugh. And I had a lovely lunch over kalapata and Bhar, thanks to the delicious menus served hot and healthy.<br/>After you are done with the main course, indulge in the delight of delicious mango chutney!<br/>As for the rest, Give it a TRY folks!

This was my first visit to a typical 'bhater hotel' of Kolkata, and honestly speaking I was impressed. The place looked clean, and it appeared that they maintain good standards of hygiene. Starting of with chhyanchra, we were on a nice culinery journey. Next on our way was Daal, and Topshe fry. This was probably the most fresh Topshe that I have ever had. We also tried out Ilish jhal and Pabda jhal. The gravy of Ilish had a bit too much of oil, but the quality of the fish was again top notch. And the same has to said about the pabda as well. We got off our journey with a chatni, which was the perfect ending note. I hope Swadhin Bharat keeps on treating us with the same wonderful behavior and food in future too.

A small yet significant place where stalwarts like Netaji and Rishi Aurobindo once had their meals. This is a pice hotel just at the backside of the Presidency University. The food is served on banana leaves and water is served in earthen glasses. We had a humble meal of Rice, dal, jhuri alubhaja, aam chutney, pabda jhol and mutton. All of this costed us something around Rs.450 only. Service is fast and the staff is very courteous.

Today we had lunch here. Today was "Durga Astami" We had ordered Pabda Jhal and Tangra Jal. They had made Dhoka and dal as veg item.<br/>Dhoka was good (4/5)<br/>Dal was average (3/5)<br/>Pabda fish and curry was very good (4.5/5)<br/>Tangra was good (4/5)<br/>There was mango chutney also (at autumn 🤔) but taste was very good (4.5/5)<br/>They serve food on banana leaf and water in "bhar" these make more beautiful and tasty. Please come and have lunch/ dinner.

People may think that, being a pice hotel why this hotel got a rating of 4/5. Really it's a point that it doesn't have any strong ambience, cozy decor, good quality food, romantic movies, live sports ... etc. What this place has, very few places have it. It has a HISTORY which cannot be ignored.<br/>Once upon a time, our 'Netaji' was a regular food member of this pice hotel and apart from this, this hotel helped our freedom fighters to hide in its kitchen to skip from the eyes of british.<br/>In my ratings I gave 'Paramount' 5/5, Albert Hall aka 'COFFEE HOUSE' 4/5, now this one is also 4/5.<br/>The reason is of course the same for 'Paramount' and 'COFFEE HOUSE' too. The place mostly attracts 40+ aged peoples.<br/>I maynot feel something cozy but when I listen the history from Monami Das , it really feels a lot for the country. I consider it as a heritage food place in Kolkata.<br/>For food, we ordered Rice, Daal, Aluvaja, Muri Ghonto, Murgir Jhol, Rui sorshe, Chutney. The food quality is good. You can try 'topse vaja' too. You should try chutney. It is really good.<br/>It really means a lot for us as we share the same seat where our 'Netaji' seated 120 years ago.<br/>

A hidden gem in midst of one of the busiest lanes in the city. The only word that can be used to define food at this place - "সুস্বাদু" !!!!

Got through the Hotel very recently.. It's pretty old one serving pocket friendly Bengali Cuisine. Had Dal fry mutton and rice. Food was pretty good and homely...though very small hotel food quality is good & can compete with some renowned bengali cuisine hotels which charges sky-high for same dishes..

This one will be forever close to my heart,since it's just a stone throw distance from my school.Those who don't know the location,it is situated in the alley behind Presidency University.<br/>Basically this is a hall on the ground floor of a tourist lodge,where the boarders and outsiders have their meals.The speciality lies in the menu,which keeps changing everyday to avoid monotony.Typical Bengali items cooked with a homely feel is their USP.Being a pice hotel,none comes here for a dazzling interior design or nobody expects a romantic atmosphere.What wins over the foodies is simplicity submerged in the unique savour.<br/>One of a few places which stands for great foods and nothing else.

Heard a lot about this place<br/>Food quality is good<br/>Also staff's behaviour is also good<br/>It is located in Bhavani Dutta lane<br/>The price of foods are pocket friendly<br/>This special system of giving meals in ' kola pata'<br/>and water in 'matir bhar' is ver good<br/>They should carry it on in future<br/>A place must visit for Bengali Thali lovers

I am in love with this place since 2007! Visited there when social media was not even a thing and I had little or no money.<br/><br/>One of the pice hotels of Kolkata where rice and different types of fish is served. The fish is cooked in a traditional manner.<br/><br/>Fish is generally the fresh catch of the day. Varied style of fish is cooked and served. Highly recommend the Murighonto (which gets over very soon) and Mutton red curry. Love it to the last bit!

Tasty food I love it 😘😘😘😘😘😘👌👌👌👌 nice fish curry nice prawn dishes nice fishes fresh dishes fresh & tasty fish & nice quality of red meat also available not much expensive it is just like awesome .. & the mango chutne is like fabulastic & the old &cultural style serving water in barh .. In banana leaves to surve dishes

Nice place to have your lunch or dinner...<br/>They have some thali..<br/>Healthy food served by them...<br/>The place is near college square..<br/>You can go to this place..

Firstly i was very puzzled to locate it. Service was very fast. The food was looked delicious but not reasonable.mutton kasa is mouth watering (recommended ).

It is a place easy to find in college street. Gives a nostalgic feeling. The food here gives the taste of authentic bengali cuisine. The staff here is also very friendly. And it is very cost effective. The prawn malai curry and mutton was very good here. Even the daal tastes very good.

One of the finest cheapest place hotel I have seen.<br/>They still use banana leaf to serve the food,authenticate traditional cooking<br/>Specially mutton curry and chochori was 👌👌<br/>

For last one year I used to hear about this hotel and on a humid, summer afternoon I decided to check it out.<br/><br/>Take the right lane just before MG road crossing when you are coming from Medical College and at the end of the road is this highly famous Bengali eatery.<br/><br/>Entrance bears a yellow hoarding bearing the name in Bengali, English, and Oriya. All of their stuffs are basically from Orissa. Inside the space is lagbe,a bit long with proper sitting arrangements.<br/><br/>They serve water in big earthen pots and I am sure still they are doing this to maintain the old-world-charm. Service is super fast and very cordial. However, in every item, it is being told that no add-on will be provided, which is a bit rude and shows excessive professionalism.<br/>Coming to food, they are impressive but not exceptional.<br/>I tried rice,Rui kaliya, Tok daal, Aloobhahja and Mango chutney,which was above average.<br/><br/>Overall,you get a chance to taste decent orthodox Bengali cuisine, at this hotel.

নববর্ষের দুপুরের ভোজন সারলাম কলকাতার বিখ্যাত স্বাধীন ভারত হিন্দু হোটেলে।প্রথমেই বলি,দাম অনুযায়ী খাবারের কোয়ালিটি ও পরিমাণ ভালো।সোনামুগের ডাল ও মাছের মাথা দিয়ে তৈরি ছ্যাঁচরা যথেষ্ট সুস্বাদু।কষা মাংসের স্বাদটা কিঞ্চিৎ মিস্টি,তবে মাংসের কোয়ালিটি ও পরিমাণ যথেষ্ট ভালো।সর্বোপরি খাওয়ার পরিবেশ ও কর্মচারীদের ব্যবহার খুবই আন্তরিক।তাই আবারও যাওয়ার ইচ্ছা রইলো।

I hated canteen food when I was in college. For a few days my college lunch was usually a Mio Amore burger or chow from somewhere or a combo at a nearby (so-called) restaurant if I had enough money to splurge. Gone are the days of nostalgia. Fast forward to this day, in the quest for books in the busy lanes of College Street we came across a small eatery tucked away in a narrow lane at a stone's throw distance from Presidency College. Swadhin Bharat Hindu Hotel. <br/><br/>The intriguing name made me curious, so I asked my fellow Bangalis. What I got are a lot of stories, about how this place was intricately linked with our freedom struggle tumbled out. From Netaji Subhash dining here to police raids here when freedom fighters took shelter to the scenes of euphoria on the day of Independence. This 100 year old restaurant has seen it all. So very thought of eating here gave me eerie goosebumps (which is hard to explain). Here’s a glimpse of the meal where we came to the conclusion that Bangali cuisine is more intricate than the French!<br/><br/>We started off with a huge plate of steaming hot rice. The rice grains were neither too fancy nor the canteen style "mota chaler bhaat". Shukto was nice. And a massive traditional Bangali meal was well and truly underway .Then came macher muro diye daal. It had a decent consistency with an ample amount of macher muro. The staff were particular about the fact that all of us received lebu, pyaaj and lonka with our rice and daal. Very attentive service indeed. Along with the dal we had one of the most amazing maccher bora. Fresh. Crisp. Perfect. <br/><br/>We wanted to have chittol maccher muthiya. But it was over (being a hot pick!). So we settled ourselves with padbar jhaal. The fish was palatable for me, though my uncle seemed to like it. To him it reminded of the days when my dida used to cook pabdar jhol for him. The jhol however was not for the faint hearted. It had a fiery taste! I unanimously loved the pabdar dim more than the flesh.<br/><br/>Next the mach fest gathered pace. The chingri malai curry with three chunky bagda pieces was tailor made for us. The gravy lacked a bit in terms of the malai and the coconut but it was a decent start nonetheless. The gravy lacke dits punch but the fish tasted fresh. A bit crunchy, but quite tasty nonetheless. <br/><br/>Thereafter when we laid our hands on the doi-ilish, we had a huge grin on our faces. The ilish ( must have been taken from cold storage as its not the hilsa season). But there was no compromise on the taste. It was neither underdone nor deep fried. It retained its own sublime taste. The taste that makes ilish what it actually is. Absolutely spot on. This was such a welcome change from the glitz and glamour of ilish festivals of big name places that have become so common place.<br/><br/>If you think, we were done with this mach utsob, you are mistaken. We could not miss out on kosha mangsho could we? When the kosha mangsho arrived our server took up the role of our thakumas and forcefully served us some more bhaat. The mutton was amazing. It was so good that my mama ordered another plate to polish off the extra rice with. And this time we asked for some extra fatty pieces (our cardiologist be damned!!!) Another plate arrived and another plate was polished off . We did not know the last time we had this much rice. And fish. And mutton. Burp!! <br/><br/>And we were not done yet. Aamer chhutney and papad completed one humongous and hugely satisfying meal. It was a much-needed bhuri-bhoj after a day-long photowalk, My mama (uncle) was so much in the mood that he wanted doi and rosogolla as well! Although that wish remained unfulfilled for me, my tummy was full by then! <br/><br/>It was almost as if we were making up for all the sorrows of biye baris that disappointed us. We went out and had paan afterwards but that is another story for some other day. But today, we have grown identical "bhuris" nurtured by bhaat and 'bhaat ghoom'.

I had dal , peyajkoli machher matha diye and pnathar mangsho , aamer chatni. The rice was enough for me and thank God it was not basmati. Good quality normal rice , water in earthen glass , kolapata on plate. The mangsho was soft and very well cooked , 4 pieces. The peyajkoli was wonderful and so was the dal. Total damage rs 210 , which I believe is absolutely value for money

Old school Kolkata delicacy, one should not be expecting decor and services like new bee Bengali "multicuisine restaurants". Want to feel nostalgic over a plate of "gorom bhat and kochi pathar jhol", head straight towards this eatery. Pocket friendly experience with homely atmosphere, Sunday afternoon was not at all a loss!

It is one of that kind of hotel whr staffs give a shit to demands of customers.i think thts because they hv fixed customers due to its location.nothing special.the price is also pretty hefty.u cn try it fr once but then u urself will recommend not to go.thr r better places in clg strt fr having bengali lunch e.g. mahal,mini.try them.or go to YMCA canteen inside clg sqr.it is better thn this shit

Age old hotel at a cozy corner, you have to walk inside from college street. Serving bengali/odiya style of food for years. This place never goes empty, even on weekends. People who look for hygiene in aboslute manner this place is not for you. Though i would say cleanliness is not that bad over here. Service is quite fast. The menu hung at the entrance is what you get for that day. I liked the way food is served- banana leaf on a plate. Their mutton kosha is a must try. Even bhetki jhaal and chitol preparations are also good. A pice hotel perfect to fill your stomach as well as your mind with minimum outgoing service from your pocket.

This may look like a pice hotel but it's not. 80 rupees for Rice(grain quality is worse than that of Sealdah footpath hotel) daal aloo posto (the allo was burnt,  jhinge was over cooked, and the quantity of posto was less than the amount of silver in German silver) , jhuri aloo bhaja (the only good thing). 300 rupees for a chingri with over sweetened gravy and two pieces of burnt aloo.I should have gone to Bhojohori Manna or Koshe Kosha or Kasturi or 6 Ballygunge Place or some other fancy Bengali cuisine Resturant to spend 500 rupees for a meal. If you are charging more than 150 for any of your food item you are not a pice hotel.Also the service team's attitude is not good. As I ordered chingri they were nice to me but people who ordered only the base food, they were not attentive to them.The hotel is now just a reminiscence of the former hay days.Standard pice hotels are really dying in Kolkata.Such a shame.

dirty and unhygienic. poor service. stale smelly fish.<br/><br/>I had ordered চিতল পেটি, costing ₹250 each. inspite of us complaining about the stale fish, they said no sorry, no offer to change the fish, no discount on the final bill. we couldn't have the fish.<br/><br/>another item was পোস্তর বড়া। it was deep fried and full of oil. it tasted and smelled of oil more than poppey.<br/><br/>other items were just ok. nothing special. I wouldn't go back here or suggest anyone.

Taste and quality of the was acceptable but the price was too high for it. It is not even close to what it should be. If you order fish and rice then you won't get dal and sabji with it.

Please go away. Ordered roti and mutton here because all other places were closed. Worst mutton i have ever tasted. 5 pieces mostly skin and bone. The gravy could clean wall tiles with its strength. The roti was basically uncooked. You could use it as a plate. Sorry. But I have fond memories eating here as a youngster. Never again.

#রিভিউ<br/>ও ভায়া শোন, ঝুড়ি আলুভাজা হবে না?<br/>- না দাদা শেষ।<br/>এইত্তো দেখলাম দুজনকে দিলে।<br/>- সত্যি নেই দাদা।<br/>আবার দেখলাম চুপি চুপি অন্য লোককে দিল।আবার জানতে চাইলাম আমরা।আবার ঢপ দিল।প্রথমবার আসলে কি ঝুড়ি আলুভাজা দেয় না? অথচ রান্নাও এমন কিছু আহামরি নয় যে বিঘ্নজিৎ (এই টার্মটার অস্তিত্ব নিয়ে আমার ডাউট আছে,তবে ঐ খাজা সিরিয়ালগুলো যদি বাংলায় চলতে পারে এটাও দৌড়বে) হয়ে প্লুটো থেকে কলেজ স্ট্রিট আসব।৫৫৫ টাকা উপচানো তেলে নিমজ্জিত করে লাভ ২৫ টাকার ফুলকপির তরকারী।মতাদর্শের বিপরীতে গিয়ে বুকের সাহস মুখে এনে কপচে দিলাম - "বুঝলি ভাই,নিজেকে 'চ' মনে হচ্ছে"।<br/>উল্টো দিকের লোকটি বলল - তুমি এত নেড়ে ঘেটে আনলে তাই বলতে পাচ্ছিলাম না,আহামরি কিছু নয়।<br/>বললাম মনে হচ্চে - এক কালে অ্যানাকোন্ডা ছিল,এখন হেলেটি।<br/>কাব্য করি -<br/>"ওগো তৃপ্তি সুন্দরী- <br/>তোমার ঢেকুড় তুমিই রাখ আজ।<br/>এহেন রান্না খেয়ে পরেছে,<br/>মাথায় বাজ।"<br/><br/>প্রেসিডেন্সী কলেজের গায়ের গলি দিয়ে স্বাধীন ভারত হিন্দু হোটেল।হয়ত অন্যদিন ভাল - আজ ছড়িয়ে লাট করেছে।<br/>পাবদা আর মৌরলার ঝাল খেয়ে,<br/>"ঝ" টা আটঘর এগিয়ে "ব" হয়ে গেল।<br/>বন্ধু বলল - ধয্যি ধর,মাটন আছে।<br/><br/>তিনপিস আণুবীক্ষণিক খাসীর মূল্য একশত ত্রিশ।কিন্তু রান্না যা হয়েছিল - খাসী এখন যমের কাছে মানহানির মামলা ঠুকছে - <br/>"শ্লা প্রাণ দিলাম,তার এই দাম দিল"।<br/><br/>বেড়িয়ে দুজনে সেল্ফি তুললাম।হায় বিধি - জোড়া পাঁঠার ছবি এল।আবার চেষ্টা করলাম - এবার এল দুটো বেগুনভাজা।তেলে বেগুণে জ্বলে গেছে কি না? <br/>তুলনা আমাদের স্বভাব।সিদ্ধেশ্বরী এই স্বা.ভা.হি.হো কে অযুত - শুণ্য গোলে হারাবে রান্নার ম্যাচে।

the taste of the food is good here... they ask you if you want veg,fish or chicken thali.. if you are going for for the first time don't get trapped with this... the good thing is they serve food in kalapata n water in clay pot... 230 for two veg thali..but later we came to knoe there is nothing such as veg thali.. they charge separately for each items....Swapan Biswas Pubgstar

One of those few old hotels in kolkata which still have old days feelings. Visited the place during a work in Calcutta University. Easy to locate. The menu was written there on white board. Food served on banana leaf and earthen pot. Even the charges of leaf and earthen glass is included in your bill. Food was good. It was not too spicy. Just like home. The good thing was that thr rice was good. Sometimes these hotels serves rice of low quality. But it is not the case here. Remeber to cut your nail properly if you are having food on banana leaf😀

Typical old Kolkata eatery. They will several u food in banana leaf. Good to see that they have maintained the hygiene pretty well. This place is located in a small alley close to college Street junction. <br/>I have tried almost all items here during my multiple visits and would recommend to try the fish items. <br/>Quantity served is good enough for a meal; recommended if you want to have a low budget Bengali meal and looking for a substitute of 6BP AND Bhojohori- this is the place.

Behind presidency college... for ambience and the behaviour of stuffs i give them zero... But the food quality... macher dim er bora... mach er matha diye daal... pleasure to eat... i tried their tangra mach er jhal that was also tasty... but lightly overpriced... Foodies can visit this place without any hesitation...

Only good thing is banana leaf e khabarand matir bhar e jol.Highly over priced restaurant.Fish dishes are highly over priced, as it is not any AC restaurant with good Ambience.However vat dal macherdim er bora and amerchatni will be the best menu will cost about 75Rs.

My review hardly falls short of words, but, for this particular outlet I have no much paras to brag for, whilst I find my fellow Zomians liking it.<br/><br/>This is a decade old restaurant located in the heart of the city decided not to keep up with the pace of time. While I greatly admire its decision to give a choice to use earthen utensils, I feel if had been renovated its place, it could have attracted more customers. The interior of the place can be found with few tables surrounded with chairs along the chairs. The staffs are very friendly and have a warm gesture carrying a smile on their faces. They can be said to have a uniform in form of lungi and vest which they wear with pride.<br/><br/>The food is strictly Bengali in definition and is said to be cooked by Bengali and/or Oriya cook (also, known as Thakur). However, I did not feel it being too delicious yet enduring. I am neutral to preferring this place over my home.

Very famous and once a legend.<br/>Now it has become just an average bengali cuisine outlet. One of the main drawback is their use of shredded potatos (like that of aluvaja) in mkst fish curries. Its just irritating. Their legendary mutton curry is also not that good.<br/>Overall disappointedChoitali Goswami

This is basically a "bhaater hotel" behind Presidency college and quite popular among the crowd. The nostalgic way of eating in kolapata and maatir glass is a plus. Had mulor dal,macher matha diye dal,chhechra,alu bhaja,chicken jhol,parse jhal and aamer chatni. Loved spclly the chhechra,alu bhaja,parse jhal and chatni. Will try the mutton dish sometime. Pricing is okay. Service is fast.

bad restaurant . they will take order and cannot deliver it ,. they wiill mistake in calculation  . so be aware . food not so good . i have a fight with them once for not delivering the item taken order by them . so  , first ask them what you want to eat and sit to eat .

Walking down to the MG Road metro from college gave me a glance of this place for a long time. As I am from Kolkata itself, I used to come college having mom cooked lunch. One day, we had to stay back at college overnight for some issues and I along wigh other friends came here for dinner. We had Maachher Jhol along with Sada Bhaat. Can't exactly decide the taste. It was too late at night and we were utterly hungry. So the food tasted heavenly. <br/>As there were no other options, we had to bunk on it. Else given, I would never go back again.

Few decades back Oriya 'thakur' were very famous in Bengal for their culinary skills. They were main cook in many hotels in Kolkata. Now a days, with globalisation of cuisines, this trend is decreasing. This simple eatery in college Street is still maintaining that tradition. Simple interior without any AC and not so good ambience but they serve some delicious Bengali dishes.<br/>Food: I love the Mutton dish. Generous quantity Mutton cooked with perfect balance of spices.<br/>Pabda jhal: Fish was fresh and tasty<br/>Chanchra was also good<br/>Doi ilish was average<br/>Mango chutney: It is very good.Every time I visit I enjoy the chutney with papad.<br/>Hygiene: needs to be improved.<br/>Conclusion: If you are ready to compromise the ambience for delicious Bengali dishes,then you may try it.

One of the best Bengali cuisine place in kolkata.If u appreciate taste not the ambience or AC then u probably looking at your potential destination.Quality of food is really amazing.Pocket friendly too.Sanjana Sahoo

This one is straight out of those yesteryear delicacies ....Those famous bengali dishes that are slowly going out of Bengali household can be found here.Oriya thakur's with their amazing talent and hospitality make the experience even more memorable.And lastly that Kola pata and Matir Bhar is the icing on the cake

Awesome food. All foods taste like my grandmaa's hand making. Very much homely surroundings. Main attraction of their food serving which will remember our old days invitation house. They serve it on banana leaf and water on mud glass. Which will increase ur hungry. And all foods r very much reasonable. I give u a guarantee if you want the real taste of bengali food then go and try their delicious dishes. And after finishing the meal you have to say "wwwooooowww"!!!!

First of all this hotel is not air conditioned, so you decide to go or not... Pure bengali cuisine with pocket friendly budget... I ordered Rice, Aam musoor dal, Potato chips, Uchhe Chochori, Mutton and aamer chaatni... I miss Doi Misti n Papor... They sereved with Kolapata and Drinking water by mudglass... This type of serving attract and make the meal more delicious... There are more delicious food items you can see on menu... like various Fish item including Parshe Jhaal... <br/><br/>In the hotel I heared an Lady asking for Sukto n this is the main attraction of this hotel as per her conversations... So it may be my next trip's item with Parshe jhaal...

Let's forgot about the decorations and others stuff if you are a Bengali foody, you gonna love this hotel. We ordered mutton kosa, Rui Kalia, alu bhaja and aam chatney. All are awesome with perfect blend of spices. <br/>Bengali food lovers must visit this place

Today i visited this place... Not a great ambience... But the food is quite tasty... Muro diye mug dal awesome... Tangra mach er jhal i tried... The gravy of the item doesn't pleased me... But the fish was good... Alu bhaja was crispy... Service was good... Cheap price but tasty foods... I will again visit in this place... That time i will sure taste their two specialty... 1. Macher dimer bora , 2. Mangsher jhol (mutton)...

Awesum mutton....<br/>If someone is hungry for mutton and bhaat....its a place u must try..<br/>U have choice to take in utensils made out of earth with banana leaves on top...

After reading some reviews, had been there recently. Nothing special about the preparation, except the traditional touch, i.i. Banana leaf and clay pot. Prices are not worth the quality / quantity / taste. For one single person, the lunch cost would be  approx Rs. 250.00 with Fish / Veg / Dal / Rice. Even the Banana leaf and Clay pots are chargeable.<br/><br/>Not worth the taste / quality.

If you are a bong as well as a foodie then it would be considered a crime if you have not paid a visit to this place yet.<br/><br/>This joint is very small with only 8 humble marble topped tables for four but what it boasts off are the lost culinary art of the Ude Thakurs. As history suggests during the Bengal renaissance, Brahmin cooks from Odisha, especially from Puri, were routinely employed in rich Bengali households. They were famed for their culinary skills and were referred as Ude Thakurs (Oriya Brahmin-cooks). Do visit this place if you want to get the taste of the yesteryear Bengali household.<br/><br/>Located on the lane just besides College Street crossing, this place boasts of extremely delicious fish items. No matter which fish preparation wins you over (all of them are mouth-watering) do order the mug dal with fish head and chanchra prepared with fish head. Chachra (a dry curry made of mixed veggies & fish head), generally served in lunch during Bengali weddings, is found in its best possible avtar in this small eatery.<br/>And if you miss eating on banana leaves or drinking water from earthen cups (bhar / khuller) then this is also the place for you. <br/><br/>They do not have a fancy menu card placed on tables. Instead you will have to walk up to the black board to see what is on offer on that particular day and what is it priced at. The chachra (even if it is not scribbled on the black board) and mug dal with fish head are priced at just Rs 20 each and are available every day during lunch hour. The other fish items are charged between Rs 60 and Rs. 250 per portion. The veg items are charged between Rs. 15 and Rs. 50. <br/><br/>The eatery does not have a fixed menu because all items are prepared from fresh catch / harvest of the day, hence the menu keeps changing every day. <br/><br/>This place will not offer you fancy cuisine nor do they bother about presentation but if you swear by your grandmothers cooking then this is the place for you. So gear up for some bong food rustled up by the Ude Thakurs, which is both easy on pocket and is finger leaking good!

In a nutshell:<br/><br/>A decades old eatery that serves very good Bengali food cooked by Oriya & Bengali ‘Thakur’s.<br/><br/>Short description - in case u r in a hurry:<br/><br/>Last year after Durga Pujo we had done a series on Heritage Kolkata restaurants. It was then that one of our readers wrote to us about this restaurant that is old but still serves very good food.<br/><br/>This time around when we were in Kolkata we decided to visit the restaurant & we were really happy to have listened to the suggestion.<br/><br/>The restaurant is behind Presidency University in College street. Google map did not help when it came to pinpointing the restaurant though it took us to the nearest car park.<br/><br/>Swadhin Bharat means Independent India. That talks about the time when this restaurant opened.<br/><br/>The restaurant has a wooden door (like in people’s homes) & a window with iron rods. <br/><br/>Furniture was wooden, with marble table tops.<br/><br/>Water was served in bhar (kulhar / earthen pot).<br/><br/>Food was served on banana leaf atop steel plate.<br/><br/>Outside the restaurant there was a very old gentleman sitting - we were told he is a nonagenarian & he has been running this place all his life & he still takes interest in the functioning of the restaurant. We said hello to him & went inside, thinking we will talk to him on the way back. Unfortunately by the time we were back, he looked very tired and drowsy. So we did not feel like bothering him at that time.<br/><br/>The waiting staff was traditional Thakurs – wearing lungi & sleeveless vests. The gentleman serving us was amazingly warm . He realized fast that we were in that restaurant for the first time & he started talking to us. He was very warm & kept suggesting dishes to us that helped us choose.<br/><br/>Food was very enjoyable – a lot like the food in biyebari (Bengali marriages) 3 decades back or as in luch cooked for family members at biyebari even today.<br/><br/>Detailed description - in case u hv the time to njoy reading:<br/><br/>Muro dal was thick and very good to taste. It had flavours of dal, muro ( fish head) and also spices. Rate it 4/5<br/><br/>We enjoyed this with crispy fried aloo bhaja that was perfectly salted. Rate it 4.25/5<br/><br/>Mochar ghonto was average in general and was the only disappointing dish. It was a bit watery and lacked the intensity of a fabulous mocha ( banana flower) curry. Rate it 2/5<br/><br/>Parshey jhal was very good again. Strong mustard paste gravy that had punch more than wasabi. Like in most commercial establishments, the fish had been fried over optimally in high heat. That made it a bit less soft than it wud have been naturally. Still it was very good to taste. Rate it 4/5<br/><br/>Doi ilish was excellent - Hilsa in curd based gravy. The curd extended an element of sourness and the mustard gave it pungency. The fish was super soft and Yumm to the core. Rate it 4.5/5<br/><br/>Chingri malai curry was not a Malay current any stretch of imagination but was an excellent curry on its own. It had an element of sweetness due to onions and had two pieces of excellent super soft and tasty prawns. Rate it 4.5/5<br/><br/>Mangso ( mutton curry) was intense and really rustic. It had beautifully merged the flavours of the meat and spices. Rate it 4.5/5<br/><br/>Macher dimer bora was s revelation - fried fish roe. It was soft n juicy, had a mouthful of flavour and was very tasty. Rate it 4.5/5<br/><br/>Pui shaak chorchori was another dish that we loved. The curry had flavours of fish, mustard oil and had a burnt smoky feel to it that was very enjoyable. Rate it 4.5/5<br/><br/>Aam chutney was very good as well. The sweetness and sourness was well balanced and a tinge of salt made a huge difference. Rate it 4.25/5<br/><br/>Overall rating of food at Swadhin Bharat averages out to 4.1/5<br/><br/>Look forward to revisiting

There hasn't been hardly any day when I had been to the College street area and have not packed the entire family's lunch from this place. Yes, it's really that good. Classic bengali dishes prepared by your old-kolkata-favorite 'oriya rannar thakur'. <br/>It might get a bit tough to locate the place but it's a hidden gem alright. <br/>They don't have a printed menu, they have a chalk board where they write down the dishes that have been cooked that day. If you come to think of the stature of the place (tiny and patched up), you'd think that the prices they ask for is a bit too much but the food they serve indeed does beat any of your posh 'bangali-cuisine' restaurants any day if you judge by it's deliciousness. <br/>The place is almost always full with people and it might get a bit suffocating to sit there and have your meal. Although they do serve very neatly and warmly in small banana leaves and clay pots and the serving boys there would treat you like you are guest at their daughter's marriage feast ! <br/>The variety of fish dishes they make are each worth a try and they make this 'machher matha diye chocchori' (uh... vegetables mishmash with fish head :P ) which you must, MUSt try. And also the machher matha diye moong daal and their aamer chutney. <br/><br/>Lastly, almost everyday, you would find a really old man sitting on his haunches on the cement setting just outside the shop. He has run the place with all his love throughout is life and till today, at the age of nearly 90, he goes to the market everyday and buys all the raw supplies for each day, examining them personally. He likes to talk and if you sit there with him for a few minutes it makes him very happy and he'll remember you the next time you visit. :)

Expensive but worth every penny. To me, it is the best traditional bengali cuisine available in the college street area. Have been there many times during college days.Almost everything from banana leaf plates,earthen cups to the quality of food seems perfect. The only downside seems to be the space. Still top of checklist everytime I visit that area.

I make sure to visit this place whenever I am in Kolkata. The place is a gem. No show business but just plain good food is their USP. The food is always fresh, thanks to the brisk business they do. The curries are made in traditional home cooked style and are perfectly spiced. Mutton & Chicken curry, topse fry, Ful kopi & All Dals are awesome. If you are around the college street area and hungry, this is the place to be to satisfy your soul at a nominal price. Great place go for it.

Dude this is one place which surprised me very much , and so i went there again and again and tried a brief possible food they have.You should try macher matha die moog dal for sure.collection of fish is very large and the qualities also very good. The one and only problem i have is the quantity of food which is very less, and the price is bit high. Otherwise it's a very good place for bengali food lovers.

You must try this. But definitely after KFC and those Biriyani stores. Otherwise you will not realise why the name is so.

u will not expect that kind of rate in that kind of hotel....mutton kasha is reaaaaly good..i suggest not trying too much new items,not even close to mutton kosha..

This one is a gem, with great food, great quality and very friendly and nice servers. Mind you, this is just the same as any Hindu Hotel strewn across Kolkata, but it clearly stands out for the immense uality and taste of the food it serves. Frequented by doctors from Medical College and youths from the College para, dont let the ambience fool into believing its for clients with only modest means. The cost of food is significantly high than other similar etaeries, and only because the food deserves it and more. Try the pabda, doi rui, chitol, chingri, kosha mangsho... infact anything that I have tried till date, has been a relevation for my taste buds. So, go out and give it a try. Happy munching!