Sun Temple Restaurants

You’ll find Sun Temple Restaurants inside the Konark Hotel building over in the Swargdwar area of Puri. It’s a busy part of town because the beach is right there and so many people come for the temple. We get all sorts of people walking in. Some are pilgrims who have traveled a long way, others are just families on vacation wanting to see the sea. The restaurant isn't very large. We have wooden tables and some old fans that hum while they spin. The salt air from the ocean tends to rust things quickly, so we’re always cleaning or painting something. We serve local Odia dishes and some general Indian food. It’s simple cooking. We don't use a lot of fancy spices, just what you’d find in a home kitchen. The kitchen staff has been with us for years. They know how to get the rice just right. During the Rath Yatra, it gets incredibly crowded outside on the streets, and we stay open late to make sure everyone gets fed. It’s a bit of a chaotic time, but we like the energy of the crowds. We don’t have a big marketing team or anything like that. People just see the sign and walk in because they’re hungry. We just try to provide a decent meal and a place to sit down for a bit out of the sun. It’s just a local place for anyone who needs a meal.