South Indian Iyer Mess

We are located right near Shivala Ghat, next to the Niranjani Akhara. It is a very old and historic part of Varanasi. If you know where the Chhavi Mahal Cinema is, we are just a short walk from there. This is a mess, so the setup is very basic and functional. We serve meals on plates and people usually sit together at long tables. It is not like a modern restaurant where you have your own private space. It is more of a shared experience. We cook whatever is fresh at the market that day. Usually, it is a mix of rice, sambar, and a couple of vegetable dishes. We do not have a printed menu because things change depending on the season. The building is quite old and the walls are very thick, which helps keep it a bit cooler during the hot summer months. We have a few people who live nearby and eat here every single day. They are basically part of the family now. The 221001 area is always full of pilgrims and locals. We get a mix of everyone at our tables. We do not have any fancy decorations on the walls. Just some tables, chairs, and a place to wash your hands before you eat. The kitchen is open so you can see us working. We use a lot of coconut and fresh curry leaves in our cooking. It smells like a home kitchen most of the time.