India GORava idli in Bangalore
Rava idli is Bangalore's own idli: made with semolina instead of rice and, by Mavalli Tiffin Rooms' own account, invented in its kitchen during the Second World War. MTR on Lalbagh Road is still the place to eat it, sitting down; Taaza Thindi in Jayanagar is the fast, standing alternative. Taaza Thindi is a morning counter; MTR also serves a full South Indian thali.
Invented in this city during the war, when rice ran short and semolina did not.
⚪ Rava Idli
Bengaluru's wartime invention: when rice ran short, semolina took its place. Coarser than a rice idli and quicker to make.
The city's food with veg and non-spicy filters, in the app.
Open in India GOA dish with a home address
Most South Indian dishes belong to a region. Rava idli belongs to a restaurant. MTR opened in 1924 as the Brahmin Coffee Club on Lalbagh Road and took its present name after a move in 1960. When rice ran short during the war, the kitchen, by its own telling, tried semolina in place of rice, and the result never left the menu.
The rava idli page covers how the batter works and why it needs no overnight fermentation.
Where to eat it
Two very different breakfasts, both in the south of the city.
Mavalli Tiffin Rooms (MTR), Lalbagh Road
Open since 1924 and the birthplace of the dish by its own account. Upstairs is a sit-down heritage room with masala dosa, a full South Indian thali and a dessert served only on Sundays, Chandrahara. Our base credits the founder with pioneering open kitchens and sterilised utensils here. Price level ₹₹. Lalbagh Road takes its name from the Lalbagh Botanical Garden.
Taaza Thindi, Jayanagar
A tiny counter on 26th Main Road with a menu of about four things. Idli-vada and rava idli arrive drowned in sambar and the crowd never really stops moving. Local food writers single it out for its cleanliness. Price level ₹.
How it comes to the table
Rava idli is served hot with a little ghee poured over the top, with saagu (a mixed-vegetable curry) and coconut chutney; at Taaza Thindi it comes in sambar instead. It is coarser than a rice idli and quicker to make: the batter needs no overnight fermentation.
Two things to know about the diet. It is vegetarian, and it is made of semolina, which is wheat, so it is not gluten-free; plain rice idli is the wheat-free choice. The ghee on top means it is not vegan either.
For the rest of the morning menu, from benne dosa to filter coffee, see breakfast in Bangalore.
❓ FAQ
Where was rava idli invented?
In Bangalore, at Mavalli Tiffin Rooms (MTR) on Lalbagh Road, during the Second World War, according to the restaurant itself.
Where is the best rava idli in Bangalore?
MTR is the original and the sit-down choice; Taaza Thindi in Jayanagar serves it fast, in sambar, at a standing counter.
What is the most famous idli in Bangalore?
Rava idli is the one that was born in the city. For classic rice idli, Veena Stores in Malleshwaram and Brahmin's Coffee Bar are the well-known counters, and thatte idli, a large flat idli, comes from Bidadi on the road to Mysuru.
Is rava idli gluten-free?
No. Rava is semolina, which is wheat. Rice idli is the wheat-free option.