Chittagong Restaurant: for the love of 'deshi'

The journey started in 1952. Back then, Chittagong Restaurant's roof was of corrugated tin. The eatery in Shegunbagicha was a melting pot of political adda, with the hall of fame including names like Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Maulana Bhasani.  

Recently, the restaurant has been revamped, with improvements made on décor and other standards. The history and the fantastic food served will make you come back again and again. And the place also lives up to the very high hygiene standards, such as not reusing oil.   

The restaurant opens at 7.30am. The breakfast menu includes a wide variety of items, from luchi to paya to halwa. 

Given that there are numerous offices around, a large segment of customers are professionals. Lunch is a very busy time. If you are an office goer and want a restaurant to cater to your cafeteria needs, a menu consisting of rice, bhortas and fish is very essential for lunch. 

And Chittagong Restaurant boasts a wide assortment of bhortas, of various types, from shutki to potatoes. You will also get different varieties of fish. There are not many restaurants in Dhaka city where you are going to get fish cooked in Bengali style. Chittagong Restaurant satisfies your hunger in this regard. You can even pre-order fish of your choice. 

Meanwhile, the eatery's 'kala bhuna' is a prized item on the menu. This beef curry is a quintessential item in the Chittagonian cuisine and is much favoured for its distinctive taste.

Evenings, too, are a busy time, with servings of tandoori and kebabs to haleem, Chittagong Restaurant in the evening is a must-visit for its delicacies. 

The bill is as varied as the items on the menu! You can finish off a hearty meal with just a Tk 100 note, or, you can push the bill to about, say Tk 500. It all depends on what you order.  

It has been more than half a century. Chittagong Restaurant has served a large number of guests throughout the years; and people from all walks of life, from the top brass of the political world to government officers to ordinary people, have stepped in. 

And the legacy lives on.

Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed

Chittagong Restaurant is located at 22 Shegunbagicha, Dhaka. #8392429