MOTOFOODIE

The Biryani aka briyani elevated the small towns of Vaniyambadi and Ambur in Tamil Nadu to unprecedented stardom among food lovers.

On the Chennai-Bangalore highway – the number of outlets selling Ambur biryani outnumber the coffee shops and its no longer a surprise that folks travel down from Bangalore only to relish this delicious biryani.

How did biryani reach Ambur and Vaniyambadi ?

Back in the 1800s, this style of biryani was introduced by the Nawabs of Arcot who ruled this region of Tamil Nadu.

A typical Ambur and Vaniyambadi biryani is served with ‘dhalcha‘, a spiced-sour brinjal curry and curd-based raitha. It’s cooked using firewood in pakki akhni style (rice and meat are cooked in separate vessels and then assembled in a regular biryani degh/vessel to be cooked further in dum)

Difference between Ambur biryani and vaniyambadi biryani 

While meat for both the types of biryani is marinated with curd and similar masala – it’s the type of rice that distinguishes them .

Ambur biryani is made with the short and round grain rice variety called ‘Seeraga samba’.

Vaniyambadi biryani is made with the aromatic and long grain ‘basmati’ rice.

Which is the best place for Ambur and Vaniyambadi biryani ?

Undoubtedly it would be at a local Muslim wedding – the next best place would be

• Khaja Restaurant in Vaniyambadi town
• Rahamaniya Briyani Hotel in Ambur town

Useful information on Khaja Restaurant Vaniyambadi:

• Must- try: chicken and mutton biryani + chicken 65
• Parking: No dedicated parking for cars – ample space to park motorcycles in front of the hotel
• Mode of payment: cash only, no card, no UPI or wallet payment are accepted
• Timings: Open all the days of the week – 8 am to 11pm
• Service: non-AC service in ground floor + separate AC section on 1st floor
• Location: Khaja Restaurant Vaniyambadi (Google Maps Link)

Useful information on Rahamaniya Briyani Hotel, OV Road Ambur:

• Must- try: chicken and mutton biryani + chicken 65
• Parking: Its a super crowded place – finding a spot for a motorcycle is tough, highly recommend to not take the car on this road (Its akin to Chickpet Market of Bangalore)
• Mode of payment: cash only, no card, no UPI or wallet payment are accepted
• Timings: Open all the days of the week – 11 am to 10:30 pm
• Service: non-AC service in ground floor + separate AC section on 1st floor – but most people either Swiggy/Zomato the biryani
• Location: Rahamaniya Briyani Hotel, OV Road, Ambur (Google Maps Link)

Pro-tips:

• In order to try the biryani at both towns – stay in Yelagiri (hill-station town – 20kms from Vaniyambadi)
• Both the restaurants cook biryani in batches to ensure the freshness of the meal – try to time your visit between 12 – 12:30 noon (before it gets crowded)
• Leather Goods in Ambur: Don’t forget to shop for leather goods in Ambur town ( pick any of the shops on Netaji Road in Ambur town)
• Build a massive appetite before hitting these biryani joints !!