From ramen routes and rice bowls to khow suey and chole bhature, restaurants across India are serving up soul-warming indulgences perfect for the monsoon.
When it pours, cravings turn instinctively towards the warm, the hearty, and the indulgent. Across India, restaurants are stepping into the season with menus that celebrate comfort and flavour in equal measure. The Ramen Route at Yazu, is one such offering. This limited-time monsoon menu brings together the warmth of tradition and the boldness of Pan-Asian flavour with a selection of ramen bowls designed for rainy evenings. Diners can choose from Shoyu, Miso, or Kimchi Ramen, each crafted with seasonal produce such as shiitake mushrooms, bok choy, asparagus, crispy garlic, shredded gari, spring onions, and nori. With proteins that can be customised, every bowl becomes a soulful, monsoon-fresh experience.
Mumbai’s Sozo Izakaya leans into the season with its Spicy Miso Ramen, a fiery take that balances heat with deep umami, while Kuuraku in Gurugram offers the ultimate in comfort dining with its signature Tonkotsu Ramen. Slow-simmered pork broth forms the base of this silky, umami-rich bowl, topped with springy noodles, tender chashu, and a jammy egg, making it a dish that feels like a hug against the backdrop of pouring rain.
For those seeking rice-based comfort, Guppy in New Delhi presents an eclectic range of rice bowls. The Exotic Vegetable Rice Bowl tosses seasonal produce in a miso-pepper sauce, while the Mushroom Rice Bowl layers assorted mushrooms with creamy coconut for a vegetarian delight. Chicken lovers can warm up with the Sudori Chicken Rice Bowl, featuring twice-cooked chicken leg with soy vinegar, tartar sauce, and pickled cucumber. Pork enthusiasts, meanwhile, are drawn to the Chashu Rice Bowl, braised with soy and sake and elevated with apple, kimchi, and a mustard-miso sauce.
Red Box takes the delivery route this season, sending steaming bowls and indulgent plates straight to doorsteps. The Burmese Khow Suey, with noodles in a coconut curry broth topped with peanuts, onions, and lime, is an instant favourite, as is the bold Korean Ramen Bowl. For heartier appetites, the Oven Roast Chicken Sizzler and Devil Cottage Cheese Sizzler arrive sizzling and irresistible, while the Spinach Cheese Fondue offers an indulgent choice for those rainy evenings at home.
Mumbai, too, has its share of innovative monsoon pairings. Pomodoro serves up Orzo Piccante, a soupy bowl of orzo in chilli brodo with chicken chorizo and crispy kale that captures warmth and depth in every bite. At Taftoon in BKC and Powai, the Tangra Street Jhol draws inspiration from Kolkata’s historic Tiretti Bazaar. This soupy noodle bowl reimagines Indo-Chinese flavours with a rainy-day twist and is available in both vegetarian and chicken versions. And for those who prefer the nostalgia of Indian comfort food, Oye Kake offers hot, fluffy bhature paired with asli Amritsari chole is a dish that remains an all-time favourite for damp monsoon afternoons.
Together, these seasonal specials create a food map for the rains, blending the international with the regional, the indulgent with the nostalgic. From ramen routes and rice bowls to khow suey and chole bhature, this monsoon is all about dishes that warm the soul as much as they satisfy the palate.
