Samy's Curry

This huge, old-school Indian canteen, located in verdant Dempsey Hill, is a dining institution. It’s been doling out curries and dahls to locals since the 1950s and still sticks to tradition. Rice and curries are served tableside by friendly waitstaff who spoon them out on banana leaves. Cutlery is provided but go ahead and eat with your hands – no one’s going to judge.

What to order? As one of the city’s oldest curry shops, Samy’s Curry is a pioneer of Indian-style fish head curry. Served in a clay pot, the bubbling curry comes loaded with a whole snapper head and vegetables like ladyfingers, eggplant and onions. Unlike the Chinese version of the dish, Samy’s is free from coconut milk and is more heavy handed with the spices.

Samy’s Curry was founded by chef Veerasamy in the 60s and remains every bit the family run restaurant today. 

As a hobby, during his spare time in his native southern India, Veerasamy used to cook experimental recipes for his neighbours and their accolades encouraged him to start his own food business. He set up his first stall at Tank Road in the 1960’s before moving his stall to Pearl’s Hill Center and eventually, to Dempsey Road in the 70s – a bigger restaurant that could cope with its now well-established popularity.