Chennai, a name that brings to mind Idlis, Filter Coffee and Masala Dosa – but wait, the city today has much more to offer. New-age and international dining has taken the city by storm, with themed restaurants becoming a big hit among its residents. From having cappuccinos on cycles to dining along the Swiss Alps, we list the 5 hottest themed restaurants in Chennai.

1) Date Night In A Prison? Try Kaidi Kitchen

Fancy a dinner date behind bars? Don’t commit a crime; instead head straight to Kaidi Kitchen at Bishop Wallers Avenue in Mylapore. Take your seats in cubicles designed as prison cells and enjoy having the menu read out by your hosts who are dressed as jail wardens, while waiters in prisoner outfits flit around serving you food and drink. Dim-lit surroundings, a red siren flashing at every cell, a menu which displays information on jails across the world and a huge replica of a jail door- at Kaidi Kitchen, the prison experience is complete. Our only wish? That they had aluminum cups and bowls as well to complete the look.

2) Meals On Wheels At Ciclo Cafe

If you like the adrenaline rush that comes after an early morning cycle ride, then you must stop by the Ciclo Café at Gandhi Mandapam Road in Kotturpuram. Billed as India’s first cycle spa, customers can sip on a cappuccino while getting their bikes washed and fixed. The restaurant is filled with quirky delight including chandeliers fashioned from cycle chains, seats are made of upcycled leather-seats and the tables are supported by wheel rims. The highlight is a huge wall that is dedicated to Chennai’s local cycling groups. You can even rent and buy bikes here including high-end brands such as Bianchi, Cannondale, Mongoose and Schwinn.

3) Dine Like the Swiss At the Swiss Hutte

This one is for all the globe-trotters out there. At the Swiss Hutte, you are in for a fancy evening in a European style wooden cabin with brick walls, snug wooden interiors and a back door that leads to a beautiful garden. Tucked behind bustling Greams Lane in Nungambakkam, this quiet place looks like a barn right out of your storybooks. The lush garden can make for an excellent get-together for an evening under the stars.

4) Lunch With The Jet Set At 747

The aptly named 747 restaurant in Thoraipakkam promises to make you feel like you are dining while soaring through the clouds. As you ‘check in’ at the lobby, you are handed a boarding pass with the date, time and your name printed on it. The door to the dining area is modelled around a real airplane door and when you take your seats, you will find the AC vents and even the call button overhead, just like in a real aircraft. Even the waiters are dressed as stewards and stewardesses. And with more leg room and comfort, 747 hits all the right notes.

5) Drift Away At Port Cafe

The nautical theme is dominant at Port Café in Kodambakkam, where you can enjoy sitting at tables made of old tires and cylinders, while relishing French fries and tall glasses of iced tea. Overlooking a painting of a vessel out in the waters, port Café is proving to be a big hit amongst youngsters who like to hang out with their buddies at the city’s only friend‘ship’ joint.

Reporter : Smitha TK
Web Editor : Nikhil Narayan Sivadas