Swadhin Bharat Hindu Hotel

This 112 year old pice hotel offers lip smacking food with a mix of old world charm and nostalgia! At first known as only the Bharat Hindu Hotel, it was renamed as Swadhin Bharat Hindu Hotel in 1947 and has been known as such ever since. Legend goes the place was a hub a Swadeshi (Indian independence movement) meetings and eminent personalities like Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose hav dined here. Thus the place has a lot of history in its bag to offer for anyone willing to walk through its doors. Now keeping aside history for a moment, the current restaurant/pice hotel has neat seating capacity for about 20 to 25 people. Keeping in line with traditions of a true pice hotels, the menu is written each day on a whiteboard based on the vegetables/fish/chicken available in the market that same morning. I had the pleasure of visiting here recently for lunch, and ordered the following food items, 1) Bhat (One serving of steamed white rice, Rs 35 first serve, Rs 15 henceforth) 2) Begun bhaja (Eggplant fries, Rs 30, 2 piece) 3) muro muger daal (lentil soup with fried Katla fish head, Rs 35) 4) pui shaker chochhocri (A mixed Veg dish consisting of Malabar Spinach, fish heads and other veggies, Rs 35) 5) Katla kalia ( Katla fish curry, Rs 120) 6) kacha amer chatni ( Chutney of Raw mangoes, Rs 30) Overall, all the items were super tasty and fresh. The wait time for such a large order was also minimum, which is a big thumbs up for the service. However, this can slightly increase during rush hours. The prices are however a bit on the higher side as compared to other pice hotels in Central Kolkata. However, that part has been aptly compensated with the old world charm, prompt service and obviously a feast for the taste buds! Surely looking forward to visit again. P. S Foods served on Banana leaves and water in earthen cups are the cherries on the cake!

They are provides a wide variety of food options, and the taste of the dishes is quite good. The staff are courteous and polite, ensuring a pleasant dining experience. Prices are slightly on the higher side, but overall it was a very good experience and worth visiting.

This pice hotel is amongst the most popular pice hotels in Kolkata and originally began as the Hindu Hotel, then on the day of India’s independence, it was renamed Swadhin Bharat Hindu Hotel. More than a century old, it has continued to serve authentic Bengali cuisine for generations, becoming both a culinary and historical landmark of Kolkata. What makes this place truly special is the role it played during India’s freedom struggle and Bengal Famine. Many freedom fighters used to dine here in hiding during the British Raj. When raids happened, the owner would bravely confront the British officers at the entrance while secretly leaving the back gate open, giving revolutionaries a chance to escape. Acts like these made the hotel a silent ally of India’s independence movement. Not a lot of people would know about contributions like this. Another unforgettable chapter in its history came during the Great Bengal Famine, when the hotel served free khichdi to hundreds of starving people every single day. Few eateries can claim to have fed both the leaders of the freedom struggle and the masses in their hour of need. The food here is still rooted in tradition simple, light, and reminiscent of home cooked Bengali meals. Fish items like pabda Jhaal, daal, fish egg pakoda, seasonal vegetables, and fried items like jhuri alu bhaja are delicious, and not overly spicy. The staff are warm, courteous, and reflect the same legacy of care. However I felt that the price is a little on the higher side for a pice hotel for the portion they serve. Overall, it's a true history gem in Kolkata.

Swadhin Bharat Hindu Hotel is one of the ancient 'pice' hotels in North Kolkata. Since it was located near Hindu College (now Presidency College), it was formerly known as Hindu Hotel, which became Swadhin Bharat Hindu Hotel after India's independence. When Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was a student at Presidency University, he was a regular customer at this hotel. Later, many secret meetings during the freedom movement were held right here. Many eras have passed since then, and the hotel has also seen a touch of newness; it has changed its location and is now situated at 8/2 Bhabani Dutta Lane. ​To experience that piece of history, we went to the hotel for lunch. We ordered rice, Uchhe Shukto, Muro Moger Dal (moong dal with fish head), Pui shak er chochhori, Machher dimer bora, Macher Muitha (spicy fish dumplings), and Katla Kalia. The food was served on a banana leaf, and water was served in an earthen pot. Every dish was incredibly delicious. I liked the Macher Muitha the most.

My favourite pice hotel in the city. Never disappoints. Fresh food. Neat and clean place. Absolute value for money. While their pui saaker chorchori is popular, a lesser known but star item is their chitol muithya, served more like a fish chop, without the gravy. Brilliant! The quality of the bhetki paturi was good too. Don't miss the chutney. Visit early since they run out of items quickly.

Pice hotel near college street. It is serving bengali food since British rule. Even revolutionaries ate here. Now come into the part which really matters: Food is overall good but according to price quantity is less. Foods taste good but every item feels sweetie to some extent. But again very good serving. Served on a banana leaf and also they provide water in clay pot. Staff behaviour is very good. A must visit place 💯.

Extremely sober owner. Very well behaved. Very good service. Mutton curry was very tasty but the pieces were not that great. May be since I reached at 3.30pm and lunch time was about to get over.

Recently I visited this iconic restaurant for lunch while shopping in the nearby garments market with my family. We were a group of four and ordered the standard veg thali along with a few fish dishes to try. We had chital macher muithya, parshe macher jhal, pabda jhal, and topshe fry. While all the fish were fresh and the gravies were flavorful, the chital macher muithya and topshe fry were our favourites from the day. Even though it was a Monday, the place was quite crowded. So if you’re planning a visit to this historical restaurant, you might have to wait.