Old Mahabalipuram Road, a late-night food haven for the young and old

Active at night: The area is home to IT companies and start-ups. Many of their employees step out for a snack at night.
| Photo Credit: Sangeetha Kandavel

V.M. Food Street on Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) has emerged as a vibrant night destination for college students, information technology professionals, and food enthusiasts.

With an array of shops opening by noon and offering a diverse menu until late at night, this food street is establishing itself as the premier destination for those seeking to savour culinary delights.

The first outlet on this street, which is at Kamaraj Nagar, Semmancheri, is Crispy Chicken World, operated by Udhayakumar A. It opened just two weeks ago. “During my school and college years, I worked at McDonald’s — first part-time and then full-time. It was during this time that I discovered my passion for the food business,” he says.

Udhayakumar notes that customers at his outlet enjoy the bucket chicken and crispy chicken in particular. He emphasises that its unique ‘masala’ and affordable prices suit the students. The second outlet, The Burger Joint, opened 15 days ago. Surya Prakash, the owner, says the presence of four colleges in this locality is driving the footfall.

He says students who walk into his joint request pasta, burgers, and pizzas.

A few metres away is Papino Ice, which started its operations a month ago. This outlet offers a variety of ice creams, including tender coconut, jackfruit, and dry fruits. According to Sivamani R., the owner, the outlet is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. It closes an hour past midnight at weekends.

Another enticing spot is Conical Gaufres specialising in waffles. The representative at this outlet highlights its unique offering: “We have stick waffles, similar to ice cream bars.”

Those operating out of this food street say that the demand for food is quite high here. The OMR area houses over 200 women’s hostels and paying guest accommodations. These apart, there are mansions that house men. All of those put up at hostels and mansions step out to eat, says Mr. Udhayakumar. The OMR belt is home to numerous information technology companies and start-ups that provide employment to thousands of individuals, many of whom work at night. And these employees step out for a snack at night.

On a Monday night, Chandru, who works at a tech company in the area, visited the food street with friends for dinner. He notes the food on V.M. Food Street is reasonably priced, compared with his company’s cafeteria. Chandru also says people often gather to play carrom and chess at late hours.

Another entrepreneur says that once the Metro Rail construction is completed, more people will flock to these food courts. Currently, traffic congestion due to the Metro Rail project is high. Hence, many are unwilling to go to the area, he adds.