Oh! Calcutta celebrates 25 Glorious Years of its Culinary Journey
Oh! Calcutta from the stable of Speciality Restaurants Limited comes as a respite not just for food lovers residing in Hyderabad but also for Bengalis living outside their hometown to relish and fill them with nostalgia of home
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2025-02-06 03:51 GMT
Hyderabad: George Bernard Shaw had confessed – “There is no love sincerer than the love for food.” Staying true to the quote, Bengalis have always been known for arguably two things - their love for food and the plethora of diverse culinary delights that their cuisine has to offer. Oh! Calcutta from the stable of Speciality Restaurants Limited comes as a respite not just for food lovers residing in Hyderabad but also for Bengalis living outside their hometown to relish and fill them with nostalgia of home.
Oh! Calcutta opened its doors to the food revelers of Hyderabad in the beginning of the 20th century and on the occasion of its Silver Jubilee, it is proud to unveil a special anniversary menu, curated to pay tributes to Calcutta’s vibrant culinary legacy. The new menu offers a perfect blend of traditional flavours and classic dishes, reflecting the city’s unique heritage. The celebration kicked off at their Hitech City, Hyderabad location.
Oh! Calcutta is an ode, a celebration to the romantic city of Calcutta that has been serving 300 years old eclectic Bengali cuisine. Founder & Chairman of Speciality Restaurants Limited, Mr. Anjan Chatterjee said, “Ever since my childhood days I have been a food lover and have seen unfold the diverse culinary innovations of Calcutta’s cuisine, from the quintessential Jhalmuri to Royal’s Mutton Chaanp, from Kolkata Biryani to Shabbir’s unparalleled Chicken Rezala. Oh! Calcutta has been a path breaking journey in the history of culinary fusion of Calcutta.”
Oh! Calcutta is a story of one man’s passion for his city and its flavours. Founder & MD of Speciality Restaurants Limited, Mr. Anjan Chatterjee had started a small experiment in Mumbai in 1992 called “Only Fish” when connoisseurs flocked to the flavors that Mumbai had to offer and soon the little gourmet initiative left an aftertaste in not just the tongue but in their hearts. Looking back at history of Calcutta’s 300-year journey, beginning from when the French East India Company, based at Chandernagore brought rich sauces, breads and gourmet entrees it quickly resurfaced in Park Street, the gastronomical hub of Calcutta even the chefs of 300 Club, the first time to admit Indians were Russians. Soon enough Calcutta’s gentry swore by the Shashlik and Chicken a la Kiev.
The success led to a transition and thus, Oh! Calcutta was born to capture the city with a vast array of flavours that tantalized not just the taste buds but the soul. Eventually, Calcutta the birthplace of such authentic dishes embraced Oh! Calcutta with open arms and soon it became the talk of the town. Following the overwhelming response in Kolkata the restaurant made its entry into Delhi and slowly seeped in to the major cities of India. Oh! Calcutta has 9 outlets in India across Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Delhi, and Bengaluru.
Oh! Calcutta has been the flag bearer of popularizing the food of Calcutta after which many big and small restaurants have come up offering Bengali cuisine. The endeavor of Oh! Calcutta was to put extinct dishes like Daab Chingri, innovation like Gondhoraj Maach, Paneer Paturi, Bhapa Sandesh and several Steamed delicacies into the menu, for the first time in India. Hyderabad has often been fondly called as the city of gastronomical revelry. The 25 glorious years have stood testament to the fact that a restaurant that started as an idea, born out of Bengal’s authentic spices and cuisine has marched ahead to not only win hearts of food lovers across the country but also accolades around the globe. Oh! Calcutta has won several awards nationally and globally namely Miele Guide Singapore, Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, Times Food Award (2006-2014) Telegraph Food Guide Award, NDTV Good Times Award, HT City Crystal Awards among others. It has recently been awarded with the Best Regional Cuisine (Bengali) by Easy Diner (2024).
Oh! Calcutta has led the fine dining scene across India, consistently offering outstanding cuisine, top-notch service, and a welcoming ambiance. Guided by the leadership of Founder Chef turned restaurateur, Mr. Anjan Chatterjee now presents some astounding dishes like Prawn Malai Curry, Jackfruit Tikki, Anglo Indian Chicken Cutlet, Gondhoraj Leaf Flavoured Chicken Curry (Lebu Pata Diye Murgir Jhol) and Aam Ada Maach to create some new surprises on your palate.
“We are deeply humbled and thankful to have achieved this milestone,” said Mr. Anjan Chatterjee, Founder & Chairman, Managing Director, Speciality Restaurant. “As we celebrate 25 years of Oh! Calcutta, it’s a moment of immense gratitude. We embarked on this journey with a single vision: to bring the true essence of Calcutta’s rich culinary heritage to everyone, and the love and loyalty we’ve received over the years have been truly humbling. This milestone is a special tribute to the timeless flavors and traditions of Calcutta’s cuisine offered by our brand. With nine Oh! Calcutta restaurants in India, we remain committed to continuing this legacy and providing an authentic culinary experience that resonates with our values.”
Oh! Calcutta will be committed to offering a completely immersive dining experience. To showcase the impact of Calcutta’s heritage food on India's culinary scene, Oh! Calcutta will be unveiling the All New Celebration Menu curated by Chef turned restaurateur Mr. Anjan Chatterjee, to commemorate 25 years of the brand. The event will be covered by celebrated Media House, Food Bloggers and Influencers.