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Delhi’s dining scene welcomes a new coastal address with the launch of HUNGRY HOPPER in Vasant Vihar. Founded by hospitality entrepreneur Jai Batra and Malika Chawla Batra, the restaurant brings together the distinctive food traditions of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka through a menu of freshly made appams and hoppers, regional curries and seafood featuring the catch of the day. With an ambition to open four to five additional outlets over the next three years, the founders are looking to take this focused coastal dining concept to a wider audience.
The idea behind HUNGRY HOPPER grew from the founders’ shared appreciation for appams and hoppers, the bold flavours of coastal cooking and their natural pairing with seafood. The menu draws on the culinary character of the three regions, bringing together Kerala’s coconut-led preparations, Tamil Nadu’s robust spice profiles and Sri Lanka’s distinctive, tangy flavours. At the core, is a simple proposition: well-made hoppers, flavourful curries and fresh seafood, brought together at one table.
The menu features plain, butter and egg hoppers, flat appams, neer dosa and string hoppers, paired with regional curries such as Jackfruit Kari, Coastal Chicken Kari, Prawn Kari and Crab Moilee. Other highlights include Fort Cochin Pepper Jumbo Prawns, Kanyakumari Pepper Crab, Kerala Fish Fry and Kothu Roti, alongside vegetarian favourites such as Malabar Jackfruit Cutlets and Chettinad Mushroom Parotta Tacos. Regional biryanis from Thalassery and Vaniyambadi add further depth to the offering.
“ I have always felt that the real measure of a restaurant is not the attention it receives when it first opens, but the place it earns in people's lives over time. That comes down to the decisions made every day, how a team works, how standards are maintained and how thoughtfully the business evolves. We are approaching HUNGRY HOPPER with that long-term perspective. The ambition is to build a brand with its own identity and the discipline to grow without losing sight of what it stands for,” says Jai Batra, Founder, HUNGRY HOPPER.
“With the launch of HUNGRY HOPPER, we wanted to introduce Delhi to the diversity of coastal food cultures in a way that feels approachable yet distinctive. My background in design and culinary arts has shaped how I look at food, not just as a collection of flavours, but as an expression of culture, craft and identity. I hope this becomes a place that encourages people to discover something new and see these cuisines from a fresh perspective,” says Malika Chawla Batra, Co-Founder, HUNGRY HOPPER.
The experience is designed around generous, uncomplicated dining, with guests encouraged to explore different hopper-and-curry combinations, eat with their hands and share dishes. As the brand looks towards its next phase, its expansion plans will focus on bringing this distinctive coastal food offering to more diners while building on the identity established with its first Delhi outlet.
