Kolkata's vibrant dining scene is gearing up for a festive bonanza, with several iconic restaurants announcing extended late-night operations starting this weekend. Eateries across the city, particularly in the bustling Park Street area, will keep their doors open well beyond midnight on key days during the Christmas and New Year week, responding to an early surge in crowd enthusiasm.
Park Street Pioneers Lead the Late-Night Charge
The legendary establishments of Mocambo and Peter Cat, along with Peter Hu, have rolled out their late closure schedule from Saturday. According to owner Nitin Kothari, the decision was prompted by observing an early crowd surge this year, leading to an earlier start for extended hours compared to previous seasons.
"We noticed an early crowd surge this year, so we have gone for a late closure from Saturday," Kothari stated. The plan is to serve liquor until 12:20 AM, with food service continuing until at least 2 AM or even later if customer demand persists. Kothari expressed optimism, anticipating a larger turnout this year than in the recent past.
These three restaurants will operate late on December 20, 24, 26, and 27. Interestingly, they will not have extended hours on New Year's Eve, December 31. Kothari explained this by noting that January 1 is a working day, leading to expectations of a thinner crowd on the night of the 31st.
City-Wide Festive Feasts and Special Menus
The late-night trend is echoed by other popular venues. Oasis, located down the road, will stay open until 2 AM on December 24, 25, 27, and 31. Owner Pratap Daryanani confirmed that liquor will be served until 1 AM, with closure by 2 AM. He noted that crowds have already started swelling, predicting a major rush. For the festive week, Oasis will feature special dishes including turkey roast, lamb chops, and duck roast.
In south Kolkata, Chapter 2 has planned extended hours until 1 AM on December 24, 25, 31, and January 1. Their bar will operate until 1 AM, while food service will continue until 2 AM. The restaurant is enhancing the festive spirit with special musical programs on December 24, 25, and 31, in addition to their regular evening live music. Another musical event is scheduled for January 1 from 1 PM. The restaurant will also host Christmas carols on Christmas morning.
Chapter 2 has also curated an exclusive year-end menu named ‘Festive Feast’, featuring gourmet items like:
- Baked whole bhetki
- Lobster thermidor
- Roast turkey with rosemary sauce
- Bavarian meatloaf with pepper sauce
Adding to the culinary diversity, the newly launched Chaudhury & Co will celebrate its first festive week. This restaurant offers traditional Bengali cuisine inspired by ‘pice hotels’, with a menu boasting delicacies such as chhanar paturi, dhokar dalna, mochar ghonto, katla kalia, railway murgir jhol, and Dhakai kalo bhuna mangsho.
Industry Outlook Predicts a Bumper Season
The festive extension is not limited to fine dining. In central Kolkata, establishments like Songhai, Manthan, and MS Bar & Lounge will remain open until 2 AM on December 24 and 31. Sudesh Poddar, owner of these venues and President of the Association of Hotels and Restaurants of Eastern India, shared his observations.
"The crowd build-up was slow but steady from early December," Poddar said. "The first half saw thinner attendance, but it picked up in the last three days. The crowd will be bigger than in previous years." This sentiment points towards a robust recovery and heightened festive spirit in the city's hospitality sector.
Further adding to the options, Bar-B-Q and One Step Up on Park Street will also extend their hours, staying open until 1 AM on December 24 and 31.
The collective move by Kolkata's restaurateurs to extend operating hours underscores a confident and optimistic outlook for the holiday season. With special menus, live entertainment, and a commitment to catering to late-night revelers, the City of Joy is all set to offer a memorable gastronomic celebration to mark the end of the year.
