Kozhikode’s Paragon named 11th most legendary restaurant in the world, says Taste Atlas

Paragon restaurant in Kozhikode exudes an old-world charm and is quite popular even decades after it was founded.
| Photo Credit: K. Ragesh

Paragon restaurant in the heart of Kozhikode City has been chosen as one of the most legendary restaurants in the world by Taste Atlas, a Croatia-based online food guide. In fact, the restaurant is ranked 11th among the 150 most legendary restaurants in the world, while biryani has been listed as its iconic dish.

The list published on Friday includes restaurants from different parts of the world that have withstood the test of time, favouring traditional and high-quality cuisine as against gimmicks. “The focus is on real food with robust flavours, often using time-honoured recipes passed down through generations,” the prologue of the list says.

Paragon, founded in 1939, has been cited as an emblem of the region’s rich gastronomic history, celebrated for its mastery of traditional Malabar cuisine.

Travel Atlas has honoured Paragon in the past by including it in the list of the best restaurants in the country. The recent recognition comes as a bonus after the restaurant was listed as one of the best 25 restaurants in India by Condé Nast, an international travel magazine.

Besides being ranked 11th in the world, Paragon also ranks first among the only five restaurants from India that have been included in the list.

Incidentally, Sumesh Govind, managing director of Paragon Group, was unaware of the list until someone pointed it out to him on Saturday morning. “We did not know that we were even being considered,” he told The Hindu from Dubai. Taste Atlas shortlists restaurants mainly based on reviews by international food blogs.

However, Mr. Govind feels that he should not be carried away by the recognitions. “As inspirational as they are, we strive for people’s recognition. It is not easy to keep up what we have earned till date,” he said.

Between four brands, Paragon, Salkara, M-Grill, and Brown Town, the group has over 25 branches spread across Kerala, Bengaluru, and Dubai.