The benne doses of Bengaluru are considered ‘divine’ by dosa (thin, savoury crepes made of fermented batter) connoisseurs.

Bengaluru’s Shri Sagar, formerly known as Central Tiffin Room or CTR in Malleshwaram’s Margosa Road does not disappoint.

Doused in benne (butter in Kannada), these dosas are a class apart.

The residents’ love for Shri Sagar is quite renowned, for the iconic ‘thindi’ joint continues to enjoy a huge clientele every day, from the time it was established over a century ago.

The hotel was started by Y V Subramanyam and brothers, Y V Srikanteshwaran, Y V Krishna Iyer and Y V Ramachandran as CTR in the 1920s.

It was famed for its tasty vegetarian grub served in traditional Kannadiga style. It soon went on to become a famous meeting point for writers and poets during the 1940s and 50s.

While the management changed hands a few times, it was bought by Sanjeeva S Poojari in 1992, who officially renamed it Shri Sagar.

Souvenirs from the bygone days still give the regulars a taste of nostalgia, and for newcomers, a brush with Bengaluru’s old-world charm.

Open round the year, Shri Sagar throws its doors open for customers at 7 am, where one can have breakfast until 12.30 pm. After a short break, they open again at 4 pm, to close for the day at 9.30 pm.

While benne masala dose might be its bestseller, Shri Sagar is also famous for idli, vada, poori sagu, khara bath, kesari bath, Mangaluru bajji, maddur vada and of course, filter coffee!

If you haven’t yet savoured the iconic benne masala doses of Shri Sagar, now is the perfect time to do so!

But be warned as you will find scores of people waiting during the restaurant’s working hours to devour their mouthwatering dishes!