Peter Cat, Park Street, Kolkata: Menu, Prices, Chelo Kebab And How To Reach

Top Preference Rank: 39

Top Preference Rating: 4/5

Every city has a restaurant that stopped trying to impress you decades ago because it never needed to. On Park Street, that restaurant is Peter Cat. 

Since 1975, the same plate has been carried through the same dim, lantern-lit room: saffron rice, a fried egg, kebabs, and a pat of butter that melts as it lands. The menu is still the heritage menu. The queue outside still forms. Calcuttans who ate here as children now bring their own. 

Is it flawless? No. 

It’s loud, it’s crowded, and the service won’t pamper you. But some meals are about belonging to a city’s memory, not perfection. If you want to understand how Kolkata eats, start here, and order the Chelo Kebab. 

Legacy, Lineage, And A Time Capsule 

Peter Cat’s story starts with another Park Street name. Shivji V Kothari opened Mocambo in 1956 – one of the most popular restaurants in Kolkata to date. 

And following his father’s footsteps, son Nitin Kothari, who had studied hotel management in Salzburg, launched Peter Cat in 1975. 

His aim? To serve purely Indian food. 

The first menu was built around personal favorites such as mutton chaap, chicken chaap and rumali roti. 

One dish soon took over. Chelo Kebab – the signature dish. 

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Nitin Kothari has said that once kebab sales started soaring, he had to add more tandoors to keep up with demand for the Chelo Kebab. 

The name comes from a Persian-style rice-and-kebab tradition, adapted for Bengal with butter, egg and a generous portion. Sizzlers were added in the late 1980s and became the second pillar of the menu. 

Today the restaurant is run by the next generation. 

Siddharth Kothari says the Peter Cat menu is still the 1975 heritage menu, with the same number of dishes. The family has never opened a second Peter Cat. They have not branched out into any other restaurants. 

The only expansion has been new brands, like the pan-Asian Peter Hu? in 2021. The restaurant also stepped into its 50th year recently, adding a new floor. It has also been ranked among the world’s most legendary restaurants. 

The food is North Indian at heart: kebabs, tandoori grills and curries, with a few Continental classics such as Fish Meunière and prawn cocktail. Vegetarians get paneer kebab and vegetable sheekh. 

• Hours: roughly 12 PM to 11 PM daily (closing time might change depending on peak seasons) 

• Phone: +91 33 2229 8841. 

Ambiance 

Walking in feels like stepping back into the 1970s. Red lanterns, dark wood interiors and stewards in crisp white uniforms give it a vintage charm. The lighting is dim and warm. Lamps hang over each table, a design signature the family also uses at Mocambo. 

This is, by no means, a trendy cafe spot or quiet fine dining restaurant. It is a very busy place. Always. 

The tables are pretty close together and there is chatting going on at every table. Most people love the atmosphere because it feels like you could have 3 generations of the same family sitting around each table. 

Pick it for: 

• Family lunches and weekend dinners 

• Birthdays and small celebrations 

• Showing out-of-town guests a “real Kolkata” institution 

• A casual date with old-school character 

Think twice for: 

• Intimate, private conversations 

• Quick business meetings 

• Anyone looking for contemporary, Instagram-style interiors 

And yes, in case you were wondering, dress is casual, and there’s no formal code. 

Menu And Price Breakdown 

The menu is compact and meat-forward, with a veg section that is limited but real. Here’s how it breaks down by category: 

• Chelo Kebab platters: the signature section and the core of most orders, with mutton, chicken, and veg variations. 

• Kebabs and tandoori: sheekh, tandoori chicken and grills. 

• Sizzlers: mixed grill and tandoori grill sizzlers. 

• Continental classics: fish meunière, prawn cocktail, devilled dishes. 

• Curries and breads: chaap, rumali roti and rice dishes. 

Budget order (about ₹1,000 for two): one Chelo Kebab platter to share, one curry with rumali roti, and a soft drink each. 

Full spread (about ₹1,800 – ₹2,200 for two): one Chelo Kebab each, a sizzler or starter to share, and dessert. 

Note: listed averages vary. It will depend completely on what you order and in what quantity. 

Popular Picks | Food Recommendations

Top 5 picks: 

• Chelo Kebab platter (mutton or original mixed) 

• Mixed Tandoori Grill Sizzler 

• Paneer Kebab 

• Beckti/Fish Meunière 

• Vegetable Sheekh 

Chelo Kebab: 

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This is the reason the restaurant exists. The classic platter comes with saffron rice, a fried egg, two mutton kebabs and one chicken kebab. 

A pat of butter melts into the hot rice at the table, and you mix it all together. It’s filling enough that one plate works as a full meal for one person. 

Mixed Tandoori Grill Sizzler: 

It is a sizzling plate of grilled meats and vegetables, and a good option if you want something other than rice. The mixed grill sizzler is among the restaurant’s best-known dishes. 

Paneer Kebab: 

While people come to Peter Cat for the meat, their vegetarian dishes can sometimes steal the show. One of the best examples is this hearty paneer kebab – the most reliable veg order, grilled in the same tandoor tradition as the non-veg kebabs. 

Fish Meuniere And Prawn Cocktail: 

This one is from the Continental side of the menu, and a throwback to old Park Street dining. Reviews on these are mixed, so order them as a sharing side, not the main event. 

Vegetable Sheekh: 

One of the underdogs that you can imagine, the vegetable sheekh is a lighter, spiced alternative for vegetarians. One reviewer found the veg dishes bland, so ask the steward how it’s made that day. 

Tip: Vegetarians do best ordering kebabs, and meat eaters should order one Chelo Kebab and one sizzler to share. 

Honest Reviews 

Here’s what people have to say about this iconic restaurant: 

What works 

• The Chelo Kebab consistently earns praise, especially the mutton version. 

• The atmosphere is authentic and nostalgic. 

• Good value for a landmark restaurant, with generous portions. 

• Central location, close to the metro. 

What could be better 

• Crowds and waits: One visitor reported waiting 20 minutes for a table even on a weekday. 

• Inconsistent food outside the signatures: One reviewer found the fish too salty and the vegetarian dishes bland. Another listed a dry mutton hamburger steak as a drawback. 

• Service: One guide advises not expecting too much from the service and focusing on the food. 

• Hype: Some online diners have called it average or overhyped. 

Bottom line: order what it’s famous for, and expect a busy room. 

How To Get There? 

Peter Cat sits in the Stephen Court Building on Park Street, across from the KFC outlet, in the heart of Kolkata’s dining belt. 

By Metro (Best Option): 

Take the Blue Line (North-South) to Park Street station. The closest metro station to Peter Cat is Gate No. 3. From there, it is about 500 meters – which will take you anywhere from 3 minutes to 7 minutes to walk. 

Take the exit toward Park Street and walk along the main road. Other nearby stations are Rabindra Sadan and Maidan, a little further away. If you’re coming from the Green Line (Salt Lake side), change at Esplanade onto the Blue Line. 

By Bus: 

Many city buses run along Chowringhee Road and Park Street and stop around the Park Street crossing. Ask the conductor for “Park Street” or “Stephen Court.” 

Some of the buses that can take you to Peter Cat are: 

• S-101: To Telephone Bhawan via Exide More and Park Street (from west/south). 

• S-12N: To Nabanna Terminus via Sukanta Nagar and Park Street. 

• AC-24: To Howrah Station via Park Street (from eastern corridors). 

• 239 & 3C/1: To A.J.C. Bose Road / NRS Hospital (requires a short walk/transfer). 

• EB-14 / Cityflo: From New Town / Sector V (transfer at Exide More or Bishop House). 

By Train: 

Sealdah and Howrah are the main railway stations. Neither is walkable. From either, take a cab or app-based ride (about 20 – 40 minutes depending on traffic), or take the metro and change as needed. Approximate distances: Sealdah about 4 km, Howrah about 7 km. 

By Cab Or Auto: 

Ola, Uber and Rapido all work well. Set your destination as “Peter Cat, Park Street” or “Stephen Court, Park Street.” Dropping off near the Park Street-Mother Teresa Sarani crossing can save time at dinner hour. 

Pro Tip: If you’re going to Peter Cat then don’t get your cab to go into Park Street from the main highway. 

From 1:00pm to 10:00pm Park Street is one-way only. Cars can only drive on Park Street from East to West (not towards Mullick Bazar but towards Chowringhee Road). 

As Peter Cat is on the very western end of Park Street, if you’re getting a cab from the Chowringhee/Maidan side then they can’t turn into Park Street. They will have to do a huge, busy detour to get around to the other side. 

So, if you’re getting a cab from the west, save yourself 15-20 mins by asking your driver to drop you off at the Chowringhee Road junction. You can then walk for 2 minutes to get to the Peter Cat queue. 

From The Airport: 

There is no direct metro route yet. Most travelers take a cab, typically 45–60 minutes depending on traffic. The airport is about 17 km away. 

On Foot: 

If you’re staying around Park Street, Camac Street, or New Market, you can walk. Look for the KFC opposite the entrance and the Stephen Court building. The restaurant is on the first floor. 

Best Time To Visit | Crowd Guide 

• Weekdays: The easiest time to visit is early lunch, around 12 – 1 PM, or a late weekday dinner after 9 PM. 

• Weekends: Expect a crowd at lunch and a long wait at dinner, especially Saturday night. 

• Peak hours: 1 – 2:30 PM and 7:30 – 9:30 PM. 

• Wait times: around 20 minutes on weekdays, and longer on weekends. 

• Reservations: book ahead for groups, birthdays and weekends if possible. Check Zomato or Dineout for slots, or call the restaurant directly. Festive periods, especially Christmas week on Park Street, are the busiest of all. 

Practical Tips 

• Parking: None on-site; it is best to use the metro or a cab. If you need to park, you can do so nearby. However, the restaurant does have a valet service. 

• Payments: Cards and UPI are accepted. 

• Seating: Indoor only; sit-down dining. 

• Kids: Family-friendly, with a menu kids can manage (mild kebabs, rice). 

• Pets: Not allowed. 

• Accessibility: Confirm ground-floor or lift access before visiting with seniors or wheelchair users. 

• Wi-Fi: Not available 

• Alcohol: Available. 

• Large groups: Call ahead. 

Similar Places Nearby 

• Mocambo: Same family, a few doors down, with a more Continental menu and a similar vintage mood. Mocambo’s menu leans more European, while Peter Cat leans North Indian. 

• Peter Hu?: The family’s pan-Asian restaurant at 25B Park Street, a good pick if you want a lighter, Asian menu. 

• Kareem’s: A Mughlai favorite on Mirza Ghalib Street for rolls, biryani, and kebabs at lower prices. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)