Central Kolkata consists of several neighbourhoods at the centre of the city, east of B. B. D. Bagh, Esplanade and Maidan. including Bowbazar, College Street, southern Chowringhee Road, Entally, Mahatma Gandhi (M.G.) Road and Park Street.

Understand

Park Street during Christmas

Chowringhee Road is a modern central business district of Kolkata and the place of choice for many large business houses. After the British started expanding their settlement outside Fort William in the mid-18th century, and Chowringhee was one of the first expansions. During the early British developments around the area, they built huge bungalows and houses all along the eastern end of Chowringhee Road (officially Jawaharlal Nehru Road). However, only a few of them still remains, including The Oberoi Grand, the Janbazar Building, the Chowringhee Mansions, the Asiatic Society and the majestic Indian Museum.

Park Street (officially Mother Teresa Sarani) is Kolkata's foremost dining area with many restaurants and pubs. It also showcases fashionable clothes, books from all over the world and so on. Park Street has retained the British spirit and is so well decorated during Christmas and New Year as if it is still part of the British Empire.

Get in

By bus

• 1 Shyamoli Paribahan Bus Depot, 10, Marquis St, ☏ +91 33 2252 0802. Provides buses to Bangladesh and a select few destinations in West Bengal. Shyamoli Paribahan handles the border transfer from one bus to another so well, that it seems a better option to many than the direct service. 

By metro

The North–South Metro  1  runs over Chowringhee Road, with stops at Park Street and Maidan

See

The 42

The Indian Museum

• 1 The 42 (দ্য ফোরটি-টু Dya Phōrṭi-Ṭu), 42B, Chowringhee Rd. At 260 m (850 ft), The 42 is the tallest building in Kolkata. (updated Apr 2023)
• 2 House of Henry Louis Vivian Derozio, 155A, AJC Bose Rd. Derozio was a young social reformer and the founder of the Young Bengal group. (updated Nov 2022)
• 3 Indian Museum, 27, Chowringhee Rd (metro: Park Street  1 ), ☏ +91 33 2249 5699, fax: +91 33 249 5696, indianmuseumkolkata@gmail.com. closed on Mondays. Established in 1814, this was the first such museum in Asia. Among its famous collection is the urn that held the ashes of the Buddha (though this is generally not on display), a Pillar of Ashoka (the three-lion symbol which became the official emblem of the Republic of India) and numerous rare antiques. A varied collection of exhibits include unique fossils, Buddhist Gandhara art and an Egyptian mummy. The Indian Museum has a library of excellent historical value, with a special focus on the British Raj and Kolkata. Admission: ₹10 (for Indian citizens) ₹150 (for foreign citizens). (updated Nov 2022)
• 4 Queen's Mansion, 12, Park St. (updated Nov 2022)

Religious attractions

Tipu Sultan Mosque

• 5 Church of the Lord Jesus (Prabhu Jisur Girja; প্রভু যীশুর গির্জা), Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Rd, Taltala. Formerly a Church of Scotland Presbyterian, the Catholic church is a unique one in the city with most of religious services are done in Bengali. (updated Dec 2022)
• 6 Mother Teresa’s tomb (Mother House), 54A, AJC Bose Rd, ☏ +91 33 2217 5267. The Missionaries of Charity is a new order formed in 1950 by Mother Teresa. Their vow to give wholehearted and free service to the poorest of the poor was put into action with the setting up of several homes. Visit Mother Teresa’s tomb at the Mother House, Nirmal Hriday (home for the dying), Shanti Nagar (for lepers) and Nirmala Shishu Bhavan (the children’s home). (updated Sep 2022)
• 7 South Park Street cemetery, Park St. The final resting place for early British traders and settlers. (updated Nov 2022)

Do

• Take an auto-rickshaw ride from Chandni Chowk to Lohapool, the driver will take you through some back alleys and narrow roads of Kolkata, sit tight and keep faith on the driver.

Learn

• 1 The Asiatic Society, 1, Park St. (updated Nov 2022)

Buy

Central Kolkata is the central marketplace for the people of Kolkata. There are shops ranging from computer peripherals to paint brushes and accessories, from cloth merchants to "foreign" (ফরেন pharen) goods. There are cinemas and restaurants. Major chain retailers include Pantaloons (22, Camac St).

• 1 Baithakkhana Market (Sealdah Market). One of the largest markets in Kolkata. (updated Aug 2022)
• 2 Eagle, 12/2 Lindsay St (in front on New Market), ☏ +91 33 98 023 6663. A good place to pick up Indian art films. 
• 3 Earthcare Books, 10 Middleton St (Maidan metro station), ☏ +91 33 2229-6551. A wonderful independent bookstore tucked away in an alley leading from Middleton St. As the name suggests, the bookstore specializes in environmental titles but also has a wide range of local subjects and poetry. 
• 4 Emami Shoppers' City, 3 Lord Sinha Rd, ☏ +91 33 2282 0675. Coffee shops, bookshop, designer wear, toy shops, boutiques, footwear stores, electronic stores, discotheque, beauty salons, gift shops, game parlours, multiplex 
• 5 Entally Market, 58, AJC Bose Rd. One of the old markets in Kolkata. Shops sell ready-made garments, vegetables, groceries, textiles, margarine, fish and fruits. This market was once famously known for its dairy product shops that provided high quality dairy items such as paneer, ghee, yogurt, condensed milk, cheese and butter. (updated Dec 2022)
• 6 Handicrafts (Between Sudder St and Surendranath Banerjee Road). It has several shops selling handicrafts. The largest is at the corner of Surendranath Banerjee Road. Those who are particular about handicrafts can also try 'Dakhinapan Shopping Complex' (see South Kolkata) 
• 7 Metro Plaza, 1, Ho Chi Minh Sarani (beside Tata Centre, near to Maidan metro station), ☏ +91 33 30525473, +91 33 30525474, +91 33 22883802. Locally manufactured readymade clothes. Many shops deal only in imported garments, mostly from Bangkok. The latest footwear and lingerie. Good parking facility. 
• 8 Mirza Ghalib Street (Free School Street). It is famous for its second-hand bookshops and second-hand record stalls. Rummaging through the LPs for sale on the street, one may find real gems from the jazz age. 
• 9 Oxford Book Store, 15 Park St, ☏ +91 33 2229 5455. A large and well-organised bookstore. Good selection of books on India and by Indian writers. Discount books and cafe (Cha Bar, see Drink section) on the second floor. 
• 10 Shree Ram Arcade, 15A, Chowringhee Rd. Open from 10:00-20:00 from Tuesday to Saturday and from 13:00 - 20:00. on Mondays. Sunday holiday.. Full of garment shops. 
• 11 Treasure Island. Open from 10:00-20:00. from Tuesday to Saturday and from 13:00 - 20:00 on Mondays. Sunday holiday. 
• 12 Vardaan Market, 25-A, Camac St, ☏ +91 33 22812724, +91 33 22874082. Forerunner of today's large shopping malls, it was the earliest air-conditioned market. Little shops and stalls line the walls of this mall selling shoes, handbags, toys, saris, salwar suits and western wear for ladies, shirts, tee shirts and trousers for men and children's clothes for all ages, chocolates and snacks. 
• 13 Westside, Block D22 Camac St, ☏ +91 33 22817312, mywestside@trent-tata.com. 11AM to 9PM. The Westside stores have numerous departments to meet the varied shopping needs of customers. These include menswear, women’s wear, kid’s wear, footwear, cosmetics, perfumes and handbags, household accessories, lingerie, and gifts. Fashionable goods are priced a little on the higher side. 

Eat

• 1 Bhim Chandra Nag, 5, Nirmal Chandra St, ☏ +91 33 2212 0465, +91 33 2269 7908. Famous for sandesh. Also makes a variety of sweets. (updated Apr 2018)
• Gangaur, 2 Russel St, ☏ +91 33 22658437. Serves a variety of vegetarian food but is famous for its Rajasthani or Marwari food. 
• 2 Jimmy's Kitchen, 7/1A, AJC Bose Rd (AJC Bose Road-Shakespeare Sarani crossing), ☏ +91 33 2290 7139. Chinese food. Drinks available. Popular items: Thai soup, noodles, lung fung soup, prawn, crispy chilli chicken, roast pork chilli, sweet corn soup. Jimmy's Kitchen has two branches: 1. 36F Ruby Hospital Road, 2. 14D, Lindsay Street. 
• 3 Jyoti Vihar, Ho Chi Min Sarani, ☏ +91 33 2282 9791. Offers clean and tasty South Indian food. It is completely vegetarian. It is on the same street as the US Consulate. 
• Kabab-e-Que (The Astor), 15 Shakespeare Sarani (inside the Astor Hotel), ☏ +91-33 22829957-58. They serve Indian and continental cuisine, but what has made this outlet famous is the variety of kababs that goes wonderfully well with drinks. 
• Kathleen's, Mirza Ghalib St. Pastry shop and an eclectic mix of cuisines dominated by Indian and Chinese styles. 
• Khalsa, Madge Ln (on left side when entering Madge Ln, from Sudder St). offers excellent and cheap Punjabi food. (updated Feb 2019)
• 4 Mocambo, 25B Mirza Ghalib St, ☏ +91 33 2265 4300. Same owners as Peter Cat, but here the cuisine is a bit more rounded. Continental, Indian and even some Chinese dishes are served in upscale surroundings. mains ₹100-300. 
• New Embassy, 53A, Chowringhee Ln (right on Chowringhee Road between Theatre Road crossing and AJC Bose Road crossing), ☏ +91 33 22827490. Delicious Chinese food. 
• 5 Sip & Sandwich, 1 Shakespeare Sarani, Theatre Road AC Market, Elgin (Chowringhee Rd corner), ☏ +91 9830605145. Vegetarian fast food 

Chowringhee Road

• Aheli, Peerless Inn Hotel, 12, Chowringhee Rd, ☏ +91 33 2228-0301, +91 33 4400-3900. Authentic Bengali food, served in brass utensils in a Bengali marriage environment. Drinks not served. 
• Ban Thai, Oberoi Grand, 15 Chowringhee Rd, ☏ +91 33 2249-2323. M-F 7-11:30PM, Sa Su 12:30-3PM and 7-11:30PM. For an authentic taste of Thailand, visit Baan Thai. Widely recognised as the premier Thai restaurant in the country. Drinks served. Around ₹4,000 for two people. Drinks extra. 

Park Street

• 6 Drive Inn, 10 Middleton St (same as Earthcare Books), ☏ +91 33 2217-2247. An outdoor restaurant offering a wide range of good vegetarian and non-vegetarian fare (Indian/Chinese). AC area is available, the staff speaks good English and is friendly. Meals from around ₹70. 
• 7 Flury's, 18 Park St (metro: Park Street  1 ), ☏ +91 33 22297664. Tu-Su 7AM-8PM, M 10AM-6PM. A popular and stylish cafe serving a good variety of baked goods and various coffees, sandwiches and entrees. A great place for breakfast or lunch. Baked goods ₹80-₹100, drinks ₹80, meals ₹600-₹1000. 
• 8 Kwality, 17, Park St (next to Oxford Book Shop). Been around for years with sharply dressed waiters serving tasty tandoori and north Indian food to well-off locals. Try their Chhola-bhatura. Mains from ₹100. 
• Moulin Rouge (not to be confused with Paris night club), 31, Park St, ☏ +91 33 2229 9397. 
• Oasis, 33, Park St, ☏ +91 33 2229 9033. Cosy restaurant with variety of foods. Has a small bar service counter with three stalls. 
• 9 Peter Cat, 18, Park St (metro: Park Street  1 ), ☏ +91 33 2229 8841. Very popular for its chello kababs. However, their service has not received the best reviews. Serves Indian, tandoori and Continental fare. 
• 10 Waldorf, 13 D, Russel St (near crossing with Park St), ☏ +91 33 65354952. Serves delicious Chinese food 

Sudder Street

• 11 Blue Sky Cafe, 3, Sudder St (on the corner of Chowringhee Ln). The food is cheap, the place is clean and the service is truly fantastic. Great if you are on an extended stay as they offer both Indian and some Western food. You will not find nicer waiters anywhere. Try the freshly squeezed juices. (updated Feb 2019)
• Curd Corner (near junction with Chowringhee Ln). This small hole-in-the-wall eatery is quite an institution in the area, and a generation of travellers have gorged themselves on the fresh and thick yoghurt. Check out the filter coffee and 'mock' cappuccino. Service staff don't speak English, which makes it hard when their menu is in English. (updated Aug 2022)
• 12 Raj's Spanish Cafe, 7, Sudder St (hard to find alleyway entrance close to intersection Mirza Ghalib St), ☏ +91 33 4001 4373. 8AM-10PM. Serves breakfast and espresso-based coffees. Mexican, pizza, and other Western staples. mains ₹100. (updated Feb 2019)
• 13 Shiraz Golden Restaurant, 135, Park St (near AJC Bose Rd crossing), ☏ +91 33 3099 0175. Noon-11:30PM. Biryani and Mughlai food. Popular items: firni, mutton biryani, brain masala, chicken tikka, chicken reshmi butter masala, mutton haleem. It has four food outlets in Kolkata: 1. Kankurgachi, 2. Salt Lake Sector III, 3. Ajay Nagar, 4. Nagerbazar. 

Drink

Coffees

There are a number of cafe chains (Barista, Cafe Coffee Day, etc.) on Park Street, near the junction with Mirza Ghalib Street.

• 1 Cha Bar, 2nd floor, Oxford Book Store, Park St. A modern and chic cafe with a great selection of teas, including herbal, smoothies. Cha Bar also sells coffee, but this is of mediocre quality. A large window offers views of St life below, while the books provide a literary dimension. Cha Bar is an excellent place for a budding writer or a day dreamer. 
• The Street, GF, Park Hotel, Park St. The universal colours of chic decor, black and red, are used extensively to give this cafe a warm but modern feel. Good selection of coffees and healthy snacks opposed to what the name might make you think. This cafe is about as far from representing Kolkata St life as you could possibly get, but it makes a good alternative to the ubiquitous Baristas and Coffee Days. 

Alcohol

• 2 Fairlawn Beer Garden, 13/A Sudder St (inside Hotel Fairlawn), ☏ +91 33 2252 1510. Only serves beer. Eccentric atmosphere with greenery everywhere. Famous among travellers and volunteers. Great place for meeting people and early evening drinking. Snacks and dinner available. 
• 3 Olypub, 23 Park St, ☏ +91 33 64520472. 11AM to 11PM. A fine afforable bar 
• Super Pub, Sudder St (opposite of Fire Station). Air-Conditioned and clean place. Serves beer and hard liquor and seasonal fruit juice. Snacks and eateries are reasonably priced. 

Sleep

This guide uses the following price ranges for a standard double room:
Budget	Under ₹1000
Mid-range	₹1000 to ₹3000
Splurge	Over ₹3000

Sudder Street is at the centre of Kolkata's backpacker area, and many of the budget hotels geared towards travellers are on and around this street.

Budget

• Hotel Galaxy, 3, Stuart Ln (off Sudder St), ☏ +33 2252 4565. Clean, simple, and convenient location. (updated Mar 2018)
• 1 Hotel Maria, 5/1 Sudder St, ☏ +91 33 2252 0860. dorm ₹80, Very basic, creatively graffiti-ed rooms with and without attached bathroom from ₹300 as of Feb 2015. Grumpy service, cheap laundry, dank bathroom/toilet and no wifi. Very central location, takes no bookings, so arrive early (8:30AM onwards). 
• 2 Hotel Modern Lodge, 1, Stuart Ln (off Sudder St), ☏ +91 33 2252 4960. Not very modern, but cheap and fairly clean. ₹150 for a single with a shared cold-water bathroom. ₹100-250. 
• Hotel Royal Palace, ☏ +91 33 2252 5280, +91 33 2252 4178. Clean and large A/C & non-A/C rooms with private bath, TV, STD/ISD. ₹350-750. 
• 3 Seacom Inn YMCA, 25 Chowringhee Rd (near corner with Kyd St), ☏ +91 33 2249-2192, chowringheeymca@yahoo.com. An extremely drab and dark hotel that appears not to have received a lick of paint since its founding in the mid-19th century. However, in some ways, that is the hotel's distinctive charm, and so it may appeal to strict traditionalists. There is a simple restaurant on the second floor. The food is nothing special, but the balcony offers a great view of the buzzing city below. Non A/C single ₹600, with A/C ₹850. (updated Oct 2022)

Mid-range

• 4 Astoria Hotel, Sudder St, ☏ +91 33 2252 9679, astoria@hotmail.com. Clean, large, albeit drab, rooms with private bathrooms. ₹2450-4150 +10% tax (2015). (updated Oct 2022)
• Esplanade Chambers, 2 Chandni Chowk St (40 m off GC Ave), ☏ +91 33 2212 7101, +91 99 0313 2621, esplanadechambers@yahoo.co.in. Very clean and reasonably quiet rooms, albeit not massive. Single from ₹1400, double deluxe ₹2200, breakfast incl. 
• 5 Hotel Jaapon (Japoon Guest House), 30F Mirza Galib St (at the end of Sudder St), ☏ +91 33 2252 0657, +91 33 2252 0658. Reasonably clean AC and non-AC rooms available with a very small private bathroom and cable TV. Beds are surprisingly comfortable given the thin and well-worn mattresses, but some rooms are chokingly musty - check before checking in. Singles ₹650, AC doubles ₹1100. (updated Oct 2022)
• 6 The Senator (P.C.Chandra Group), 15 Camac St, ☏ +91 33 2289 3000. 
• 7 Sunflower Guest House, 7 Royd St (200 m away intersection Park St and Mirza Ghalib St), ☏ +91 33 2229 9401, +91 33 2229 8388, sunflowerguesthouse@gmail.com. Clean and great location. Those who tote lots of luggage be warned there are stairs to climb to the top floor reception. ₹1,350 double. (updated Oct 2022)

Splurge

• 8 The Astor, 15 Shakespeare Sarani, ☏ +91 33 22829957, fax: +91 33 22827430, sales@astorkolkata.com. Kabab-e-Que restaurant phone +91 33 22829958 Single or double ₹7000/₹10000. 
• 9 Bawa Watson Spa'o'tel, 5A Sudder St, ☏ +91 33 2252 1512, bawawalson@bawahotels.com. An upscale new venue that's breaking the trend from the Sudder St backpacker tide. 29 rooms ₹4100 per double (all tax included, 2015). 
• 10 Elgin Fairlawn, 13/A Sudder St, ☏ +91 33 2252 1510, +91 33 2252 8767, fairlawn@cal.vsnl.net.in. Single:₹3500, double/twin:₹4400 (Service Charge 5%) (2015). (updated Dec 2022)
• 11 Hotel Lindsay, 8A/8B Lindsay St, ☏ +91 33 3021 8666, sales@hotellindsay.com. The hotel is well-lit and clean. Its facilities, including a room minibar, hot water, tea and coffee, make it a good value four-star property. ₹4,600 double. (updated Oct 2022)
• 12 New Kenilworth Hotel, 1 & 2, Little Russel St, ☏ +91 33 2282 3939, fax: +91 33 2282 5136, +91 33 2282 3940-66214100, reservationkol@kenilworthhotels.com. ₹8.000-₹11,000 all tax incl.. 
• 13 The Golden Parkk, 13 Ho Chi Minh Sarani, ☏ +91 33 22883939, fax: +91 33 22889600, sales@thegoldenpark.com. From ₹8,000. 
• 14 The Park Hotel, 17, Park St, ☏ +91 33 2249 3121, fax: +91 33 2249 4000, resv.cal@theparkhotels.com. The unassuming exterior hides an elegant and homely interior with stylish Indian features. From ₹6300 (2015). (updated Oct 2022)

Stay safe

Although most of Chowringhee is considered safe, one noted problem here is the drug dealers around Sudder Street. However, as the dealers obviously do not want to draw undue attention to their activity, they are not persistent and are rarely a threat.

Police stations

• 2 Park Street, ☏ +91 33 22268321, +91 33 22832100, +91 33 22276437. 

Connect

There are other smaller internet cafes on Sudder St such as Net Freaks, but they are often very busy.

• 3 Gopal's Planet, 7 Tottie Ln (Coming from Sudder St, walk 50m (150ft) into Tottie Ln. On your left-hand side, same building as Raj's Guesthouse, ground floor), ☏ +91 9674273616, gopalsplanet@gmail.com. 8AM-11PM. Friendly, quiet internet cafe off Sudder Street with relatively modern computers, AC and free chai (with Wi-Fi, Skype, printers, phone calls, etc.). They also rent bicycles and sell train tickets. Their coffee and snacks are good as well. 
• 4 Hotline Services, 7, Sudder St (near the Astoria Hotel, at the back of the parking lot between Roop Shringar clothing shop and Metro Beauty Parlour. Identified with a large illuminated sign in red). It has a room jam-packed with high-speed computers, and charges ₹15/hr. They also sell CDs of various styles of Indian music for around ₹150/each and have a selection of hand-woven material and cotton clothing from all over India. The hotline also provides a coffee and snack service. (updated Nov 2022)

Cope

Hospitals

• 5 Belle Vue Clinic, 9 UN Brahmachari St, ☏ +91 33 22472321. 
• Mercy Hospital, Park St. 
• 6 NRS Medical College & Hospital, 138, AJC Bose Rd, ☏ +91 33 22443213.  

Go next

Routes through Central Kolkata

North Kolkata ← Esplanade ←

N  S

→ South Kolkata → END