Rahmath Hotel, on Customs Road in the old town, is a no-fuss family restaurant that has been serving Mappila Muslim food to traders, dock workers and locals for decades. The signatures are kuzhi mandi (Yemeni-influenced clay-pot rice with charcoal-cooked mutton), thalassery-style biryani, and the soft, lacy pathiri flatbreads with chicken or beef curry.
The decor is minimal — laminate tables, ceiling fans — and the prices are very reasonable. Closed Friday afternoons for prayers.