The restaurants lining the Varkala cliff path serve a broad menu aimed at the international traveller — fresh Kerala seafood, North Indian standards, Israeli food (Varkala has a significant Israeli visitor contingent), and the usual banana pancake and pasta options. The setting, overlooking the sea from the cliff edge, makes everything taste better.
The best approach is to walk the path before you eat and look at what's fresh that day — most places have a fish board showing what the fishermen brought in. Grilled sea bass, kingfish curry, and prawn masala are reliable choices. For something more local in flavour and price, walk back into the town centre off the cliff for rice-plate restaurants where construction workers and locals eat.