Coimbatore's food is a hybrid of Tamil Brahmin vegetarian cooking and the Muslim and Kerala influences of its trading communities. Morning tiffin — idli, dosa, pongal, vada — is excellent across the city. The neighbourhood around Gandhipuram bus stand has a concentration of old-school tiffin houses that open by 6 am and serve until the food runs out.
Biryani is the other thing to eat in Coimbatore. The city's significant Muslim trading community has produced a distinct Coimbatore biryani style — cooked in large vessels over wood fire, with a shorter-grain rice and spicier masala than the Dindigul or Chennai versions. Look for the old establishments on Oppanakara Street and the streets off the central market.
Kerala influence shows up in the fish and prawn dishes that appear on non-vegetarian menus. Kingfish (vanjaram), tiger prawns, and crab are cooked in coconut-based gravies that are distinctly different from the tomato-based Chettinad style. The city's position at the border of the two states means both traditions coexist on the same menus.
Coffee in Coimbatore is taken seriously. Filter coffee — not instant — served in the traditional steel tumbler and davara is the standard, and the quality is consistently good at even simple hotels.